Shannon Frizell goes on 10-minute rampage in Sapporo, Japan

Shannon Frizell scored a hattrick in just 10 minutes as Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo became the first side to qualify for the Japan Rugby League One playoffs following a 59-21 win over Mie Honda Heat.

Heat, who dropped to 11th after today’s defeat, had been competitive, trailing by just three points early in the second half, but they totally capitulated in the game’s final stages as the All Black backrower feasted on some feeble defence.

After being stranded in the relegation zone for the last five weeks, Toyota Verblitz leap-frogged Heat courtesy of their third win of the season, 29-17 against a floundering Yokohama Canon Eagles.

Aussie rugby league convert Joseph Manu continues to shine on debut after switching codes, scoring his ninth try – only four players in the league have more – as Steve Hansen’s men overcame a halftime deficit to record an impressive victory.

Back-to-back semi-finalists in the last two years, the sixth-placed Eagles somehow remain in the last playoff position but their form, having now lost four in-a-row, suggests they will struggle to stay there.

Fixture

Japan Rugby League One

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo

59 - 21

Full-time

Mie Honda Heat

All Stats and Data

Kobelco Kobe Steelers have no such problems, fifth and now 11 points clear of seventh, after a resilient 27-24 win over Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo, in which they overcame a 14-0 deficit and two yellow cards.

Kobe were reduced to 13 men just before halftime, but still scored a try in this period, with Scottish international hooker George Turner grabbing his fifth of the season as ex-Wallaby coach Dave Rennie’s side took the lead just before the break and held onto it for the rest of the match.

Saturday saw Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath give their playoff hopes a major boost following an upset 23-17 win over fourth-placed Shizuoka BlueRevs on a damp afternoon in the Japanese capital.

Fixture

Japan Rugby League One

Tokyo Sungoliath

22 - 17

Full-time

Shizuoka BlueRevs

All Stats and Data

Set on their way by the fourth try of the season from Springbok winger Cheslin Kolbe, who ran 60 metres after latching onto an errant pass by Shizuoka flyhalf Kenta Iemura, Sungoliath led 10-7 at halftime before the lead changed hands twice in the early moments of the second period.

While veteran hooker Takashi Hino briefly put his side in front from a lineout drive, Suntory responded quickly via prop Kenta Kobayashi, before fending Shizuoka off through the final 15 minutes after backrower Ryuga Hashimoto had extended their advantage to six points.

Japan Rugby League One

Group Standings

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo

13

11

1

1

51

2

Saitama Wild Knights

13

10

2

1

50

3

Kubota Spears

13

10

2

1

48

4

Shizuoka BlueRevs

13

9

4

0

40

5

Kobelco Kobe Steelers

13

7

6

0

37

6

Yokohama Canon Eagles

13

5

8

0

26

7

Tokyo Sungoliath

13

5

6

2

26

8

Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars

13

5

8

0

22

9

BlackRams Tokyo

13

4

9

0

22

10

Toyota Verblitz

13

3

9

1

20

11

Mie Honda Heat

13

4

9

0

18

12

Urayasu D-Rocks

13

2

11

0

10

Conference A

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo

13

11

1

1

51

2

Shizuoka BlueRevs

13

9

4

0

40

3

Kobelco Kobe Steelers

13

7

6

0

37

4

Yokohama Canon Eagles

13

5

8

0

26

5

Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars

13

5

8

0

22

6

Urayasu D-Rocks

13

2

11

0

10

Conference B

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

Saitama Wild Knights

13

10

2

1

50

2

Kubota Spears

13

10

2

1

48

3

Tokyo Sungoliath

13

5

6

2

26

4

BlackRams Tokyo

13

4

9

0

22

5

Toyota Verblitz

13

3

9

1

20

6

Mie Honda Heat

13

4

9

0

18

The Dynaboars hopes of three wins on the spin were dashed when they were overpowered 33-5 by Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay, with Kubota’s Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scoring for the fourth time in five weeks.

Bottom placed Urayasu D-Rocks must have sniffed an upset after both sides scored four tries in the first half at Miyagi, before Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights pulled away when the game resumed, adding four unanswered tries as they strode to a 54-26 victory.