Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper must outwit his ex-boss Robbie Deans if Verblitz are to reach Top League decider
Michael Hooper is 80 minutes away from reaching the Top League final but he is going to have to outwit his old Wallabies boss Robbie Deans – and five of his countrymen – if Toyota Verblitz are to make next weekend’s decider in Japan. The Australian captain faces the Panasonic Wild Knights in this Saturday’s opening semi-final, with the four-time champions fielding a gang of Aussies that are led by No8 Jack Cornelsen.
The Queensland-raised son of former Wallaby Greg Cornelsen will have winger Semisi Tupou, centre Dylan Riley, loose forward Ben Gunter and veteran lock forward Daniel Heenan alongside as the Wild Knights attempt to make a fifth Top League final from the past eight competitions and knockout Hooper and co.
Panasonic have already seen off former Wallaby Quade Cooper’s Kintetsu Liners in the knockout phase and were too good last weekend for the Canon Eagles, despite conceding three tries during their 32-17 victory. This represented nearly a quarter of the 13 tries let in by the league’s most miserly defence. No side has bettered 20 points against the well organised Wild Knights in their nine matches so far.
With Osaka in a state of emergency, both semi-finals will be behind closed doors. Despite big-name foreigners populating the league, Panasonic’s strength is based around the cream of local talent. Eleven Wild Knights were recently named in the Japanese squad for next month’s historic match against the British and Irish Lions. This includes the Australian-raised Cornelsen, Riley and Gunter.
By contrast, Hooper is joined at Toyota by former All Blacks skipper Kieran Read and the World Cup-winning Springboks full-back Willie le Roux, who is in South Africa’s mix for the upcoming Lions tour. Three others have played Super Rugby in New Zealand and South Africa.
Jordan Petaia is battling a thigh injury that will likely keep him out of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman and cruel his chances of facing the French in three Tests later this year. #SuperRugbyTransTasman https://t.co/uGlvQ1IYSS
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 12, 2021
Sunday’s second semi-final features the Kubota Spears, who last weekend ended Kobe’s 21-match unbeaten run. Kubota are on the cusp of equalling their best finish but must blunt Samu Kerevi and Sean McMahon’s Suntory Sungoliath juggernaut to repeat their final appearance of two years ago. The Spears will be without Bernard Foley after the former Wallabies fly-half was suspended for three matches on Thursday for a dangerous tackle last week. While Kubota battled on heroically with 14 players, in Suntory they face the league’s most free-scoring outfit.
The Sungoliath average 62 points and nine tries per game, with an attack spearheaded by the competition’s leading point-scorer, Beauden Barrett. The All Blacks playmaker will be desperate to steer the 2018 champions into another final, fully aware that his rival for the New Zealand fly-half jersey, Richie Mo’unga, turned in a stellar performance last weekend to lead the Crusaders to the Super Rugby Aotearoa title.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments