Springbok winger Cheslin Kolbe will play for Japanese club Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath next year, the club announced Thursday.

Kolbe, who was 29 years old, left French team Toulon at the end of last month, even though his contract still had one year to go.

He is playing in the Japanese league with Faf de Klerk, Malcolm Marx, and Damian de Allende, all of whom were on his South Africa team when they won the World Cup.

“This is going to be a new chapter and challenge in my career, and I’d like to thank everyone who made the move possible,” Kolbe said in a statement released by the club.

“Suntory is a team with an impressive history, and I am looking forward to making new memories with the team over the seasons ahead.”

In the semi-finals of the Japan Rugby League One championship last month, Suntory lost to Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay, who went on to win the title.

In the past few years, the club has signed a number of big-name international players, such as New Zealand’s Beauden Barrett and Australia’s Samu Kerevi.

Kolbe moved from Top 14 rivals Toulouse to Toulon in 2021. He scored six tries in 18 games this season, even though he was out for a month with an ankle sprain.

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