Month: December 2025

(Written by Azul: December 29, 2025)

On December 13, 2025, the 2025-2026 season of Japan’s professional rugby league, League One, commenced. Within its top category, Division 1, all 12 teams will play 18 matches each between December 13, 2025 and May 10, 2026 with standings determined by wins and losses.

Following this, the postseason (May 23 to June 7) will see the top 6 teams advance to the playoffs to determine the champion of this season.

Meanwhile, the bottom 2 teams from Division 1 will face the top 2 teams from the lower division, Division 2, in promotion/relegation play-offs.

The kickoff time for this day’s match was 1:00 PM. The temperature was around 11 degrees Celsius. A basic tip for watching games in winter is to secure a seat in the sun—it’s key to enjoying a long match.

True to an opening game, attendance reached 14,441, filling about 80% of the stadium. Since the Home Team was the Black Rams, the majority of fans were likely Rams supporters. Black supporter gear stood out prominently.

Let’s introduce the 2 teams that faced off that day.

First, the Visitor Team: TOKYO Suntory Sungoliath.

Since the Top League era, Suntory Sungoliath has been a perennial contender for the championship. As their current team slogan, Aggressive Attacking Rugby, indicates, they boast the league’s strongest attacking power. Last season, they finished 6th, barely making the playoffs, a result the team found unsatisfactory. However, this season saw a rule change in League One increasing playing opportunities for Japanese players. This rule change is advantageous for the Sungoliath, who boast many Japanese star players fresh out of university. All eyes are on how they will perform this season.

This day’s starting lineup was as follows.

Suntory Sungoliath
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Kenta KOBAYASHI	181cm	115kg	26	Japan
2	Kienori GO	177cm	100kg	29
3	Shuhei TAKEUTI	183cm	115kg	28	Japan　21caps
4	George HAMMOND	199cm	115kg	25
5	Harry HOCKINGS	206cm	118kg	27	Japan　1caps
6	Kanji Shimokawa	188cm	105kg	26	Japan　22caps
7	Sam CANE	189cm	103kg	33	NZ　99caps
8	Tevita TATAFU	183m	119kg	29	Japan　17caps
9	Yutaka NAGARE	166cm	75kg	33	Japan　36caps
10	Mikiya Takamoto	171cm	80kg	24	Japan
11	Cheslin KOLBE	172cm	80kg	32	South Africa 49caps
12	Isaiah PUNIVAI	189cm	100kg	25
13	Taiga OZAKI	184cm	93kg	27
14	Seiya Ozaki	175cm	85kg	30	Japan　4caps
15	Kotaro MATSUSHIMA	178cm	88kg	32	Japan　55caps

＊＊ Player to watch ＊＊

Harry HOCKINGS. 206cm, 118kg, 27 years old. Position = Lock. Japan caps = 1. Originally from Australia. He played for the Southern Hemisphere’s Super Rugby, Reds for 3 seasons from 2018 to 2020, then transferred to Japan’s Suntory Sungoliath in 2021. At Sungoliath, he has leveraged his 208cm frame to play as a key regular starter. This season, he was selected for the Japan national team, making his long-awaited Test Match debut. His playing style features securing lineout balls using his height advantage. Furthermore, when forming a maul, positioning himself centrally allows him to apply pressure to the opposing maul. With the 2027 Rugby World Cup in sight, significant growth is anticipated this season.

Next, an introduction to the home team for this match, the RICOH Black Rams.

Last season, the Black Rams, particularly their FW players, fought hard and showed performances that could hold their own against top teams. They finished 7th last season, pushing their ranking to the brink of playoff contention. The starting lineup for this day was as follows.

RICOH Black Rams
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Kazuma NISHI	180cm	105kg	30
2	Shin OUCHI	183cm	107kg	27
3	Paddy RYAN	190cm	116kg	36
4	Michael  ALLADICE	200cm	112kg	34
5	Reijiro YAMAMOTO	191cm	110kg	23
6	Harrison FOX	198cm	108kg	30
7	Shuhei MATSUHASHI	180cm	100kg	32	Japan 9 caps
8	Liam GILL	186cm	105kg	33	Australia 15 caps
9	TJ PERENARA	181cm	92kg	33	New Zealand 89caps
10	Ichigo NAKAKUSU	174cm	84kg	25	Japan
11	Tom TAKAMOTO	182cm	92kg	24
12	Yuki IKEDA	187cm	98kg	30	Japan 2caps
13	Lrrzlo SWARD	193cm	105kg	22
14	Main TAIRA	180cm	90kg	25	Japan 1cap
15	Isaac LUCAS	179cm	84kg	26

