Bok back in action in Japan, en route to new try record
JAPAN LEAGUE PREVIEW: Springbok Malcolm Marx returns to action this weekend for the Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay clash with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in round five of the Japan Rugby League One which kicks off in Kanagawa on Saturday.
Marx was allowed to bypass last week by Spears coach Frans Ludeke, although his absence didn’t hinder the momentum of the second placed side as they comfortably dispatched Michael Cheika’s NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu.
After a hattrick in his last outing, the 28-year-old hooker is already on target to better his seven try haul last term.
Damien de Allende will sit out the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights’ clash due to paternity leave when they face the improving Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo in what could be a tasty clash, especially with Ricoh having gained momentum from two wins on the spin.
Kobe’s potential problems don’t end there, with Kubota winger Haruto Kida on a run which has seen him score in his last six league matches, while Wallaby flyhalf Bernard Foley also returns to the starting line-up after coming off the bench last week.
Third top point-scorer in the league last term, Foley is fourth this time with 42 points to date, eight less than his Kobe counterpart Seungsin Li (50), who is second on the ladder for individual points behind Canon’s veteran flyhalf, Yu Tamura (61).
Kida shares top spot on the try-scoring chart with Seiya Ozaki.
Both have six, although Suntory’s flying fullback will be fancying himself to add to that tally when the Sungoliath visit struggling Kintetsu on Sunday.
After both lost last time out, Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo host Toyota Verblitz on Sunday in a game whose importance increased after they dropped to sixth and ninth respectively.
In the Division Two, Israel Folau will continue his try-hunt as unbeaten Urayasu D-Rocks visit the Hino Red Dolphins while Mie Honda Heat are unleashing their big guns against bottom club Shimizu Corporation Koto Blue Sharks with the internationals Tom Banks (Australia), Pablo Matera (Argentina) and Franco Mostert (South Africa) all in the visitor’s starting XV.
Hiroshima hosts the only match in Division Three as the second placed Kyushudenryoku Kyuden Voltex look to keep the pressure on the league leader’s NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes, as they visit the Mazda Skyactives Hiroshima.
Division 1
Saturday, January 21
YOKOHAMA CANON EAGLES v NEC GREEN ROCKETS KOKATSU
Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium, Kanagawa, 12pm (JT)
After being unable to capitalise against a 14-man Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath, the Yokohama Canon Eagles took their frustrations out on the struggling Hanazono Kintetsu Liners last weekend, using the game to work on shortcomings exposed the week before.
With Faf de Klerk at the centre of everything, Yokohama fine-tuned aspects of their performance, most notably around box kicking, with the hapless Liners all at sea as the Springbok scrumhalf rained down a storm on them.
While Eagles skipper Yusuke Kajimura insisted afterwards that his side didn’t “chase” points against the league’s bottom club, this weekend’s assignment promises to be a stiffer one, even though Michael Cheika’s men rank just two places above Kintetsu on the ladder.
Eagles coach Keisuke Sawaki has shuffled his deck for the game, shifting de Klerk to the bench, although veteran Brave Blossoms pivot Yu Tamura will start at flyhalf.
While they have lost their last three, the score-lines have failed to reflect the level of the Green Rockets’ performance, as evidenced again last weekend when it took the second placed Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo- Bay over an hour to shake them off, with Spears’ coach Frans Ludeke later declaring that the Green Rockets’ defence had been “incredible”.
While the Spears showed patience to gradually wear the Green Rockets down, it’s something Yokohama didn’t always exhibit when things failed to go their way during their loss to Suntory.
Saturday may show if they have learned from that experience, as NEC are the type of opponent the Eagles will have to grind down, but should be beating comfortably, if they are to continue their progression towards being a semi-final contender.
RICOH BLACK RAMS TOKYO v SAITAMA PANASONIC WILD KNIGHTS
Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium, Tokyo, 1pm (JT)
After two years, two titles and no defeats as a Wild Knight, Wales international Hadleigh Parkes faces his former club for the first time as the Ricoh Black Rams chase a hattrick of wins against unbeaten Saitama.
As the Wild Knights are without Springbok Damien de Allende, Parkes will instead go up against 23-year-old Tomoki Osada, who Robbie Deans has handed a Japan Rugby League One debut.
Osada will be accompanied in the midfield by a player Parkes knows well, Brave Blossoms centre Dylan Riley.
The Australian-schooled international was the league’s leading try-scorer last term with 11 but is still to get off the mark after four appearances this season.
