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Round 13 of the Japan Rugby League One 2025-2026 season kicks off with a replay of the teams which competed in last season’s final, but the defending champions, Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and defeated finalists, Kubota Spears, are experiencing vastly different campaigns.
The other pick of the weekend is the top of the table Saitama Wild Knights hosting Tokyo Sungoliath, as Cheslin Kolbe’s side have not beaten them in the past 7 matches.
There is also a full house of fixtures in Division 2, and two matches in the 3rd division this weekend.
Division 1
Saturday March 28
Kubota Spears v Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo; at Tokyo (Edoriku), 12.10pm
Kubuta should be the favourite at home for this weekend’s game, even with the six-game losing streak. Tidd Blackadder’s defending champion side is going through, which has seen them slip to 6th, while Frans Ludeke’s Kubota Spears are tied at the top of Division 1.
The Brave Lupus have been victorious the last two times these two teams met - in last year’s final, and it was their last win this season. Also against them is the incredible home record that the Kubota side has at Spears Edoriku Field, undefeated in 24 fixtures and yet to taste defeat.
Add in that the Brave Lupus are the most penalised team in the Division, with 167 penalties, at a rate of nearly 14 per game, while the home side also has Bernard Foley, who is second on this season’s points charts with 131, only two behind Ichigo Nakakusu from BlackRams Tokyo. The Spears in contrast, have the third-best discipline record and given away the third fewest penalties (114).
All of the international stars are set to start, with Foley, Malcolm Marx, Shaun Stevenson, and Faulua Makisi (with ten tries this season) among others for Kubota, and there is a return of Shannon Frizell, with captain Michael Leith and Ritchie Mo’unga starting for the Brave Lupus.
Shizuoka BlueRevs v Kobelco Kobe Steelers; at Shizuoka, 2.30pm
Seventh-placed Shizuoka BlueRevs come into the weekend after having won in the last round, thanks to a POTM performance from Kwagga Smith; the result ended five straight losses.
But to win two games on the bounce, they will need to overcome Kobe, who themselves had a surprise loss last weekend to the bottom side, just their second defeat this season.
The usual starring suspects will start for Kobe, with Brodie Rettalick as captain in a stellar season, Ardie Savea, Anton Leinert-Brown, and Seungsin Lee.
Kwagga Smith-led BlueRevs beat Dave Rennie’s side twice during the last regular season but lost in the playoffs, so this encounter is a tasty one with Semi Radradra (leading offloads in the division) on the left wing and Charles Piutau at outside centre.
Tokyo Sungoliath v Saitama Wild Knights; at Tokyo (Chichibu), 2.30pm
Wild Knights have suffered just one defeat all season, and returned to the top of the standings after winning last weekend, while the Tokyo Sungoliaith will be bemoaning their loss last weekend.
Both teams should be in the play-offs by the end of the season, and we could be treated to some running rugby and points in Tokyo - the Wild Knights and Sungoliath share 11 national titles between them - and Atsushi Kanazawa’s side has defeated Sungoliath the past seven times, including in the final Top League and maiden League One finals.
Sam Cane and Cheslin Kolbe for Sungoiath will square up against Lachlan Boshier, Damian de Allende and Dylan Riley, and leading team try scorer Koki Takeyama for the Wild Knights.
Yokohama Canon Eagles v Toyota Verblitz; at Kanagawa, 2.30pm
Yokohama are chasing a third in this season and take on the Toyota side at home, with Steve Hansen’s side having their three-game win run halted last weekend.
The battle to watch is at number 9, where Faf de Klerk and Aaron Smith renew their rivalry. In the Test area, they faced each other nine times, resulting in four wins each and a draw. In the JRLO, the 60-cap Springbok has been victorious both times, and he will be on a high after his hat-trick last weekend.
There is still no Jesse Kriel for the Eagles, and Billy Harmon captains the side, facing opposite captain and in-form Kazuki Himeno for the Verblitz.
