Round 13 of the Japan Rugby League One 2025-2026 saw the first teams confirm their places in the top six and the playoffs in Division 1, with Kubota Spears winning comfortably to be the first to qualify and inflicting a 7th straight defeat on the Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and move to the top of the table.
Round 13 of the Japan Rugby League One 2025-2026 saw the first teams confirm their places in the top six and the playoffs in Division 1, with Kubota Spears winning comfortably to be the first to qualify and inflicting a 7th straight defeat on the Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and move to the top of the table.
The Saitama Wild Knights had to wait for an 86th-minute try to come back against Tokyo Sungoliath and also confirm their spot in the playoffs with 5 rounds still to play before the Kobe Steelers were the third side to qualify for the final six.
There was also a full house of fixtures in Division 2, in which the Kintetsu Liners remain at the top, and two matches in the 3rd division this weekend, where the SkyActivs Hiroshima remain undefeated and also secured their spot in the Div 2 playoff matches.
Division 1
Saturday March 28
Kubota Spears 51-7 Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo; at Tokyo (Edoriku)
Kubuta were the favourites at home and convincingly beat Todd Blackadder’s Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, and the result meant Frans Ludeke’s team were the first side to confirm their qualification for the top 6 playoffs, while it also meant loss number 7 in a row for the side that won the title last season.
It was a first win in three matchups for the Spears over the Brave Lupus, and the dominant win is a real worry for the Brave Lupus, whose freefall is stark. It was also the 25th straight win at Spears Edoriku Field, and a full house of 5,000 fans were in attendance.
The halftime score was 17-7 for the hosts with Bernard Foley contributing 12 of them, including a try, while Seta Tamanivalu scored for the visitors. The second-half blowout saw Kubota run in 5 tries, Opeti Helu running in a front row classic from the 22m line (he was also POTM), before Shaun Stevenson, Koga Nezuka, and two from Rikus Pretorius rounded out the bonus point victory.
Foley’s 19-point haul and 6/6 kicks saw him extend his position as the top points scorer in Division 1.
Shizuoka BlueRevs 20-41 Kobelco Kobe Steelers; at Shizuoka
The Kobelco Kobe Steelers ensured they kept the pressure on the teams above them with Brodie Rettalick scoring try number 14 for the season in his side's win. The most a player has scored in a single season is 18 tries by Sungoliath winger Seiya Ozaki three years ago.
For the Shizuoka BlueRevs the loss means it's only one win in the past six matches, and they were well behind 3-26 after the break at home as the Kobe side ran in four tries.
The hosts scored twice through Semi Radradra and livewire scrumhalf Shuntaro Kitamura before Kobe’s captain scored his try. A late consolation score for BlueRevs Sylvian Mahuza couldn't prevent Dave Rennie’s Steelers from ensuring they won after last week’s shock loss - they remain in third behind Kubota and the Wild Knights, who both won this weekend.
Kobelco Kobe Steelers’s Itsuki Kamimura was the POTM in the win.
Tokyo Sungoliath 34-36 Saitama Wild Knights; at Tokyo (Chichibu)
We said in the preview that we might see points, and we had 70 of them, with the Wild Knights coming from 17-31 down to score the winning try in the 86th minute, thanks to replacement prop Lisala Finau (POTM) and heartbreak for the hosts. They were denied one try already after the 80 minutes and created the winning try from continuous pressure.
It was all square at 14-all at the break, and Cheslin Kolbe scored 24 of his team's 34 points (his second-highest tally in the JRLO), which included his 8th try this season.
The Tokyo Sungoliath looked like they would end a run of 7 defeats to the Saitama Wild Knights, but the top of the table side showed their potential championship credentials by coming back and scoring 19 unanswered points, forcing the win well after the 80 minutes. However, being denied a bonus point, meant that Kubota claim the stop spot.
Yokohama Canon Eagles 27-33 Toyota Verblitz; at Kanagawa
Yokohama were denied a third win this season as the visiting Toyota side made it four wins in five for them, and now are in a genuine playoff hunt, which seemed unlikely a month ago.
Steve Hansen’s team were ahead 21-10 thanks to tries from Shinya Komura, Rikiya Matsuda, and Keito Aoki.
There were four yellow cards in the final forty minutes - the first of which came at the end of the first half for the Eagles, and they had a second 14 minutes into the second half. Despite this, they scored through Faf De Klerk and Amanaki Saumaki to lead 24-21/
The Verblitz then struck back twice as Viliame Tuidraki and William Tupou restored the lead, but then they received two yellows within a minute; nevertheless, they held on for the win.
Sunday March 29
BlackRams Tokyo 33-7 Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars; at Tokyo (Chichibu)
BlackRams Tokyo secured their 8th win this campaign and are now in 5th place after defeating the visiting Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars on Sunday.
