Johannesburg, 19 February 2026: ESPN Africa today has launched the premiere episode of Jesse in Japan as part of an all-new original short-form digital content series helmed by Springbok and Yokohama Canon Eagles star Jesse Kriel.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ESPN Africa (@espnafrica)

Offering fans a relaxed and revealing look at his life and growing career in the land of the rising sun, Jesse in Japan will run across ESPN Africa’s social and digital platforms throughout the year, with a premiere episode each month.

Life Beyond The Try Line

Kriel has been part of the Yokohama Canon Eagles since 2020 and reached a historic milestone in November 2025 when he was appointed the team’s first foreign captain. Jesse in Japan steps away from matchday pressure to capture the quieter rhythms of his life, from training sessions with teammates and recovery routines to favourite local restaurants, neighbourhood errands and moments of downtime. In addition, expect glimpses into differences between Mzansi and Japan, prepping for the next match, gym routines, insights into this exciting league and more.

The series will offer an unfiltered glimpse into how the South African rugby player has adapted to daily life in a new culture, balancing elite performance with curiosity, discipline and the small comforts that make a place feel like home. Jesse’s status as an athlete and rugby professional has grown exponentially in recent years through his successes with the South African men’s national rugby team, the Springboks, which he has recently captained, his successes in Japan and his dedicated approach to health and fitness.

“ESPN remains committed to offering viewers cross the continent an unparalleled offering of the very best of US and international sporting leagues,” says Kyle De Klerk, Director of Sports at The Walt Disney Company Africa. “We are delighted to be working with Jesse Kriel to bring Jesse in Japan to viewers, offering complementary programming that gives an insight into the life and career of not only this sporting legend but also the thrilling Japan Rugby League One as he, together with his teammates, create historic sporting moments.”

“I am excited to be collaborating with ESPN to offer rugby fans and viewers the opportunity to be a part of my exciting journey in Japan,” says Jesse Kriel. “The series is an invitation to celebrate the food, culture, people and of course rugby action that I have am lucky enough to be a part of in the Japan Rugby League One and beyond.”

JRLO Exclusive to ESPN Africa

The prestigious Japan Rugby League One features a number of South African sporting icons such as Faf De Klerk, Cheslin Kolbe, Kwagga Smith, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Malcolm Marx and Pieter-Steph Du Toit.

As the Japan Rugby League One season unfolds, only on ESPN, the series will track Kriel’s journey as the competition builds towards the finals in June. Viewers can catch the action on ESPN (DStv 218, StarSat 248), on ESPN2 (DStv 219, StarSat 249), and on Disney+ in South Africa with two live games every week and repeat broadcasts to ensure that no big moment is missed.

Fans can follow the series and join the conversation on @ESPNAfrica with #JesseinJapan across social platforms.

The post ESPN Africa Launches Jesse In Japan With Springbok Star appeared first on Stage and Screen.

Starting this week, viewers can catch the action on ESPN (DStv 218, StarSat 248), on ESPN2 (DStv 219, StarSat 249), and on Disney+ with two live games every week and repeat broadcasts to ensure that no big moment is missed.

A World-class Lineup Fuels the Excitement

This season, the JRLO features a stellar cast of players, including no fewer than seven stars from the Springboks squad. Competing in the league are Franco Mostert (Mie Honda Heat), Pieter Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Faf de Klerk and Jesse Kriel (Yokohama Canon Eagles), Damian de Allende (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath) and Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs).

They will lock horns with teams guided by high-profile coaches such as Steve Hansen (Toyota Verblitz), ex-Wallabies and five-times Super Rugby-winning coach Robbie Deans (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights), Frans Ludeke (Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay), and other seasoned mentors, including Todd Blackadder (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo) and Johan Ackerman (Urayasu DRocks).

The league comprises of 3 divisions, with each team aiming to climb to the first. Twelve teams will battle it out in Division 1, alongside additional clubs in Divisions 2 and 3. For rugby fans across Africa, two Division 1 matches per week will air live on ESPN or ESPN2, with repeat broadcasts for flexibility, building up to a nail-biting final in May 2026.

The first fixtures are already set:

• Kobe versus Spears on Saturday, 13 December at 10:00 on ESPN
• Brave Lupus versus Wild Knights on Sunday, 14 December at 08:00 on ESPN
• Sungoliath versus Verblitz on Saturday, 20 December at 07:30 on ESPN
• Blue Revs versus Brave Lupus on Sunday, 21 December at 07:30 on ESPN
• Black Rams versus Heat on Saturday, 27 December at 06:05 on ESPN
• Kobe versus Verblitz on Sunday, 28 December at 07:30 on ESPN2

Rugby fans can look forward to relentless intensity, fast-paced rugby and match-defining plays that will keep them glued to the screens as this new season promises to deliver high stakes, incredible skill and top-tier competition from start to finish.

The post Japan League One Kicks Off on ESPN Africa appeared first on Stage and Screen.