Champion Boks in Japan's League One spotlight
Today at 04:06 AM
SEASON PREVIEW: Many members of the top-ranked and champion Springbok team will enter the spotlight in Japan's League One 2024-25 season.
Eight members of South Africa's Rugby Championship-winning squad will feature when the league gets underway next week.
The fourth edition of League One kicks off next week, with the tournament opening with the clash between the Heat and Black Rams on December 21.
The match is the first of 209 in Division One's regular season, with the competition expanded by three additional entries in Division Three.
An extra week has also been added to the play-offs in Division One, taking the length of the season to 21 weeks (including division-wide bye rounds), with the final to be played in Tokyo on Sunday, June 1.
The promotion/relegation 'Replacement Battle' between Divisions One and Two has been downsized and will involve just four teams playing home and away, as opposed to the previous six-team format.
