(Written by Azul: June 8, 2026)
This week marks the start of the League One postseason. It consists of the playoffs to determine the strongest team in League One, promotion/relegation matches between Division 1 and Division 2, and promotion/relegation matches between Division 2 and Division 3.
First, the following 6 teams have advanced to the playoffs:
KOBELCO Steelers (Division 1, 1st place)
Panasonic Wild Knights (2nd place)
KUBOTA Spears (3rd place)
SUNTORY Sungoliath (4th place)
RICOH Black Rams (5th place)
TOSHIBA Brave Lupas (6th place)
The teams participating in the promotion/relegation playoffs are as follows:
URAYASU D-Rocks (Division 1: 11th place)
SAGAMIHARA Dynaboars (Division 1: 12th place)
AICHI Shuttles (Division 2: 1st place)
KOUTOU Blue Sharks (Division 2: 2nd place)
The matchups for the promotion/relegation playoffs are as follows.
* 11th place in Division 1 vs. 2nd place in Division 2
* 12th place in Division 1 vs. 1st place in Division 2
2 games will be played, and the team with the most winning points. If the points are tied, the winner will be determined by point differential and number of tries.
The match I watched this time was the promotion/relegation playoff between the AICHI Shuttles and the SAGAMIHARA Dynaboars.
When it comes to describing the intensity of postseason matches, I believe that the playoffs are “battles where professional pride is on the line,” while promotion/relegation playoffs are “battles where one’s livelihood as a professional is on the line.” If a team is promoted to a higher division in League One, the number of games increases, the intensity of the matches rises, and players’ salaries go up. Conversely, if a team is relegated to a lower division, the number of games decreases and the team’s overall operating budget drops significantly, leading to more players having their contracts terminated or seeing their salaries reduced.
Their very livelihoods as professionals are on the line.
The venue for that day’s match was Mizuho Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. It took me 5 hours by car to get there from Tokyo. Since it was my first time visiting this stadium, I had quite a bit of trouble finding a parking spot.
Mizuho Rugby Stadium is located next to Mizuho Athletic Stadium. It has a capacity of 10,400. It’s a stadium that feels like a slightly smaller version of Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo. However, each seat is equipped with a backrest and cushion, making it a spectator-friendly venue. If only all the seats were covered by a roof, it would be perfect.
Attendance for the day was 5,040. Since this is the Shuttles’ home stadium, there were many Shuttles fans, but about 40% of the crowd consisted of Dynaboars fans who had traveled from the Kanto region just like me, which I’m sure was a great source of encouragement for the Dynaboars.
Now, let me introduce the 2 teams that faced off that day.
First, here is an introduction to the home team, the AICHI Shuttles.
They are the champions of League One Division 2 this season. Their record for the season was 11 wins and 3 losses, for a total of 53 winning points. With 667 total points scored—compared to the 2nd-place team’s 379—they can be described as a team with outstanding offensive firepower. They conceded a total of 340 points, while the second-place team conceded 339, so their defensive stats are average.
Comparing the Shuttles players who appeared at the stadium to the Dynaboars players, the Shuttles players are noticeably larger. The Dynaboars players actually facing them on the field may feel intimidated by their opponents.
The starting lineup for this day was as follows.
