Kobe pick up 1st win of 2nd stage

TOKYO (Dec. 15) – Kobe Kobelco Steelers pick up their first win of the second stage of the Japan Rugby Top League on Sunday with a 34-18 win over Toyota Verblitz, who remain winless and rooted to the bottom of the standings.

Daiki Hashimoto, Jaque Fourie, Yuta Imamura and Shohei Maekawa all crossed and the Steelers also picked up a penalty try as the Steelers rose to sixth pace in the standings with seven points, 11 behind Panasonic Wild Knights.

Toyota have just one point – the bonus point they received for finishing fourth in Pool A of the first stage.

Things are much tighter in the second tier Group B with three sides finishing Round 3 on 13 points and a further two on 12.

Kubota Spears top the rankings on points difference from Toyota Shokki Shuttles and Kintetsu Liners with Ricoh Black Rams and Coca-Cola West Red Sparks a point back.

Kubota lost 20-18 to NTT Communications Shining Arcs 20-18 on Sunday with Koichiro Kikuchi crossing in the final minute – his second try of the game – to lift NTT to 10 points.

The Shuttles beat Cola 29-24 with Yuki Namioka picking up a brace of tries. The loosehead prop was joined on the scoresheet by fellow prop Kazuhito Sugiyama and flanker Chong Chi Hong with Shota Onishi weighing in with three conversions and a penalty.

Ricoh downed NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes 36-20 with Colin Bourke crossing twice for the Black Rams, while Kintetsu celebrated fullback Tadanobu Ko’s 100th Top League game with a 31-15 victory over Kyuden Voltex, Toetsu Taufa touching down twice for the Liners.