A new storm is rising in world rugby, and this time, Africa has front-row seats. The 2025–26 season of Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) kicks off this week on ESPN, unleashing a high-voltage fusion of South African power, global superstars, and some of the fastest, hardest-hitting rugby on the planet. For African fans, this is more than a broadcast — it’s a front-row invitation to witness rugby evolution in real time.
JRLO returns with sharpened ambition and a player lineup that reads like a dream draft. With seven Springboks charging into the Japanese season and an array of international legends guiding the game from the coaches’ box, the league’s arrival on ESPN, ESPN2 and Disney+ signals a new era where borders blur, talent converges, and rugby becomes a global, electrifying spectacle.
Springbok Firepower Takes Centre Stage
This season’s JRLO roster feels almost cinematic — a cast of champions spread across Japan’s top franchises:
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Franco Mostert – Mie Honda Heat
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Pieter-Steph du Toit – Toyota Verblitz
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Faf de Klerk & Jesse Kriel – Yokohama Canon Eagles
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Damian de Allende – Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights
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Cheslin Kolbe – Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath
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Kwagga Smith – Shizuoka Blue Revs
For African rugby lovers, it’s a powerful combination: fan favourites lighting up the field in a league known for razor-sharp pace, tactical precision, and unpredictable momentum swings.
A Coaching Dream Team: Masterminds on the Sidelines
Beyond the star players, JRLO’s coaching landscape is stacked with world-class tacticians who have shaped rugby history:
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Steve Hansen – Toyota Verblitz
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Robbie Deans – Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights
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Frans Ludeke – Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay
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Todd Blackadder – Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo
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Johan Ackerman – Urayasu DRocks
These are architects of greatness — and this season, they each hunt for supremacy in a league built for speed, strategic brilliance, and the kind of rugby that keeps fans breathless.
Three Divisions. One Goal. Glory.
JRLO consists of three divisions, with teams striving to earn their place — or defend their honour — in the elite Division 1.
African fans will enjoy two live Division 1 matches every week on ESPN or ESPN2, with repeat broadcasts ensuring no heart-stopping moment is lost.
The journey stretches all the way to a blockbuster final in May 2026, promising intensity, upsets, and unforgettable displays of global rugby talent.
Opening Fixtures: A December Dominated by Action
The first battles are locked in, and the stakes are already sky-high:
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Kobe vs Spears — Sat 13 Dec, 10:00 — ESPN
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Brave Lupus vs Wild Knights — Sun 14 Dec, 08:00 — ESPN
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Sungoliath vs Verblitz — Sat 20 Dec, 07:30 — ESPN
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Blue Revs vs Brave Lupus — Sun 21 Dec, 07:30 — ESPN
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Black Rams vs Heat — Sat 27 Dec, 06:05 — ESPN
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Kobe vs Verblitz — Sun 28 Dec, 07:30 — ESPN2
Every match is a collision of power, speed and strategy — a showcase of rugby at its most explosive.
Africa, the Stage Is Set
From tactical battles to full-throttle sprints, JRLO’s new season promises rugby that is fast enough to thrill purists and unpredictable enough to keep new fans hooked. As ESPN brings these games to living rooms from Joburg to Kampala, Nairobi to Cape Town, one thing is clear:
This isn’t just a season. It’s a global moment — and Africa is part of the story.
How to Watch
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ESPN: DStv 218, StarSat 248
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ESPN2: DStv 219, StarSat 249
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Also streaming on Disney+ in South Africa
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All times CAT/SAST. Schedule subject to change.
