Franco Mostert’s Mie Honda Heat Stun Tokyo Sungoliath as Springboks Dominate Japan League One Action

Franco Mostert leads Mie Honda Heat to a 24-17 win over Tokyo Sungoliath. See how the Springboks fared in a weekend of major upsets in Japan.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 6, 2026, 6:27 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Rugby365

Heat Rise to the Occasion in Suzuka

The Japan League One season delivered its most significant surprise of the campaign as Mie Honda Heat overcame the odds to defeat perennial heavyweights Tokyo Sungoliath. Led by the tireless Franco Mostert, the Heat utilized a clinical opening quarter to establish a lead that Sungoliath—despite the creative efforts of Cheslin Kolbe—could not overturn. The victory is a testament to the tactical evolution under former Italy coach Kieran Crowley, whose side has transformed from league strugglers into a genuine threat over the past two months.

Ikanivere and Matera Lead the Charge

The foundation of the Heat’s success was laid in a blistering 16-minute opening spell that saw them cross the whitewash three times. Flying Fijians hooker Tevita Ikanivere continued his prolific scoring run, bagging a brace for the third time in four weeks. However, it was Argentinian centurion Pablo Matera who earned man-of-the-match honors. After scoring the opening try, Matera produced a heroic defensive stand in the final minute, holding up prop Kenta Kobayashi over the line to deny Sungoliath a game-leveling score.

Kwagga Smith Inspires BlueRevs Comeback

In another high-scoring thriller, Springbok Kwagga Smith demonstrated why he remains one of the league's most influential imports. Captaining the Shizuoka BlueRevs, Smith scored two tries to help his side erase a 19-point deficit against the Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars. The 45-41 victory keeps Shizuoka’s slim playoff hopes alive with only four regular-season games remaining, highlighting the relentless work rate that has become Smith’s trademark in the Japanese top flight.