All Blacks battle headlines Japan League
JAPAN LEAGUE ONE, ROUND THREE PREVIEW: This weekend sees the unbeaten, Sagamihara Dynaboars visit Aichi to tackle a star-laden Toyota Verblitz, while the All Blacks stars battle it out in Japan on Sunday.
The home side will be eager to bounce back after last weekend’s defeat to Yokohama Eagles.
Steve Hansen’s Verblitz fueled by double World Cup winner Pieter-Steph Du Toit and All Black recruits, Beauden Barrett and Aaron Smith, will certainly want to avoid a shock defeat to the Dynaboars, who have been going about their business very quietly.
One of four unbeaten teams the Dynaboars head to Aichi with loads of confidence after their 27-25 win last weekend.
Also on Saturday, the Wild Knights will hope to keep their flawless run intact when they take on Black Rams.
Wild Knights are currently on top of the table and certainly one of the favourites to scoop up the Japanese League One title.
However, it will be a big mistake for Wild Knights to underestimate the Black Rams.
Although Black Rams arrive with a single bonus point to show for their efforts so far, the results don’t do them justice, as they were within reach of victory against both Toyota Verblitz and Sagamihara Dynaboars, losing both by narrow margins.
All Black v All Black
There will be another intriguing challenge on Saturday.
All Black stars Richie Mo’unga and Shannon Frizell playing Brave Lupus take on Ardie Savea and Brodie Retallick’s Kobe Steelers.
The arrival of All Black forwards Savea and Retallick has assisted Kobe’s revival but so too has the menacing form of their teammate Ngane Laumape, who has given the midfield plenty of ‘punch’ after missing much of last term due to injury.
On Sunday, Kubota Spear and Cheslin Kolbe’s Suntory Sungoliath line up against Blue Revs captained by Kwagga Smith and Mie Honda Heat respectively.
The defending champions face a tough task against the Blue Revs who created winning opportunities in each of their
first two matches but failed to take them.
Kolbe’s Sungoliath, who beat Kubota in the opening round, were left with disappointment of their own after being outgunned by Brave Lupus.
Nothing less than a bonus-point win over their struggling newly promoted rivals will be deemed acceptable by last season’s semifinalists, who will soon have the services of the long-time Argentine pivot Nicolas Sanchez.
Japan Rugby League One Fixtures Round Three (all Japan time)
Division One
Saturday December 23
Wild Knights v Black Rams – 12.00
Eagles v Liners – 14.10
Toyota Verblitz v Dynaboars – 14.30
Sunday December 24
Mie Heat v Tokyo Sungoliath – 12.10
Kubota Spears v Blue Revs – 14.30
Kobe Steelers v Brave Lupus – 15.00
Division Two
Saturday December 23
Green Rockets v Voltex – 12.00
Sunday December 24
Japan Steel Seawaves v Urayasu D-Rocks – 12.00
Aichi v Red Hurricanes – 14.30
Division Three
Saturday December 23
Red Regulions v Blue Sharks – 13.00
Sunday December 24
Hino Red Dolphins v Kurita Water Gush Akishima – 12.00
