Kobelco Kobe Steelers mark poignant day with huge win

The Kobelco Kobe Steelers marked the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin earthquake in appropriate fashion in Japan Rugby League One today, crushing Urayasu D-Rocks 50-22 to end a solemn week in their home city.

The Hyogo prefecture was struck by the magnitude 7.3 quake at 5.46am on January 17, 1995, with over 6000 people losing their lives while an estimated 400,000 buildings in the city were either damaged or destroyed.

Steelers players and management attended an early morning candle lighting ceremony on the date of the disaster on Friday before illuminating their campaign with its’ second win, achieved emphatically as they ran in seven tries, three by winger Kanta Matsunaga.

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All Blacks Brodie Retallick and Ngane Laumape were also try-scorers.

Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights enter the first bye week of the season five points clear at the top of the table after continuing their dominance of Toyota Verblitz.

The Wild Knights recorded their eighth win in a row – and 16th from the last 17 meetings with Verblitz – after a 38-22 victory in front of an enthusiastic 13,000-strong crowd at a sun-drenched Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu.

Springbok centre Damien de Allende scored twice for the winners, who welcomed back Lood de Jager, in what was the South African second rower’s first appearance since he damaged his shoulder in last year’s final.

Today’s win was the 50th (from 53 matches) achieved in the regular season by the Wild Knights since the league began four years ago.

First season Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath head coach Kosei Ono finally had something to celebrate after his side beat Mie Honda Heat 27-19 for his first win, with Springbok winger Cheslin Kolbe and former Wallaby backrower Sean McMahon try-scorers, while flyhalf Mikiya Takamoto kicked 17 points.

Tries by All Blacks Richie Mo’unga and Shannon Frizell were not enough for Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo yesterday as the defending champions fell to their first defeat of the season, beaten 34-28 by Shizuoka Blue Revs.

Despite the perfect start when Mo’unga scored in the fourth minute, the home side were in front by halftime, leading 17-14, and stayed there for the remainder of the afternoon, hanging on resolutely in the final 10 minutes after Brave Lupus had closed to within six points.

Exciting midfielder Valynce Te Whari scored two of the Blue Revs’s six tries while dual international Charles Piutau weighed in with his first of the season.

Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay came from behind to beat Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo 26-18 despite All Black TJ Perenara – playing in the unfamiliar position of flyhalf – opening the scoring for the visitors.

It was the third time in the opening five weeks that the Black Rams have led at halftime before going on to lose.

Saturday’s third match saw Springbok centre Jesse Kriel score for the second week running as Yokohama Canon Eagles ran out impressive 47-21 winners over Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars in the Kanagawa derby.