Japan League One | Dream Team

The Japan League One kicks off this weekend and there has not been a lack of big names signed to play. With all the stars and World Cup winners represented we put together our Dream Team

1 Keita Inagaki - Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights*

2 Dane Coles - Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay

3 Opeti Helu - Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay*

4 Brodie Retallick - Kobelco Kobe Steelers

5 Lood de Jager - Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights

6 Sam Cane - Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath

7 Pieter-Steph du Toit - Toyota Verblitz

8 Ardie Savea - Kobelco Kobe Steelers

9 Aaron Smith - Toyota Verblitz

10 Richie Mo'unga - Toshiba Brave Lupus

11 Marika Koroibete - Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights

12 Ngane Laumape - Kobelco Kobe Steelers

13 Jesse Kriel - Yokohama Canon Eagles

14 Cheslin Kolbe - Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath

15 Beauden Barrett - Toyota Verblitz Liam Williams Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay

*With no props to choose from the Loose head and Tighthead from the 2022/23 Team of the Year were chosen.

Each club is allowed three players who have been capped internationally/played tests for nations other than Japan. There can be up to seven others at a club who are foreign born but have not played test matches and could (in time) become eligible for Japan.

International Players Playing This Season:

DIVISION ONE

Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay: Dane Coles (New Zealand*), Liam Williams (Wales*), Bernard Foley (Australia)

Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights: Damian de Allende (South Africa*), Lood de Jager (South Africa), Marika Koroibete (Australia*)

Yokohama Canon Eagles: Faf de Klerk (South Africa*), Jesse Kriel (South Africa*), Matthew Phillip (Australia*)

Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath: Cheslin Kobe (South Africa*), Gareth Anscombe (Wales*), Sam Cane (New Zealand*)

Toshiba Brave Lupus: Richie Mo’unga (New Zealand*), Shannon Frizell (New Zealand*), Seta Tamanivalu (New Zealand)

Toyota Verblitz: Beauden Barrett (New Zealand*), Aaron Smith (New Zealand*), Pieter Steph du Toit (South Africa*)

Shizuoka Blue Revs: Kwagga Smith (South Africa*), Charles Piutau (Tonga*)

Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo: Hadleigh Parkes (Wales), Nathan Hughes (England), Kobelco Kobe Steelers: Ardie Savea (New Zealand*), Brodie Retallick (New Zealand*), Ngane Laumape (New Zealand)

Mie Honda Heat: Pablo Matera (Argentina*), Tom Banks (Australia), Franco Mostert (South Africa*)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars: Matt To’omua (Australia), Curtis Rona (Australia), Jackson Hemopo (New Zealand)

Hanazono Kintetsu Liners: Quade Cooper (Australia), Will Genia (Australia), Ben Toolis (Scotland)

DIVISION TWO

Urayasu D-Rocks: Israel Folau (Tonga), Samu Kerevi (Australia*)

NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu: Jake Ball (Wales)

Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi: Taleni Sau (Samoa*),Freddie Burns (England)

DIVISION THREE

Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks: Lima Sopoaga (Samoa*)

Hino Red Dolphins: Augustine Pulu (Tonga*), Rory Arnold (Australia)