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

TOKYO, JAPAN - MAY 26: Jone Naikabula of Toshiba Brave Lupus fends off Ben Gunter of Panasonic wild Knights during the NTT Japan Rugby League One Play-Off Final between Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights and Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo at National Stadium on May 26, 2024 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Koki Nagahama/Getty Images)

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.

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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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Lomu -The Lost Tapes – Jonah stories | RPTV

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Lomu -The Lost Tapes – Jonah stories | RPTV

Featuring never-before-seen footage, Jonah Lomu shares his story and how he escaped gang violence to become the planet’s most iconic rugby player. Watch the full documentary on RugbyPass TV and via the RugbyPass app

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.

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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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Between 2001 and 2005, Jonah Lomu gave a film crew access to his life and shone a light on his remarkable journey from South Auckland to the All Blacks and beyond.

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Watch Lomu: The Lost Tapes now via RugbyPass TV

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