5th to 16th spots in Top League determined

TOKYO (Jan. 23) – The penultimate day of the 2015-16 Japan Rugby Top League season saw six matches played as positions fifth to 16th were determined.

A brace of tries from both Taiyo Ando and Steven Yates helped Toyota Verblitz beat Canon Eagles 48-17 for fifth spot.

Kaori Matsushita and Kohei Yoshida also crossed the whitewash and Takaya Monji weighed in with six conversions and two penalty goals.

The game to decide seventh spot was the first ever playoff game to go into extra-time.

A try by Yasutake Nagashita in the third minute of the additional period eventually saw Kintetsu Liners edge NTT Communications Shining Arcs 22-17.

Shuji Yoshiikawa’s five-pointer four minutes from the end of regulation time forced the game to be expanded as the Liners fought back from 17-0 down at the break.

Two legends of the game bid farewell to rugby in the battle for ninth spot as Suntory Sungoliath downed Toyota Industries 78-14.

Suntory and South Africa scrumhalf Fourie du Preez scored in the fourth minute before being forced from the field nine minutes later, while Toyota and Japan centre Shotaro Onishi came off the bench to kick a conversion three minutes from time.

Honda Heat finished 11th thanks to a 45-38 win over  Kubota Spears. Honda ran in seven tries with Lomano Lemeki bagging a brace.

The teams finishing 13th to 16th face one more promotion/relegation game against the sides finishing fourth to first in the Top Challenger Series, respectively.

Ricoh Black Rams made sure they got the potentially easiest game as they topped Coca Cola Red Sparks 27-22, with Bernard Foley scoring a try, two conversions and a penalty.

In the game to decide bottom spot, NEC Green Rockets downed NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes 32-22.

The placings for the Top Challenge Series will be determined Sunday when Munakata Sanix Blues play Osaka Police and Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars take on Kyuden Voltex in the final round of games.