All Blacks loose loose forward Akira Ioane has joined division two side Kintetsu Liners.
Blues star Ioane, 29, follows in the footsteps of his father Eddie Ioane who played in Japan for Ricoh Black Rams.
Osaka-based Liners fell into Japan’s second tier after losing their promotion/relegation series with Urayasu D-Rocks in May.
“I am happy to soon be joining the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners from the 2024-25 season,” said Ioane whose younger brother Reiko will stay with the Blues.
“I have memories of living in Japan when my father played and I am excited to now be embarking on my own journey. I hope to bring my experience and passion to the liners as we fight to regain top tier status. I look forward to meeting my new team mates and the Liners supporters.”
Ioane announced in June that he would be leaving to go to Japan but few would have expected him to join a division two club.
The 2024 Super Rugby Pacific winner will be a major draw at the country’s oldest rugby stadium, Hanazono in Osaka, and significantly strengthens the club's bid to make an instant return to the top-flight.
Ioane is one of six signings announced by the Liners on Wednesday.
Shizuoka Blue Revs prop Shintaro Okamoto, NEC Green Rockets lock Sam Jeffries and New South Wales Waratahs fly-half Will Harrison join Toyota Verblitz fly-half Rintaro Maruyama and Hokkaido Barbarians centre Timo Sufia as their additional summer reinforcements.
This follows the news first reported by RugbyJP that Australian fly-half Quade Cooper, his long-time Wallabies half-back partner Will Genia and Japan international Semisi Masirewa are all set to return next season despite the club’s relegation.
Kintetsu Liners has had an internal restructuring with Shiro Hara joining as an Advisor and Ryusuke Maeda being appointed as the club’s new general manager.
Australia’s 1999 World Cup winner, who had stints with former League One champions Kubota Spears as a player and then as their head coach from 2012 – 2016, is the new forwards coach.
Former Cardiff and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars boss John Mulvihill returns as the backs coach having coached the club from 2011 – 2017.
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