Kobe make playoffs, Kyuden relegated

TOKYO (Jan. 19) – Jaque Fourie scored three tries and Craig Wing weighed in with a try and four conversions as Kobe Kobelco Steelers beat Toshiba Brave Lupus 38-36 on Sunday to secure the final place in the playoffs to determine the Japan Rugby Top League champion.

The Steelers went into the game needing at least a point to edge out Yamaha Jubilo and two early tries from Pasuka Mapakaitolo set them on their way.

The result means Kobe finish the second half of the season in third place in Group A and they will face second placed Suntory Sungoliath in the playoff semifinals.

Toshiba, meanwhile, drop to fourth and they face Panasonic Wild Knights, who finished the regular season in top place following a 27-15 win over NEC Green Rockets.

The Wild Knights trailed 10-7 at halftime but an intercept try by Akihito Yamada a minute from time ensured they went through the second stanza unbeaten.

Fourie finished the regular season as top try getter with 17, while Yamada touched down 11 times.

In the day’s other game in Group A, Toyota Verblitz downed Canon Eagles 24-19.

At the bottom end of the league, Kyuden Voltex were relegated from the top flight following a 37-26 loss to Coca-Cola West Red Sparks in Group B in Fukuoka.

Kyuden finished the second stage on 12 points, two less than NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes and seven behind Cola.

The Red Sparks, Docomo and NTT Communications Shining Ards could yet be relegated. The trio face promotion/relegation playoff games against the sides coming second to fourth in the Top Challenge Series, the tournament featuring the three regional champions and the top regional runner-up.

Meanwhile, the sides finishing fifth to eighth in Group A and the teams finishing first to fourth in Group B will play in the wild card tournament to see which two teams progress to the All-Japan Championship.