All Blacks help knock Japan Rugby League One heavyweights off top of table

An 80th minute try by winger Kanta Matsunga allowed Kobelco Kobe to pip Tokyo Suntory at the post, with today’s 39-37 win in Japan Rugby League One reversing the two-point defeat the Steelers suffered against Sungoliath last month.

For much of the afternoon, a draw seemed odds on, with the lead changing hands three times in the last 10 minutes alone, but the final try of the afternoon proved decisive, after test men George Turner and Brodie Retallick (twice) had been earlier try-scorers for the winners.

Yesterday saw Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights deposed at the top-of-the-table by Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, after the defending champions handed the former league leaders back-to-back defeats for the first time in six years following a comfortable 42-31 win in front of 17,000 fans in Tokyo.

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The surprisingly error-prone Wild Knights were on the back foot from the start after All Black backrower Shannon Frizell scored off a smart inside ball from fellow international Richie Mo’unga in the fourth minute.

With the All Black flyhalf pulling the strings, Brave Lupus played at pace, with the Wild Knights unable to contain their rivals’ off-loading in contact.

Fixture

Japan Rugby League One

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo

42 - 31

Full-time

Saitama Wild Knights

All Stats and Data

Saitama second rower Lood de Jager was one of four Springboks who scored tries over the weekend, but his side were 18 points down at halftime and never recovered.

Just three points separate the top three, after Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay won for the 22nd time in a row at Spears Edogawa Stadium by downing Yokohama Canon Eagles 41-24, collecting just their third try-scoring bonus point of the campaign in the process.

Springbok backrower Kwagga Smith was the dominant figure in fourth-placed Shizuoka Blue Revs’ 31-25 win over Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo.

The 31-year-old scored twice and was also held up over the goal-line in between his two tries.

The skies are darkening for Steve Hansen’s 11th placed Toyota Verblitz after their ninth defeat of the season, 31-22 against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars.

Kurt-Lee Arendse’s seventh try of the season helped the Dynaboars jump to a 24-5 lead at halftime.

While Verblitz rallied, with winger Joseph Manu scoring two tries in three minutes – the second an eye-popping finish when the 28-year-old acrobatically leapt over the top of defender Honeti Taumohaapai – the former rugby league man’s heroics were in vain.

Japan Rugby League One

Group Standings

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo

12

10

1

1

46

2

Saitama Wild Knights

12

9

2

1

45

3

Kubota Spears

12

9

2

1

43

4

Shizuoka BlueRevs

12

9

3

0

39

5

Kobelco Kobe Steelers

12

6

6

0

33

6

Yokohama Canon Eagles

12

5

7

0

26

7

Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars

12

5

7

0

22

8

Tokyo Sungoliath

12

4

6

2

22

9

BlackRams Tokyo

12

4

8

0

21

10

Mie Honda Heat

12

4

8

0

18

11

Toyota Verblitz

12

2

9

1

15

12

Urayasu D-Rocks

12

2

10

0

10

Conference A

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo

12

10

1

1

46

2

Shizuoka BlueRevs

12

9

3

0

39

3

Kobelco Kobe Steelers

12

6

6

0

33

4

Yokohama Canon Eagles

12

5

7

0

26

5

Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars

12

5

7

0

22

6

Urayasu D-Rocks

12

2

10

0

10

Conference B

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

Saitama Wild Knights

12

9

2

1

45

2

Kubota Spears

12

9

2

1

43

3

Tokyo Sungoliath

12

4

6

2

22

4

BlackRams Tokyo

12

4

8

0

21

5

Mie Honda Heat

12

4

8

0

18

6

Toyota Verblitz

12

2

9

1

15

Greig Laidlaw’s bottom-placed Urayasu D-Rocks have closed to within five points of Verblitz after completing a double over Mie Honda Heat with a 39-31 win.

Each of Samu Kerevi and the Heat pair of Pablo Matera and Franco Mostert scored tries, although the latter was sent off late in the game for an illegal cleanout which turned the tide the visitors’ way.