WELLINGTON, New Zealand โ In an impressive milestone for Japanese rugby, flyhalf Kyohei Yamasawa has made history by becoming the first domestically nurtured player to lead the regular season scoring in Japan Rugby League One. This achievement marks a standout debut for Yamasawa in his inaugural full season with the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights.
At 26, Yamasawa has emerged from the shadow of his older brother, Takuya, who has caps at the test level. Kyohei Yamasawa accumulated a remarkable 209 points over 16 matches in the Japanese professional league, which attracts top-tier players globally. This put him ahead of notable names such as Toyota Brave Lupusโ fullback Takuro Matsunada, who ended the season with 174 points, and Bryn Gatland, a prominent figure whose career in rugby has been watched closely due to his father, Warren Gatland, the former coach for Wales and the British and Irish Lions. Gatland Jr. secured 169 points for Kobelco Kobe Steelers.
Furthermore, notable in the rankings was Bernard Foley, the former Wallabies flyhalf, who finished sixth with 145 points this season. Japan Rugby League One is now in its fourth season, and Yamasawa is the latest in a line of players setting new records, following in the footsteps of Gatland, Foley, and Damian McKenzie from the All Blacks.
Yamasawa was thrust into the pivotal role as the Wild Knightsโ dedicated goalkicker when his sibling Takuya sustained an injury after just two games into the season. Meanwhile, Brave Lupusโ winger Jone Naikabula topped the try-scoring chart with a total of 15 tries during regular season play, highlighting his on-field prowess.