Once 'fallen giants' on the verge of history thanks to All Blacks

This time twelve months ago, former Tasman, Crusaders, Bath and Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo coach Todd Blackadder had never won a title as a professional coach.

On Sunday the ex-All Black captain is in great shape to win a second, with his side poised to become the first in Japan Rugby League One to go back-to-back.

Standing in the way are their title predecessors, Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay.

After an unhappy end at Bath, where the amiable former Super Rugby-winning captain was warmly regarded by his players but struck trouble in the board room, Blackadder arrived in Fuchu six years go to take the reins of a team screaming out for direction.

Fixture

Japan Rugby League One

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo

18 - 13

Full-time

Kubota Spears

All Stats and Data

A six-time Top League champion, Brave Lupus had become the quintessential ‘fallen giant’, having not won the title since the 2009-10 season.

The club steadily improved during Blackadder’s rebuild.

Last year’s breakthrough title was the final stop in a journey that had seen semi-final qualification in his third season, and an unlucky fifth a year later.

While the coup that was the arrivals of All Blacks Richie Mo’unga and Shannon Frizell added the finishing polish, Blackadder had already created the title-winning engine.

In partnership with veteran Brave Blossoms skipper Michael Leitch – whose reinvigoration has been such that he has made nearly 50 tackles more than any other player this season – Blackadder developed and unleashed talent like workaholic hooker Mamoru Harada.

Harada is seen as a future Test skipper.

Highly skilled but abrasive 23-year-old second rower Warner Dearns – arguably the most exciting Brave Blossoms player in the League – will probably fill that role at some point, too.

Winger Jone Naikabula – the star of last year’s final – is the competition’s leading try-scorer, seemingly without having raised a sweat.

Even old hands like All Black centre Seta Tamanivalu, Maori All Black midfielder Rob Thompson and journeyman utility back Michael Collins have been re-energised, playing some of the best footy of their long careers.

But while Brave Lupus have been the competition’s lamp lighter, Kubota have gone about their business quietly and efficiently, stitching together nine wins and a draw since they lost to Toshiba 31-27 at the start of March.

In any other season, a record like that would have seen them enter the final hot favourites.

The run evokes memories of two years ago when Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights were all the rage but the Spears ‘crept up’ on them and seized the throne.

With Springbok hooker Malcom Marx back, and in the form of his life leading a dominant South African-laden forward pack, and Wallaby fly-half Bernard Foley orchestrating a swift backline, Kubota could be a greater threat to Brave Lupus than Panasonic was last year.

Although the defending champions have won their last three against the Spears (having lost the previous five), each has been by four points or fewer.

Given the first three League One finals have been won by margins of six, two and four points respectively, another tight contest seems like the only certainty.