Marika Koroibete is going to be just about the first name on the team sheet when Eddie Jones announces his squad later in the year, but the Wallaby winger will be keen to impress the new Australian coach now, after having opened his try-scoring account with two last weekend – which included a spectacular corner post finish.
Former England backrow Nathan Hughes will also be looking to excel as he returns to a starting role after short cameos from the bench during the last two weeks.
While wins over Verblitz and the Blue Revs have moved the Black Rams up to eighth, Saturday marks the beginning of a tough four-week stretch for Aussie coach Peter Hewat and his team.
Ricoh will face three of the current top four, as well as the fifth placed Yokohama Canon Eagles.
KUBOTA SPEARS FUNABASHI TOKYO-BAY v KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS
Edogawa Athletic Stadium, Tokyo, 2.30pm (JT)
Defence will be under the microscope when two of the most free-scoring teams in the league meet.
Between them, Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay (first) and Kobelco Kobe Steelers (third), have scored 325 points, but it is the ability to prevent their opponents from scoring them that will most likely decide this contest.
Kubota has been much better in this department so far, averaging just 16 against from the first four games.
The Spears two-time Super Rugby-winning South African coach will be determined not to allow standards to slip, given Kubota only twice held opponents below 20-points last season, which undermined their title aspirations.
Still unbeaten and just two points behind the Wild Knights, the Spears have built into the season nicely and are according Kobe due respect by fielding a full strength starting XV which includes Springbok Malcolm Marx, Wallaby Bernard Foley, and All Black Ryan Crotty, with former Brave Blossoms skipper Pieter ‘Lappies’ Labuschagne thrown in for good measure.
Kobe are without All Black Ngane Laumape after the powerful midfielder withdrew at halftime last week due to a knee problem, with coach Nick Holten returning the wonderfully versatile Ataata Moeakiola to the wing, after playing backrow in the first four matches.
Veteran former Highlanders’ midfielder from Super Rugby, Richard Buckman, steps in for Laumape.
Having conceded just three points less than they have scored, it’s obvious where Kobe’s deficiencies mainly lie, although their attack was also blunted by Sungoliath last week, with their only try coming in injury time when the game was already lost.
In Kobe’s defence, the side was hit by an influenza bug that affected several players and saw four withdrawn from the game.
January 17 marked the 28th anniversary of the Kobe earthquake and while the tragedy was commemorated by the club last weekend, the disappointment from the result on the day could spill over into the emotions this week, which will make the Steelers a dangerous opponent.
Sunday January 22
HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS v TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH
Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Osaka, 12pm (JT)
It’s not looking good to the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners.
Having leaked 70 plus points in each of their last two outings, last term’s second division champions are down, although not yet out.
While beating a Suntory side that is flying seems improbable, the Liners should take heart from the performance of the Dynaboars, whom they beat to last season’s lower division title.
The Dynaboars have been impressive after promotion, currently sitting fourth, and their performance offers hope for Kintetsu that they can compete, providing their confidence hasn’t been shot completely in the last two weeks.
Skipper Will Genia noted after last weekend’s defeat that individual mistakes and a lack of physicality were the biggest issues, with improvement unlikely unless these failings were urgently addressed.
Sungoliath march into Osaka with a full head of steam, having convincingly taken care of the Kobelco Steelers in nearby Kobe, to make it three wins on end.
This week’s appointment of team adviser Eddie Jones as Wallaby coach will have created further excitement at the club, especially among its Australian contingent which includes the injured Samu Kerevi, second row Harry Hockings, and ex-Wallaby backrower Sean McMahon.
TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO v TOYOTA VERBLITZ
Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo, 2pm (JT)
The ‘Crusaders Connection Part II’ is showing live at Chichibu as former Crusaders assistant and Canterbury coach Steve Hansen goes up against his one-time Canterbury captain from New Zealand’s national provincial championship, Crusaders legend Todd Blackadder.
The pair’s relationship through the Canterbury and Crusaders teams goes back nearly 30 years and after difficulties last weekend, both will be keen to make their reacquaintance a celebratory one!
Hansen lost out in the head-to-head against his former Crusaders colleague, Saitama coach Robbie Deans, but the Verblitz Director of Rugby would have been encouraged by the physicality his side brought to the game, and how they hung in to hold the Wild Knights to a 7-5 score line for the second half.
They will need to bring the same level of physicality to their appointment with Toshiba, whose players will be steaming after dropping valuable points against the Dynaboars, blowing a 12-0 lead after 30 minutes.
Discipline will have been a major talking point at Brave Lupus HQ this week.
