Panasonic complete league and cup double
TOKYO (March 9) – Panasonic Wild Knights added the Japan National Championship to the Japan Rugby Top League title they won earlier this season as the Japanese domestic rugby season came to a close.
In the last non-international game played at the National Stadium before it is demolished to make way for a new arena that will make its debut at Rugby World Cup 2019, the Wild Knights beat Toshiba Brave Lupus 30-21, to give the Ota-based side their first national championship under the Panasonic brand, their first three coming as Sanyo.
“I thought the players were really focussed and their trust in one another and their ability to give their all for 80 minutes resulted in us winning the championship,” said Panasonic head coach Norifumi Nakajima.
Both sides scored three tries in a thrilling encounter played in front of 19,571 fans.
Akihito Yamada, Yasuki Hayashi and JP Pietersen crossed for the Wild Knights, while Shuhei Oshima, Yuta Mochizuki and Michael Leitch touched down for the Brave Lupus.
On a day in which not one kick at goal was missed, Takahiro Ogawa kicked three conversions for Toshiba, while Berrick Barnes knocked over three conversions and three penalties for Panasonic, despite picking up an injury before the game.
“He tweaked his groin in the warm-up, so to put in a performance like that under duress was outstanding,” Panasonic assistant coach Phil Mooney said of Top League MVP Barnes. “That topped off everything he has done for us all season.”
Toshiba led 14-10 at the break, but Panasonic hit back in the second half to lead 27-14 before a superb try by Leitch closed the gap to just six points.
But the Panasonic defence held firm for the rest of the game and Barnes’ third penalty ensured there was no way back.
“In that last 15 minutes we were trying to keep the ball but we had a couple of turnovers and a couple of scrums went against us,” rued Leitch.
For Panasonic, meanwhile, there was a feeling of a job well done.
“Toshiba got better and better in the post season so I am very honoured we are the champions,” said Nakajima.