The Saitama Wild Knights had the second-best record in Japan Rugby League One last season with a record of 14-2-2, trailing only eventual champion Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo in the standings. 

But the Wild Knights were stunned 28-24 by the Kubota Spears in the semifinals, then beaten 22-17 by the Kobe Steelers in the third-place match, as the season ended in calamity.

• Japan Rugby League One Schedule: Watch Round 1 On FloRugby
• Click Here For More Information On How To Watch Japan Rugby League One
• Japan Rugby League One Full Season Schedule 2025-2026

But a new season awaits the Wild Knights, who are led by the No. 26-ranked player in the world in Springboks star Damian de Allende. The 33-year-old inside center has carved out a reputation as one of South Africa’s most trusted warriors — relentless on both sides of the ball and unafraid to shoulder heavy traffic.

Twice a Rugby World Cup winner and with over 85 test caps, de Allende has embodied the physical, uncompromising style that defines Springboks rugby.

Here’s what to know about the Saitama Wild Knights:

How To Watch Saitama Wild Knights In The United States

The Japan Rugby League One season is streaming live on FloRugby and the FloSports app all season long. Match replays, highlights and breaking news also will be available on both platforms.

How Did Saitama Wild Knights Do Last Season?

The Wild Knights went 14-2-2 last season, the second-best record during the regular season.

Where Do The Saitama Wild Knights Play?

The home grounds for the Wild Knights are in Kumagaya, Saitama, at the Kumagaya Rugby Grounds.

Who Coaches The Saitama Wild Knights?

Robbie Deans is the director of rugby for the Saitama Wild Knights. He was the head coach of Canterbury, the Crusaders and even the Wallabies of Australia before taking the job with Saitama in 2014.

The 66-year-old Kiwi played for Canterbury from 1979-1990. He was the first non-Australian to coach the Wallabies.

Japan Rugby League One Schedule 2025-2026: Here's When To Watch On FloRugby

Round 1 - Dec. 13-14, 2025

(Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time - EST, JST - 14 hours)

• Saturday, Dec. 13

  • 11 PM EST (Friday): BlackRams Tokyo vs TOKYO SUNGOLIATH

  • 12:05 AM EST (Sunday): URAYASU D-Rocks vs Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars

  • 12:30 AM EST (Sunday): TOYOTA VERBLITZ vs MIE Honda HEAT

  • 3 AM EST (Sunday): KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS vs Kubota Spears

• Sunday, Dec. 14

  • 12:30 AM EST (Monday): YOKOHAMA CANON EAGLES vs SHIZUOKA BlueRevs

  • 1 AM EST (Monday): TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO vs SAITAMA WILD KNIGHTS

