Canon, Toyota advance to 2nd stage top group
TOKYO (Oct. 26) – Toyota Verblitz and Canon Eagles booked their spots in the top group of the second stage of the Japan Rugby Top League on Saturday, the penultimate day of the first stage.
Verblitz upset NEC Green Rockets 23-3 in Pool A, while a last-minute try by Tokiro Harada and an earlier brace from Tim Bennetts helped the Eagles defeat previously unbeaten Yamaha Jubilo 28-18 in Pool B.
The results means six of the sides to battle it out in the second-stage’s top group have been decided with the final two spots to be determined by the three games to be played Sunday.
In Pool A, Kobe Kobelco Steelers and NTT Communications Shining Arcs will fight it out for the final top-four place, while a win for Toshiba Brave Lupus over Kintestu Liners in Pool B would ensure the five-time champions advance.
A loss for Toshiba, however, would see Kubota Spears finish fourth, after they finished level on points with Canon following a 30-26 win over Coca-Cola West Red Sparks on Saturday, the Eagles’ better points advatange being the crucial difference.
The new two-pool, two stage format sees the teams finishing in the top four of each first-stage pool advancing to the top group of the second stage. The two group winners will advance with four points, the runners-up with three and the teams finishing third and fourth with two and one points, respectively.
The same bonus points apply to the teams finishing fifth to eighth as they move on to battle it out in the lower group of the second stage to avoid relegation.
Suntory Sungoliath and Panasonic were the two first-stage group winners. Suntory topped Pool A after beating NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes 34-13 with Kenta Tsukamoto touching down twice, while a couple of tries from JP Pietersen helped Panasonic top Ricoh Black Rams 41-18.
Despite their defeats, NEC and Yamaha both finished as runners-up in their respective groups.
Sunday’s other game sees Toyota Shokki Shuttles take on Kyuden Voltex, with the former already assured of finishing seventh in Pool A, and the latter eighth.