What to watch in men’s rugby: League One final rematch in Japan

The top two in the Japan Rugby League One standings go head-to-head in Saitama on Sunday, and you can watch all the action live and for free via RugbyPass TV.

Unbeaten hosts Saitama Wild Knights have started the season on fire, averaging more than five tries per match in their six successive victories so far.

That run continued last weekend as former New Zealand U20 winger Vince Aso scored two of his side’s seven tries in a 53-26 defeat of Urayasu D-Rocks at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium.

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It means the Wild Knights have not suffered a competitive defeat since last May’s League One final but the team that beat them in that match, Brave Lupus Tokyo, are this Sunday’s visitors.

Brave Lupus remain the team to beat in Conference A, their sole defeat so far this season coming against Shizuoka BlueRevs last month.

The defending champions recovered from that loss last weekend, as four second-half tries helped them to a 35-12 victory at Mie Heat.

A second consecutive win could lift them level on points with the Wild Knights and would prove a considerable psychological blow in the race for the title.

Fixture

Japan Rugby League One

Saitama Wild Knights

28 - 28

Full-time

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo

All Stats and Data

The last time the teams met at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, 11 months ago, 14 points from Richie Mo’unga proved to be in vain as the Wild Knights ran out 36-24 victors.

The tables would be turned in the final in Tokyo two months later, however, as a brace of tries from Jone Naikabula helped Brave Lupus to a 24-20 victory and the title.

You can find out who takes the spoils when the sides meet for the first time in 2025 this Sunday, except in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia and sub-Saharan Africa.

Sunday, February 9

05:20 GMT – Saitama Wild Knights v Brave Lupus Tokyo, Kumagaya Rugby Stadium – WATCH LIVE HERE

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