Japan’s topflight rugby has become somewhat of a mecca for high level international players in particular those from the southern hemisphere.
Due to its design the shorter and perhaps less physical season in conjunction with the good salaries combines to make a brilliant league overall.
Two top class players who are currently plying their trade in the league are Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk and former All Black Aaron Cruden.
The two men came head-to-head quite literally this weekend as Cruden’s Suntory Sungoliath saw off de Klerk’s Canon Eagles 32 – 23.
In one particular moment of madness, Cruden collided with de Klerk in an ugly attempted clear-out.
The World Cup winning All Black was shown a red for the incident due to their being zero mitigating circumstances.
As clear, and nasty, as you’ll see pic.twitter.com/U6hhUpzPkF
— Pat McCarry (@patmccarry) January 8, 2023
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