| Shuttles | |||||
| No. | Name | height | weight | age | |
| 1 | Tomoki YAMAGUCHI | 174cm | 105kg | 31 | |
| 2 | Takuma OYAMA | 168cm | 98kg | 23 | |
| 3 | Nobuhisa TAKAHASHI | 180cm | 120kg | 27 | |
| 4 | Taishi NAKAMURA | 189cm | 110kg | 30 | |
| 5 | Flitz J. TAVANA | 201cm | 117kg | 22 | |
| 6 | Taleni SEU | 202cm | 117kg | 31 | Samoa 14caps |
| 7 | Chao Yi CHENG | 185cm | 112kg | 26 | |
| 8 | Isileli MANU | 190cm | 120kg | 26 | |
| 9 | Atsushi YUMOTO | 164cm | 70kg | 31 | |
| 10 | Noah LOLESIO | 179cm | 89kg | 25 | Australia 33caps |
| 11 | Raia TAKASHIMA | 184cm | 84kg | 20 | |
| 12 | Thomas U.JENSEN | 187cm | 110kg | 27 | |
| 13 | Ken TONOBE | 178cm | 92kg | 25 | |
| 14 | Chance PENI | 191cm | 97kg | 31 | |
| 15 | Josua KEREVI | 188cm | 105kg | 33 | Japan 7s |
This marks the Shuttles’ 4th consecutive appearance in the promotion/relegation playoffs, and both players and fans are brimming with determination to secure promotion this season. Incidentally, Shuttles faced the Dynaboars in the 2022 promotion/relegation playoffs,
2022: Game 1: 21–59 (Dynaboars win)
Game 2: 14–43 (Dynaboars win)
with the Dynaboars emerging victorious. All eyes are on whether Shuttles can achieve their long-cherished goal of promotion to Division 1.
** Player to Watch **
Noah LOLESIO. 179 cm, 89 kg, 25 years old. Position: SO. Australia caps: 33. A precocious, prodigious talent who signed a professional contract with the Brumbies of Super Rugby at age 19 and earned his first cap for the Australian national team, the Wallabies, in a Test match at age 20. He skillfully alternates between long and short kicks to control the game, and at just 25 years old, he has already earned over 30 caps for the national team, giving him a wealth of experience. As the starting fly-half for the Australian national team at RWC 2027, he will shoulder a heavy responsibility.
Next, here is an introduction to today’s visiting team, the SAGAMIHARA Dynaboars.
This season, the Dynaboars finished in last place in League One Division 1 with a disappointing record of 4 wins and 14 losses. Since being promoted to Division 1 in 2022, they had steadily improved their ranking, finishing 10th, 9th, and 9th, but this season, they suffered 6 consecutive losses toward the end of the season, resulting in a final ranking of 12th, the bottom of the table. However, they are no longer being outclassed by top-tier teams, and we hope they will win the promotion/relegation playoffs and put up an even stronger fight in Division 1 next season.
The starting lineup for the day was as follows.
| Dynaboars | |||||
| No. | Name | height | weight | age | |
| 1 | Jun MORIMOTO | 175cm | 115kg | 29 | |
| 2 | Seung Hyok LEE | 179cm | 103kg | 26 | Japan 1cap |
| 3 | Peter SCHOLTZ | 187cm | 137kg | 29 | |
| 4 | Epineri ULUIVITI | 198cm | 125kg | 29 | Japan 10caps |
| 5 | Kohki MATSUMOTO | 190cm | 107kg | 24 | |
| 6 | Jose SERU | 197cm | 117kg | 34 | Japan 7s |
| 7 | Kyo YOSHIDA | 188cm | 108kg | 30 | |
| 8 | Marino MIKAERE-TUU | 193cm | 111kg | 28 | |
| 9 | Brad WEBER | 172cm | 75kg | 35 | NZ 18caps |
| 10 | Shun MIYAKE | 170cm | 88kg | 23 | |
| 11 | Matt VAEGA | 179cm | 94kg | 31 | |
| 12 | Charlie LAWRENCE | 171cm | 90kg | 27 | Japan 8caps |
| 13 | Lukhanyo AM | 186cm | 97kg | 32 | South Africa 42caps |
| 14 | Haniteli VAILEA | 181cm | 98kg | 23 | |
| 15 | Satoshi KOIZUMI | 178cm | 89kg | 25 | |
＊＊ Player to Watch ＊＊
Matt VAEGA. 179 cm, 94 kg, 31 years old. From New Zealand. Positions: WTB, CTB. He joined the Dynaboars in 2018 and is now the longest-serving active player on the team. Despite being a veteran, he ranked second in tries scored in League One this season, trailing only the Steelers’ RETALLICK. Even while the team was at the bottom of the standings, he steadily racked up tries and delivered consistent performance. He also serves as the team’s place-kicker, and his contribution is essential for securing a victory in this match.
