Kieran Crowley's Mie Honda Heat secured their first victory of the season with a close 20-19 win over the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners in Round 10 of Japan Rugby League One. Despite losing scrum-half Takuro Hojo to a red card for dangerous play at the half-hour mark, the Heat maintained a lead of 14-5. Wallaby full-back Tom Banks scored his second try of the season, and the team managed to hold off the Liners' comeback efforts. The win propelled Crowley's Heat off the bottom of the table, leaving the Liners as the league's only winless team, despite efforts from Quade Cooper and Will Genia.

Additionally, table-toppers Saitama Wild Knights had to fight back from an 18-14 deficit to secure a 28-18 victory over the Kobelco Kobe Steelers. The game was marked by back-and-forth action with yellow cards and key tries for both teams, ultimately resulting in the Wild Knights maintaining their undefeated streak. The Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, Tokyo Sungoliath, and Shizuoka Blue Revs also secured wins in their respective matches, while the Kubota Spears staged a late comeback to defeat the Yokohama Canon Eagles in a thrilling contest.

The Spears' victory moved them into the top half of the table, further intensifying the competition in the league.