JRLO 2023-2024 Round 5 Preview

There are games played in all three Divisions of the JRLO in round 5 from 13-14 January 2024, but the Japan Rugby League One season does see its first COVID-impacted game this weekend.

It was confirmed on Thursday 11th January 2024 that Saturday’s Division 3 match between Hino Red Dolphins and Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions was called off due to several Regulions players testing positive for COVID – and as a result, they could not field a front-row so were forced  to forfeit, with Hino awarded the win and four log pts

Division One JRLO 2023-2024 – Round 5 Fixtures

Saturday 13th January 2024

Shizuoka Blue Revs will be looking to knock over third-placed Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath in the feature match on Saturday in JRLO Division 1, as the team look to keep climbing the log. Now placed sixth, and having already beaten the defending champions Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay, they sit only three points outside of the semi-final positions.

One of the areas they have improved upon is goal kicking, with in-form flyhalf Kenta Iemura becoming the first player in the league this season to surpass 50 points. Springbok Kwagga Smith continues to lead from the front and he has already crossed the whitewash four times this season, while new addition Charles Piutau is growing into the team.

Sungoliath is still awaiting the arrival of mercurial Argentine Nicolas Sanchez, with 22-year-old flyhalf Mikiya Takamoto currently at ten after the late withdrawal of Welshman Anscombe pre-season due to injury. The young Japanese player is doing well though and is just shy of 50 points off the boot himself.

January 13 2024 will see the return of Springbok second-row Lood de Jager in the JRLO – he has been sidelined since August 2023 by a medical condition. which forced him to miss the RWC 2023. He played in a training game for the Saitama Wild Knights development side last weekend and has been cleared to return against Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars.

• Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars v Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights; Sagamihara, 12pm
• Shizuoka Blue Revs v Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath; Shizuoka; 2pm
• Yokohama Canon Eagles v Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo; Kanagawa, 2.10pm

Sunday 14th January 2024

Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay face Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Kobe on Sunday. and both sides are looking to avoid a third straight loss.

Kobelco Kobe Steelers were hoping for much more pre-season, having added former Wallabies and Chiefs coach Dave Rennie, All Blacks Brodie Retallick and Ardie Savea, as well as the return of
Ngane Laumape. But the past two rounds’ losses to Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and Sungoliath have shown how tight the JRLO will be this year.

Having been snubbed for the Brave Blossoms coaching job, South African Coach Frans Ludeke has seen his side Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay lose three from the first four rounds.

The loss of Wallaby flyhalf Bernard Foley before last weekend’s tie with Brave Lupus has not helped their cause and their defence (the third-best defensive record in the league) will have to be on form against one of the best attacks in the top-flight.

Winless Hanazono Kintetsu Liners host Toyota Verblitz, and following the return of Quade Cooper last weekend, Kntetsu coach Shogo Mukai will want his playmaker to quickly find form.

Bottom-placed Mie Honda Heat travels to second-placed Brave Lupus with the visitors hoping to stay within the semifinal spots.

• Kobelco Kobe Steelers v Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay; Kobe, 2.30pm
• Hanazono Kintetsu Liners v Toyota Verblitz; Osaka, 2.30pm
• Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo v Mie Honda Heat; Tokyo, 2.35pm

Brief highlights of all JRLO matches will be available here.

All times shown are Japan local time.

Last season, Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi lost all three fixtures against Urayasu D-Rock, so the hosts will be hoping to make it four in a row when they face each other on Saturday. This is a top-of-the-table clash too and it is the D-Rocks who are in second place.

Shuttles have ex-England flyhalf Freddie Burns back this season after his stint in Super Rugby, and he has notched up 44 points in Division 2 thus far. He has helped steer his side to three straight wins, bringing in organisation and calmness for his side.

D-Rocks have scored wins over Kyuden Voltex and Japan Steel Kamaishi Seawaves but will be without Samu Kerevi due to injury, and still, no sign of Israel Folau this season which poses problems for South African coach Johan Ackermann.

The NEC Green Rockets are heavily favoured against Red Hurricanes Osaka in the earlier kickoff on Saturday and coach Wayne Pivac has had two weeks over the New Year’s break to work his systems into the team.

Matt Cockbain’s newly promoted Red Hurricanes were hammered 71-12 by the Shuttles on Christmas Eve 2023 and will be looking to reinstil some confidence at home.

Saturday 13th January 2024

• Red Hurricanes Osaka v NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu; Osaka, 12pm
• Urayasu D-Rocks v Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi; Chiba, 2.30 pm

Division Three JRLO 2023-2024 – Round 4 Fixtures

Division Three sees only one active match as the Mazda SkyActivs visit Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks, with the visitors having lost last weekend to Hino Red Dolphins.

The Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks won’t have off-season recruit Lima Sopoaga available as he remains injured following their win over Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions.

Saturday 13th January 2024

• Shimizu Corporation Koto Blue Sharks v Mazda SkyActivs Hiroshima; Yumunoshima (Tokyo), 1pm
• Hino Red Dolphins v Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions; AGF Field (Tokyo), 2.30pm (forfeited)

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.

At the start of 2024, the Japan Rugby League One also announced to fans in Asia that they will be able to watch on Malaysian TV streaming provider, Astro, with matches on Astro SuperSport channel!

The full fixture list for this JRLO season can be seen here.

JRLO 2023-2024

• JRLO 2023-2024 Round 4 Preview.
• JRLO 2023-2024 Round 3 Preview.
• NTT JRLO Season 2023-2024 – Who Is Involved?
• Cross-Border Rugby 2024 – JRLO & Super Rugby NZ Teams Confirmed.