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Round 15 of the JRLO Division 1 saw some big changes on the log following the weekend’s results, with Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights moving back to the top spot, Shizuoka Blue Revs confirming their place in the playoffs with a second win this season over defending champions Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, and Urayasu D-Rocks looking destined for the promotion-relegation battle.
Round 15 of the JRLO Division 1 saw some big changes on the log following the weekend’s results, with Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights moving back to the top spot, Shizuoka Blue Revs confirming their place in the playoffs with a second win this season over defending champions Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, and Urayasu D-Rocks looking destined for the promotion-relegation battle.
Oh (18'), Kellerman (28'), Motomura (36'), Banks (54'), Li (79')
Tries
Noguchi (7'), Koroibete (12'), Sato (20'), Gunter (40'), Takeyama (46'), Sakate (63'), Cornelsen (67'), Yamasawa (75')
Vunipola (29', 37', 55', 80')
Conversions
Yamasawa (8', 21', 41', 68', 76')
Penalties
Yamasawa (50')
Friday night saw the struggling Mie Honda Heat, who were already second-bottom before the weekend started, lose 33-53 to the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights in Tokyo at home for a 7th straight loss. Robbie Deans's side now are 3 points clear of Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay, who moved into second on the log after they won 30-10 against Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka.
Mie Honda Heat were in the contest until yellow cards were shown to hooker Koki Hida and backrower Ryota Kobayashi within four minutes of each other. The Wild Knights's Marika Koroibete scored his third try in the last two matches and will be on the radar for the upcoming British & Irish Lions tour to Australia.
Joape (9', 69'), Vaega (11'), Taumohaapai (17'), Lee (50')
Tries
Ishida (1'), Philip (20'), Kriel (26'), Minami (72')
Vaega (9', 11', 18', 51'), Grayson (70')
Conversions
Tamura (2', 21', 27', 73')
Vaega (56')
Penalties
Yokohama Canon Eagles fell to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars 38-28 on Saturday which means they have only one win in the last 6 and could miss out on the playoffs this season but the team above them on the log, Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath, also lost which means the gap remains one point between 7th and 6th.
Springbok centre Jesse Kriel and Wallaby second-rower Matthew Philip each scored for the Eagles but two tries for Dynaboars Fijian-born winger Joape Nako got the job done. The Eagles face Shizuoka, Kobelco Kobe Steelers and Brave Lupus in their remaining matches.
Dearns (43'), Naikabula (59'), Leitch (73'), Thompson (79')
Tries
Tuitama (8'), Ilaua (11'), Okumura (18', 68'), Sangster (31'), Kitamura (56'), Douglas (65'), Greene (71')
Matsunaga (60', 74', 79')
Conversions
Greene (9', 12', 32', 57', 66')
Penalties
Greene (50', 53')
Shizuoka BlueRevs 56-26 defeat of Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo followed a dominant open quarter in which they raced away to a 26-0 lead, and the Division’s leading try-scorer Malo Tuitama’, grabbed his 11th of the season (albeit his first in seven matches). The Brave Lupus struggled to handle the physicality and dominance in contact with the BlueRevs. Australian fly-half Sam Greene ended the win with a tally of 21 points which included a try.
The return of former All Black Brodie Retallick helped Kobelco Kobe Steelers beat Urayasu D-Rocks 33-20 - the second rower scored his ninth try of the season. For the losing side, Wallaby midfielder Samu Kerevi scored his eighth try of the season in a struggling D-Rocks outfit.
Sunday's opening match saw pack dominance help Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay power to a 30-10 win over Sungoliath at a wet Hanazono Rugby Stadium. Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx notched up his sixth try of his last seven appearances, and the result moved the side into second on the log, leapfrogging the defending champions on the table. This was the Spear's sixth win in seven fixtures against Suntory. The latter saw Sam Cane, who was back after a three-game absence due to Covid, forced off early in the second due to a shoulder knock.
Nakakusu (7'), Gill (49'), Fox (56', 65')
Tries
Smith (77')
Main (8', 50', 57', 66')
Conversions
McGahan (78')
Main (19', 23', 27')
Penalties
Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo beat the woeful star-studded Toyota Verblitz 37-7 in the weekend’s final match and kept their slim hopes of making the playoffs alive. They also picked up a valuable bonus point in just their third victory over their opposition in the last 20 matches!
Steve Hansen's Verblitz remains in a three-team shootout to avoid the relegation matches and is 3rd from bottom - two points ahead of Mie Honda Heat.
Division One takes a break next weekend for Easter and Round 16 kicks off on Friday, April 25 when Urayasu D-Rocks meet Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium. There are only 3 rounds left of the regular season.
Division One (Japan times shown)
Friday April 11
Mie Honda Heat 33-53 Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights; at Tokyo, 7pm
Saturday April 12
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars 38-28 Yokohama Canon Eagles; at Nagasaki, 12pm
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo 26-56 Shizuoka Blue Revs; at Tokyo, 12pm
Urayasu D-Rocks 20-33 Kobelco Kobe Steelers; at Chiba, 12pm
Sunday April 13
Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay 30-10 Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath; at Osaka, 2.30pm
Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo 37-7 Toyota Verblitz; at Chiba, 2.30pm
