Kobelco Kobe Steelers players celebrate after their 22-13 triumph over the Kubota Spears in the Japan Rugby League One final on June 7, 2026, at Tokyo's MUFG Stadium. (©SANKEI)
The Kobelco Kobe Steelers, who trailed by 10 points in the first half, held the Kubota Spears to zero points in the second half of the Japan Rugby League One championship match on Sunday, June 7.
As a result of their second-half dominance, the Steelers defeated the Spears 22-13 before an announced crowd of 50,000-plus spectators at Tokyo's MUFG Stadium.
Steelers head coach Dave Rennie, who was appointed to fill the same position for the New Zealand national team in March 2026, presided over a memorable victory in his last match in charge.
"We had a lot of big performances today," Rennie said, according to Kyodo News. "I reckon when you go back and look at the tape … it was a massive contribution from a lot of people."
Early on, Kubota was in control of the rugby title match.
A Keijiro Tamefusa try put the Spears ahead 11-3 in the 25th minute, and ex-Australia flyhalf Bernard Foley added the conversion to make it 13-3.
A Quality Rugby Match
In the 29th minute, Inoke Burua scored a try to trim the lead to 13-8. Teammate Seungsin Lee, a Japan national team player, nailed the conversion, then added a penalty goal to level the score at 13-13 in the 40th minute.
After halftime, Lee quickly made two more penalties, the second of which gave Kobelco a 19-13 lead in the 12th minute.
Just before the final whistle sounded, Lee showcased his kicking talent once again, booting another penalty to account for the final margin. He finished with 17 points.
Longtime All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick earned the Player of the Match honor for the title-winning Steelers.
"It was a game worthy of a final, two teams going at it physically, and with some pretty big swings in momentum," Retallick said, according to Kyodo News. "I think in the first half we did well to absorb a lot of the pressure that [the Spears] put us under."
During the 2025-26 regular season, Kobelco and the Saitama Wild Knights tied for the best overall record (16-2). The Spears went 14-4, five more wins than the fourth-place finishers, Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath.
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Tennis
Oda Claims 4th Straight French Open Wheelchair Singles Title
World No 1 Tokito Oda outplayed rival Alfie Hewett of Britain in the French Open wheelchair tennis men's singles final, winning 6-3, 6-3 on Saturday, June 6.
In Paris, Oda collected his fifth Grand Slam singles title in a row, an outstanding run that began at the 2025 French Open.
With his victory over the second-seeded Hewett, Oda has now won four consecutive French Open singles titles, matching retired superstar Shingo Kunieda's tournament record (2010-13) for Japanese players.
After Saturday's match, Oda commended his opponent for their high level of competition.
"Thank you, Alfie, and your team," Oda said, according to BBC Sport. "I always feel like both of us are getting better on the court and every time it's different, every time the tennis level is higher."
As should be expected, Oda made special celebratory plans for his latest triumph over Hewett.
"I turned 20 last month, so finally I can open champagne right now," he said. "Definitely we're going to open champagne with my team."
Oda is in no hurry to slow down. He's hungry to keep winning titles.
"I am working hard with the aim of winning 10 or even 20 straight titles, and I want to keep growing," he was quoted as saying by Kyodo News.
Golf
Hataoka Ties for 6th at US Women's Open
Nasa Hataoka carded a 1-over 72 in the final round of the US Women's Open on Sunday, June 7. She completed the tournament with a 3-over 281, finishing tied for sixth with Kiara Romero of the United States.
American Nelly Korda won the title with an 8-under 276, including a 2-under 69 on the final day at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. Korda beat runners-up Gaby Lopez of Mexico and Charley Hull of England by one stroke.
Hataoka shot a 34 on the front nine, which included birdies on the first and third holes. She had three consecutive bogeys, starting on the 13th.
Asked about the challenge of playing the course on a day when the wind impacted the golfers' shots, Hataoka said she was proud of herself for showing determination.
"Yes, I had to grind all the way until the end," Hataoka told reporters through an interpreter. "I think that is very important to have that mindset."
Yuka Saso, winner of the US Women's Open in 2021 and '24, missed the cut. She shot a 6-over 77 in the first round, then carded a 74 in round two.
Basketball
Richman Named Alvark's New Coach
After three seasons leading the SeaHorses Mikawa, Ryan Richman left the B.League club following its elimination from the playoffs in May.
The American will continue as a sideline supervisor in Japan's top pro basketball league in the 2026-27 season.
Richman, who turns 37 on June 16, was named the Alvark Tokyo's new head coach on Monday, June 8.
The former NBA assistant coach replaces Lithuanian bench boss Dainius Adomaitis, who led the squad for four seasons.
Tokyo finished the 2025-26 campaign with a 41-19 record, placing fourth in the 13-team Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, the Alvark were eliminated by the eventual champion Nagasaki Velca in the first round.
"First and foremost, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the club's ownership and front office for providing me with this wonderful opportunity and for placing their trust in me," Richman said in a statement. "I am profoundly grateful for the chance to lead a club that is respected worldwide and has achieved so much success over the years."
Richman added, "I fully understand the weight of responsibility that comes with this position. Together with the players and staff, I will work hard every day with humility, discipline and passion. I will compete with pride and a sense of responsibility, representing this club, the Alvark Tokyo, and all of you who support us."
During Richman's three seasons with Mikawa, the team had a 118-62 overall record. In the 2025-26 campaign, the SeaHorses won 43 of 60 regular-season games, their best record under Richman.
Author: Ed Odeven
Follow Ed's [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and he can be found on X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
