Japan Rugby Top League Cup 2019: Semi-Finals

Kubota Spears (Pool C) 31 d Toshiba Brave Lupus (Pool B) 24

Date: Sunday, 4 August 2019
Venue: Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium, Yokohama
Kick-off: 17:00
Referee: Takeshi Matsumoto
Halftime: Kubota 28 – Toshiba 19

Most of the scoring in this match was done in a fast and furious first half with both sides scoring seven tries between them. Wings Coenraad van Wyk and Jone Naikabura scored early tries to put Toshiba ahead 12-0. However, Kubota bounced back with five pointers to left wing Ryoma Shirai, fullback Kenichiro Kuwae and right wing Gerhard van den Heever pushing them in front 21-12 after the first half hour of play. The two sides then added a try apiece to go to halftime with Kubota leading Toshiba 28-19. The scoring slowed down in the second forty with playmaker Wharenui Hawera adding a penalty for the Spears while hooker Futoshi Mori scored a further try for the Brave Lupus.

Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers (Pool D) 32 d Suntory Sungoliath (Pool A) 26

Date: Sunday, 4 August 2019
Venue: Yanmar Field Nagai, Osaka
Kick-off: 17:00
Referee: Kimitoshi Shiozaki
Halftime: Kobe 24 – Suntory 11

Kobe booked their place in the final with a hard-fought 32-26 win over Suntory in Osaka. Five-eighth Matt Giteau put Suntory 3-0 up in the sixth minute, but after that, the Sungoliath had to chase the game for the remainder of the match. Four first half tries scored through fullback Shinsuke Iseki, flanker Daiki Hashimoto, former Japan hooker Ryuhei Arita and wing Rakuhei Yamashita had the Steelers in a commanding position at the turn around with a 24-11 lead. A try to former Highlanders lock Joe Wheeler and a penalty to Kosei Ono got Suntory to 24-19 down by the hour to give them a chance going into the final quarter. A try to veteran wing Fraser Anderson nudged Kobe comfortably ahead 32-19 going into the closing stages of the match where Giteau added a try and the conversion to complete the scoring with Kobe winning 32-26.