Toshiba go top after beating Panasonic
TOKYO (Dec. 6) – Toshiba Brave Lupus picked up their second straight win of the second stage of the 2014-15 Japan Rugby Top League season on Saturday as they beat Panasonic Wild Knights 33-13 at Komazawa Olympic Park.
The victory was also the second this season for Toshiba over the defending champions and sees them go top of the standings on 11 points, two more than Panasonic.
Toshiaki Hirose, who had a standout game at flyhalf, Shuhei Oshima and Hiroki Yuhara all touched down for the Brave Lupus with Francois Steyn adding four penalty goals and a conversion and Oshima banging over the final two conversions.
Panasonic’s points came from a late consolation try by George Whitelock, converted by Tadahiro Miwa and two penalties from Berrick Barnes.
Yamaha Jubilo are third in the standings on eight points after they came from behind to beat Canon Eagles 36-13.
The Eagles led 13-8 at halftime thanks to a try by Naoki Moriya and two penalties and a conversion from Ryohei Mitomo.
But Yamaha dominated scoring in the second half with Kyosuke Horie crossing twice and Duke Krishnan rounding the win off with a superb 60-metre solo effort.
Yamaha’s other points came from tries by Yuya Ohdo and Mose Tuiali’i with Ayumu Goromaru adding three penalties and a conversion.
The other four teams in the top group and all eight sides in Group B are in action on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Dynaboars clinched the Top East title after they beat Kamaishi Seawaves 24-12.
Mitsubishi’s win means they advance to the Top Challenge Series where they will face Top Kyushu champion Kyuden Voltex, Top West winner Honda Heat and the winner of Top Challenge 2, which features the three regional runners-up.
The winner of the Top Challenge Series is automatically promoted to the Top League, while the three other sides can still go up if they win promotion/relegation playoff games against the sides finishing 13th to 15th.