Malcolm Marx looking to overturn unfortunate record against All Black

Malcolm Marx and Richie Mo’unga have been playing against each other for a long time, first crossing paths in the kit of the Lions and Crusaders in Super Rugby.

While the two-time Rugby World Cup winning Springbok has had the better of it in the Test arena, the All Black has reigned in Japan Rugby League One, steering Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo to their second successive title, beating Marx and the Kubota Spears 18-13 in last season’s championship game, despite taking the field with a broken hand.

The pair meet again on Saturday and while bragging rights are ostensibly the major prize on offer, the winner’s quest for a top two finish and the accompanying bye in the first weekend of the play-offs will be enhanced by success.

While the Spears will be favoured, with Brave Lupus much changed since last year’s title game, the loss of their unbeaten record would open the door for Saitama Wild Knights who, like Kubota, have made an unbeaten start.

New boss Atsushi Kanazawa has slid comfortably into the chair occupied for a decade by Robbie Deans, seemingly feeling no pressure after inheriting a group who had won 63 of 74 regular season matches in the four years since League One began.

Fixture

Japan Rugby League One

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo

19:00

23 Jan 26

Kubota Spears

All Stats and Data

This includes six straight against old rivals Tokyo Sungoliath, who stand before them again, currently trailing the six-time champions of Japan by nine points on the standings.

The Wild Knights flattened Sungoliath 60-17 a week before last season’s play-offs.

It surprisingly proved their last win after they crashed out of the competition two weeks later against Kubota.

Currently fifth, Kosei Ono’s side are five points above the play-offs qualification ‘line’, but it can all change very quickly, as Sungoliath experienced last term when it took five matches for the first season coach to get his maiden win.

That came against Mie Honda Heat who will see Urayasu D-Rocks within their range as they look to open their account, after game but losing performances in recent weeks.

Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars can tell a similar story and likewise will see BlackRams Tokyo as beatable, while after righting their campaign last week, Shizuoka BlueRevs welcome a Toyota Verblitz outfit on Sunday that is in freefall after four heavy defeats.

Yokohama Canon Eagles are also yet to enjoy a win and having lost to 50-21 to the Wild Knights last week, will find third-placed Kobelco Kobe Steelers no easier.