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The weekend’s JRLO Round 11 was highlighted by the first defeat of log leaders Panasonic Wild Knights by Shizuoka Blue Revs on Saturday, and the last team to inflict a regular season loss for Robbie Deans's side two seasons ago was, you guessed it, the same opposition!
The weekend’s JRLO Round 11 was highlighted by the first defeat of log leaders Panasonic Wild Knights by Shizuoka Blue Revs on Saturday, and the last team to inflict a regular season loss for Robbie Deans's side two seasons ago was, you guessed it, the same opposition!
The Shizuoka Blue Revs, captained by Springbok and former Bllitzbok, Kwagga Smith captained his side in the 22-17 win (Kyohei Yamasawa scoring all of the visitor's points) and recorded what is just remarkably the Wild Knight's second on-field defeat in 57 regular season matches. Although the hard-fought win didn't change either team’s position on the log (first and fourth), it does mean the two top-ranked teams' only losses this season have been against Smiths’ team and they will be a real contender if they make the semifinals.
The second-placed team on the log, and Japan Rugby League One defending champions, Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, matched the Wild Knights with nine wins for the campaign but still trail them by three points on the log. They defeated struggling Toyota Verblitz 33-22 at Aichi’s Toyota Stadium and notched up their fifth straight win over Toyota Verblitz, and All Black flyhalf Richie Mo’unga was instrumental with two tries. The side also incurred two yellow cards which pleased Head Coach Todd Blackadder but further added pressure on losing Head Coach and former All Black head coach Steve Hansen.
Hansen did see ex-Wallaby skipper Michael Hooper and back Joseph Manu score tries in the loss, the latter making it six for the season and the result sees them slide into the bottom two in Division 1 and into the Replacement Battle promotion/relegation series positions.
Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo ended a five-game losing streak in beating Yokohama Canon Eagles 27-20 at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium with former All Black TJ Perenara earning the bragging rights over his Springbok and Yokohama counterpart Faf de Klerk.The turning point in the tight contest was the 42nd-minute dismissal of Eagles winger Kippei Ishida for dangerous play.
Kobelco Kobe Steelers easily dismissed Mie Honda Heat with seven tries and a 47-5 win to see them sit 5th on the log. The defeat means that Heat have still never beaten Kobe in the top-flight Japanese rugby.
The introduction of Friday night rugby in Division 1 this weekend saw Urayasu D-Rocks throw away a healthy 22-0 lead to lose 33-22 to a Malcolm Marx player of the match performance as Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay won the game in front of a crowd of 14,000 in Tokyo. Urayasu D-Rocks remain at the bottom, while Kubota Spears sit in 3rd on the log.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars pulled off a surprise 34-22 win over Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath at Kyoto on Sunday, with the recall of Cheslin Kolbe for Sungoliath for the first time since February, despite a try from the Springbok winger and his 3rd of the season, it was not enough for the visitors. Matt Vaega was the star for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars with his hat trick of tries and a total of 24 points.
Friday March 14
Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay 33-22 Urayasu D-Rocks at Tokyo
Saturday March 15
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo 33-22 Toyota Verblitz at Aichi
Shizuoka Blue Revs 22-17 Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights at Shizuoka Ricoh
Black Rams Tokyo 27-20 Yokohama Canon Eagles at Tokyo
Kobelco Kobe Steelers 47-5 Mie Honda Heat at Hyogo
Sunday March 16
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars 34-22 Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath at Kyoto