There are games played in all three Divisions in round 2 of the JRLO this weekend from 16-17 December 2023 and we preview all the matchups and potential key players in Japan.
Division One JRLO 2023-2024 – Round 2 Fixtures
Mie Honda Heat host Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay with both sides looking to quickly forget opening round losses in the JRLO Division 1. The hosts in particular will want to vanquish the 80-15 defeat to Kobe but they are still without Argentine backrower Pablo Matera, who is recovering from an injury sustained at Rugby World Cup 2023.
Kobelco Kobe Steelers, will look to carry on their winning ways and head to Suzuka on Sunday, and captain Brodie Retallick will look to emulate his MOTM performance from the opening weekend and add to his try-scoring tally. He has racked up seven tries from 10 matches in his Japanese club career. His NZ partner Ardie Savea also added a brace of tries on debut last weekend and will square up against Springbok and Blue Revs skipper, Kwagga Smith.
Smith will want more from the Blue Revs, after losing 43-30 against Toshiba Brave Lupus in the opening round.
Kobelco Kobe Steelers JRLO 2023
Toshiba will renew their rivalry with neighbours Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath who this season come armed with Springbok Cheslin Kolbe, another player who scored on debut last weekend, while Argentinean Nicolas Sanchez has also joined a medical joker. The Toshiba Brave Lupus also have firepower out wide, with Japanese winger Jone Naikabula and All Black centre Seta Tamanivalu, both scoring tries in Round #1 (Naikabula with four tries and Tamanivalu with two).
Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo face up to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars who they lost to last season in their first encounter. The Dynaboars will count on the accurate boot of James Grayson, who’se 100 per cent kicking record last weekend saw them overcome Hanazono Kintetsu Liners.
The Liners will play Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights and the former champions were on fire to start off this season, and thrashed Yokohama Canon Eagles, even with Australian winger Marika Koroibete on the bench, and Springbok second-row Lood de Jager also not involved.
It’s still not confirmed if Wallaby flyhalf Quade Cooper will be ready to return for the Liners.
Yokohama Canon Eagles host Toyota Verblitz at Yokohama’s Nissan Stadium and international duels will see rival scrum-halves Aaron Smith (Toyota) and Faf de Klerk (Canon) as well as flyhalf Beauden Barrett (Toyota)
and centre Jesse Kriel (Canon) squaring up.
Toyota Verblitz JRLO 2023
Saturday December 16 2023
- Mie Honda Heat v Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay; Suzuka, 12.10pm
- Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo v Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars; Tokyo, 1pm
- Yokohama Canon Eagles v Toyota Verblitz; Kanagawa, 2.30pm
Sunday December 17 2023
- Hanazono Kintetsu Liners v Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights; Osaka, 12pm
- Shizuoka Blue Revs v Kobleco Kobe Steelers; Shizuoka, 2pm
- Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath v Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo; Tokyo, 2.30pm
Brief highlights of all JRLO matches will be available here.
Division Two JRLO 2023-2024 – Round 2 Fixtures
Round #1 winners Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi and NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu meet at Aichi, while Red Hurricanes will play in Osaka against Japan Steel Kamaishi Seawaves with the Hurricanes looking to go 2/2 this season.
Newly promoted Kyuden Voltex face Urayasu D-Rocks – with the latter suffering their first loss in a regular season game since the club was formed.
Saturday December 16 2023
- Red Hurricanes Osaka v Japan Steel Kamaishi Seawaves; Osaka, 2.30pm
- Urayasu D-Rocks v Kyuden Voltex; Tokyo, 2.30pm
- Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi v NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu; Aichi, 2.30pm
Division Three JRLO 2023-2024 – Round 2 Fixtures
The only match in JRLO Division Three features Mazda SkyActivs Hiroshima hosting Kurita Water Gush Akishima on Saturday.
Saturday December 16
- Mazda SkyActivs Hiroshima v Kurita Water Gush Akishima; Hiroshima, 1pm
How To Watch JRLO
Matches from the JRLO can be seen in Africa on ESPN Africa, as well as in New Zealand via TVNZ, and in some regions on World Rugby’s global rugbypass.com website.
The full fixture list for this JRLO season can be seen here.
JRLO 2023-2024
- NTT JRLO Season 2023-2024 – Who Is Involved?
- Cross-Border Rugby 2024 – JRLO & Super Rugby NZ Teams Confirmed.
- JRLO 2023-2024 Round 1 Preview
- JRLO 2023-2024 Opening Round – By The Numbers
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