Japan Rugby Top League 2017-2018: Round 5 Wrap-up

In the only Friday game in round five, Toshiba Brave Lupus lost 32-25 to Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers in an evening match at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo. Toshiba led up to the hour mark, but in a similar vein to the previous round loss to Toyota, the Brave Lupus faded over the closing stages to allow Kobe to come over the top for the win. Toshiba held a 25-22 lead going into the final quarter, but a converted try to captain Shohei Maekawa playing on the side of the scrum nudged the Steelers in front with a late penalty from five-eighth Nicholas Ealey putting the final nail in the Toshiba coffin. Maekawa put in a captain’s knock with two tries while former Wallabies fullback Adam Ashely-Cooper was also among the try scorers. Meanwhile, flyhalf Coenraad van Wyk contributed to the losing cause with a try, two conversions and two penalties. Toshiba managed a losing bonus point and the five-tries-to-three score line gave Kobe 4 points for the match with Maekawa the man of the match.

On Saturday, there were five games across Japan, starting with a double header at the Kumagaya Rugby Ground in Saitama. In the first game, Kubota Spears succumbed to Suntory Sungoliath to the tune of 54-17. The Spears led 10-0 early in proceedings, but when Suntory found their rhythm, there was no stopping the Sungoliath. Former Japan halfback Atsushi Hiwasa enjoyed a rare run-on start with a hat-trick of tries in the opening half as his captain in Yutaka Nagare looked on from the bench. Matt Giteau, who was playing at flyhalf this week, had the kicking duties for the day and he nailed all five conversions in the first half to push the Sungoliath ahead 35-10 at the break. From that point on, it was only a matter of how big the winning margin would be for the defending Top League champions. Centre Ryoto Nakamura and flanker Hendrik Tui were among the second half try scorers for Suntory while flanker Grant Hattingh and centre Matt Saunders touched down for Kubota.

In the other game, Panasonic Wild Knights played their second of six games for the season at Kumagaya where they overwhelmed Toyota Verblitz 43-16. In what amounted to the match of the round, a resurgent Verblitz stayed with the undefeated Wild Knights up to the hour mark, but a hat-trick from Japan international wing Akihito Yamada in the latter half helped Panasonic pull away on the scoreboard over the final quarter. Although Toyota only scored the one try through rookie flanker and captain Kazuki Himeno, flyhalf Lionel Cronje keep the scoreboard ticking over with a conversion and three penalties. Nevertheless, the size, skill and strength of Panasonic eventually wore down the Toyota resistance with four second half tries blowing out the final score line. Panasonic sit on top of the White Conference table with a maximum 25 points from their five games.

Also on Saturday, Toyota Industries Shuttles played NTT Communications Shining Arcs at the Wave Stadium Kariya in Aichi prefecture with the Shining Arcs running out 32-24 victors. In a tight affair, both sides scored four tries apiece with the difference coming down to results from the kicking tee. Japan international five-eighth Jumpei Ogura has been in good form so far this season and he continued the trend here converting three of the four NTT tries while also adding two crucial penalties to ensure the win. The game see-sawed throughout with the lead changing on numerous occasions, but two quick converted tries and a penalty midway through the second half took the Shining Arcs out to a 32-19 lead going into the final twenty minutes of play. The Shuttles managed a late try, but the deficit proved too big to overcome. The Shuttles scoresheet had a South African look to it with centre JJ Engelbrecht and flyhalf Francois Brummer scoring two of their four tries while the latter also added two penalties.

In another Saturday double header, this time at the Level-5 Stadium in Fukuoka, Kyushu-based Coca-Cola Red Sparks played Ricoh Black Rams in the early game with Ricoh winning 32-5. In a low-scoring first half, captain Kota Yamashita playing on the side of the scrum scored a try for the Red Sparks while fullback Robbie Robinson slotted a penalty and Japan international flanker Daiki Yanagawa added a five pointer for the Black Rams. Ricoh opened up the game in the second half with four unanswered tries as wing Amanaki Lotoahea picked up a hat-trick and man-of-the match Michael Broadhurst also touched down. Coca-Cola have started the season with five straight losses with the pressure sure to increase over the coming weeks and months. Ricoh did what they had to do in Fukuoka and went home with full points in the kit bag in what was their third win of the year.

In the other game in Fukuoka, Munakata Sanix Blues were also on home soil to host NEC Green Rockets, but NEC took the game 29-17. There was nothing between the sides at the completion of the first half with the scores locked at three-all. In contrast, all the action happened in the latter half with NEC running in four tries to two. NEC hit the front early in the half with a converted try to flanker Tatsuru Owada, but life became difficult for the Blues when back-rower Satoshi Tsuruoka was red carded for a dangerous tackle in the twelfth minute. The Green Rockets added tries through hooker Yosuke Usui and fullback Hiromasa Yoshihiro to extend the lead to 22-3 by the hour. NEC were on course for the bonus-point win, but Sanix rallied with two quick tries to centre Siliva Ahio and Shunya Goto from the bench to close the gap to 22-17. NEC closed out the match with a late try and had to settle for four points from the match, but they denied Sanix a losing bonus point in the process.

At the Expo ’70 Commemorative Stadium in Osaka on Sunday, NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes beat Kintetsu Liners 31-21. Both sides scored three tries apiece, but four penalties from fullback and game-captain Riaan Viljoen secured Docomo their third win in a row in their first season back in Top League. Viljoen started the scoreboard ticking over with two early penalties, but the Liners responded with converted tries to fullback Semisi Masirewa and wing Keisuke Yatsugi. In spite of this, the sinbinning of Kintetsu centre Ruan Combrinck gave the Red Hurricanes momentum with wing Tomohiro Kurata crossing for a try to slim the margin to 14-11 by halftime. Docomo maintained the pressure as the second half got underway with converted tries to centre Mifiposeti Paea and lock Joe Iongi pushing the Red Hurricanes ahead 25-14. Two further Viljoen penalties were enough to keep the NTT side in front to the final whistle, even though Kintetsu added a third converted try to the mix.

Elsewhere on Sunday, at the Oita Sports Park in Oita city on the island of Kyushu, Canon Eagles played Yamaha Jubilo. In the highest scoring game of the weekend, Yamaha ran in eleven tries to three to dispose of Canon 69-21. The Jubilo started like a house on fire with seven tries in the first half alone seeing the score balloon out to 43-0 by the interval. The Eagles were far more competitive in the latter half, but there was no way back from the crushing first half deficit. The five pointers were shared around for Yamaha, but left wing Gerhard van den Heever and inside centre Viliami Tahitua did collect doubles. Fullback Ayumu Goromaru further contributed to the win with seven conversions on the day. Centre Richard Arthur Havili, flanker Naoto Shimada and wing Hosea Saumaki scored the tries for Canon, but there was little joy to be had for the Eagles down in Kyushu as they slumped to their fifth straight loss of the season.