Unlike Sungoliath, the Black Rams find themselves at a slight disadvantage this season due to changes in the playing rules. Last season, the Black Rams fielded 10 to 11 foreign players in their starting lineup, but this season, only about 7 foreign players can take the field. Specifically, the left and right wingers (WTB) and flanker (FL) positions are now filled by Japanese players. What happens when the number of foreign player slots decreases? The intensity of contact play during matches inevitably drops. While increasing playing opportunities for Japanese players is the goal, looking ahead to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, I believe the Japanese national team won’t become stronger unless Japanese players emerge who can compete against foreign players and seize those opportunities. Personally, I consider this rule change a step backward.

＊＊　Player to Watch　＊＊

Yuki IKEDA. 187cm, 98kg, 30 years old. Position = CTB. Japan caps = 2. From Tokai University. Among the backline positions, center (CTB) involves the highest contact intensity and most frequent contact opportunities. IKEDA has played this position almost every minute throughout a full season with the Black Rams. He finally got playing time in this season’s Japan national team match, and I can’t help but hope for his success heading into RWC 2027.

Now, the first half begins.

The match kicked off with Sungoliath’s kickoff.

4 minutes into the first half:

Both teams kicked the ball around, sizing each other up early on. Within this, Sungoliath created the first scoring opportunity. It was a relatively easy position for a penalty goal, near the 22-meter line in front of the goalposts in the opposition’s half.

Sungoliath’s SO TAKAMOTO took the shot but missed, failing to score the opening points.

22 minutes into the first half:

Sungoliath dominated possession early, but after the 15-minute mark, Black Rams entered the opposition’s territory and launched consecutive attacks. During this, Sungoliath committed a penalty near their own 22-meter line. Black Rams, in a favorable position directly in front of the goalposts, opted for a penalty goal.

Black Rams’ SO NAKAKUSU converted it, putting the score at 3-0.

23 minutes into the first half:

After the restart following the penalty goal, WTB TAIRA caught the kickoff deep in his own half and immediately launched a counterattack. TAIRA then stepped past 5-6 defenders, gaining about 50m in one go. From here, the Black Rams continued their attack in the opposition’s territory. Finally, the Backs created numerical superiority on the left side, and FB LUCAS scored a try in the left center of the opposition’s in-goal area.

The Black Rams missed the conversion kick after the try, but this try brought the score to 8-0.

32 minutes into the first half:

As the first half drew to a close, Sungoliath finally entered the opposition’s territory and sustained their attack from there. Closing in on the opposition’s try line, they launched repeated waves of FW attacks. Finally, No. 8 TATAFU charged in and scored a try in the left center of the opposition’s in-goal area.

Sungoliath successfully converted the try, narrowing the gap to 8-7.

The first half ended with this score, leaving the Home Team, the Black Rams, holding a one-point lead heading into the second half.

At halftime, set pieces were evenly matched, but in the ruck, Black Rams’ No. 8 Gill stood out defensively. Whenever Gill got involved in the ruck, the ball was turned over, preventing Sungoliath from establishing a rhythm for sustained attacks. Which team would take control of the game in the second half?

Now, the second half begins.

In this match, both teams were playing their season opener, but there were numerous penalties, resulting in many scoring opportunities going unrealized.

9 minutes into the second half:

Black Rams’ new signing, CTB SWARD, broke straight through from the first attack following a scrum near the center of the field and scored a try right under the goalposts. This player, despite this being his first professional contract with the Black Rams, was selected as a starter for the opening match. His ability to break through the line and score a try shows he is no ordinary rookie. He will be a player to watch going forward.

The conversion kick after the try was successful, bringing the score to 15-7.

19 minutes into the second half:

Around this time, Sungoliath’s signature aggressive attacking rugby began to function effectively, leading to sustained waves of their attacks.

In response, the Black Rams defense countered with intense individual contact. However, as Sungoliath approached the try line in the opposition’s territory, they combined sustained attacks with a wide move from left to right, creating numerical advantage. Ultimately, WTB OZAKI scored a try in the right corner of the opposition’s in-goal area.

The conversion kick after the try was missed, bringing the score to 15-12.

