NZ schoolboy star Shun Miyake just put himself on Test radar

He wanted to be an All Black but Christchurch-schooled flyhalf Shun Miyake may have put himself on the radar of Brave Blossoms boss Eddie Jones instead after a stunning performance as Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars upset Tokyo Sungoliath 34-15 in a catch-up match in Japan Rugby League One today.

The 24-year-old scored 22 points, all in the first half, which included a hattrick, before veteran Springbok centre Lukhanyo Am sealed the deal with his second try of the season, allowing the 10th placed Dynaboars to claim a bonus point win which has lifted them out of the relegation series positions.

Slotted into the bye weekend after snow had caused its cancellation on the scheduled date, fourth-placed Sungoliath were without Springbok star Cheslin Kolbe.

While they still fielded an impressive cast and had ex-Chiefs and Maori All Blacks centre Gideon Wrampling mark his league debut with a try, the star of the show was clad in Dynaboars’ green and is a name those of a red and black persuasion in New Zealand will recognise.

Miyake was part of Canterbury’s national provincial championship-winning outfit last year in his second season with the province, appearing seven times, after having played 10 matches in his rookie campaign.
The Kobe-born flyhalf, who schooled at the prestigious Christ’s College and has also featured in the Crusaders Under-20s, previously turned down opportunities to appear for Japan at Under-20 and A level so he could retain his eligibility for New Zealand.

While Miyake was not included in the 55-man preliminary training squad named by Jones last month, after taking apart the national coaches’ former club, the decision to relocate to League One could open a door to the Brave Blossoms with a Rugby World Cup on the horizon.

Today’s performance was made even more impressive given Miyake had endured a difficult afternoon last Sunday, missing four of his five attempts on goal as Toyota Verblitz edged Sagamihara by two points in a key bottom of the table battle.

Division Two also provided an upset as the Toutai Kefu-coached Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves recorded just their sixth home win in the five years of the League One era, after bowling Manie Libbok’s previously unbeaten Hanazono Kintetsu Liners, 30-22.

Hanazono’s defeat means SkyActivs Hiroshima are the only remaining unbeaten side across all three sections of the league, although only just, as they survived a late rally from second-placed SAYAMA SECOM RUGGUTS to secure a 33-30 win in Division Three.