Who will be the great international figures that League One in Japan will have?

ByDavid Mitchell
Who will be the great international figures that League One in Japan will have?

This weekend begins a new edition of League One in Japan, a competition that year after year consolidates itself as an epicenter of top-level rugby thanks to the presence of numerous international stars.

Among them, an Argentine stands out, Pablo Matera, who will wear the Honda Heat shirt. The forward arrived at the club after being a Super Rugby champion with Crusaders in 2022 and will be the only representative of Los Pumas in the Japanese league.

The competition, which allows up to three players from other nations who are not eligible for the Brave Blossoms, will also feature a notable number of South African world champions, as Japan already appears to be a preferred destination for the Springboks.

Lood de Jager and Damian de Allende (Saitama Wild Knights), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Cheslin Kolbe (Sungoliath), Pieter Steph Du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Mitsubishi Dynaboars) , Kwagga Smith (BlueRevs), Jasper Wiese (D-Rocks) and Faf de Klerk alongside Jesse Kriel (Yokohama Canon Eagles) are the ones who will look to shine this season.

Figures from other rugby powers, such as New Zealand and Australia, also join the show. Richie Mounga, TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith and Sam Cane lead the New Zealand delegation, while Samu Kerevi, Israel Folau and Bernard Foley are some of those representing Australian rugby.

The figures of each team in League One:

Urayasu D-Rocks
Jasper Wiese (South Africa)
Samu Kerevi (Australia)
Israel Folau (Australia)

Kobe Steelers
Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)
Ngani Laumape (New Zealand)

Shizuoka Bluerevs
Kwagga Smith (South Africa)
Charles Piutau (New Zealand)

Toshiba Brave Lupus
Shannon Frizell (New Zealand)
Richie Mounga (New Zealand)

Mitsubishi Dynaboars
Jackson Hemopo (New Zealand)
Kurt-Lee Arendse (South Africa)

Yokohama Canon Eagles
Faf De Klerk (South Africa)
Jesse Kriel (South Africa)

Kubota Spears
Malcolm Marx (South Africa)
Bernard Foley (Australia)

Saitama Wild Knights
Lood De Jager (South Africa)
Damian De Allende (South Africa)
Marika Koroibete (Australia)

Sungoliath
Sam Cane (New Zealand)
Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa)

Toyota Verblitz
Aaron Smith (New Zealand)
Pieter Steph Du Toit (South Africa)
Richie Gray (Scotland)

Honda Heat
Pablo Matera (Argentina)
Franco Mostert (South Africa)
Tom Banks (Australia)

Black Rams
TJ Perenara (New Zealand)

David Mitchell
David Mitchell

As a passionate sports journalist with over a decade of experience, I strive to uncover the heart and soul behind every game. Supported by a dedicated team of fellow enthusiasts and storytellers, I am committed to delivering insightful and engaging content that connects fans worldwide. Together, we celebrate the victories, challenges, and unifying spirit of sports through every article we craft.