Japan Rugby League One is a rugby union competition in Japan. It is the highest level of professional rugby competition in the country. The Japan Rugby Football Union created the competition in 2003, by absorbing the Japan Company Rugby Football Championship, to drive up the overall standard and popularity of the sport and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team. The chief architect of the league was Hiroaki Shukuzawa who strongly felt the urgency of improving Japanese domestic company rugby to a professional level which would allow Japan to compete more convincingly at Rugby World Cups.
Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay is a Japanese rugby union team based in Funabashi, Chiba participating in the Japan Rugby League One. The team rebranded as Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay ahead of the rebranding of the Top League as the Japan Rugby League One in 2022.
Vaovasamanaia Seilala Mapusua is a retired Samoan rugby player who last played for the Kubota Spears of the Japanese Top League. Prior to his move to Japan in 2011, he also had long stints with the Highlanders in Super Rugby and London Irish in the Aviva Premiership. He is currently the head coach of Manu Samoa having been appointed in 2020.
Rodger Siaosi Toutai Kefu is a Tongan-Australian professional rugby union coach and former player who has been coaching the Tonga national team since 2016.
Hugh McMeniman is an Australian retired professional rugby union footballer. He represented Australia in 22 tests and played for the Queensland Reds and Western Force in Super Rugby as well as for Kubota Spears and Honda Heat in Japan. His favoured position was blindside flanker but he also played as a lock.
Damian McInally is a Rugby Union player who has represented Australia in the annual under 21 southern cross championships and Australian Rugby Sevens. A quick and elusive outside back he has played for the Queensland Reds and ACT Brumbies in the Southern Hemisphere Super 12 competition. Whilst contracted to the ACT Brumbies, McInally captained the Canberra Vikings team Queensland Premier Rugby championships three consecutive titles, 2001, 2002 and 2003, in the premier Queensland Premier Rugby competition. McInally played for Japan's Top League side the Kubota Spears from 2004–09. He was refused permission to represent Japan in the 2007 Rugby World Cup competition in France.
Alando Soakai is a former professional rugby union player from New Zealand best known for his time with the Highlanders in Super Rugby and Otago in the ITM Cup, and as captain of Otago in their 2009 and 2010 campaigns. He currently serves on the coaching staff of the Kubota Spears in the Japan Rugby League One, the club where he finished his playing career.
Jaba is a Georgian masculine name. People with the name include:
Kade Poki is a rugby union player who plays for the Bayonne in the French Top 14 competition. Prior to his move abroad, he had represented Tasman in the ITM Cup and the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.
Liam Brian Williams is a Welsh professional rugby union player who will play for Kubota Spears in Japan Rugby League One following the 2023 Rugby World Cup. At international level, he has represented Wales, having made his test debut against New Zealand in 2012, and the British & Irish Lions in 2017 and 2021. Williams has previously played for Scarlets, Saracens, and Cardiff.
Pieter Hermias Cornelius Labuschagné is a professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Japan Rugby League One club Kubota Spears. Born in South Africa, he represents Japan at international level after qualifying on residency grounds.
Grant Neil Hattingh is a rugby union player who plays as a lock, flanker or eighthman for Japanese sides the Sunwolves in Super Rugby and Kobelco Steelers in the Top League.
Patrick Osborne is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a winger for Kubota Spears in the Japanese Top League. He attended Holy Trinity Anglican School before spending his secondary school education at Jai Narayan College and Queen Victoria School.
Michael Broadhurst is a New Zealand born Japanese rugby union player who plays at flanker, lock or number 8 for the Ricoh Black Rams in the Top League and the Japan national rugby union team.
Bregvadze is a Georgian surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Tsuyoshi Fujita, is a former Japanese rugby union player. He played as hooker.
Takashi Akatsuka, is a former Japanese rugby union player. He played as lock.
Simana "Joe" Mafileo is a Tongan former rugby union player. He played as centre.
The 2018 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup was the thirteenth edition of the Pacific Nations Cup annual international rugby union competition. All matches for the 2018 tournament, played over two rounds, were held in Fiji at the ANZ National Stadium in Suva.
This article documents the statistics of the 2019 Rugby World Cup which was held in Japan from 20 September to 2 November.
