Big crowd watches Yamaha beat Coca-Cola

TOKYO (Dec. 6) – Round 4 of the Japan Rugby Top League drew to a conclusion Sunday with five games played in front of big crowds around the country.

In Kumamoto, 18,005 watched Yamaha Jubilo keep up their unbeaten start to the season with a 38-28 win over Coca-Cola Red Sparks.

A 74th minute drop goal by Tatsuhiko Otao sealed the win after hooker Takeshi Hino and lock Yuya Odo had both bagged first half braces of tries. Siale Piutau also touched down with Japan fullback Ayumu Goromaru adding five conversions as Yamaha led 35-14 at the break.

Yoji Yamamoto and Naoki Sarugaku crossed for Cola in the first half and Genki Matsuoka and Hideaki Suzuki touched down in the second with Tetsuya Fukuda adding the extras to all four tries.

The win means Yamaha top Group B on 19 points, three ahead of Toyota Verblitz who beat NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes 36-14 thanks to a hat-trick of tries from Koji Wada.

South African Jaque Fourie was among the try scorers for Kobe Kobelco Steelers as Allister Coetzee’s team beat Toyota Industries Shuttles 27-12 to go fourth on 15 points.

In Group A, 11,404 watched Kintetsu Liners beat Kubota Spears 40-17 at Osaka’s Hanazono Stadium with Toetuu Taufa and Yusuke Tanaka both scoring two tries, while in the first game in Kumamoto 14,133 saw Suntory Sungoliath run in nine tries in a 59-21 defeat of newly promoted Honda Heat.