Yamaha, Toyota advance to All-Japan Championship

OSAKA (Feb. 8) – Yamaha Jubilo and Toyota Verblitz advanced to the All-Japan Championship on Saturday as the second round of the wild card tournament for the season-ending competition avoided the blizzard that caused the cancellation of Sunday’s Japan Rugby Top League final.

While some snow did fall prior to the game at Hanazono Stadium, the field was cleared in time for the two games, thanks to the hard working efforts of a local high school rugby club.

In the first game, Toyota – who finished the regular season in sixth place in the Top League – muscled their way past Kintetsu Liners (10th), winning 18-3.

Flanker Hayden Hopgood was Verblitz’s hero crossing for a brace of tries in the 23rd and 72nd minutes – the only five pointers of the game.

Toyota’s remaining points came from flyhalf Takaya Monji, who knocked over two penalty goals and a conversion. Fullback Tadanobu Ko kicked a penalty for the Liners.

The second game between Yamaha (5th) and NEC Green Rockets (8th) also saw limited try scoring opportunities.

Kyosuke Horie’s five-pointer in the 72nd minute superbly converted from the touchline by Ayumu Goromaru eventually proved to be the difference between the two sides.

NEC led 9-0 at the break on the back of a drop goal and two penalties by Yu Tamura, but Goromaru knocked over two penalties of his own either side of another by Tamura to set up the grandstand finish.

Jubilo will play Waseda University in the first round of the season-ending tournament, while Toyota face collegiate champions Teikyo University.

In the other first-round games, Toshiba Brave Lupus will play University of Tsukuba and Kobe Kobelco Steelers take on Keio University. All the games will be played on Feb. 16.