Panasonic pick up bonus point with win over NTT Comms

TOKYO (Sept. 30) – Panasonic Wild Knights picked up their third win of the 2016-17 Japan Rugby Top League season as they beat NTT Communications Shining Arcs 42-14 in the final night game of the season.

The victory sees the Wild Knights move onto 15 points, three more than the Shining Arcs, who have a similar three wins and two losses start to the season.

The win, however, came at a cost with Berrick Barnes dislocating his shoulder and joining the growing list of injured Panasonic players.

It was the former Wallaby who opened the scoring, banging over a couple of penalties as the Wild Knights dominated the early proceedings.

Atsushi Sakate was pushed over by his pack in the 20th minute before Barnes and the impressive Fumiaki Tanaka combined to put Daniel Heenan away six minutes later.

Barnes added the extras to both tries and then added a third penalty as Panasonic went into the break leading 23-0.

Four minutes into the second stanza, a good break from Kotaro Yatabe and some fine support play from Sakate was finished off by Yasutaka Sasakura.

Six minutes later Richard Buckman was pushed over by the Panasonic pack to make it 35-0.

NTT never gave up though, and they responded with two good tries from Shane Gates and Kosuke Yamashita, both of which were converted by Jumpei Ogura.

But it was Panasonic veteran Tomoki Kitagawa who had the last word, the 33-year-old wing sprinting over for his 97th career Top League five-pointer to restore the three-try margin and ensure the Wild Knights left Tokyo with a bonus point.

Round 5 Top League action continues with five games on Saturday and two on Sunday.