23 minutes into the second half:

Both teams created highlights in midfield through kicks and scrums. Here, Sungoliath won a scrum deep in the opposition’s territory, secured the ball, shifted play left, and gained numerical advantage. The ball was passed from FL CANE to substitute No.8 McMAHON, who scored a try in the left center of the opposition’s in-goal area.

The conversion kick was successful, bringing the score to 15-19 and completing Sungoliath’s comeback.

29 minutes into the second half:

As the match entered its final stages, Sungoliath’s high overall team work rate became increasingly evident. Players who came on as substitutes fulfilled their roles as impact players. When Sungoliath launched a big attack, Black Rams found themselves outnumbered, and ultimately, Sungoliath’s WTB KOLBE scored a try in the left corner of the in-goal area.

The conversion kick after the try was missed, bringing the score to 15-24.

40 minutes into the second half:

At this point, the Black Rams had two players temporarily sent off due to fouls. Both teams’ strategies were clear: the Black Rams, seeing a comeback victory as unlikely, aimed to score a try to secure a bonus point by keeping the deficit within 7 points. Meanwhile, Sungoliath needed just one more try to secure a 3-try margin victory and earn the Bonus Point.

However, the 2-man disadvantage left the Black Rams stretched thin against Sungoliath’s expansive play, leading to a try in the right corner of the in-goal area. The try was scored by substitute CTB NAKAMURA.

The conversion kick after the try was unsuccessful, but the final score was 15-29, with Sungoliath securing a victory and earning 5 points.

The Black Rams also took the lead and created highlights until past the 20-minute mark of the second half. We look forward to both teams’ performances in the next round and beyond.

＊＊ My Watch Collection 3 ＊＊

CASIO G-Shock Mud Master GG-B100BA

My companion for this match was the CASIO G-Shock Mud Master GG-B100BA. This watch is a collaborative product between CASIO and the British Army.

Being a co-developed product with the British Army, this watch looks quite rugged.

Functionally, it boasts 20 ATM water resistance, Bluetooth smartphone time synchronization, altitude, temperature, compass, and barometric pressure measurement capabilities. It features a Mud Resist structure and shock resistance. It’s a tough watch built to withstand harsh conditions. Despite its appearance, it weighs a light 97g, showcasing CASIO’s high level of technical expertise.

The package arrived in the special equipment box shown in the photo above. The inclusion of the British Army mark and camouflage pattern box emphasizes its special edition feel.

Inside this box is the small box shown above. Opening it reveals the watch.

This watch was released in April 2020. I acquired mine on Yahoo! Auctions for ¥50,000.

One drawback is that it uses a replaceable battery, not solar charging, requiring battery replacement every 2 years. Otherwise, it’s a tough watch that can handle getting wet or being dropped without worry. However, if you want it to last, it’s essential to keep the resin parts, like the band, clean after use. If left sweaty and dirty, this band will break in about 2 years, but with proper care after use, it can last over 10 years.

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Stop the war.

Peace to Ukraine

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(Written by Azul: December 14, 2025)

On November 30, 2025, I went to watch a Kanto University Rugby Rivalry Group match at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium in Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture. It took me 3 and a half hours to get from my hometown of Hachioji City in Tokyo to Kumagaya City in Saitama Prefecture, transferring between different modes of public transportation. Recently, I’ve started using the Green Car more often when traveling to watch games. Standing for long periods on the train makes me tired before I even arrive at the venue. However, riding in the comfortable Green Car, where I can sit back and relax, makes the long journey feel much shorter.

Today’s match was between Teikyo University, currently ranked 4th in the Kanto University Rugby Rivalry Group, and Keio University, ranked 5th. Both teams have already secured their places in the National University Rugby Championship. However, as you can see from the photo above, there were hardly any spectators. According to the organizers, the attendance for the day was 1,027. This was probably because, although Teikyo University had won this matchup 5 times in a row over the past 5 years, Teikyo University has been so strong that Keio University has been completely unable to compete, so the audience has lost interest in watching. However, I was hoping that this season’s match would be more enjoyable than usual because the two teams are more evenly matched.

The current standings for the Kanto University Rugby Rivalry Group this season were as follows.

