Sanix Top Cola in Kyushu Derby

TOKYO (Aug. 20) – The first weekend of action in the 2017-18 Japan Rugby Top League season came to an end Sunday with Munakata Sanix Blues taking bragging rights in Kyushu.

Sanix hooker Yasunori Hoshimoto scored two tries within the first 12 minutes and finished the game being named man-of-the-match as Yuichiro Fujii’s side downed Coca-Cola Red Sparks 38-22 in front of 3,103 at Fukuoka’s Level 5 Stadium.

Blues vice captain Hoshimoto was joined on the scoresheet by Satoshi Tsuruoka, Kohei Hamazato and Karne Hesketh, with Hiroshi Tashiro kicking three penalty goals and a conversion and new recruit Andre Estherhuizen also weighing in with a conversion.

Joseph Tupe, Arata Nanri and Mitsumasa Harayama crossed the chalk for the Red Sparks with Daniel Peters kicking a conversion and a penalty goal and Timothy Lafaele adding the extras to Harayama’s last-minute try.

This season the 16 teams have been split into 2 groups.

Sanix and Cola are in the White Conference alongside Yamaha Jubilo, Panasonic Wild Knights, Ricoh Black Rams, Canon Eagles, NEC Green Rockets and Toyota Industries Shuttles.

The Red Conference features Suntory Sungoliath, Kobe Kobelco Steelers, NTT Communications Shining Arcs, Toyota Verblitz, Toshiba Brave Lupus, Kubota Spears, Kintetsu Liners and newly promoted NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes.

The teams play the seven other sides in their own conference plus six from the other group to determine the rankings for the end of season playoffs.

The top four sides will then compete for the league title, which doubles up as the All-Japan Championship.