Sunday March 29
BlackRams Tokyo v Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars; at Tokyo (Chichibu), 2.30pm
10th-placed Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars travel to face BlackRams Tokyo on Sunday in Tokyo, and are hunting a 5th win of the season in total.
The BlackRams, though, have had a wonderful campaign and won't want to see their position in the top six slip away. They have won the tied third-most games in the Division (7) and will be odds on to make that number this weekend.
Urayasu D-Rocks v Mie Honda Heat; at Miyagi, 2.30pm
Mie Honda Heat travel to a struggling Urayasu D-Rocks, with the Kieran Crowley-coached side in 9th and level on log points with Toyota Verblitz.
For them to reach an unlikely top six spot, they will need to get results against Sungoliath, Kubota and Kobe to come, so a win this weekend over now bottom-placed Urayasu DRocks is a must. Their Springbok Franco Mostert still has the highest tackle count this season in JRLO Div 1 with 182.
The hosts have lost 8 straight games and look destined for the Replacement Battle, but stranger things have happened - especially this season.
Friday March 27
Red Hurricanes Osaka v Kyushu Electric Power Kyuden Voltex; at Osaka, 7pm
The hosts are currently 5th and face 7th-placed Kyushu Electric Power Kyuden Voltex in a Friday night match in Division 2.
Taiki Yamaguchi is the third most prolific points scorer in D3 for the Red Hurricanes Osaka, but he is not in the matchday squad, and Ryongtee Oh starts at flyhalf and plays his 4th straight game this season.
Saturday March 28
Hanazono Kintetsu Liners v Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves; at Osaka, 12pm
Top of the table Hanazono Kintetsu Liners have only a one-point lead over Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi on the log and host Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves, who are 6th.
Patrick Tafa starts in his 50th game for the Liners and will want to play his part in securing a team win with Springbok Manie Libboj (top points scorer in D2) starting at ten. His opposite number has only six points less than him at 67, and Mitchel Hunt will be keen to steer his side to an unlikely win away from home.
The Hanazono Kintetsu Liners Tomoya Kimura has the most tries (9) in the Division, and he starts on the right wing.
Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi v Hino Red Dolphins; at Aichi, 2.30pm
Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi will want to keep the pressure on the log leaders by winning their game this weekend, and they host the bottom team in D2, Hino Red Dolphins.
Toyota Industries Corporation Shuttles Aichi have two of the top three try scorers - Isileli Manu (8) and Chance Peni (7) and only the latter will feature this weekend, with Noah Lolesio starting at flyhalf and the power of Josua Kerevi to come off the bench.
Green Rockets Tokatsu v Shimizu Corporation Koto Blue Sharks; at Chiba, 2.30pm
Green Rockets Tokatsu were winners last time out and now sit third on the log in Division 2, and they play the team they leapfrogged into that position, Shimizu Corporation Koto Blue Sharks.
Both teams have won 5 matches so far, but the hosts are ahead by two points on the log. Leading points scorers for the respective teams, Green Rockets outside centre Orbyn Leger squares up against Billy Burns in the fly-half role, which could be a battle to keep an eye on.
Division Three
Saturday March 28
SkyActivs Hiroshima v Le RIRO Fukuoka; at Hiroshima, 1pm
Undefeated SkyActivs Hiroshima are chasing a tenth straight win in the season, but will the visiting 4th-placed Le RIRO Fukuoka be the ones to end that run - unlikely.
The Division leaders were 40-17 victors when they met earlier this season. Flyhalf Issen Kano for the SkyActivs leads the D3 points, but he is absent this weekend; they do have two of their three top try scorers starting - second row Andrew Davidson has the most tries in D3 (8) and Clynton Knox (6).
Sunday March 29
SAYAMA SECOM RUGGUTS v Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions; at Saitama, 2.30pm
Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions were winners in the previous round, which was just their second victory all season, but they travel to second in the Division SAYAMA SECOM RUGGUTS, who have only lost twice all season, and they should keep that record intact this weekend.