The win means they extend their best run in D1 and their quest for a top-six finish and a shot at the playoffs. They stormed ahead and were leading 21-0 at the break in Tokyo with Isaac Lucas crossing twice in the first half as his side ran in three tries, and they had the lead despite being down to 14 players for ten minutes.
Two additional scores in the second period put the game to bed, with only Lukhanyo Am scoring a try for the defeated visitors, which leaves them in 10th place.
Urayasu D-Rocks 17-43 Mie Honda Heat; at Miyagi
Mie Honda Heat travelled to the struggling Urayasu D-Rocks and came away with a full complement of points to inflict the 9th straight defeat on the home side.
At halftime, the Heat were well in control, leading 26-10 thanks to four tries, with Fijian test hooker Tevita Ikanivere scoring twice, and Israel Folau scoring for the hosts and Jasper Wiese scoring first in the second half for the Urayasu D-Rocks.
The Mie Honda Heat recouped and scored three more tries for a convincing win, which leaves them in 7th on the log, while Urayasu D-Rocks still look destined for the Replacement Battle.
Friday March 27
Red Hurricanes Osaka 27-31 Kyushu Electric Power Kyuden Voltex; at Osaka
7th-placed Kyushu Electric Power Kyuden Voltex won the Friday night contest, just their third victory of the season.
In a game of two halves, the visitors scored 5 first-half tries and were up 31-10, with both sides also each handed two yellow cards in the opening forty minutes. Those were the last points that Kyushu Electric Power Kyuden Voltex could muster as the hosts scored 17 points but just came up short of overturning the deficit.
The loss for the Red Hurricanes Osaka sees them remain in 5th.
Saturday March 28
Hanazono Kintetsu Liners 59-31 Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves; at Osaka
A huge win for the top of Division 1 Hanazono Kintetsu Liners as they defeated Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves in Osaka, scoring 9 tries in the win.
They looked in control at the break with a convincing 33-12 advantage and 5 tries chalked up. Both Manie Libbok and Peter Umaga Jensen added their names to the scoresheet in the second half, with Tomoya Kimura scoring twice in the win to extend his lead at the top of the Division try scoring charts to 11. Keita Fijuwara was the POTM in the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners' win, and Manie Libbok scored 19 points in total.
Both Gerdus Vanderwalt and Ryota Kono scored a brace each for the defeated Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves.
Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi 45-7 Hino Red Dolphins; at Aichi
Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi did the job to keep pace with the Liners with James Mollentze awarded POTM, and they also secured the bonus point to win this round to stay within a point of the log leaders at the top of the Division.
It was close at the halftime whistle, with the hosts ahead 14-7. Chance Peni scored his 8th try this season to move into second on the try charts in the division, as his side ran in 5 second-half tries. James Mollentze scored one in each half for his team’s win
Hino Red Dolphins remain rooted to the bottom of the table with their 9th straight loss.
Green Rockets Tokatsu 19-24 Shimizu Corporation Koto Blue Sharks; at Chiba,
There was not much between the two sides, and the visiting Shimizu Corporation Koto Blue Sharks' narrow win sees them retake third on the table from the team which went ahead of them in the previous round.
The win sees the Blue Sharks have only one more log point than the Green Rockets Tokatsu, but they nearly let the win slip away after leading 21-5 at the break, as Billy Burns contributed 11 points from the boot and Maritino Nemani was POTM.
The Green Rockets Tokatsu scored two tries in the second period (Keagen Faria and Frank Lochore) but lost the contest.
Division Three
Saturday March 28
SkyActivs Hiroshima 36-23 Le RIRO Fukuoka; at Hiroshima
Win number 10 for the table-leading SkyActivs Hiroshima as they turned around a 10-13 deficit at the break and ran out comfortable victors. The result was similar to the earlier win in the season of 40-17, and it means they have qualified for the Div2 play-offs.
Taiyo Fukuyama scored twice for the SkyActivs to start the second half, and Andrew Davidson crossed over for one of the second-half scores - he now has 9 this season and is top of the try charts and congrats to Clynton Knox, who earned his 50th cap for the victors.
Le RIRO Fukuoka remained in 4th in Division 3.
Sunday March 29
SAYAMA SECOM RUGGUTS 57-7 Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions; at Saitama,
Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions were well defeated by second on the log SAYAMA SECOM RUGGUTS, who have only lost twice all season and secured a full bag of 5 log points with the 57-7 win.
They led 33-7 at the break with half of the job done at home, and Ryunosuke Fujiwara scored 2 of the team’s 5 tries. He completed his hat-trick in the second half as they scored 4 more tries to wrap up the win.