Yamaha Run in 8 Tries Past Kubota to Remain Unbeaten

TENRI, Japan (Oct. 9) – Yamaha Jubilo kept up their winning start to the 2016-17 Japan Rugby Top League season Sunday as they beat Kubota Spears 54-0.

Replacement center Male Sa’u bagged a brace of five-pointers, Sho Kiyohara came off the bench to cross the line and kick a drop goal and there were tries for Chikara Ito, Duke Krishnan, Kyosuke Horie, Takeshi Hino and Viliami Tahitu, with Gerhard van den Heever adding five conversions.

The victory sees Jubilo with 29 points from a possible 30, two more than Suntory Sungoliath, the only other unbeaten side in the league.

Toshiba Brave Lupus moved into sixth spot with 18 points thanks to a 31-12 win over bottom side Honda Heat.

Takahiro Ogawa, who was named Monday in Jamie Joseph’s first Japan squad, scored a try and two conversions with Cory Jane and Shuhei Oshima also crossing the chalk. Toshiba were also awarded two penalty tries, the second of which was converted by Hikaru Tamura, another new face in the Brave Blossoms squad.

Meanwhile, NTT Communications Shining Arcs picked up their fourth win over the season to go seventh on 17 points as they edged Coca-Cola Red Sparks 17-14.

Jumpei Ogura celebrated his call-up to the national side by scoring a try, two conversions and a penalty, the latter coming in the 77th minute to seal the win in a game in which all the scoring was done in the final 21 minutes.