Suntory beat Kobe to set up final clash with Panasonic

TOKYO (Feb. 2) Two-time defending champions Suntory Sungoliath reached their fourth straight Japan Rugby Top League final by beating Kobe Kobelco Steelers 27-19 on Sunday.

Tries by George Smith, Kosei Ono, Naoki Ozawa and Shintaro Ishihara and two conversions and a penalty by Ryan Nicholas saw the Sungoliath through to next Sunday’s final, where they will come up against Panasonic Wild Knights.

In a close fought game at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Suntory led just 14-12 break after Kenji Shomen and Andries Bekker had crossed for Kobe, with Craig Wing adding a conversion.

The second half saw Nicholas extend the lead with a penalty before he was sin binned for an intentional knock-on in the 57th minute.

Kobe made the most of their numerical advantage with Jaque Fourie crossing, and with Wing adding the extras it was 19-17 to the Steelers with 17 minutes left on the clock.

But Suntory struck back immediately through Ozawa before Ishihara sealed the victory after the final hooter as Kobe tried to launch one last counter-attack from behind their own line.

“We had chances to win it and it was our fault we lost,” rued Steelers captain Daiki Hashimoto.

Suntory coach Naoya Okubo said at first he wasn’t sure how his team had win. But later he admitted the patience shown at a scrum in the dying moments at which Kobe were eventually penalized had proved to be the reason for the victory.

Both playoffs were broadcast live across Africa and the Middle East, as will the final next Sunday, kick-off 2 p.m. Japan time.