Japan Rugby Top League 2016-2017: Round 11 Preview

In the first game of a double header at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo on Saturday, Ricoh Black Rams play Kubota Spears. Ricoh are sitting mid table with 24 points from five wins and five losses and after beating Honda 34-10 with a bonus-point last round, the Rams will be targeting this for another win. Takeshi Mabuchi, the Black Rams captain will have to get his forwards going against what will surely be a very determined Kubota side if the likes of playmaker Tamati Ellison are to get the points on the board. Kubota are further down the table after having notched up three wins, a draw and six defeats. Nevertheless, the Spears put in a strong performance against Panasonic last week, although they eventually went down 34-25. Kubota head coach Frans Ludeke will have done his homework on Ricoh and he will not be satisfied with anything other than victory.

In the latter game in Tokyo, Suntory Sungoliath play Coca-Cola Red Sparks. Suntory are yet to taste defeat with ten wins under their belt as they sit in second place on the table on 47 points, one point behind Yamaha. The Sungoliath beat NTT 29-5 in Osaka last round to maintain that unbeaten run and they will be out for a bonus-point win this week too to keep the pressure on Yamaha. Suntory have quality in depth in their squad and former All Black Stephen Donald is in the starting line-up at inside centre this game. Kosei One keeps his place at five-eighth and so the Coca-Cola defence will have to be on top of their game. The Red Sparks were the big winners from the previous round with their shock 22-17 win over Toshiba. This was only their second win of the season, but now they have to raise their game even more to take on Suntory.

In the first game of a double header at the Hanazono Rugby Ground in Osaka on Saturday, Honda Heat play Panasonic Wild Knights. Honda are in the table basement with one win and nine losses and are in a race with teams like Toyota Industries to avoid relegation at the end of the season. Honda last 34-10 to Ricoh last weekend and things will only get tougher against the might of Panasonic this week. Panasonic are ten points adrift of Yamaha and with a relatively soft run home to the end of the season will be eying maximum points against the Heat. The Wild Knights beat Kubota 34-25 in Ota last round, but could not score the crucial bonus point. Head coach Robbie Deans has the personnel in his stable to do the job against Honda with the added presence of Wallaby back-rower David Pocock packing down in the number seven jersey.

In the latter game in Osaka, Kintetsu Liners play Canon Eagles. Kintetsu finished in the top half of the draw last year, but so far this season, the Liners have only managed two wins for eight losses and sit well down the ladder. Likewise, Canon are having an up and down season after strong performances over recent years. The Eagles lost 25-21 to Toyota in Nagoya last week for their seventh defeat of the year, while Kintetsu lost 38-31 to NEC. Although the Liners have the hometown advantage, there is little between these two sides. The big names in the teams will have to make their marks on the game with lock Luke Thompson and centre Anthony Fainga’a for Kintetsu and No8 Adam Thomson and veteran wing Hirotoki Onozawa for Canon key players.

Also on Saturday, Yamaha Jubilo play NEC Green Rockets at the Yamaha Stadium in Iwata city, Shizuoka prefecture. The unbeaten Jubilo are rolling all before them this year and after ten rounds sit on top of the table on 48 points. Suntory are the only other side without a loss and are just the one point behind Yamaha. Yamaha overwhelmed Toyota Industries 63-7 last weekend to keep their place at the head of the leader board. After a slow start to the season, NEC have put together four wins, one draw and five losses. The Green Rockets will go to the Yamaha Stadium on the back of a 38-31 win over Kintetsu in Osaka last Saturday and this should boost the confidence in the side. Yamaha can do no wrong at the moment and so NEC will have to hit the ground running in Iwata. Consequently, No8 Scott Higginbotham and five-eighth Sam Norton-Knight will have to inspire the Rockets to great things if they are to knock off Yamaha.

On Sunday, Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers host Toshiba Brave Lupus at the 30,000-seat Noevir Stadium Kobe in Kobe city, Hyogo prefecture. This is one of the stadia selected for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and it is rugby-specific with a retractable roof. Kobe are fourth on the table with 38 points and are still in with an outside shot at the title if they keep the wins coming. The Steelers put Sanix to the sword 60-21 at the Global Arena last round and if they take that form to the Noevir Stadium on Sunday, Toshiba will be in for trouble. The Brave Lupus are already in all sorts of trouble this year with the shock 22-17 to lowly placed Coca-Cola last round only compounding their woes. Toshiba head coach Teppei Tomioka needs his star players to front up and back-rowers Liam Messam and Michael Leitch along with halfback Takahiro Ogawa and fullback Cory Jane will have to have big games.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Toyota Industries Shuttles play NTT Communications Shining Arcs at the Ningineer Stadium in Matsuyama city, Ehime prefecture. The Toyota side sit on the bottom of the table with six points from just the one win for nine losses. Honda also have six points and so these two sides need to string some wins together to avoid relegation at the end of the season. NTT are a much-improved side this year and they are sixth on the table with 26 points from six wins and four losses. Last week, the Shuttles lost 63-7 to Yamaha, while NTT lost 29-5 to Suntory. This will be another mighty challenge for the Toyota Industries, but a win is not beyond them. On the other hand, NTT have been beating teams below them on the table but struggling against teams above them. That said, the Shining Arcs will make an all-out effort to secure the points against the Shuttles.

Also on Sunday, Toyota Verblitz play Munakata Sanix Blues at the Gifu Nagaragawa Stadium in Gifu city, Gifu prefecture. Toyota have 33 points from seven wins and three losses and that sees them sit fifth on the table. Meanwhile, Sanix are mid table after five wins and five losses, but they have some very tough games over the next few weeks. Toyota beat Canon 25-21 in Nagoya last round, while Sanix lost 60-21 to Kobe in Fukuoka. The centre pairing of Steven Yates and Silivenusi Taumoepeau scored crucial tries in the win over Canon, but other players in the side will have to play their parts if the Verblitz are to quell the Blues. Meanwhile, halfback Kohei Hamazato, wing Andrew Everingham and fullback Benjamin Ray Yagi touched down for Sanix last week and the Blues will need more of the same against Toyota.