Cheslin Kolbe and Co humbled in Japan by former Wallaby

Wallaby veteran Bernard Foley helped himself to 29 points as Kubota Spears bossed the weekend’s feature match of Japan Rugby League One hammering Tokyo Sungoliath 79-20.

The 36-year-old, who was competition’s the leading point-scorer three seasons ago when the Spears won their maiden title, scored a try and kicked 11 from 14 yesterday as Kubota ran in 11 tries against their previously unbeaten rivals.

Few could have predicted the carnage that would follow after a tight opening quarter ended with the Spears ahead 8-6, but it became a completely different game from that point as last year’s beaten finalists ran amok.

By half time the Spears were ahead 39-6, and the onslaught didn’t stop as a Sungoliath outfit containing Springbok star Cheslin Kolbe, former All Black skipper Sam Cane and Wallaby veteran Sean McMahon, alongside six members of the Brave Blossoms autumn tour squad, ran up the white flag.

The Spears are second on the standings ahead of the New Year’s holiday break on points differential behind the league’s only other unbeaten side, Saitama Wild Knights.

Atsushi Kanazawa’s side continued their impressive opening to the season under the new boss by outclassing Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars 33-3 at Kanagawa today.

Another League One ‘newbie’ Graham Rowntree is also making a big impression, with the former title-winning Munster coach guiding Urayasu D-Rocks to their second win after they upset last season’s play-offs qualifiers, Shizuoka Blue Revs.

The 34-21 success was D-Rocks’ second from three outings under the Englishman, and a major turnaround for an outfit that won just three matches in the whole of the last regular season.

Dave Rennie continues to dominate his former Bledisloe Cup coaching rival Steve Hansen since the pair renewed acquaintance in Japan, with the ex-Wallaby coaches’ Kobelco Kobe Steelers overwhelming the former All Black bosses’ Toyota Verblitz 49-29.

The match was the third time the pair had faced off since Rennie’s arrival in League One, and Kobe’s third win, with All Black star Ardie Savea once again having a big say.

Savea scored four tries against Verblitz in the corresponding match during the back-rower’s sabbatical two years ago, and added two more yesterday, with All Black teammates Brodie Retallick and Anton Lienert-Brown also on the scoresheet.

The trio’s All Black teammate TJ Perenara enjoyed his first win of the season with BlackRams Tokyo, who held off Mie Honda Heat for a 32-28 win at Saga.

Despite tries by Springbok back-rower Franco Mostert and Flying Fijians hooker Tevita Ikanevere, Heat couldn’t quite make it and have now lost 12 regular season matches in-a-row.

Heat and Yokohama Canon Eagles are the only sides yet to win, with the latter overpowered 41-19 by Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo.