Japan Rugby Top League 2017-2018: Round 10 Preview

In the first game of a double header at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo on Saturday afternoon, Ricoh Black Rams play NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes. Ricoh are showing good form as they quietly go about their business with six wins for three losses to sit in third place on the White Conference table with 29 points. Meanwhile, Docomo have 17 points from four wins and five losses from their nine games to date. After the November break, Ricoh will be expecting to continue on their winning ways with a victory over Docomo in the nation’s capital. Takeshi Mabuchi is back to lead the side from the second row in a pack that includes Daisuke Musha and Michael Broadhurst in the back-row. Crucial to the success of the Black Rams this season has been the presence of flyhalf Robbie Robinson and centre Tamati Ellison as they look to inspire those around them in the backline. South African-born lock Wimpie van der Walt played three tests for Japan in the autumn, but he has not been included in this NTT squad to play Ricoh. Number eighth Ryan Kankowski has had time to settle in to the way of doing things at the Hurricanes and his influence in the forwards cannot be underestimated. Likewise for compatriot Riaan Viljoen who captains the side from fullback. Mifiposeti Paea also has a lot of responsibility in the number ten jersey.

In the second game at Chichibu, NTT Communications Shining Arcs play Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers. NTT Communications now have 23 points from five wins and four losses to be in fifth place on the Red Conference table. Kobe opened their season with six wins on the run, but serious loses to Canon, Panasonic and Ricoh have put a dent in their title aspirations. Nonetheless, the Steelers still hold on to second place on the Red Conference ladder with 29 points, but the ensuing pack is closing in fast. For NTT, Amanaki Mafi started in all three tests at number eight for Japan in November, but he is on the bench against Kobe. Kin Shokei captains the side from the side of the scrum in a pack that includes former All Black Isaac Ross coming in to the starting line-up in the second row. In the backs, the experiment with Jumpei Ogura at fullback and the diminutive Hiraku Tomoigawa at five-eighth continues after success against Coca-Cola, but Kobe will put more pressure on their playmaker. The star-studded Steelers lost their way in the weeks prior to the break, but they have had the time to regroup and now hit the ground running. The recent news that former All Black legend Dan Carter will join Kobe next season should also add to the motivation. Key players for Kobe include half Andy Ellis and fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper.

On Sunday, Panasonic Wild Knights play NEC Green Rockets at the Ota Sports Ground in Ota city, Gunma prefecture. Panasonic are proving to be unstoppable this season with 44 points from a maximum 45 to be the only unbeaten side in either conference after nine rounds. On the other hand, NEC, who are also in the White Conference, have 21 points from five wins and four losses. Domestic success for Panasonic resulted in them contributing 12 players to the 34-man Japan squad for the recent tour of France. Nevertheless, the Wild Knights have the depth in their squad to rotate a number of their key players. In the forwards, locks Sam Wykes and Daniel Heenan along with back-rowers David Pocock and Koliniasi Holani will lay the platform up front. In the backs, five-eighth Berrick Barnes will run the show as veteran wing Tomoki Kitagawa captains the side and Japan international Yoshikazu Fujita lines up at fullback. In the NEC side, No8 Adam Thomson is proving his worth after joining the Green Rockets earlier this year. In the backs, Yosuke Morita is again the goal-kicking playmaker while Jordan Payne and Maritino Nemani form a formidable centre combination.

In the first game of a double header at the Yanmar Stadium in Osaka, Toyota Industries Shuttles play Canon Eagles. The Shuttles have produced a solitary win over Coca-Cola to go with eight losses. Consequently, they sit near the bottom of the White Conference table on 7 points. Canon started the season with five straight losses, but then bucked that trend with wins over Coca-Cola, Kobe and Sanix to see their fortunes rise. However, the Eagles let a lot of the recovery work slip with an unexpected loss to Docomo just before the break. Former Wallaby Peter Kimlin at No8 and South African Francois Brummer at flyhalf have been highly effective for the Shuttles so far this year and they will have to inspire the troops in Osaka. Meanwhile, the Eagles were building a head of steam, but they blew a gasket against Docomo. As a result, Canon will look to their key players to produce their fourth win of the season. Japan international lock Samuela Anise is in the starting side to bulk up the pack and he will be looking to have a big game to impress national head coach Jamie Joseph. Ed Quirk rounds out the pack at number eight. Toshiki Amano has cemented his place in the number nine jersey with some fine performances this year, while wing Hosea Saumaki and centre Tim Bennetts are dangers out wide.