Japan Rugby League One Schedule

Find out more on the Japan Rugby League One schedule at FloRugby

• Dec. 12, 2025, 11:00 p.m. ET BlackRams vs. Sungoliath
• Dec. 13, 2025, 12:05 a.m. ET D-Rocks vs. Dynaboars
• Dec. 13, 2025, 12:30 a.m. ET Verblitz vs. Heat
• Dec. 13, 2025, 3:00 a.m. ET Steelers vs. Spears
• Dec. 14, 2025, 12:30 a.m. ET Eagles vs. BlueRevs
• Dec. 14, 2025, 1:00 a.m. ET Brave Lupus vs. Wild Knights
• Dec. 20, 2025, 12:30 a.m. ET Spears vs. BlackRams
• Dec. 20, 2025, 12:30 a.m. ET Sungoliath vs. Verblitz
• Dec. 20, 2025, 10:25 p.m. ET Heat vs. Steelers
• Dec. 20, 2025, 11:40 p.m. ET Dynaboars vs. Eagles
• Dec. 21, 2025, 12:30 a.m. ET Wild Knights vs. D-Rocks
• Dec. 21, 2025, 12:30 a.m. ET BlueRevs vs. Brave Lupus
• Dec. 26, 2025, 11:05 p.m. ET BlackRams vs. Heat
• Dec. 27, 2025, 12:30 a.m. ET Steelers vs. Verblitz
• Dec. 27, 2025, 12:30 a.m. ET Spears vs. Sungoliath
• Dec. 28, 2025, 12:00 a.m. ET BlueRevs vs. D-Rocks
• Dec. 28, 2025, 12:30 a.m. ET Dynaboars vs. Wild Knights
• Dec. 28, 2025, 12:30 a.m. ET Eagles vs. Brave Lupus
• Jan. 9, 2026, 10:00 p.m. ET D-Rocks vs. Eagles
• Jan. 10, 2026, 12:30 a.m. ET Sungoliath vs. Steelers
• Jan. 10, 2026, 12:30 a.m. ET Verblitz vs. BlackRams
• Jan. 10, 2026, 12:30 a.m. ET Brave Lupus vs. Dynaboars
• Jan. 10, 2026, 12:30 a.m. ET Wild Knights vs. BlueRevs
• Jan. 10, 2026, 10:00 p.m. ET Heat vs. Spears
• Jan. 16, 2026, 10:00 p.m. ET Eagles vs. Wild Knights
• Jan. 16, 2026, 10:05 p.m. ET Steelers vs. BlackRams
• Jan. 16, 2026, 11:00 p.m. ET BlueRevs vs. Dynaboars
• Jan. 17, 2026, 12:05 a.m. ET D-Rocks vs. Brave Lupus
• Jan. 17, 2026, 12:05 a.m. ET Sungoliath vs. Heat
• Jan. 17, 2026, 12:30 a.m. ET Spears vs. Verblitz
• Jan. 23, 2026, 10:00 p.m. ET Brave Lupus vs. Spears
• Jan. 23, 2026, 11:00 p.m. ET Heat vs. D-Rocks
• Jan. 24, 2026, 12:30 a.m. ET Wild Knights vs. Sungoliath
• Jan. 24, 2026, 12:30 a.m. ET Eagles vs. Steelers
• Jan. 24, 2026, 12:30 a.m. ET Dynaboars vs. BlackRams
• Jan. 25, 2026, 12:00 a.m. ET BlueRevs vs. Verblitz
• Feb. 6, 2026, 10:00 p.m. ET Steelers vs. BlueRevs
• Feb. 6, 2026, 11:00 p.m. ET BlackRams vs. Wild Knights
• Feb. 6, 2026, 11:00 p.m. ET Heat vs. Brave Lupus
• Feb. 7, 2026, 12:30 a.m. ET Spears vs. D-Rocks
• Feb. 7, 2026, 12:30 a.m. ET Verblitz vs. Eagles
• Feb. 8, 2026, 12:30 a.m. ET Sungoliath vs. Dynaboars
• Feb. 13, 2026, TBD Wild Knights vs. Verblitz
• Feb. 13, 2026, TBD Dynaboars vs. Heat
• Feb. 13, 2026, TBD Eagles vs. BlackRams
• Feb. 13, 2026, TBD BlueRevs vs. Spears
• Feb. 13, 2026, TBD D-Rocks vs. Sungoliath
• Feb. 14, 2026, TBD Brave Lupus vs. Steelers
• Feb. 20, 2026, TBD Steelers vs. Wild Knights
• Feb. 20, 2026, TBD Spears vs. Dynaboars
• Feb. 20, 2026, TBD BlackRams vs. D-Rocks
• Feb. 21, 2026, TBD Sungoliath vs. Eagles
