Supporting Japanese Rugby Through Advanced Opta Data: On the Pitch, Off the Pitch and at Their Annual Awards
At Stats Perform, we've proudly supported Japanese rugby for many years. Our partnership began with the Japan Rugby Top League and has continued seamlessly with the launch of Japan Rugby League One, the country's current top-tier professional rugby competition. We've also been working closely with the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) over the same period.
Our role involves collecting detailed statistics from every match across the league. These stats are shared with team analysts, official broadcasters, and media partners to support everything from tactical planning to storytelling for fans.
These statistics are also used to recognise individual excellence at the league's annual awards ceremony. For example, awards like Best Tackler and Best Linebreaker are determined based on accumulated in-game statistics over the course of the season.
This year, the Best Tackler in Division 1 was Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo's Michael Leitch, who has also been a captain of Japan's national team, the Brave Blossoms. His consistency and leadership on the field made him a standout. The Best Linebreaker award went to Jone Naikabula, another Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and Brave Blossoms star known for his powerful running and attacking flair.
Here are the Best Tacklers and Best Linebreakers across each of the three divisions:
BEST TACKLER
| Division | Player | Team | Attempt | Complete | Complete % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division 1 | Michael Leitch | Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo | 303 | 269 | 88.8% |
| Division 2 | Joshua Basham | Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks | 160 | 139 | 86.9% |
| Division 3 | Kota Moriyama | Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions | 218 | 183 | 83.9% |
BEST LINEBREAKER
| Division | Player | Team | Linebreaks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Division 1 | Jone Naikabula | Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo | 26 |
| Division 2 | Keagen Faria | NEC Green Rockets | 19 |
| Division 3 | Leo Gordon | Kurita Watergush Akishima | 20 |
It was an honour for Stats Perform's Takuma Hayasaka to be part of the ceremony and to see our statistical support contribute to celebrating the outstanding performances of the season. At Stats Perform, we remain committed to supporting the continued growth of rugby in Japan - both on and off the pitch - through the power of accurate and timely sports data and data-driven storytelling.
Find out more about all of our rugby offerings by visiting https://www.statsperform.com/rugby/.
