Panasonic crowned Top League champions

TOKYO (Feb. 11) – Panasonic Wild Knights won the Japan Rugby Top League final Tuesday beating Suntory Sungoliath 45-22 in front of 10,217 fans at a cold and windy Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground.

In a game that had been postponed from Sunday because of snow, Akihito Yamada was named MVP after touching down twice for the Wild Knights, who won the title in 2010-11 when they were part of the Sanyo group.

Takashi Miyake also crossed the whitewash and Berrick Barnes kicked a record eight penalties and three conversions, as Panasonic overcame a 19-16 halftime deficit.

“We weren’t able to play our rugby in the first half and made too many 50-50 passes that were turned over,” said Wild Knights coach Norifumi Najakima. “But in the second half we kept the ball and played our style of rugby.”

Yamada’s first try had given Panasonic an early lead. But Suntory hit back with five-pointers from Shinya Makabe and Fourie du Preez, with Ryan Nicholas adding a conversion to make it 12-7.

Three penalties from Barnes in the space of 10 minutes saw Panasonic regain the lead before Go Aruga crossed four minutes before the break, Nicholas’ second conversion making it 19-16 to the Sungoliath at halftime.

A second try by Yamada nine minutes into the second stanza and Barnes’s boot saw Panasonic regain the lead, before Nicholas closed the gap to four at 26-22 with a penalty in the 60th minute.

But the Wild Knights finished stronger, and with Barnes missing just one kick all day and Miyake going over following a scrum against the head and a clever grubber kick from Barnes, Panasonic ran away with the game.

“The momentum went in favour of Panasonic at around the 60-minute mark,” said Suntory flanker George Smith. “And they took full advantage.”