Perenara faces the defining week of his post-All Blacks career so far

It might be the penultimate round but expect a few of the remaining details for the post-season in Japan Rugby League One to be inked in this weekend.

The race for the top two could be settled, as could the identity of the sixth and final playoffs entrant.

Further down the standings, Urayasu D-Rocks are already promotion/relegation series bound, but which of Toyota Verblitz or Mie Honda Heat joins them could be known by Sunday night.

League leaders Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights and second-placed Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay, who meet on Saturday, share an interesting recent history.

Fixture

Japan Rugby League One

Tokyo Sungoliath

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BlackRams Tokyo

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Both are coached by men who have won multiple Super Rugby titles, both teams have been notably successful under their charge in Japan.

But while the Spears have won just once in 16 matches against the Wild Knights, their 17-15 win two years ago secured the western Tokyo club its maiden nationwide Japanese title.

It was Frans Ludeke’s first success in Japan, after having previously won twice in Super Rugby heading up the Bulls.

Robbie Deans, his Saitama counterpart, has been associated with five titles in Japan, after landing five with the Crusaders.

The Wild Knights are in ominous form, but a loss could drop them to third, where they would miss out on a bye in the first weekend of the playoffs.

The Spears were a missed Bernard Foley penalty goal away from winning at Saitama in December, with that 28-26 defeat one of only two losses (the other was by four against Toshiba Brave Lupus), they have had this season.

While currently third, Brave Lupus should end the weekend inside the top two if they can beat a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars side they clubbed 61-8 in December.

TJ Perenara’s Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo can keep the playoffs door open if they can repeat an earlier victory over Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath.

Sungoliath are eight points ahead, and would lock up sixth with a win, but a loss would lead to a nervous final day, as they head to the Wild Knights, while the Black Rams have what should be the easier game, against Honda.

Heat may be in prime position to avoid the post-season relegation series by then, or be confirmed for it, depending on Sunday’s outcome against Verblitz.

Ex-Italy coach Kieran Crowley’s side edged ex-All Black coaches Steve Hansen and Ian Foster’s Verblitz 21-17 last time.

A repeat would make a gloomy season even gloomier for Verblitz, who would then need to beat Kubota on the final weekend and hope Honda lose.

Playoffs bound Shizuoka BlueRevs and Kobelco Kobe Steelers will be favoured to keep their momentum going against Urayasu D-Rocks and Yokohama Canon Eagles respectively.