Springbok star Kurt-Lee Arendse makes instant impact on debut in Japan

The Dynaboars kicked off the new season with a bang after a superb second-half performance set up a deserved 31-19 triumph at their home venue, Sagamihara Gion Stadium, in Kanagawa.

Urayasu D-Rocks were recently promoted to the Japan Rugby League One competition and they enjoyed a productive first half, taking a slender 11-9 lead into the break.

But Arendse came to the fore in the second stanza, showing his class on his competitive debut for his new club as he helped the Dynaboars turn the tables.

The 28-year-old crossed for one of his team's tries and also played his part in the build-up to another score during the second half.

The Springbok star, who has already scored 18 tries in 25 Test appearances, was rewarded for his efforts on his Dynaboars debut when he was named Man of the Match after the win.

Arendse is on a six-month sabbatical in Japan and will return to his old club the Bulls after his stint with Dynaboars.

The Japan Rugby League One season runs from December to May and Arendse joined his new team following his commitments with the Springboks during last month's Autumn Nations Series.

He made some appearances for the Bulls during the early stages of the 2024/25 URC campaign just ahead of the international window before making the move to Japan.

Arendse is contracted to the Bulls until June 2026 and although he will miss the majority of the URC and Investec Champions Cup season, he will report back to the Pretoria-based outfit in time for the knockout stages of the two tournaments, provided that Jake White's side is still in the running for both trophies.

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