In the second game at Yanmar, Yamaha Jubilo play Toshiba Brave Lupus. The Jubilo are second on the White Conference table on 35 points, albeit nine points adrift of Panasonic, but they will have to keep the wins coming against Toshiba. Toshiba now have 24 points from five wins and four loses as they line up Yamaha for their fifth win in a row. Hooker Takeshi Hino was the only Yamaha player in the Japan squad for the recent tour of France and so the Jubilo should be fresh and raring to go. Props Koki Yamamoto and Heiichiro Ito will have a point to prove after being left out of the national squad for the tour while captain Kyosuke Horie lines up at the back of the scrum. In the backs, it is a similar story for centre Male Sa’u and fullback Ayumu Goromaru who are both on the outer with the national selectors. The big news at Toshiba is the acquisition of Stephen Donald who slots in at first five to guide the Brave Lupus around the paddock. Donald returns to Japan after previous stints with Suntory and Mitsubishi Dynaboars. Richard Kahui in the centres is another big plus for the Brave Lupus. Finally, Michael Leitch is at number eight after captaining Japan in the three autumn internationals and as he undoubtedly tires in the second half, Liam Messam is waiting on the bench.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Munakata Sanix Blues host Kubota Spears at their Global Arena Stadium in Munakata city on the island of Kyushu. Sanix started the season with a win and they looked like carrying on from their impressive season last year. Unfortunately, things have not worked out that way with the Blues dropping their last eight games to sit second to last on the White Conference table. Kubota have 14 points on the Red Conference ladder from three wins and six losses, and they will be targeting Sanix for their fourth win of the season. The Blues will be looking to extract as much home ground advantage as possible to break their losing streak, but their big names will have to stand up to be counted. Lock Geoff Parling, flyhalf Hiroshi Tashiro and Japan international wing Karne Hesketh fall into that category. Kubota eked out a one-point win over Sanix last year, but the Spears will be striving for better this time around. Captain Harumichi Tatekawa started in all three tests at inside centre for Japan in the November tests and he is the talisman in this Kubota team. Another key player is Tongan-born centre Sione Teaupa who debuted for Japan last month. He finished the international season with three caps from the bench.

In the first game of a double header at the Egao Kenko Stadium in Kumamoto city, Suntory Sungoliath play Kintetsu Liners. In their final outing before the break, Suntory suffered their first loss of the season when they went down 21-10 to Panasonic in Saitama. Despite the loss, the Sungoliath top the Red Conference table on 38 points from Kobe who trail on 29 points. Osaka-based Kintetsu have 13 points from three wins and six losses to sit at the opposite end of the Red Conference table. Suntory have a number of players returning from national duty, but the depth in the squad can easily cover any disruptions this may cause. Impressive lock Joe Wheeler and back-rower Hendrik Tui are workhorses in the pack while the backs will more than hold their own. Atsushi Hiwasa will run on as halfback ahead of captain Yutaka Nagare who started in the 23-all draw with France in Paris last weekend. Further out in the backline, Kosei Ono at ten and Matt Giteau at twelve will keep Kintetsu guessing. For Kintetsu, hooker Atsushi Kashimoto is captain while veteran lock Luke Thompson is still a force to be reckoned with in the tight. Moreover, former Wallaby Anthony Fainga’a adds strength and experience in the centres.

In the second game at Kumamoto, Kyushu-based Coca-Cola Red Sparks play Toyota Verblitz. Coca-Cola are experiencing a lot of pain and hardship this season and they are the only team in either conference without a win after nine rounds of play. The 76-7 loss to NTT Communications in their last outing does not help the confidence in the squad. On the other hand, Toyota are responding to the coaching style of Jake White with 28 points from six wins for losses to top guns Yamaha, Panasonic and Suntory. Coca-Cola centre Timothy Lafaele starred for Japan in the recent tests and the Red Sparks will be hoping this rubs off on the rest of the team. The pressure is on Coca-Cola to break the drought and although captain Kota Yamashita starts from the bench, he will still lead by example. Other key players in the run-on side for the Red Sparks include Hurricanes lock Mark Abbott and number eight Solomon King. For the Verblitz, captain Kazuki Himeno returns to his club after successfully making his debut for Japan last month. Elsewhere, the South African duo of Lionel Cronje at flyhalf and Gio Aplon at fullback are players to watch.