Mixed day for Toyota teams

MIYAGI (Sept. 14) – It was a mixed day for the Toyota rugby teams Sunday with Verblitz picking up their second win of the 2013-14 Japan Rugby Top League season and Shokki Shuttles going down to their third straight narrow loss.

Toyota Verblitz downed Kyuden Voltex 17-6 on the back of tries by Hiroki Mizuno and Koji Wada, with Takaya Monji weighing in with two conversions and a penalty.

The victory lifts Verblitz to eight points from three games in Pool A, while Voltex are the only side in the two pools yet to pick up a point.

In the first game of the doubleheader at the Sogo Sports Ground, NTT Communications Shining Arcs recorded their first win of the season as they beat Toyota Shokki Shuttles 28-26.

U.S. Eagles captain Todd Clever levelled the scores 10 minutes from time and Yuki Kawamoto knocked over his fourth conversion of the day to ensure the win. Clever and Kawamoto joined on the scoresheet by Hiraku Tomoigawa, who bagged a brace, and Alesana Tuilagi.

Shokki’s points came from two tries each from Ryan Kankowski and Mark Gerrard and three conversions by Shotaro Onishi.

Both sides have five points from three games as the league heads into a one-week break.

Top League action resumes Sept. 27 when Ricoh Black Rams take on Toshiba Brave Lupus at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, with six games slated for Sept. 27 and one for Sept. 29.