• Feb. 21, 2026, TBD Heat vs. BlueRevs
• Feb. 27, 2026, TBD Wild Knights vs. Heat
• Feb. 27, 2026, TBD Brave Lupus vs. BlackRams
• Feb. 27, 2026, TBD D-Rocks vs. Steelers
• Feb. 28, 2026, TBD Eagles vs. Spears
• Feb. 28, 2026, TBD Dynaboars vs. Verblitz
• Feb. 28, 2026, TBD BlueRevs vs. Sungoliath
• Mar. 13, 2026, TBD BlackRams vs. BlueRevs
• Mar. 13, 2026, TBD Steelers vs. Dynaboars
• Mar. 13, 2026, TBD Heat vs. Eagles
• Mar. 13, 2026, TBD Spears vs. Wild Knights
• Mar. 14, 2026, TBD Verblitz vs. D-Rocks
• Mar. 14, 2026, TBD Sungoliath vs. Brave Lupus
• Mar. 19, 2026, TBD Steelers vs. Eagles
• Mar. 20, 2026, TBD Wild Knights vs. BlackRams
• Mar. 20, 2026, TBD Dynaboars vs. Sungoliath
• Mar. 20, 2026, TBD D-Rocks vs. Spears
• Mar. 21, 2026, TBD Verblitz vs. BlueRevs
• Mar. 21, 2026, TBD Brave Lupus vs. Heat
• Mar. 27, 2026, TBD Eagles vs. Verblitz
• Mar. 27, 2026, TBD D-Rocks vs. Heat
• Mar. 27, 2026, TBD Spears vs. Brave Lupus
• Mar. 27, 2026, TBD Sungoliath vs. Wild Knights
• Mar. 27, 2026, TBD BlueRevs vs. Steelers
• Mar. 28, 2026, TBD BlackRams vs. Dynaboars
• Apr. 3, 2026, TBD Wild Knights vs. Eagles
• Apr. 3, 2026, TBD Verblitz vs. Spears
• Apr. 3, 2026, TBD Heat vs. Sungoliath
• Apr. 3, 2026, TBD Dynaboars vs. BlueRevs
• Apr. 4, 2026, TBD BlackRams vs. Steelers
• Apr. 4, 2026, TBD Brave Lupus vs. D-Rocks
• Apr. 16, 2026, TBD Heat vs. BlackRams
• Apr. 17, 2026, TBD BlueRevs vs. Wild Knights
• Apr. 17, 2026, TBD Dynaboars vs. Brave Lupus
• Apr. 17, 2026, TBD Sungoliath vs. Spears
• Apr. 17, 2026, TBD Eagles vs. D-Rocks
• Apr. 17, 2026, TBD Verblitz vs. Steelers
• Apr. 23, 2026, TBD D-Rocks vs. BlueRevs
• Apr. 24, 2026, TBD Brave Lupus vs. Eagles
• Apr. 24, 2026, TBD Spears vs. Heat
• Apr. 24, 2026, TBD BlackRams vs. Verblitz
• Apr. 24, 2026, TBD Steelers vs. Sungoliath
• Apr. 24, 2026, TBD Wild Knights vs. Dynaboars
• Apr. 30, 2026, TBD D-Rocks vs. Wild Knights
• May 1, 2026, TBD Verblitz vs. Sungoliath
• May 1, 2026, TBD Brave Lupus vs. BlueRevs
• May 1, 2026, TBD BlackRams vs. Spears
• May 1, 2026, TBD Eagles vs. Dynaboars
• May 1, 2026, TBD Steelers vs. Heat
• May 8, 2026, TBD Heat vs. Verblitz
• May 8, 2026, TBD Wild Knights vs. Brave Lupus
• May 8, 2026, TBD BlueRevs vs. Eagles
• May 9, 2026, TBD Dynaboars vs. D-Rocks
• May 9, 2026, TBD Spears vs. Steelers
• May 9, 2026, TBD Sungoliath vs. BlackRams
• May 16, 2026, 11:05 p.m. ET BlueRevs vs. Steelers
• May 18, 2026, 1:30 a.m. ET Spears vs. Sungoliath

Japan Rugby League One Playoff Schedule

• May 24, 2026, TBD Japan Rugby League One SF #2
• May 24, 2026, TBD Japan Rugby League One SF #1
• Jun. 6, 2026, TBD Japan Rugby League One Bronze
• Jun. 6, 2026, TBD Japan Rugby League One Final

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