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Sam Cane's second-ever red card sinks Sungoliath as Wild Knights remain perfect
By Ben Smith
Suntory Sungoliath have fallen to Ardie Savea’s Kobe Kobelco Steelers as a double yellow card to Sam Cane resulted in the Sungoliath playing with 14 for half the match in the latest Japan Rugby League One Division One action.
The former All Black captain was given his marching orders in the 51st minute after his second yellow card, issued following a scuffle, resulting in an automatic red. At the time Sungoliath were up 20-14 but the Steelers were able to snatch the game 22-20 on the back of a 79th minute penalty goal.
“I thought it was a lot better than our last performance. It was really hard for them to break us down. It’s hard to play with 14 for almost half a game due to my error. I’m very disappointed with myself,” Cane said in the aftermath.
Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights remained a perfect four from four after overcoming a 15-8 half-time deficit to defeat Shizuoka Blue Revs.
An explosive start by the Blue Revs featured a try to Fijian star Semi Radradra before a yellow card to former Wallaby lock Kane Douglas early in the second half gave the Wild Knights a catalyst to flip momentum.
They scored two tries with the lock in the bin, and another minutes after his return to go up 25-15. The one-way traffic continued as the Knights raced out to 37-15 leaders before a consolation try in the 80th minute to the Blue Revs.
Reigning champions Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo overcame three yellow cards, including one to Richie Mo’unga, to beat Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars 47-22.
Former Hurricanes wing TJ Clarke scored a hat-trick on the left wing for Brave Lupus, while former Highlanders midfielder Rob Thompson also scored a double in the big win.
Ian Foster’s Toyota Verblitz suffered a bizarre 29-37 defeat to the Tokyo Black Rams despite a double to former All Black wing Mark Tele’a.
Tele’a had two tries in three minutes as the Verblitz put up a massive 29-10 lead by half-time, only to fail to score a point in the second half.
The Black Rams scored 27 points in the second half despite having three yellow cards during the second 40, including nine minutes down to 13 men.
Urayasu D-Rocks came up with a big scalp over Yokohama Canon Eagles with an intercept try to Wallaby centre Samu Kerevi a highlight.
Only two teams remain unbeaten after four rounds, the Wild Knights and the Kubota Spears who have a game in hand, facing Mie Honda Heat on Sunday afternoon.
Kobelco Kobe Steelers, Urayasu D-Rocks, and Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo all sit 3-1 from their first four games.
Tokyo Sungoliath and BlackRams Tokyo are 2-2 with in sixth and seventh place in the 12-team Division One.
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