Concerning Springbok injury hampers Kubota's JRLO title bid

The 1977 World War Two classic ‘A Bridge Too Far’ told the true story of the tragic Battle of Arnhem, in which a lightly armed airborne division of Allied troops dropped onto the strategically vital bridges near the Dutch town, only to be overwhelmed by the well prepared and superior armed German forces that were waiting for them.

It’s a theme that could well be true of the Japan Rugby League One championship decider, where a well-rested and fully loaded Kobelco Kobe Steelers lie ready and waiting for the battered and bruised Kubota Spears.

While Dave Rennie’s Kobe came through Saturday’s 69-23 quarterfinal romp against Tokyo Sungoliath unharmed and armed with an additional round of ammunition in terms of confidence, his Kubota counterpart Frans Ludeke was left assessing the damage on Monday, after the previous day’s 26-24 win over Saitama Wild Knights.

The at times brutal semi-final saw both suffer heavily, with the Kubota boss, while justifiably proud of his side’s achievement in making back-to-back finals, having to contemplate the prospect of facing Kobe without World Rugby Player of the Year Malcolm Marx along with the South African-born backrower Tyler Paul; arguably the most improved player in the league this season.

Marx, Kubota’s talisman, is out with a bicep injury that will be of concern to Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, while Brave Blossoms boss Eddie Jones will have similar worries over Paul – the league’s top tackler – who has been scratched by a toe injury.

The injuries to two of their key men are hardly encouraging ahead of a date with the top qualifiers, who ended Kubota’s 25-game unbeaten run at Spears Edoriku Field with a 24-19 success last month.

Fixture

Japan Rugby League One

Kobelco Kobe Steelers

22 - 13

Full-time

Kubota Spears

All Stats and Data

Winners three years ago, when they captured a Japanese nationwide league title for the first time, and unbeaten in seven against Kobe prior to their recent defeat, the Spears bring plenty of ring craft to the occasion at Tokyo’s National Stadium.
It is their third final appearance in the five seasons of the league, tying the Wild Knights.

Ten of the squad that featured in last weekend’s semi-final were also on the field for the 17-15 win that lifted the 2022-23 title.

For all their big names, their opponents are experiencing League One’s final battle for the first time.

Kobe has not triumphed since the 2018 edition of the old Top League, when a side with Wayne Smith as Director of Rugby, and All Blacks Dan Carter and Andy Ellis steering the on-field operations, crushed Sungoliath 55-5.

Ludeke can call on the experience of two Super Rugby titles in his preparation, but whereas the Bulls were at home and well rested for those deciders, this time his troops are the ones who are dropping into the battlefield with the odds stacked against them.

We will soon know whether their mission, like the movie, was a Bridge Too Far.