Japan Rugby Top League 2016-2017 Season: Round 3 Wrap-Up

Round Three Wrap-up

In the only Friday evening game in round three, NTT Communications Shining Arcs beat NEC Green Rockets 33-15 at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo. NEC led 8-3 at one point in the opening quarter on the back of a try and a penalty to Yu Tamura, but tries to flanker Daisuke Kurihara and centre Brackin Karauria-Henry helped the Shining Arcs get out to a 20-15 lead at the break. In the latter half, NTT dominated on the scoreboard with playmaker Jumpei Ogura adding two penalties and a conversion while left wing Tasuku Koizumi crossed for a further try. NTT could not secure the bonus point, but they collected their second win in three outings for a positive start to the season. On the other hand, though, it is three straight losses for the Green Rockets.

In the first game of a double header at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo on Saturday 10 September, Kubota Spears and Toyota Industries Shuttles went head to head with the Spears scraping home 24-22. After loses to Toshiba and Toyota, Kubota chalked up their first win of the season in round three, leaving the Shuttles to brood on their third straight loss of the season. The Spears had to do it the hard way, though, with the Shuttles outscoring them four tries to three. The Shuttles led 22-14 inside the final 10 minutes of play, but a try to Japanese international centre Harumichi Tatekawa converted by Louis Fouche made it a one-point game. Fouche then turned the game on its head with an opportune drop goal three minutes from time giving the Spears the win.

In the latter game at Chichibu, Suntory Sungoliath beat Ricoh Black Rams 23-17. Suntory made it three wins on the trot with this hard-fought win where they had to come from behind to take the points. Ricoh were on fire in the opening quarter with tries to Tamati Ellison and No8 Shuhei Matsuhashi opening up an impressive 14-3 lead. Nevertheless, Suntory fought back to make it 14-13 at the break to set up a captivating second half of action. The Sungoliath squeezed the life out of the Black Rams in the latter period with five-eighth Kosei Ono booting his side into the lead for the first time with a penalty midway through the half. Left wing Shohei Takeshita then put Suntory in the box seat with a try ten minutes from time, and that was enough in the end.

At the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama on Saturday evening, Toshiba Brave Lupus scrambled home 21-19 over Canon Eagles. Toshiba won their third game of the season, but things could easily have gone the other way. The Eagles were desperately holding onto a 19-18 lead right up to the death, only for halfback Takahiro Ogawa to step up and nail a pressure-kick penalty in the final minute of play. The Brave Lupus led 10-6 at halftime only for Canon to push ahead 19-13 at one point in the second half on the back of a try to Daisuke Kaneko and a conversion and two penalties to playmaker Juan Claude Roos. Wing Shohei Toyoshima crossed the Canon whitewash in the thirty-third minute only for Ogawa to miss with the conversion leaving Toshiba one point in arrears. He made amends with his last-gasp penalty and consequently was the man of the match.

At the Expo ’70 Commemorative Stadium in Osaka on Saturday, Kintetsu Liners stayed in their hometown to play Panasonic Wild Knights, but the visitors claimed victory with Panasonic winning 32-20. The Wild Knight were heading for a bonus point win only for Liners veteran back-rower Toetu’u Taufa to spoil the party with a late try. In the end, Panasonic outscored Kintetsu four tries to two with man of the match, Berrick Barnes adding three conversions and two penalties. Centres Keisuke Moriya and big Fijian Taqele Naiyaravoro were among the try scorers for the Wild Knights.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Honda Heat stayed on home soil to face Toyota Verblitz. Honda were on track to notch up a surprise win only for a converted try three minutes into injury time allowing Toyota to grab victory from the jaws of defeat. The Heat led 30-25 at the completion of regular time, but replacement Yuki Kido tied things up with a try. That left the fate of the game resting on the result of the conversion from Ben Lucas. He made no mistake with the kick, handing the win to Toyota. Like a number of other games this round, the result went right down to the wire in an indication of the fierceness of competition early in the season.

In another Saturday game, Munakata Sanix Blues stayed on the island of Kyushu to play Yamaha Jubilo at the Saga Sports Ground in Saga city in the prefecture of the same name. Newly promoted Sanix have been the surprise package of the opening rounds with wins over Honda and Toyota Industries, but there was no fairy-tale ending this week. Yamaha are in sparkling form early in the season, and the trend continued against the Blues with a six tries to one, 43-10 win. The Blues had no answers to a slick Jubilo outfit that led 28-3 at the break and then went on with the job in the second half. Centre Viliami Tahitua picked up a double, with lock Duke Krishnan also among the try scorers. Meanwhile, fullback Gerhard van den Heever was the man of the match.

In the final game of round three, Coca-Cola Red Sparks lined up against Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers at the Ishikawa Athletics Stadium in Kanazawa city, Ishikawa prefecture with Kobe winning 48-7. The Red Sparks caught the Steelers on the rebound of a significant loss to Panasonic last round with the latter running in six tries to one in the win. Left wing Rakuhei Yamashita scored a hat trick while fullback Codey Rei chipped in with three conversions and four penalties. Coca-Cola tumbled to their third loss in a row, with this defeat at the hands of Kobe the biggest of the season to date. On the other hand, the win will give Kobe confidence moving forward.