	Kanto University Rugby Rivalry Group Order 2025/11/30
order	team	Win	Lose	Winning Point
1	Waseda	5	1	32
2	Meiji	5	1	30
3	Tsukuba	5	1	28
4	Teikyo	4	2	27
5	Keio	3	3	21
6	Aoyama Gakuin	1	5	11
7	Nippon Sport Science	1	5	10
8	Rikkyo	0	6	6

Each team has 1 match remaining this season, but only the top five teams qualify for the National University Rugby Championship. With a significant point gap separating them from 6th place and below, qualification is already secured for Waseda University (1st) through Keio University (5th). However, the points are tightly clustered among the top 4 teams, so the exact order is likely to change.

Now, an introduction to the 2 teams facing off today.

First, Keio University Rugby Club.

Celebrating its 126th anniversary this season, it is the oldest team in Japanese rugby history. Regarding their playing style, they previously employed a style similar to the England team, kicking high punts and having forwards run in to gain ground. However, they have now shifted to a style that actively involves the backs and utilizes the entire field. Since last season, Keio has seen many players from the Japan U-18 national team join their ranks. Given the quality of these recruits, they could be contenders for the University Championship title within the next 2 to 3 years. This season, as the campaign progresses, the team has strengthened, putting up competitive performances against top-tier opponents and delighting their fans.

The starting lineup for this match was as follows.

Keio University
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Yugo IBUKI	175cm	100kg	20
2	Takahiro FUJIMORI	173cm	102kg	21
3	Taisei NAKAYA	180cm	115kg	22
4	Seiichiro NISHINO	184cm	92kg	18	U-18,U-20 Japan
5	Keyver Bladley KYO	182cm	90kg	20	U18Japan
6	Yuichiro ONDA	175cm	100kg	20
7	Kise SIN	175cm	93kg	19	U18Japan
8	Masanori NAKANO	176m	107kg	19	U-20 Japan
9	Dansuke HASHIMOTO	169m	76kg	22
10	Yuki KOBAYASHI	168cm	75kg	18	U18Japan
11	Takumi KUSANAGI	177cm	87kg	19
12	Ryohei IMANO	183cm	90kg	22	U-18,U-20 Japan,JJ
13	Ryotaro ANZAI	180cm	84kg	19	U18Japan
14	O IBUKI	176cm	81kg	22
15	Yutaro TAMURA	174cm	80kg	19
					JJ=Junior Japan
					JXV=Japan XV

Next, an introduction to the Teikyo University Rugby Club.

Currently the reigning national university champions with 4 consecutive titles, this season’s team has struggled. After close matches, they lost to Tsukuba University and Meiji University, eliminating their chances of winning this season’s Kanto University Rugby Championship group. However, they did secure a victory against Waseda University Rugby Club, a team they battled for the title last season, demonstrating their underlying strength. If the team’s cohesion deepens, they possess the capability to aim for consecutive national championships. However, this season’s championship features exceptionally competitive teams, meaning even defending champions Teikyo University cannot afford complacency. Rugby fans can look forward to many exciting matches.

The starting lineup for the day was as follows:

Teikyo University
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Ryota UENO	181cm	114kg	20
2	Naoyoshi KAJIKAWA	172cm	100kg	20
3	Tsubasa MORIYAMA	180cm	109kg	21	JXV,U18Japan,Japan
4	Akihiro TSUBONE	185cm	105kg	19	U18Japan
5	Antonio FISIPUNA	192cm	115kg	19	U18Japan
6	Shido KUREYAMA	190cm	90kg	21
7	Noeru KAWAMURA	175cm	90kg	22
8	Kaisa DAUNAKAMAKAMA	182cm	120kg	21	U-18 Japan
9	Yoshito MITAMURA	169cm	75kg	20	U-20 Japan
10	Takaya MOTOHASHI	181cm	88kg	21	U-20 Japan,JXV,Japan
11	Genki IKUTA	170cm	82kg	22	U-20 Japan,JJ
12	Yoshiki OMACHI	173cm	80kg	21	U-18,U-20 Japan,JJ
13	Futo SATO	180cm	87kg	20	U-18,U-20 Japan
14	Yusuke YOSHIDA	185cm	89kg	21
15	Rui YOSHIDA	176cm	85kg	19
					JJ=Junior Japan
					JXV=Japan XV

Now, the first half begins.

Teikyo University, currently defending their university championship title this season, is struggling. One reason may be the absence of a forward who can break through the defense. While CTB OOMACHI is Teikyo’s captain this season, their tactic of relying on the backs to break through hasn’t fully materialized yet. Furthermore, since Teikyo’s forward pack isn’t driving the attack forward, the intimidating presence Teikyo displayed in previous seasons is noticeably lacking. This might give opponents the impression that they are easier to play against.

