Former All Blacks boss Steve Hansen's struggles continue

Former All Black Leon MacDonald gained the first win of his career in Japan Rugby League One yesterday, and it came against one of his former coaches as Yokohama Canon Eagles sent Steve Hansen’s Toyota Verblitz to the bottom of the table following a 20-14 defeat.

MacDonald, who was mentored by the ex-All Black boss at each of the Crusaders and All Blacks before finding his own way into coaching, ended a nine-match losing run for Yokohama, as the Eagles came from 14-6 down to escape the league’s basement.

The Verblitz boss was left to rue three ruinous second half minutes that saw his side concede tries to ex-New Zealand Under-20 backrower Randall Baker and Irish-born second rower Cormac Daly as Hansen’s charges sank to their sixth consecutive defeat.

While the result has left the Verblitz hierarchy, which also includes ex-All Black coach Ian Foster, with plenty of thinking to do, former Italian boss Kieran Crowley was celebrating back-to-back wins after Mie Honda Heat scored a stunning upset by downing reigning champions Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, 44-38.

Honda flew out of the blocks following Pablo Matera’s fifth minute try, with five on the board by halftime as they established a 13-point advantage.

Although Honda were out-scored three-tries-to-one after the break, Toshiba’s all came in the final six minutes, which netted Todd Blackadder’s side an unlikely bonus point, but came too late to stave off their second defeat of the season.

The slip up left Brave Lupus five points astern of Kobelco Kobe Steelers on the standings after Dave Rennie’s men won a madcap contest with Shizuoka BlueRevs, which included 17 tries as the home side prevailed 60-45.

Kobe scored 10 of them, three in the first half by fullback Shunsuke Uenobo, while skipper Brodie Retallick etched his name on the scoresheet for the sixth week in a row.

The remarkable 34-year-old All Black leads the competition for the most tries with nine, one ahead of Saitama Wild Knights hooker Atsushi Sakate, who scored the only try of the league-leader’s 13-6 win over BlackRams Tokyo.

It was Saitama’s 22nd win from their last 23 outings against the BlackRams, but the second time in succession that TJ Perenara’s men had claimed a deserved losing bonus point.

Kubota Spears have now won 23 games without defeat at their Spears Edoriku Field home after despatching Urayasu D-Rocks 48-14, with Brave Blossoms backrower Faulua Makisi scoring three times for the victors, while Springbok backrower Jasper Wiese contributed both of D-Rocks’ tries.

Tokyo Sungoliath and Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars will have to wait for another day to complete the round after today’s clash in Tokyo was called off due to snow.