Japan Rugby League One Round 10 will be the final round of action before Division 1 takes a two-week break and returns on 14th March 2026.
Japan Rugby League One Round 10 will be the final round of action before Division 1 takes a two-week break and returns on 14th March 2026.
Can the Kubota Spears hold on to their new top spot in the Division? Will the Saitama Wild Knights bounce back from defeat, and can the defending champions, Toshiba Brave Lupus, end a run of three straight defeats?
There are three Division 2 matches all on Saturday - will the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners hold on to their perfect record as they face Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves?
All six teams in Division 3 are in action this weekend as the Skyactivs Hiroshima also look to remain the only undefeated side.
Division 1
Saturday February 28
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo vs BlackRams Tokyo
With three successive losses for the defending champions, Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, they face a real slippery opponent as BlackRams Tokyo pays them a visit. The visitors are in 6th , one place and two log points below the hosts, so the sides could switch places if TJ Peranara’s team come out on top.
Ricoh BlackRams Tokyo are enjoying their best season since the league inaugurated under the former (Canterbury) Crusaders assistant coach and Harlequins Director of Rugby, Tabai Matson.
Urayasu D-Rocks vs Kobelco Kobe Steelers
With the D-Rocks slipping down the table after 5 straight losses, Kobe Steelers will be on a high after beating two of the top teams in the league in recent rounds, including, of course, that first defeat for Saitama Wild Knights last week.
With the season break coming up, and the news that their defence coach is leaving them to join Wales after the season, it's hard not to envisage a win for Dave Rennie's team on the road. They have scored 37 tries, at an average of 7.4 per match, in 400 minutes of playing time since the first game of the year.
One man to watch will be Israel Folau for the hosts, who has 5 tries in the past two games (albeit both defeats). Graham Rowntree’s men haven’t won since early January and will need the exiled Wallaby to be scoring again this weekend.
Saitama Wild Knights vs Mie Honda HEAT
Atsushi Kanazawa, in his first term as Head Coach, will need to do something he has not done before, and that's lift his side for a game after they were well beaten for the first time, which saw them drop from the top of the table to third.
Good news for the Wild Knights is that Brave Blossoms centre Dylan Riley will make his return from injury after having missed the last six matches and will again partner Springbok Damien de Allende in the midfield. The duo have been selected alongside each other in three of the JRLO’s four Teams of the Year.
Mie Honda Heat have leaked 171 points across the past three matches against the Wild Knights, but they will be feeling encouraged by recent results, with three wins in their past four games, which has lifted them to 8th.
Sunday March 1
Yokohama Canon Eagles vs Kubota Spears
The Eagles were well beaten by a high-flying Suntory side last weekend, which sees them at the bottom of the Division, and the difficult prospect of getting a result against the new league leaders, Kubota Spears, seems unlikely.
Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars vs Toyota Verblitz
One of the toughest games to call this weekend, after the Toyota Verblitz defied the odds and thumped the Brave Lupus last weekend for just their second win of the season.
The Dynaboars are at home, however, in Sunday’s fixture, and the 11th-placed side could overtake Steve Hansen’s side if they win at home (with a game in hand).
The previous match between these two was a close 44-40 win for the Dynaboars, but they blew a 39-7 lead.
Shizuoka BlueRevs vs Tokyo Sungoliath
The BlueRevs have been unable to replicate their fine form last season, but there is still plenty of time, even if the visiting Tokyo Sungoliath have been on a tear to rise to 4th on the table.
It's worse for the hosts when considering that Tokyo Sungoliath beat them both times last season, when the Shizuoka BlueRevs were playing much better rugby and being rewarded with the results.
Saturday February 28
Toyota Industries Corporation Shuttles Aichi vs Kyushudenryoku KyudenVoltex
The hosts have scored 40 points or more in five of their 6 matches this season, so crossing the line has not been an issue, and they face second-bottom Kyushudenryoku KyudenVoltex, which leaked 50 points to the Division leaders two weekends ago.
Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks vs Green Rockets Tokatsu
Third hosts Fourth, and the Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks have suffered two defeats in a row (against the top two sides on the table) but will want to avenge the heave defeated they suffered two weeks ago, conceding 66 points to Toyota Industries Corporation Shuttles Aichi, while the Green Rockets Tokatsu, secured a solid win over Hino Red Dolphins in the last round.
Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves vs Hanazono Kintetsu Liners
5th ranked Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves lost by a single point in the last round and now host the Division leaders in what will be a tough fixture on Saturday. The Kintetsu Liners have not reached 40 points only once this season and have won all six games so far.
Division Three
Saturday February 28
Yakult Levins Toda vs Sayama SECOM Rugguts
Fourth hosts second in the Division, and the visitors come into the fixture with a big win in the last round, while Yakult Levins Toda lost at home last weekend.
Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions vs Skyactivs Hiroshima
Bottom-placed Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions, with just the solitary win, will try to defy the odds and beat the Division leaders at home. When they faced off earlier in the season, Skyactivs Hiroshima ran out 61-27 winners.
Sunday March 1
Kurita Water Gush Akishima vs LeRIRO Fukuoka
On Sunday, fifth hosts third, and both teams were defeated last weekend. LeRIRO Fukuoka narrowly won the fixture when they played earlier in the campaign, 20-18.
