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Boks and All Blacks central players in Japan Rugby League One fate
Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights will become the first side to qualify for the semi-finals of this year’s Japan Rugby League One should they beat ninth-placed Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars at Kumagaya on Saturday.
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The only unbeaten side in the top division, the Wild Knights are chasing their 12th win of the season against an opponent they’ve put 182 points and 27 tries on, in three meetings since the start of last year.
The Dynaboars, who feature 25-year-old flyhalf James Grayson, the son of ex-England rep Paul, have won three of their last five to ease relegation fears, and are enjoying their best season in the top flight with five wins overall, but won’t be looking forward to their trip to Saitama.
While the bottom three: Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo, Mie Honda Heat and Hanazono Kintetsu Liners, all look up against it on Saturday, there will be plenty of interest, and significance, in Sunday’s doubleheader.
Fourth-placed Kobelco Kobe Steelers face third-placed Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath, and Ardie Savea’s side could fall out of the semi-final qualification positions with just four games remaining, should Suntory repeat their win from the first clash between the sides.
Springbok star Cheslin Kolbe was a try-scorer and young flyhalf Mikiya Takamoto kicked 19 points as Sungoliath overturned a six-point halftime deficit to prevail 44-36, despite inside centre Ngane Laumape and second rower Brodie Retallick scoring tries for the visitors.
The All Black pair, along with countryman Savea, are going to need to be at their best against an opponent still smarting after they blew a 25-point halftime lead in their 37-35 defeat by Yokohama last time out.
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Kobe, who have been defeated just twice in seven outings since their loss to Suntory, have been boosted this season by the impact of the former (Waikato) Chief from Super Rugby, Bryn Gatland.
Gatland is doing his Wales-coach father Warren proud.
The underrated 28-year-old is the league’s leading point-scorer with 150, 10 ahead of Saitama’s Brave Blossoms pivot Rikiya Matsuda, and 31 in front of All Black Richie Mo’unga.
The former Crusaders man is also in action on Sunday as second-placed Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo bid to draw the curtains on the title defence of Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay.
Alongside his goal-kicking excellence, Mo’unga has been the most creative back in the league, registering a season high 12 try-scoring ‘assists’ alongside the three he has scored.
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The number shows why the 56-test star was an astute signing by the man who gave him his shot as a youngster in Super Rugby eight years ago, former Crusaders, and current Brave Lupus coach, Todd Blackadder.
Division One Schedule:
Saturday: Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo v Yokohama Canon Eagles; Shizuoka Blue Revs v Mie Honda Heat; Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights v Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars; Toyota Verlitz v Hanazono Kintetsu Liners.
Sunday: Kobelco Kobe Steelers v Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath; Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay v Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo.
Comments on RugbyPass
Great role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
59 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
59 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
59 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
59 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
59 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
59 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
59 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
59 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
59 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
59 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
59 Go to comments