The 2025-2026 Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) season kicks off this weekend with matches across all three divisions from 13-14 December, and we look at all matches in our 2025-2026 JRLO Round 1 Preview.
What has been encouraging from the team announcements posted over the past couple of days is that most of the big signings and names are in action in the opening round. There are 108 matches in Division 1, 56 matches in Division 2, and 45 matches in Division 3 in the regular season, as well as the playoff tournament and promotion/relegation matches.
Division One JRLO 2025-2026 – Round 1 Fixtures
Saturday December 13
- BlackRams Tokyo v Tokyo Sungoliath; at Tokyo (Chichibu), 1pm
- Urayasu D-Rocks v Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars; at Chiba, 2.05pm
- Toyota Verblitz v Mie Honda Heat; at Aichi, 2.30pm
- Kobelco Kobe Steelers v Kubota Spears; at Hygo, 5pm
Sunday December 14
- Yokohama Canon Eagles v Shizuoka BlueRevs; at Kanagawa, 2.30pm
- Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo v Saitama Wild Knights; at Tokyo (Ajinomoto), 3pm
33-year-old and 89-cap All Black TJ Perenara captains the BlackRams Tokyo out for the opening game of Division 1, as they host Tokyo Sungoliath in one of four matches to be played on Saturday, December 13th 2025.
New Head Coach at the BlackRams is Tabai Matson, who hopes his side can overcome the same opponent which ultimately ended their ambitions of a playoff in last season’s top-flight, when Tokyo Sungoliath defeated them in the penultimate round of the regular season. When they faced each other the first time last season, BlackRams defeated Sungoliath 33-32 – ending a run of 17 consecutive defeats.
Urayasu D-Rocks have a new Head Coach in the form of Graham Rowntree and face the Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars coached by Glen Delaney, who has made some great off-season signings – notably Springbok Lukhanyo Am, Brave Blossoms veteran utility back Semisi Masirewa, and former Glasgow Warriors fullback Ollie Horn.
The third match sees a remarkable return of former World Rugby Player of the Year and Springbok backrower Pieter Steph du Toit for Toyota Verblitz – after not playing for his club for 587 days. Steve Hansen and Ian Foster are in charge as they look to put a poor season behind them and face the Mie Honda Heat. The two sides finished ninth and 10th last season, respectively.
The final match on Saturday features JRLO 2024-2025 runners-up Kubota Spears heading away to face last campaign’s third-placed Kobelco Kobe Steelers. Kubota Spears have current World Rugby Men’s XV Player of the Year Malcom Marx starting as they look to continue the winning run of six in a row over the Steelers. The visitors, coached still by Frans Ludeke, now feature ten Brave Blossoms in addition to the international talent.
The hosts, coached by Dave Rennie, have some All Black firepower in the form of Ardie Savea and Anton Lienert-Brown. Savea starts among the replacements – this week he was named the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year (Best in NZ), All Blacks Player of the Year and Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year (Moana Pasifika).
The final game of the Division on Sunday sees two new coaches at the helm – Yokohama’s Canon Eagles Leon MacDonald take on last season’s surprise package Shizuoka BlueRevs, who are led by Springbok Kwagga Smith again this season. The Eagles have not lost at home to the BlueRevs in seven years and won 53-35 last season. The first foreign captain for the Eagles, Springbok Jesse Kriel, scored twice on that occasion.
Saitama Wild Knights’ Atsushi Kanazawa will coach his side, supported by Robbie Deans, as they travel to play Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo – a side they have not defeated in the past three attempts, despite an incredible win record which has seen them lose only nine matches from 73 in the JRLO. The defending champions, coached by Todd Blackadder, are missing some regular starters, but All Black flyhalf Richie Mo’unga is there for his final season in Japan.
Division Two 2025-2026 – Round 1 Fixtures
Saturday December 13
- Toyota Industries Corporation Shuttles Aichi v Hanazono Kintetsu Liners; at Aichi, 12pm
- Green Rockets Tokatsu v RedHurricanes Osaka; at Chiba, 2.30pm
- Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks v Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves; at Tokyo (Yumenoshima), 2.30pm
Sunday December 14
- Hino Red Dolphins v Kyushu Electric Power Kyuden Voltex; at Gunma, 12pm
Division Two top two seeds from the season, champions Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi and runners-up Hanazono Kintetsu Liners, face off with test flyhalves Manie Libbok (Hanazono) and Christian Leali’ifano (Shuttles Aichi) making their debuts, and All Black centre Peter Umaga-Jensen captains Hanazono on his JRLO debut.
Division Three 2025-2026 – Round 1 Fixtures
Saturday December 15
- Kurita Water Gush Akishima v Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions; at Kanagawa, 12pm
- SAYAMA SECOM RUGGUTS v SkyActivs Hiroshima; at Tochigi, 1pm
Sunday December 14
- Yakult Levins Toda v Le RIRO Fukuoka; at Gunma, 12pm
Division 3 champions SkyActivs Hiroshima head away to play SAYAMA SECOM RUGGUTS on Saturday, with SkyActivs defeating the Rugguts in two of their three meetings last campaign.
How To Watch JRLO 2025-2026
This is what has been confirmed so far for streaming services of the JRLO 2024-2026 season:
- Japan – J SPORTS will broadcast all Division 1 and Division 2 matches, and J SPORTS On Demand will stream all matches, including Division 3, live. Tochigi Television, Shizuoka Daiichi Television, Sun Television, and Saga Television will broadcast a League One match in Japan.
- DAZN – Will broadcast live all matches (Available in Japan, Taiwan, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Canada, and the United States)
- ESPN Africa – will be showing all Division 1 matches in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Ireland & United Kingdom – Premier Sports will stream two Division 1 matches per round.
- FloSports (USA) – JRLO will be streamed on the FloSports network in the United States and its territories, it was confirmed on the eve of the season.
The full fixture list for this JRLO season can be seen here.
Japan Rugby League One News
- The Ultimate New Player Signings Guide for the JRLO 2025-2026 Division 1 Season.
- Guide To All Player Signings for the JRLO Divisions 2&3 2025-2026.
- Japan Rugby League One 2025-2026 Season Schedule Announced.
- JRLO Congratulates Malcolm Marx – 2025 Men’s 15s World Player of the Year.
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