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Tiennan Costley

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Tiennan Costley
ティエナン・コストリー
Costley (centre) with Japan in 2026
Born (2000-06-14) 14 June 2000 (age 26)
Auckland, New Zealand[a]
Height192 cm (6 ft 4 in)[2]
Weight102 kg (225 lb; 16 st 1 lb)[2]
SchoolWestlake Boys High School
UniversityInternational Pacific University
Rugby union career
Position Flanker
Current team Kobe Steelers
Youth career
2017–2018 North Harbour
2020–2022 International Pacific University
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2023– Kobe Steelers 58 (70)
Correct as of 7 June 2026
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2024–2026 Japan XV 2 (0)
2024– Japan 14 (0)
Correct as of 18 July 2026

Tiennan Costley (Japanese: ティエナン・コストリー, romanized: Tienan Kosutorī; born 14 June 2000), nicknamed "Tama" in the Māori language (English: Boy),[1][6] is a professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for the Kobe Steelers in the Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) and the Japan national team.

Early life

[edit]

Costley was born in 2000 and raised in New Zealand. He was educated at Auckland's Westlake Boys High School, playing rugby at the school alongside future England player Chandler Cunningham-South.[7][8]

Career

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Early career

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In 2017, Costley had been named in the North Harbour U18s squad.[9]

After graduating from Westlake Boys High School in Auckland, Costley originally hoped to progress through New Zealand rugby and eventually play for the All Blacks,[6] with the first goal of making the Canterbury Academy,[6] one of New Zealand's top rugby academies. After missing out on the Canterbury Academy, he was offered a place at IPU Kanto Pacific University in Japan.[6] During a visit to the university with his mother, Costley was impressed by the facilities and welcoming environment.[6] Costley eventually they chose to move to Japan and continue his rugby career abroad.[6]

After arriving in Japan, Costley began playing in the lower-level university competition for IPU. He played a total of seven matches across 2020, 2021, and 2022,[10] captaining the team in his final year in their first ever appearance in the All-Japan University Rugby Championship,[11][12] the highest level of youth competition in Japanese schools.

Kobe Steelers

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In January 2023, Costley, alongside Hayato Fukunishi [ja], were announced as the latest signings for the Kobe Steelers.[13] At the time, the Steelers had been in the early stages of their 2022–23 season. By March, and nearing the end of the season, Costley had made his senior debut for the Steelers, after an injury to regular back rower Marcell Coetzee.[6]

The following season, Costley started as the number eight in Kobe's first ten games of the season, racking up four tries. Alongside Ardie Savea, Costley became one of the Steelers' top weapons in the back row,[14] excelling at the breakdown and consistently breaking opposition defensive lines.[15]

In 2024–25, Costley remained a regular starter, though his role became increasingly versatile. Similar to his responsibilities with the Japan national team,[16] he featured across all three back-row positions. While he was deployed most frequently on the blindside (No. 6) and openside (No. 7), he also made a solitary appearance at number eight.[16]

In 2025–26, Costley had become the Steeler's starting blindside flanker,[16] playing in the position in all but one of their games throughout their title-winning campaign. Costley played a significant defensive role for the Steelers, alongside Ardie Savea. Costley racked up 245 tackles, the second-best in the league, with a success rate of 86.6%, ranking him among the top ten in the league.[17] He was also one of the league leaders in carry metres, defenders beaten, post-contact metres, line breaks, as well as turnovers won.[18] Following the regular season, Costley won the "Best Tackler Award".[17] The Steelers went on to win the Japan Rugby League One title, defeating the Kubota Spears 22–13 at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo.[19] At the post-season awards, Costley was named in the league's best XV alongside teammate Ardie Savea.[20]

International career

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In January 2024, Costley was named in a Japan training camp by coach Eddie Jones.[21] In May, following the 2023–24 JRLO season, he was named in another training camp ahead of Japan's Tests in the June–July international window.[22] In June 2024, Costley was named in Japan's starting squad to play England at the National Stadium.[23] Costley made his Test debut on 22 June 2024. Japan lost 17–52.[24]

