Toshiba upset Panasonic in Top League opener

TOKYO (August 22) – Toshiba Brave Lupus upset defending champions Panasonic Wild Knights and Kintetsu Liners held on to beat NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes as the 2014-15 Japan Rugby Top League season got underway Friday night in Tokyo and Osaka.

Takahiro Ogawa led the way for Toshiba in Pool A, scoring a try, four conversions and two penalties as Toshiba overcame a slow start to pick up a bonus point win over Robbie Deans’ Wild Knights.

Ogawa was joined on the scoresheet by Shuhei Oshima, Takuma Asahara, Steven Bates and Futoshi Mori, who finished off a 95-meter team effort in the 77th minute to seal the victory.

JP Pietersen and Yasuki Hayashi crossed for the Wild Knights with Berrick Barnes adding four penalties and two conversions from as many attempts.

“We had to patient and that’s what we were,” said Oshima, who led the side in the absence of Yoshikazu Morita. “We forced turnovers and that allowed us to break down their defence.”

Deans said his side started well “but didn’t build the pressure in the second half, and that made it easier for Toshiba to get into our end.”

The Liners won the Pool B Kansai derby despite a late rally by the Red Hurricanes.

Yasumasa Shigemitsu, Daiki Toyota and Lepuha Latuila all crossed for the Liners, with Shigemitsu adding the extras to all three tries as Kintetsu went 21-3 up early in the second half.

But NTT fought back through tries by Takeshi Nakaya and Yoshimi Watanabe to earn a bonus point for losing by seven or less points.

The opening weekend continues Saturday with four games and a further two on Sunday.