Panasonic end NTT Comms unbeaten run

KUMAGAYA, Japan (Dec. 5) – Panasonic Wild Knights maintained their unbeaten start to the 2015-16 Japan Rugby Top League season on Saturday when they beat NTT Communications Shining Arcs 35-28.

In the battle between the top two teams in Group A, the Wild Knights ended the Shining Arcs unbeaten start to the season to top the table with 20 points from four games.

NTT are second on 16 points, one point ahead of Toshiba Brave Lupus, who ran in eight tries in a 52-7 hammering of Ricoh Black Rams in the first game of the doubleheader at Kumagaya Rugby Ground.

Tomoki Kitagawa, Ryu Koliniasi Holani, Yasutaka Sasakura and Shota Horie all touched down for the Wild Knights with Berrick Barnes adding three conversions and three penalty goals.

A last-minute penalty from Jumpei Ogura ensured the Shining Arcs picked up a bonus point for losing by seven or less.

Elton Jantjies finished the game with a try, two penalties and a conversion, Koichiro Kokuchi and Tasuku Koizumi both touched down and Ogura also kicked a conversion.

Earlier, Kyosuke Kajikawa was an unlikely source of points for Toshiba, the lock bagging a hat trick of tries to earn himself the man-of-the-match award.

Meanwhile Canon Eagles jumped above Yamaha Jubilo, who play Coca-Cola Red Sparks on Sunday, to top Group B thanks to a 33-15 win over NEC Green Rockets.

Japan flanker Justin Ives crossed twice for the Eagles and Ryohei Mitomo weighed in with four conversions as Canon made it three wins from four games.