The following July, Costley played in one of the Japan XV's two matches against the Māori All Blacks,[25] coming off the bench in the 50th minute.[16] He made another Test cap for Japan against Georgia a week later, although played just 16 minutes.[16]

In August and September 2024, Costley, with two Test caps, was named in Japan's 35-man squad for the 2024 Pacific Nations Cup.[26] Costley played in all four of their matches,[16] although had been made a replacement for Amato Fakatava in the latter stage of the tournament after starting in their opening pool stage matches against the United States and Canada.[16] Japan lost the final to Fiji at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka.[27]

Despite not being in Japan's squad for their two-Tests against Wales, Costley was later named in their 37-man squad for the second edition of the Pacific Nations Cup.[28] Costley played less than twenty minutes a match in three Tests, and made a further two caps for Japan in the 2025 Autumn International window against Australia[29] and South Africa respectively.[30] In the latter match, Costley was reported to have been used as a "hybrid player", covering the wing position when he was substituted on.[30]

In July 2026, Costley played in all three of Japan's Nations Championship Tests,[16] which inlcuded an equal record win over Italy in the opening round.[31]

Career statistics

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Club

[edit]
As of 7 June 2026.[16][10][32]
Appearances and tries by club, season and competition
Club Season League
DivisionAppsTriesPoints
Kobe Steelers 2022–23 Japan Rugby League One 500
2023–24 16420
2024–25 18315
2025–26 19735
Total 581470

International

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As of 18 July 2026.[16][10][32]
Statistics by team and year
Team Year Statistic
AppsTriesPoints
Japan XV 2024 100
2026 100
Total 200
Japan 2024 600
2025 500
2026 300
Total 1400

