Two Springboks named in Japan League One's Team of the Season

The World Cup-winning duo ran out for the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights this season, where they were unbeaten in the league stage.

However, the Japanese juggernaut finally came unstuck in Saturday's final against Toshiba Brave Lupus - who won 24-20 - bringing an end to their incredible 17-match winning streak for the season to an end.

Nonetheless, when the Team of the Season was announced this week, de Allende and de Jager occupied the inside centre and lock positions respectively. De Jager in particular will welcome the accolade, given he only returned to rugby in January after several months out due to a heart condition.

True to form, fellow Bok teammate Franco Mostert top the league's tackle count with 229 hits.

Japan Rugby League One Team of the Season

15 Isaac Lucas (Ricoh Black Rams), 14 Seiya Ozaki (Suntory Sungoliath), 13 Dylan Riley (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights), 12 Damian de Allende (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights), 11 Malo Tuitama (Shizuoka Blue Revs), 10 Richie Mo'unga (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo), 9 Yuta Takagi (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights), 8 Jack Cornelsen (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights), 7 Ardie Savea (Kobelco Kobe Steelers), 6 Shannon Frizell (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo), 5 Lood de Jager (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights), 4 Warner Deans (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo), 3 Opeti Helu (Kubota Spears), 2 Mamoru Harada (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo), 1 Sena Kimura (Toshiba Brave Lupus)

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