Kolbe leads three statistical categories as Japan Rugby League One semi-finals arrive

Cheslin Kolbe finished the Japan Rugby League One 2025/26 regular season as its standout individual performer, leading three major statistical categories for Tokyo Sungoliath across 17 appearances — a week after his return to South Africa was confirmed. The Springbok winger accumulated 205 points from 10 tries, 43 conversions and 23 penalties, finishing 31 ahead of former Wallabies flyhalf Bernard Foley and 82 clear of All Blacks pivot Richie Mo’unga.

Kolbe also topped the metres-carried standings, with former All Blacks winger Shaun Stevenson among those close behind in his debut League One season. Isaac Lucas, the 27-year-old ex-Reds playmaker in his fifth Japanese campaign, recorded 231 carries — his most productive statistical season to date — and finished second on the carries ladder. Former Wallaby Samu Kerevi sat second overall, while Brodie Retallick and Springbok Jasper Wiese both surpassed 200 carries.

Retallick was the season’s leading try-scorer, crossing 17 times in 18 appearances for table-topping Kobelco Kobe Steelers, including four in a single match against BlackRams Tokyo in round six. All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has repeatedly highlighted the lock’s form this season. Former Blues fullback Matt Vaenga was second with 15 tries — two more than his combined total across his previous four seasons with Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars.

Retallick’s per-game strike rate was surpassed by former Wallaby Israel Folau, who scored eight tries in eight games, and former Hurricanes winger Tjay Clarke, who managed six in six. Kolbe and former All Blacks winger Mark Tele’a each finished the regular season on 10 tries, a tally also matched by Fijian hooker Tevita Ikinevere in his first season with MIE Honda Heat.

In the points standings, Japan international Ichigo Nakakusu contributed 194 points for BlackRams Tokyo, 81 more than rising Brave Blossoms prospect Seungsin Lee managed for Kobe. Nakakusu currently holds three Test caps and will be looking to build on that tally following a strong club campaign.

Tele’a and Stevenson, both in their first League One seasons, made the top 10 in multiple attacking categories, underlining the competition’s continued pull for high-profile players from the southern hemisphere. The semi-finals now determine which clubs convert their regular-season form into a title challenge.