Toyota Verblitz, Kintetsu advance in wild card tourney

TOKYO (Feb. 2) – Toyota Verblitz will play Kintetsu Liners for a spot in the All-Japan Championship after both sides won their first-round games in the wild card tournament.

Toyota beat Ricoh Black Rams 32-17, while Kintetsu upset Canon Eagles 41-25.

In the other second-round game to be played next weekend, NEC Green Rockets will take on Yamaha Jubilo for a place in the season-ending tournament following their wins on Saturday.

Takaya Monji laid the foundations for Toyota’s win at Mizuho Stadium, the flyhalf scoring a try, three conversions and two penalty goals. Koji Wada weighed in with a brace of tries and Masakatsu Hikosaka also touched down, as Verblitz, who finished the regular season in sixth place, beat the Black Rams (11th).

The seedings, however didn’t go according to plan in the earlier game in Nagoya with Kintetsu (10th) upsetting Canon (seventh).

Yasumasa Shigemitsu was the Liners’ hero, scoring a try and knocking over five conversions and two penalty goals from as many attempts, while Tim Bennetts crossed twice for the Eagles.

The two sides from the wild card tournament will join the top four university sides and the top four sides from the Top League in the season-ending tournament, with the final slated for the National Stadium in Tokyo on March 9.