And now, the first half begins.
The match kicked off with a kick by the Dynaboars.
From the opening kickoff, the teams traded kicks as they battled for territory. The Dynaboars were the first to gain the upper hand. They advanced past the 22-meter line, formed a maul from a lineout in their own half, and drove toward the opponent’s in-goal area. However, the Shuttles held firm in their defense in front of the goal and prevented a score.
6 minutes into the first half:
The Dynaboars entered the opposition’s half once again, winning a series of scrums and steadily advancing toward the try line. Here, the Dynaboars repeatedly attacked down the flanks with their forwards, stringing together 10 phases of play, before No. 8 MIKAERE-TUU scored the opening try in the middle of the right side of the opposition’s in-goal area.
The conversion kick after the try was also successful, giving the DYNABOARS a 7-0 lead.
12 minutes into the first half:
Early in the match, the Dynaboars successfully advanced deep into the opponent’s territory. As the Dynaboars penetrated the opponent’s midfield, the Shuttles committed a foul in the ruck, and the Dynaboars opted for a penalty goal.
The Dynaboars’ wing VAEGA confidently converted this penalty goal, bringing the score to 0–10.
19 minute into the first half:
Following the kickoff after the penalty goal, the Shuttles advanced into the opponent’s half, but Shuttles FB KEREVI committed a costly handling error inside his own 22-meter line on a ball kicked deep into the opponent’s territory by Dynaboars FB KOIZUMI. This gave the Dynaboars another opportunity to attack from deep in the opponent’s half.
Deep in the opponent’s territory, the Dynaboars won a series of scrums and advanced toward the try line. Amid this momentum, Dynaboars scrum-half WEBER exploited a gap in the opposing defense, broke through, and scored a try directly beneath the opponent’s goalposts.
The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 0-17.
The Shuttles also huddled to try to break out of this disadvantageous situation.
20 minutes into the first half:
The Shuttles pressed forward on the kickoff following the try, but the Dynaboars immediately countered, preventing them from establishing any sustained attacking momentum. Amidst this, the Dynaboars advanced into the opponent’s territory and continued their attack. Lock ULUIVITI broke through the defense, and the following SH WEBER scored his second try of the day.
However, video review revealed a foul had occurred during the play, and the try was disallowed.
31st minute into the first half:
As the game entered this phase, the Shuttles finally managed to establish a sustained attacking phase in the opponent’s half. However, they struggled against the Dynaboars’ aggressive, forward-pressing defense and were unable to break through the line with their running game. Consequently, the Shuttles incorporated short punts into their attack at various points, creating several near-try situations.
However, this attack also failed to result in a score for the Shuttles.
42 minutes into the first half:
The Dynaboars were deep in the opponent’s territory on the attack when the halftime horn sounded. Nevertheless, seeing a scoring opportunity, the Dynaboars continued their drive. They spread the play to the right from in front of the opponent’s goalposts, and No. 8 MIKAERE-TUU picked up a pass thrown by CTB AM,
scoring a try in the middle of the right side of the opponent’s in-goal area.
Although the conversion kick after the try was missed, the score stood at 0-22, and the Dynaboars ended the first half with a commanding lead.
In the first half of the promotion-relegation playoff, the Dynaboars utilized solid defense and aggressive offense to build a substantial lead.
In contrast, the challengers, the Shuttles, struggled to create scoring opportunities and failed to score in the first half. Since the promotion-relegation series is decided by the aggregate points and total score over 2 matches, the Shuttles must not give up and aim to keep scoring.
And now, the second half begins.
The second half began with a kickoff by the Shuttles.
