Kobe hand Yamaha 1st loss of season

TOKYO (Dec. 19) – The four teams from Group B to advance to the LIXIL Cup – the playoffs to determine the Japan Rugby Top League champions – may have already be determined. But that is still plenty to play for in terms of the final seedings.

And it was all change at the top of the group on Saturday with Yamaha Jubilo falling to their first loss of the season.

Yoshikazu Ohashi scored four tries as Kobe Kobelco Steelers beat last year’s TL runners-up in front of 12,842 at Yamaha Stadium.

Fraser Anderson, Andy Ellis and Naoya Miniamihashi also crossed the whitewash as Kobe went top of the group with 25 points.

Canon Eagles also have 25, but trail Kobe on points difference, after they beat Toyota Verblitz 26-10.

Michiyoshi Morita touched down either side of halftime and there was also a five pointer for Kojiro Fujichika, with Tokiro Harada adding a conversion and three penalty goals.

Yamaha fall to third on 24 points with Verblitz fourth on 21, with one week remaining in the regular season.

In the day’s other game in Group B, NEC Green Rockets picked up their first win of the season by beating winless Coca-Cola Red Sparks 20-12.

Things are much tighter in Group A with five sides still in contention for a top-four finish.

NTT Communications Shining Arcs made sure they remained in the hunt with a 29-15 win over Honda Heat in front of 9,242 at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground.

Bin Jegal, Amanaki Lelei Mafi, veteran Makoto Mayahara and Elton Jantjies all bagged five-pointers for NTT, who trailed 15-10 early in the second half, after Marcell Coetzee had scored one try and set up another for Nobutaka Ubukata.