Panasonic, Yamaha top seeds for LIXIL Cup

TOKYO (Dec. 26) – Panasonic Wild Knights and Yamaha Jubilo head into the LIXIL Cup – the playoffs to determine the Japan Rugby Top League champions – as the two top sides, following the final round of pool play.

Panasonic beat Honda Heat 64-5 to top Group A, while Jubilo beat Canon Eagles 33-19 to finish on top of Group B.

Yasuki Hayashi and Ben McCalman both bagged braces as the Wild Knights ran in nine tries past Honda to remain the only unbeaten side in the league.
     
Meanwhile Rocky Havili touched down twice and Ayumu Goromaru scored a try, two conversions and three penalty goals as Yamaha beat Canon Eagles 33-19 in front of 22,843.

Toshiba Brave Lupus finished second in Group A and ruined their neighbour’s chances of a top four finish as they beat Suntory Sungoliath 25-14 in the Fuchu Derby in front of 25,164 – the biggest crowd to ever watch a Top League game.

Suntory’s loss combined with Kintetsu Liners’ 20-18 victory over NTT Communications Shining Arcs means Suntory finish fifth, two points behind Kintetsu and one behind NTT Comms.

Yamaha jumped above both Canon and Kobe Kobelco Steelers to finish top of Group B after Kobe fell 32-25 to Toyota Verblitz, Masakatsu Hikosaka’s 75th minute try converted by Takaya Monji sealing the win.

Despite the defeat Kobe finished second, Verblitz third and Canon fourth.

In the day’s other games, NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes and NEC Green Rockets drew 14-14, Toyota Industries Shuttles thrashed Coca-Cola Red Sparks 70-17 and Kubota Spears edged Ricoh Black Rams 31-22.

The top tier knockout tournament to determine the league champion sees Panasonic play Canon, Yamaha take on NTT Comms, Toshiba up against Verblitz with Kobe facing Kintetsu.

Suntory will now take on Cola in the second-tier knockout tournament, the Shuttles will play the Black Rams, Kubota will play NEC and Docomo are up against Honda, with the teams finishing 13th to 16th then going on to play in a further round of promotion/relegation games.