Awards and honours

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Kobe Steelers

Individual

Notes

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  1. ↑ Both Costley's club, the Kobe Steelers,[1] and the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU),[2] state that Costley was born in New Zealand. However, several sources state that his birthplace is Australia.[3][4][5]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 "Tiennan Costley | Kobelco Kobe Steelers". kobesteelers.com. Kobe Steelers.
  2. 1 2 3 "選手プロフィール（ティエナン・コストリー） | Japan Rugby". rugby-japan.jp. Japan Rugby Football Union.
  3. ↑ Miyaguchi, Sean (28 June 2024). "Rugby: New Japan flanker Tiennan Costley shows value on big stage". Kyodo News.
  4. ↑ Tait, Paul (30 June 2026). "Foreign Born and Homegrown Rugby Players in 2026 Nations Championship". Americas Rugby News.
  5. ↑ "Every Nations Championship squad ranked by foreign-born players – from least to most". Ruck.co.uk. 3 July 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Interview with New Player for the 2023 Season: Tiennan Costley". blastfurnacerugby.wordpress.com. Blast Furnace Rugby. 22 November 2023.
  7. ↑ Morgan, Charlie (5 July 2024). "'The other boys did not want to train against him': The making of Chandler Cunningham-South". The Telegraph.
  8. ↑ Sansom, Tom (9 July 2024). "Chandler Cunningham-South: Raised in New Zealand & Performed Hakas – England Flanker "Felt Proud" to face All Blacks challenge". Ruck.co.uk.
  9. ↑ "North Harbour U18 Squad Named". northharbourrugby.co.nz. North Harbour Rugby Union. 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 "ティエナン・コストリー". rugbydb.tokyo (in Japanese).
  11. ↑ "Leitch rested as Jones appoints veteran as captain". Rugby 365. 24 August 2024.
  12. ↑ "京産大主将の福西隼杜らがコベルコ神戸スティーラーズに2023年度加入" [Kyoto Sangyo University captain Hayato Fukunishi and others will join Kobelco Kobe Steelers in 2023]. Rugby Republic (in Japanese). 10 January 2023.
  13. ↑ "2023年度新加入選手のお知らせ" [Announcement of New Players for the 2023 Season]. kobesteelers.com (in Japanese). Kobe Steelers. 9 January 2023.
  14. ↑ "4位・神戸スティーラーズが快勝　相模原ダイナボアーズ下しBPも獲得". Rugby Republic (in Japanese). 10 March 2023.
  15. ↑ "埼玉ワイルドナイツが10連勝　4位・神戸スティーラーズ惜敗で勝点獲得ならず". Rugby Republic (in Japanese). 16 March 2023.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Tiennan Costley: Stats – All Rugby". all.rugby. All Rugby.
  17. 1 2 "【リーグワン】ベストキッカー、ベストタックラー、ベストラインブレイカーが決定。D1"スーパーブーツ"は山沢拓也［埼玉WK／SO］". Rugby Republic (in Japanese). 20 May 2026.
  18. ↑ "Tiennan Costley Profile | RugbyPass". RugbyPass. Archived from the original on 5 August 2026.
  19. ↑ Lee, Henry (7 June 2026). "Kobelco Kobe Steelers claim JRLO title in thriller as Dave Rennie ends title drought". RugbyPass.
  20. 1 2 3 "【リーグワン2025-26アワード】MVPはブロディ・レタリック！新人賞は上ノ坊駿介！初優勝のコベルコ神戸スティーラーズがタイトル席巻". Rugby Republic. 8 June 2026.
  21. ↑ "Eddie Jones names his first training squad for Japan". Ultimate Rugby. 30 January 2024.
  22. ↑ "エディー・ジャパンが5月末に菅平合宿実施。大学生8人を含むトレーニングスコッドメンバー33人を発表。" [Eddie Jones' Japan team will hold a training camp in Sugadaira at the end of May. They have announced a 33-member training squad, including 8 university students]. Rugby Republic (in Japanese). 8 May 2024.
  23. ↑ Newcombe, Jon (20 June 2024). "University student handed Japan Test debut vs England". RugbyPass.
  24. ↑ Mann, Mantej (22 June 2024). "Smith stars as England cruise past Japan in Tokyo". BBC Sport.
  25. ↑ "Rugby: Japan XV beat Maori All Blacks in non-test match". Kyodo News. 6 July 2024.
  26. ↑ "Japan Men's National Rugby Team (Brave Blossoms)". en.rugby-japan.jp. Japan Rugby Football Union. 7 August 2024. Archived from the original on 11 August 2024.
  27. ↑ "Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup: Brilliant Fiji claim sixth title". world.rugby. World Rugby. 21 September 2024.
  28. ↑ "Japan Men's National Rugby Team (Brave Blossoms)". en.rugby-japan.jp. Japan Rugby Football Union. 12 August 2025. Archived from the original on 15 August 2025.
  29. ↑ Howcroft, Jonathan (25 October 2025). "Japan 15–19 Australia: rugby union international Test – as it happened". The Guardian.
  30. 1 2 Aylwin, Michael (2 November 2025). "Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu lights up South Africa's nine-try rout of Japan". The Guardian. Wembley Stadium, London. Running on an arc, he dummied inside Dylan Riley and beat the long-levered, grasping Jack Cornelsen to canter to the posts in imperious style. All right, this was a friendly against overpowered opposition, but he will be around for some time. It is not as if they do not already have Handré Pollard, sitting in the stands for this. The Springboks' depth is the envy of the world.
    The new term these days is "hybrid player" and the two coaches are just the type to peddle its use. Japan had Tiennan Costley on their bench, a back-row forward who covered the wing – and indeed came on in that position. But South Africa boast the prototype in Kwagga Smith.
  31. ↑ "Japan beat Italy, Morgan leads Wales to win over Fiji". The42.ie. 4 July 2026.
  32. 1 2 "Tiennan Costley Season-by-Season Stats | Rugby Database". rugbydatabase.co.nz. Rugby Database.
  33. ↑ "Official Match Report | NTT Japan Rugby League One 2025–26 Play-Offs Final". league-one.jp. Japan Rugby League One. 7 June 2026.
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