Yamaha Jubilo exposed a huge chink in defending champion Panasonic Wild Knights' armor Friday night as the new Top League season got underway at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground. The Yamaha pack demolished the Panasonic scrum and the dominance up front laid the foundations for ...
With Japan once again the darling of world rugby, thanks to the exploits of the sevens team at the Rio Olympics, attention now shifts to the 15-a-side version of the game with the Top League kicking off Friday. While the players and coaches have been ...
Panasonic beats Teikyo University to complete trophy double
Panasonic Wild Knights wrapped up the domestic rugby season by beating Teikyo University 49-15 to claim the 53rd All-Japan Championship at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground on Sunday. The Wild Knights, who won their fourth Top League title last week, now have five cup wins ...
Horie named Top League season MVP
Shota Horie of the Panasonic Wild Knights was on Monday selected as the best player of the 2015-16 Top League season in Japanese rugby's banner year. The 30-year-old hooker, who helped Panasonic win its third straight championship with a 27-26 victory over the Toshiba Brave ...
Panasonic captures Top League title
Panasonic Wild Knights survived an almighty late scare to become Top League champions for the third straight season after beating Toshiba Brave Lupus 27-26 in Sunday's LIXIL Cup final. South African winger JP Pietersen looked to have put the Wild Knights home and dry at ...
Panasonic, Toshiba reach Top League final
The Top League winners' pennant will fly over a familiar training ground from the week after next after three-time champions Panasonic Wild Knights and five-time league winners Toshiba Brave Lupus advanced to the LIXIL Cup final. Two-time defending champion Panasonic beat Kobe Kobelco Steelers 42-10 ...
Wild Knights open playoffs in style
Panasonic Wild Knights remained on course for a third straight Top League title Saturday as they beat Canon Eagles 46-6 in the opening round of the LIXIL Cup, the playoff tournament to determine the league champions. Panasonic coach Robbie Deans' team ran in four tries ...
Panasonic Wild Knights and Japan scrumhalf Fumiaki Tanaka said Saturday that the Japan Rugby Football Union lacks the necessary zeal to capitalize on this year's success at the Rugby World Cup. The Kyoto native was given a special sports award from the city of Kyoto, ...
New Zealand rugby coach on the difference between a winning team and a losing team
Tomoki Kitagawa marked his 100th Top League game in style Sunday as he crossed four times in Panasonic Wild Knights' 80-7 thrashing of Munakata Sanix Blues. The flying wing crossed three times in the first half as the defending champions responded to an early Sanix ...
Defending champ Panasonic faces tough opener as Top League kicks off
The 2014-2015 Top League season kicks off Friday with a plethora of new world-class coaches and players and the added bonus of Rugby World Cup places to play for. The Panasonic Wild Knights, the defending champions, get things rolling by taking on Toshiba Brave Lupus ...
Panasonic Wild Knights completed the league and cup double on Sunday when they beat Toshiba Brave Lupus 30-21 in the final of the All-Japan Championship. In the last domestic rugby game played at National Stadium before it is demolished to make way for a new ...
