Cheslin Kolbe lands 28 point haul, All Blacks forward scores 12th try

Springbok Cheslin Kolbe’s Sungoliath are the Kings of western Tokyo. The electric winger helped himself to 28 points, including two tries, to lead his side to an emphatic 60-21 victory over local rivals Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo in Japan’s Rugby League One’s Fuchu derby.

Today’s win, which was Sungoliath’s first over their neighbours in three years, consolidated the side’s fourth position on the championship standings, while spiralling the Michael Leitch-captained Toshiba deeper into crisis following their fifth consecutive defeat.

While the two-time defending champions maintain a shaky hold on the final qualifying position for the post season, the gap to Toyota Verblitz in seventh is just five points, and they have not won since upsetting Kubota Spears via a last-minute Richie Mo’unga try on January 24.

All Black coach Dave Rennie’s perfect fortnight ended with his Kobelco Kobe Steelers first on the table after they flattened Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars 61-10 yesterday.

Centre Anton Lienert-Brown set the tone for the day with a try in the third minute.

He had a second by halftime, and All Black teammate Ardie Savea also scored, as the home side romped ahead 47-0.

While the pace eased after the break, second row marvel Brodie Retallick wouldn’t be kept out of it, with the 34-year-old All Black bagging his 12th try of the season, which is three more than anyone else.

The door to the top was opened for Kobe by Saitama Wild Knights, who avenged their defeat in last year’s semi-final after toppling the league’s former leaders, Kubota, 32-30.

Set on their way by a try from Springbok inside centre Damien de Allende, Saitama led by five at halftime but surrendered the advantage as the Spears took control, pushing clear 27-18.

The Wild Knights weren’t done though, coming through after they scored the final two tries of the afternoon, with ice cool flyhalf Takuya Yamasawa converting fullback Ryuji Noguchi’s 83rd minute effort from near the sideline to claim the honours.

It was the fourth time in their last five matchups that four points or less had split the rivals.

Two tries by Fijian test hooker Tevita Ikanivere, and one from ex-Argentine skipper Pablo Matera couldn’t save Mie Honda Heat as Yokohama Canon Eagles marked the return of Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk with a rousing 31-26 win at Tochigi.

Shizuoka BlueRevs continue to lose ground on the top six, suffering their fifth defeat in a row despite a valiant effort in their 37-33 loss to fifth placed Ricoh BlackRams.

The game was settled in the 79th minute when the home side’s inspiration skipper and scrumhalf TJ Perenara scored for the second week running.

Toyota Verblitz continued their mid-season turnaround, with today’s crushing 59-19 win over Urayasu D-Rocks putting a top six position back on the agenda in what is Director of Rugby Steve Hansen’s last season.
The former All Black boss joined the Aichi-based club after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.