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'Hell of a player': Dave Rennie on his two All Blacks debutants and rising star The opening match of the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour saw two new faces wear the black jersey for the first time, and plenty more return to it after spells away. Gregor Paul As All Blacks fans ramp up for Rugby's Greatest Rivalry, it would be foolhardy to overlook the NPC While all eyes will inevitably be on South Africa for Rugby's Greatest Rivalry, the NPC will be playing out and it has never been more vital Published: 44 minutes ago | 8 August 2026 19:23 +07 Updated: 35 minutes ago | 8 August 2026 19:31 +07 mens japan-rugby-league-one TOKYO, JAPAN - DECEMBER 10: Cheslin Kolbe (4th R) of Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath celebrates with team mates after Saimoni Vunilagi (C) scores a try during the NTT Japan Rugby League One match between Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay and Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath at Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground on December 10, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Getty Images) Japanese rugby club Kyuden Voltex said they were “devastated” following the death of Fijian forward Saimoni Vunilagi from suspected heatstroke. ADVERTISEMENT Kyuden Voltex, who play in the Japanese league’s second tier, announced Vunilagi, 26, died on Friday morning having been taken to hospital on Monday after a training session. A club statement read: “After team practice on Monday, August 3, 2026, Saimoni displayed symptoms consistent with severe heatstroke. VIDEO “He was transported to a medical facility for treatment, but despite the best efforts of the medical team, he sadly passed away. “The players, staff, and all team associates are devastated by this sudden news. “Although Saimoni had only recently joined Kyushu KV, his generous spirit and powerful style of play had raised high hopes for his contributions in the upcoming season. “We humbly pray for the repose of his soul and extend our heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family.” Vunilagi attended university in Japan and joined Kyuden Voltex last month from Japan Rugby League One side Tokyo Sungoliath. Whether you’re looking for somewhere to track upcoming fixtures, a place to watch live rugby or an app that shows you all of the latest news and analysis, the RugbyPass rugby app is perfect. ADVERTISEMENT LIVE {{item.title}} Trending on RugbyPass 1 Hansen and Jones predict same outcome in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour 2 'Hell of a player': Dave Rennie on his two All Blacks debutants and rising star 3 Patrick Tuipulotu reflects on All Blacks' 'mistakes' in Stormers clash 4 All Blacks dig deep to deny Stormers in ill-disciplined RGR opener 5 Dave Rennie addresses All Blacks' three obvious problems in Stormers win 6 All Blacks player ratings vs Stormers | Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 7 Rugby World Cup team remove head coach 14 months out from tournament 8 ‘Do the jersey proud’: Ex-All Black looks ahead to first Wallabies start