The Chiefs and Blues will each play two games against teams from the Japan Rugby League One league, marking the beginning of what is expected to be a yearly and probably profitable trip for Kiwi teams.
There will be a summer lineup change for Super Rugby Pacific. Earlier this year, two New Zealand sides will play in preseason games in Japan.
Following the signing of an MOU in May between New Zealand Rugby and the Japan Rugby Football Union, which was announced to “deepen the relationship between the two national unions and grow the game across the Asia Pacific region,” this action was taken.
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Super Rugby pre-season matches
The top four teams from the Japan tournament from the previous season will compete in the Saturday, February 3 and Saturday, February 10 matches, however the exact dates are still being finalized.
The Chiefs and Blues will probably travel to Japan for ten days total; they will travel north on Wednesday in advance of their first game, and they will return the day after their second game. The competition proper begins on February 23 when the Chiefs host the Crusaders in a rematch of the previous season’s final. After that, they are scheduled to play one another in a final preseason hitout in Auckland.
The JRLO season, which begins on December 9, will be partially completed by the pre-season matches , with a two-week break scheduled while they are being held.
It is also thought that the Japan teams would not have any limits on international players during the games. This means that they will be free to use their entire roster, which naturally includes a number of Kiwis with connections to those Super sides.
