Yamaha reach 1st Top League final

 

Katsuyuki Kiyomiya’s side ran in two tries in the first half and four in the second to upset the Steelers, who had finished the regular season on top of the Group A standings.

 

 

Yuki Yatomi set the tone for the game with a try from a Kobe error in the 12th minute as the Jubilo forwards proved too strong for the Steelers in both the tight and loose.

 

 

Shinji Nakazono added a second try seven minutes later as Yamaha cleverly switched their point of attack and with Ayumu Goromaru adding both conversions it was 14-0.

 

 

Kobe eventually got on the scoreboard when Kenji Shomen followed up a charged down kick to cross. But Goromaru closed out the half with a penalty from the halfway line as Yamaha led 17-5 at the break.

 

 

It took just two minutes of the second half for Jubilo to increase their lead when the impressive Takeshi Hino finished off a well-worked line-out move. Kobe replied with a converted try by Daisuke Yamamoto but that was as good as it got for Gary Gold’s team.

 

 

With Male Sa’u and the rest of the Yamaha backs constantly breaking the Kobe defense, Jubilo then looked to their big men out wide and Duke Krishnan, Yuhimaru Mimura and Kohei Saita all crossed with Goromaru adding a further two conversions.

 

 

It’s an overwhelming sense of disappointment to have our worst performance of the year in such a big game,” said Gold who is returning to South Africa to coach the Sharks. “I would have liked to have left getting to and potentially winning a Top League final but that’s how cruel sport is and I go with a heavy heart.”

 

 

Kiyomiya, meanwhile, said being able to pick the same XV – “Our best members” – for the last three games had been a big advantage for his side and he praised his team’s ability to make far fewer errors than when the two teams last met – a game that Kobe won 40-10. 

 

 

Meanwhile, Ricoh Blacks Rams and Suntory Sungoliath will compete for one of the two spots available in the All-Japan Championship after they won their wild card games on Saturday.

 

 

The Black Rams edged NTT Communications Shining Arcs 16-12, while Sungoliath beat Kintetsu Liners 24-16.

 

 

The other half of the draw starts Sunday with Toyota Verblitz taking on NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes and Canon Eagles playing NEC Green Rockets.