Japan Rugby Top League 2016-2017 Season: Round 15 Wrap-Up

In the first game of a double header at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo on Saturday, NTT Communications Shining Arcs beat Kubota Spears 27-17. NTT came in to this final round higher on the table than their Chiba neighbours and started as favourites to win. The Shining Arcs did not have things all their own way, however, with Kubota hitting the front 17-15 early in the second half, but NTT came home strongly. Centre Brackin Karauria-Henry put NTT back in front with a try in the fourteenth minute with the missed conversion from five-eighth Jumpei Ogura leaving the score at 20-17. Nonetheless, Hiraku Tomoigawa, playing closer to the play at halfback stretched the lead with a try in the twenty-first minute with Ogura landing the conversion for a 27-17 lead. Neither side could add to the scoreboard over the final quarter with NTT claiming the victory.

In the latter game in Tokyo, Toshiba Brave Lupus narrowly went down 15-14 to Panasonic Wild Knights. It has been a horrible year for Toshiba and after losing 48-0 to Suntory last round, there were few believers they could match it with the might of Panasonic. The Wild Knights led 12-7 at the break thanks to four successful penalties from five-eighth Keisuke Moriya. However, Toshiba struck back early in the latter half with a converted try to centre Richard Kahui pushing the Brave Lupus out to a slender 14-12 lead. The score remained unchanged right up to the death and it looked like Toshiba were about to inflict the third loss of the season on the three-time defending champions. As it turned out though, Moriya stepped up in the forty-second minute of the half to land his fifth penalty and give the Wild Knights a nail-biting one-point victory.

In the first game of another double header, this time at the Hanazono Rugby Ground in Osaka, Kintetsu Liners snuck home 26-24 over Toyota Industries Shuttles. The Liners had only managed two wins this season and languished in second-to-last spot on the table, so this narrow two-point win was a good way to end the season. Five-eighth Sam Greene potted three penalties and a drop goal to help the Shuttles to a 12-7 lead at the halftime break. As the second period got under way, centre Daisuke Noguchi dotted down for an early try to lock things up at 12-all. This then became 19-all going in to the final quarter leaving the match on a knife’s edge. The turning point came in the twenty-sixth minute when veteran back-rower Mikio Sato scored a vital try and Noguchi added the extras to give Kintetsu a seven-point buffer. Japan international wing Hajime Yamashita touched down with a late try for Toyota, but Greene was off-target with his conversion attempt, leaving Kintetsu to finish the season on their home turf as winners.

In the latter game in Osaka, Honda Heat lost 28-26 to Canon Eagles. Although this was a dead rubber for Honda with their relegation already confirmed, the Heat gave it their best parting shot. Honda led 19-14 at halftime and held on until left wing Tokiro Harada touched down for Canon in the eleventh minute and South African playmaker Juan Claude Roos added the extras to put the Eagles in front 21-19. The sinbinning of No8 David Milo later in the half hurt Honda as hooker and Eagles’ captain Yusuke Niwai punished the Heat in his absence with an important try to widen the gap to 28-19. Late in the game, Honda five-eighth Takahiro Furuya narrowed the difference to two points with a try and a conversion, but Canon did enough to hang on for their fifth win in a row.

At the Yamaha Stadium in Iwata city in Shizuoka prefecture, Yamaha Jubilo hosted Toyota Verblitz with the home side winning 27-8. This was a must-win game for Yamaha in the race for the Top League title for 2016-17. Coming in to the final round, Yamaha were three points behind Suntory on the table and they had to beat Toyota and pray Kobe beat Suntory if they were to collect their first Top League crown. Unfortunately, for Yamaha fans at least, Suntory were victorious over Kobe and took the title. Jubilo did everything they could with four tries to one giving the hosts the winning bonus point, but even that was not enough for ultimate Top League glory. Wing Chikara Ito scored a hat trick with the other five pointer going to halfback Yuki Yatomi. Nevertheless, it has been an excellent season for Yamaha with only the one loss to Suntory throughout the Top League season with the National Championship still to play.

In the match of the round, Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers hosted Suntory Sungoliath at the Noevir Stadium Kobe in Kobe city, Hyogo prefecture. There were only three points separating Suntory from Yamaha on the table coming in to this final round and the 27-15 win here for Suntory saw the Sungoliath crowned Top League champions for the 2016-17 season. After finishing ninth last season, the worst ever finish for Suntory; the Sungoliath brought home their fourth Top League title. The title was theirs to lose and Suntory took the trophy with an unblemished record. The big names in the Suntory side stood up with back-rower Hendrik Tui, wing Shota Emi and fullback Kotaro Matsushima scoring the tries while five-eighth Kosei Ono put the icing on the win with all three conversions and two penalties. Lock Andries Bekker and centre Ryohei Yamanaka scored the tries for Kobe.

In the first game of a third double header this weekend, Munakata Sanix Blues beat NEC Green Rockets 26-24 at the Level-5 Stadium in Fukuoka. Sanix had lost five or their last six games, but the Blues rose to the occasion to chalk up their seventh win of the season. Sanix gained their place back in Top League this season through the promotion and relegation play-offs, and the Blues finished on a high. The Blues led 19-10 at halftime and then 26-10 early in the second half before NEC mounted a fightback. Centre Jordan Payne scored in the fourteenth minute and five-eighth Yu Tamura added the extras before lock Taku Hirosawa touched down in the twenty-fourth minute. Tamura slotted the conversion to shrink the gap to two points. Over the final 15 minutes of play, the score remained unchanged; however, Tamura had one final chance for victory with a penalty at the death. The Japan international goal kicker failed to raise the flags leaving Sanix with the win.

In the latter game at the Level-5 Stadium, Coca-Cola Red Sparks were in their hometown to play Ricoh Black Rams, but the visitors enjoyed a 33-14 victory. Ricoh scored five tries to two to collect the bonus point in what was their eighth win of the season. Amanaki Lotoahea and wing Daisuke Komatsu both scored doubles for Ricoh while fullback Daniel Peters contributed with four conversions. Japan international Timothy Lafaele playing at five-eighth and centre William Tupou scored first half tries for Coca-Cola and the two successful conversions from Lafaele gave the Red Sparks a healthy 14-5 lead at the break. However, the Black Rams dominated the latter stanza with points on the board while keeping Coca-Cola scoreless. The Red Sparks still have to go through the promotion and relegation play-offs to keep their place in Top League for next year.