Kobe, Suntory maintain winning starts

YOKOHAMA (Sept. 13) – Kobe Kobelco Steelers and Suntory Sungoliath continued their winning starts to the 2014-15 Japan Rugby Top League seasons, and there were big wins for Yamaha Jubilo and Panasonic Wild Knights on Saturday.

The Steelers and the Sungoliath both picked up bonus points, but both allowed their opponents to fight back to score four tries and claim a point of their own.

The Steelers defeated NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes 36-26, with captain Andries Bekker leading by example scoring the opening try in the 13th minute. Three further tries saw Kobe led 29-0 at one stage before the Red Hurricanes fought back, and Koki Shigeno’s second try, five minutes from time, helped NTT pick up a bonus point.

It was a similar state of affairs at Yokohama’s Mitsuzawa Stadium, where Suntory beat Ricoh Black Rams 38-26.

Last year’s league runners-up led 38-5 at one stage, with Schalk Burger among the scorers for the Sungoliath. But the Black Rams showed plenty of fighting spirit in the closing minutes and Shota Yamamoto’s 77th-minute try made sure they too picked up a point.

The five points won by Kobe see them top Pool B on 18 points, one more than Suntory. Toyota Verblitz are third on 14 points after they beat Coca-Cola Red Sparks 25-23. Takaya Minji was the Verblitz hero, the flyhalf scoring a try, two conversions and two penalty goals.

Yamaha remained to of Pool A after they hammered Munakata Sanix Blues 52-12. Mose Tuiali’i, Kyosuke Horie and Rocky Havili all picked up a brace of tries for Jubilo, who now have 16 points, one more than Toshiba Brave Lupus.

Panasonic Wild Knights are third on 14 points after they thumped Toyota Industries Shuttles 54-5 with Akihito Yamada crossing twice and Tadahiro Miwa kicking six conversions and four penalties from as many attempts.