Teikyo to Meet Tokai in University Final

TOKYO (Jan. 2) – Teikyo University will play Tokai University in the 53rd collegiate rugby championship final after the two sides opened 2017 with convincing wins at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground.

The final, to be played Jan. 9 at the same venue will see Teikyo aim for their eighth straight title while Tokai will be looking to pick up their first ever final win.

The two sides met last year in the final with Teikyo winning 27-17.

In front of 15,296 fans in the nation’s capital, Teikyo were made to work hard by Tenri University before winning 42-24, while Tokai had an easier time of it as they beat Doshisha University 74-12.

It was the physicality of the two winners that eventually proved to be the difference in both semifinals.

Teikyo led just 14-5 but three tries in 12 minutes from Hironori Yatomi, Hiroki Shibuya and Rikiya Matsuda, who ended the day with six conversions to his name, eventually sealed the win despite a hat-trick of tries from Tenri fullbak Josua Kerevi.

In the first game of the doubleheader, Tevita Tatafu was the hero for Tokai. The powerful No.8 , who has played three times for Japan, scored five tries with fellow Brave Blossom Ryuji Noguchi adding seven conversions.

Both coaches were hopeful their team would peak next week.

“It doesn’t matter which team we play. We have worked hard on our rugby for one year so we want to play our best rugby in the final,” said Teikyo coach Masayuki Iwade.

Meanwhile, Tokai coach Hideyuki Kimura said his team had unfinished business.

“It is not our goal to just go to the final. The goal is to win.”