Doubles for ex-All Blacks in Japan as former Wallabies coach secures playoffs

Former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has guided the Kobe Steelers into the Japan Rugby League One playoffs for the first time since 2018.

The Steelers beat the Sagamihara Dynaboars 59-33 on Saturday to lock up fifth spot on the standings.

Rennie has presided over steady improvement at the Kansai-based club since he joined two years ago, with Saturday’s success earning Kobe a shot at the post-season for the first time since their last title seven years ago.

One of the teams standing in Kobe’s way is also coached by a former Wallaby boss in Robbie Deans, whose Saitama Wild Knights remain top of the table despite a valiant effort from Black Rams Tokyo, with All Black scrumhalf TJ Perenara scoring two tries in their 27-21 loss.

Spears Funabashi Bay, who play the Wild Knights in a box-office clash next weekend, remain second after coming from behind at halftime to beat Mie Heat 39-20.

Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scored twice, after former Wallaby flyhalf Bernard Foley scored the Spear’s opening try.

Kobe’s likely opponents in the playoffs, Shizuoka BlueRevs, were led by another length-of-the-field try from former NRL winger Valynce Te Whare, as they came back from 0-21 down to beat Yokohama Eagles 38-28 on Sunday.

The 24-year-old’s sixth try of the season, and second in three weeks, was part of a period where the BlueRevs scored 31 unanswered points to seal a win that could have ended the chances of Wallaby Mathew Philips’ Eagles making the playoffs.

Yokohama trail Tokyo Sungoliath by six points with two games remaining after ex-All Black skipper Sam Cane scored twice in Sunday’s 45-28 win over Verblitz.

Steve Hansen’s side remain in relegation peril ahead of next week’s clash with the Heat, who are one place below, with the losers likely to join Urayasu D-Rocks in the end-of-season promotion/relegation series.

Samu Kerevi’s ninth try from his past eight appearances couldn’t prevent D-Rocks slumping to their 13th defeat of a wretched season, after the league’s bottom-placed side were outclassed 61-19 by champions Brave Lupus Tokyo on Friday night.