10 minutes into the second half:
As the second half progressed, Shuttles’ forwards began winning more scrums, gradually allowing them to mount attacks in the opponent’s half. Amidst this, as Shuttles were moving the ball near the center of the field, a pass thrown by Shuttles’ fly-half LOLESIO was intercepted by Dynaboars’ center AM, who ran over 50 meters and scored a try just to the right of the opponent’s goalposts. Once again, it was the Dynaboars who scored first in the second half.
The conversion kick after the try was also successful, giving the Dynaboars a commanding 0-29 lead.
One factor contributing to this one-sided match was that the Shuttles had never faced such a defense-dominated game in Division 2 before, and they appeared to be slow to adapt. The team’s physical level was on par with or even superior to that of the Dynaboars, so if they could increase the amount of time spent attacking in the opponent’s half, they would be able to convert that into points.
In this match, the Shuttles’ attacking patterns—specifically their backline open play—were stifled by the Dynaboars’ quick defensive rushes. To break through this defense, the Shuttles frequently used box kicks from the scrum by their scrum-half, aiming to regain possession from high punts. However, the Dynaboars’ wingers and fullback responded effectively, nearly preventing the Shuttles from regaining possession.
Comparing the physiques of both teams’ back 3:
| Shuttles | Dynaboars | |||||||
| 11 | Raia TAKASHIMA | 184cm | 84kg | 11 | Matt VAEGA | 179cm | 94kg | |
| 14 | Chance PENI | 191cm | 97kg | 14 | Haniteli VAILEA | 181cm | 98kg | |
| 15 | Josua KEREVI | 188cm | 105kg | 15 | Satoshi KOIZUMI | 178cm | 89kg |
In terms of physique, particularly height, the Shuttles have the advantage, so it would seem they have the upper hand in contested high balls. However, since this was the first match between the 2 teams in 4 years, it was likely that the Dynaboars had thoroughly prepared their strategy against the opponent’s high punts prior to the game.
20 minutes into the second half:
It wasn’t until this point that Shuttles finally managed to penetrate the opponent’s territory and mount an attack. Shuttles entered the opponent’s territory via a penalty kick following an opponent’s foul and earned a lineout in their own half.
From there, Shuttles formed a maul and advanced, closing in on the opponent’s try line. They repeatedly launched attacks from the flanks of the forward pack, and finally, scrum-half Yumoto scored a try in the left-center of the opponent’s in-goal area.
The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 7-29.
26 minutes into the second half:
The Shuttles shifted their strategy from a kick-based attack to a more fluid, running-based attack. As a team that traditionally excels at exploiting their physical advantage, this change paid off, and they gradually spent more time attacking deep in the opponent’s territory.
In this sequence, Shuttles penetrated deep into the opponent’s territory, spread the play from directly in front of the goalposts to the right, and finally, when the ball reached WTB PENI, he broke through the opposing defense and scored a try in the opponent’s in-goal area.
The conversion kick following the try was also successful, bringing the score to 14–29. At this point, the Shuttles scored consecutive tries, and the momentum for a comeback began to build.
With this try, the Shuttles nullified the bonus point awarded to the Dynaboars for leading by 3 or more tries. However, if the Dynaboars score a try after this, that advantage will be nullified.
29 minutes into the second half:
Following the kickoff after the try, as the Dynaboars entered the opposition’s half,
the Shuttles committed a foul. The Dynaboars opted for a penalty kick, earning a lineout inside the opposition’s 22-meter line.
After securing the ball from the lineout, the Dynaboars formed a maul and pushed forward.
Continuing their advance, the Dynaboars closed in on the opponent’s try line, and FL YOSHIDA pushed through the right center of the opponent’s defense to score a try.
The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 14-36.
Ultimately, the match ended with this score, and the Dynaboars won the first leg of the promotion-relegation playoff.
For the Shuttles to stage a comeback and secure promotion in the second leg, they must defeat the Dynaboars by a margin of at least 3 tries and win by a margin of 23 points or more. It is a daunting challenge, but unless they overcome it, promotion to Division 1 will remain out of reach. I look forward to a thrilling battle in the second leg.
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Stop the war.
Peace to Ukraine
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