SINGAPORE - Japan's Hito-Communications Sunwolves will play just one of their eight home Super Rugby matches in 2018 at the National Stadium for now.

This comes after the team announced on Friday (Dec 15) that one of its home matches, which was to be hosted by Singapore, has been moved back to Japan.

The club said in a statement: "The Hito-Communications Sunwolves are delighted to announce that the Super Rugby match against the Melbourne Rebels (on March 3) is now to be played in Tokyo.

"Initially, the match was scheduled to be played in Singapore but in order to provide as many games as possible for home fans in Tokyo, we have successfully negotiated with Sanzaar and the Singapore match venue, Singapore Sports Hub, to bring the match back to Tokyo."

The Republic will still host the Sunwolves' last home game of the season, where they face South African side Blue Bulls on June 30, although the location of their May 19 tie against the Stormers, also from South Africa, is yet to be confirmed.

A spokesman for Sports Hub has said that discussions are still in progress and all outstanding match venues will be confirmed in due course.

Singapore has hosted some of the Sunwolves' home games since its Super Rugby debut in 2016 - the team played three home games at the Sports Hub in both the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

The Japanese team finished rock-bottom in the 18-team competition in 2016, and moved up one place to 17th in the last season.