Mixed fortunes for All Blacks in Japan as Graham Rowntree impresses

Two tries by All Black winger Mark Telea were in vain as Toyota Verblitz slumped to their third defeat of the Japan Rugby League One season yesterday, beaten 37-29 by Black Rams Tokyo.

Steve Hansen’s men, who finished 10th after a miserable campaign last term, find themselves occupying the same spot again after surrendering a 29-10 halftime advantage at Fukuoka, despite their opponent having three of their number sent to the sin bin.

During a round which saw yellow (cards) mentioned more times than at a Coldplay concert, the TJ Perenara skippered Black Rams had two players sanctioned concurrently in the second half, but Verblitz couldn’t score in their absence.

Saturday saw 12 yellow cards dished out across the five matches in Division One, with two more today as Kubota Spears rose to the top of the standings on point’s differential after swamping Mie Honda Heat 45-21.

Former All Black skipper Sam Cane was sanctioned twice in Tokyo as Sungoliath was pipped 22-20 by Dave Rennie’s Kobelco Kobe Steelers.

Sungoliath led for much of the contest but conceded in the 80th minute when Springbok Cheslin Kolbe advanced too soon from the goal line attempting an intercept, which allowed Kobe’s Japanese international Seungsin Lee to nail the match winner.

Former Hurricanes winger Tjay Clarke had a day to remember in Kanagawa, scoring three tries but also being carded for repeated infringements, as Toshiba Brave Lupus overpowered Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars 47-22.

The 23-year-old, who was making just his fourth appearance in League One after arriving from Wellington, was one of three Toshiba players temporarily ‘benched’ by officialdom, while the Dynaboars’ Springbok centre Lukhanyo Am also saw yellow.

All Black scrumhalf Brad Weber made his debut for the home side in the second half.

After repeatedly troubling the Saitama Wild Knights in the past, Shizuoka Blue Revs seemed likely do so again, leading 15-8 at halftime at Kumagaya, but they were overrun in the second period as the home side ran in five tries to record a convincing 37-22 victory.

Graham Rowntree’s Urayasu D-Rocks continue to impress, climbing to fifth after tying last year’s three wins in just their fourth outing as they beat winless Yokohama Canon Eagles, 28-22.

All Black Peter Umaga-Jensen bagged a try-scoring double in Division Two as Hanazono Kintetsu Liners despatched Hino Red Dolphins 47-34 to remain unbeaten, while the well-travelled Chase Tiatia, who topped Division Three’s try-scoring rankings last term with 14, bagged a hattrick in SAYAMA SECOM RUGGUTS’ 70-3 romp over Yakult Levins Toda.