However, the potential within Teikyo’s forwards is evident.

As the season progresses, if the forwards’ awareness awakens, they still have the potential to dominate matches.

That said, Teikyo’s backs this season show improved penetration and finishing ability when attacking. They draw deep lines, allowing each back to accelerate, receive the ball, and shift the defense before developing plays. This creates overloads on the wings during sustained attacks. Combined with the high finishing ability of both wingers, this forms the strength of Teikyo’s backs this season.

This match progressed at Teikyo University’s pace in the first half. While Keio University’s defense showed resilience in scrums and rucks, Teikyo’s backs repeatedly broke through the gain line and piled up tries as they built phases.

They scored four tries in the first half at 9′, 18′, 29′, and 34′. Furthermore, they did not concede any points to Keio University in the first half.

Although Teikyo and Keio are only one spot apart in the standings this season, Teikyo’s attacking power clearly overwhelmed Keio in the first half.

At halftime, Teikyo University had, just like last season, overpowered Keio University with sheer strength. This was somewhat unexpected, as a close contest had been predicted before kickoff. Keio University managed to advance their line several times to around the opponent’s 22-meter line, but they couldn’t break through to the try line from there.

Now, the second half begins.

Teikyo University scored the opening try of the second half once again. Keio’s defense tackled tenaciously, but Teikyo’s backs steadily connected passes, allowing their attack to continue and lead to points.

However, in the 11th minute of the second half, Keio University finally crossed the opposition’s 22-meter line, advanced, and scored their first try of the match in the left corner of the goalposts. The scorer was Keio University’s FL SHIN.

What caught the eye during Keio University’s second-half counterattack were their first-year players. Six players who had won the national high school championship with Toin Gakuen were selected for the starting lineup that day. They performed well at crucial moments, particularly standing out defensively.

In the 20th minute of the second half, Keio University scored their second try of the day. WTB IBUKI crossed over in the right center of the opposition’s in-goal area. Keio seemed to have identified gaps in Teikyo’s defense at this point, creating more opportunities to break through the line.

Although Keio mounted a counterattack in the second half, Teikyo demonstrated their superior ball-handling skills when transitioning to offense. They scored 4 more tries in the second half, pulling away from Keio to secure a final score of 50-19.

Both teams competing today could potentially meet again if they advance in the University Championship. Though Keio University lost this time, we hope they unleash their potential in the University Championship and deliver a great match.

＊＊ Jersey Collection 75 ＊＊

AVIREX 50th Anniversary Commemorative Jacket

The other day, when I went to Tachikawa City to meet a friend, this jacket caught my eye at the AVIREX shop in front of the station, and I ended up buying it on impulse. The price was 39,800 yen. AVIREX products bought in Japan are generally about twice the price of ALPHA products. Because it was so expensive, I hesitated for about 10 minutes, but I bought it anyway.

What really captured my heart was definitely this orange color.

This was my first time buying an AVIREX jacket, but since I didn’t think ALPHA’s shop carried the same model, I went ahead and bought it.

The lining color is like a MA-1, so it really stands out when worn in town. I’ve seen people wearing the same jacket in black or gray around town, but I haven’t seen anyone wearing this orange one yet.

The inside of the jacket has a camouflage pattern. It’s perfect for meeting someone in the city and getting spotted.

＊＊　My　Watch　Collection　3　＊＊

INVICTA　BOLT　43760

Since I bought the orange AVIREX jacket, I was looking for an orange watch to coordinate with it. That’s when I found the INVICTA BOLT pictured above. It’s a watch that stands out just as much as the AVIREX jacket.

However, I got it for a pretty good price: 19,000 yen. The INVICTA brand was founded in Switzerland in 1831 but moved its headquarters to the United States in 1991.

I think this INVICTA brand isn’t widely recognized in Japan, which is why it’s sold at this price. If the brand’s popularity rises in the near future, the selling price could go up.

This watch has a very rugged design and weighs about 240g, which is twice as much as a CASIO G-Shock. It’s too heavy for women to wear comfortably, but it’s definitely a masculine watch.

It doesn’t have as many functions as a G-Shock, but its unique design is truly one-of-a-kind. The standout feature of this BOLT is the thick wire forming the watch’s grill.

For a while, I’ll likely be wearing it more often, paired with my AVIREX jacket.

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Stop the war.

Peace to Ukraine

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