All eyes are on the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in 2025-2026, as the No. 1-ranked player on the FloRugby player rankings, Ardie Savea, rejoins the Steelers on a one-year sabbatical from his Super Rugby club, Moana Pasifika.

The All Blacks superstar and 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year — rumored to be on the verge of accepting the biggest contract in the history of professional rugby after the 2027 Rugby World Cup — will bring his talents to back Kobe and Japan Rugby League One. 

Savea played for the Steelers in the 2023-2024 season before joining Pasifika last year. 

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

Led by former Super Rugby Chiefs standout Bryn Gatland, son of former Welsh coach Warren Gatland, the squad finished fifth in the regular season in 2024-2025 but beat the Shizuoka BlueRevs 35-20 in the quarterfinals. 

The semifinals saw the Steelers run into the table-topping eventual champions and fall 31-3, but the sting was softened by the Savea news around the same time.

The Steelers went 10-0-8 last season. Here’s what to know about the Kobelco Kobe Steelers:

How To Watch the Kobe Steelers 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 The Kobe Steelers Do Last Season?

The Steelers went 10-0-8 last season, finishing fifth in the standings and reaching the semifinals.

Where Do The Kobe Steelers Play?

The home grounds for the Kobe Steelers are Noevir Stadium Kobe and Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.

Who Coaches The Kobe Steelers?

New Zealand native and former Australia national coach and Glasgow Warriors coach Dave Rennie leads the Steelers. Rennie also coached the Chiefs in Super Rugby. 

He became the coach of the Steelers in 2023. Former Edinburgh head coach Mike Blair is one of his assistants.

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

How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby

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