Get ready, rugby fanatics in Africa! You're in for a treat as ESPN brings you the electrifying 2025-26 season of Japan Rugby League One (JRLO)! This means you can witness the incredible talents of Springboks stars like Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, and Pieter-Steph du Toit, all playing in the heart of Japan.
Starting this week, you can catch all the action on ESPN (DStv 218, StarSat 248) and ESPN2 (DStv 219, StarSat 249), plus on Disney+ in South Africa. You won't miss a single try, tackle, or thrilling moment with two live games every week and repeat broadcasts.
This season is packed with talent, featuring no less than seven Springboks players! Imagine the intensity!
Here's a glimpse of the Springboks you can expect to see: Franco Mostert (Mie Honda Heat), Pieter Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Faf de Klerk and Jesse Kriel (Yokohama Canon Eagles), Damian de Allende (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath), and Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs).
But the competition doesn't stop there. These players will be going head-to-head with teams coached by some of the biggest names in rugby, including Steve Hansen (Toyota Verblitz), Robbie Deans (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights), Frans Ludeke (Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay), Todd Blackadder (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo), and Johan Ackerman (Urayasu DRocks).
The league itself is structured into 3 divisions, with teams vying for promotion to Division 1. In Division 1, 12 teams will battle it out, with additional clubs in Divisions 2 and 3.
For those of us in Africa, you can watch two Division 1 matches live each week on ESPN or ESPN2, with replays available. The season culminates in a nail-biting final in May 2026.
Here are some of the initial matches you can look forward to:
- Kobe versus Spears on Saturday December 13 at 10:00 on ESPN
- Brave Lupus versus Wild Knights on Sunday December 14 at 08:00 on ESPN
- Sungoliath versus Verblitz on Saturday December 20 at 07:30 on ESPN
- Blue Revs versus Brave Lupus on Sunday December 21 at 07:30 on ESPN
- Black Rams versus Heat on Saturday December 27 at 06:05 on ESPN
- Kobe versus Verblitz on Sunday December 28 at 07:30 on ESPN2
Now, here's a thought-provoking question: With so many Springboks playing in Japan, do you think this will change the landscape of international rugby? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