Michael Leitch received a yellow card for an alleged punch, while the 8-3 penalty count against the Brave Lupus in the second half helped to fuel the Dynaboars’ revival.
Having been pressured by Sagamihara at the breakdown, Blackadder will know more of the same is coming from his former mentor, especially after Verblitz targeted Saitama in that area.
Toyota could be without inspiration backrower Kazuki Himeno who left the field shortly after opening the scoring with a try during the loss to the Wild Knights.
MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES SAGAMIHARA DYNABOARS v SHIZUOKA BLUE REVS
Sagamihara Gion Stadium, Kanagawa, 2.30pm (JT)
Fresh off a maiden league win over five-time Top League champions, Toshiba Brave Lupus, the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars will feel well-placed to inflict more pain on the winless Shizuoka Blue Revs, as they bid to maintain pace with the three sides above them on the league table.
Kiwi coach Glenn Delaney was delighted with how his side fought back after a slow start last weekend, bossing the breakdown and executing their set piece accurately to turn the screw on Toshiba, who’s second half ill- discipline presented Mitsubishi with the opportunities to take out the match.
Even so, the experienced former London Irish mentor will know that the biggest vulnerability comes when things are going well, and Shizuoka are due a change of luck, given they lost by just five against Verblitz and only one against Saitama.
While captain Kwagga Smith is playing well, the Springbok backrow needs more support, as the Blue Revs can’t afford to repeat last weekend’s disastrous start where they virtually conceded the game in the first half after trailing the Black Rams 22-3 at halftime.
Although they rallied in the second half, the boot of the Shizuoka old boy Matt McGahan saw Ricoh home, leaving Blue Revs coach Takanobu Horrikawa with much to ponder.
Stage one in their improvement must come in their on-field discipline which saw fullback Keagen Faria collect a yellow (intentional knock on) and then a red card (high tackle), to leave the side short-staffed, which stalled any hopes of overhauling the Black Rams.
DIVISION TWO
Can Israel Folau and the Urayasu D-Rocks keep the party going?
After hardly breaking sweat as they comfortably disposed of the Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi in the rain last weekend, the D-Rocks already look a banker for promotion at season’s end, with the major question now being how competitive the remainder of the division can be against Johan Ackermann’s star-studded team.
Next to try their luck are the fourth-placed Hino Red Dolphins, who will be fuming after letting an 11-point lead slip in the final 15 minutes against the Mie Heat, largely as a result of two yellow cards.
As well as its dramatic finish, the game was notable for not featuring a try by the former Australian Super Rugby player Chance Peni, who failed to cross the chalk for the first time this season.
The 29-year-old winger, who was born in New Zealand, and once lived on the country’s remote Chatham Islands (800 kilometres off the South Island’s east coast), played professional rugby league and then Super Rugby for both the Western Force and the Brumbies, before landing in Japan in 2019.
In the time since, he has compiled a try-scoring record to match that of Folau, having ended last term with a hattrick, and started this season the same way, before scoring again in the second round.
Peni was largely kept quiet by the Heat, who will be seeking to do the same when they travel to the division’s only remaining winless side, the Shimizu Corporation Koto Blue Sharks.
The form line through the Blue Sharks’ 22-point loss to the Kamaishi Seawaves – who had conceded 75 points in the previous round against Honda – is not promising for the hosts.
This suggests Honda’s new arrivals Tom Banks (Australia) and Pablo Matera (Argentina) could be well placed to contribute to the scorecard.
Banks has one try from three outings in Japan Rugby League One so far, while Matera is still awaiting his first.
Saturday, January 21
HINO RED DOLPHINS v URAYASU D-ROCKS at Tokyo, 12pm (JT)
SHIMIZU CORPORATION KOTO BLUE SHARKS v MIE HONDA HEAT at Tokyo, 2.30pm (JT)
DIVISION THREE
The Mazda Skyactives Hiroshima are getting closer.
They were brave in last week’s loss to the league-leading NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes, where they trailed by just a point entering the final 12 minutes before the late concession of points and yellow cards blew the margin of defeat out to a misleading 22 points.
As a result, the Skyactives, who have yet to win this season, will approach the visit of the Kyushudenryoku Kyuden Voltex with renewed confidence in the division’s only match for the weekend.
The visitors arrive boasting a three win/one loss record, and second position on the log, but didn’t play last weekend because of the bye, and have only played once in three weeks due to the New Year’s Holiday in Japan.
That performance was a good one though, crushing Mazda’s fellow Hiroshima-based outfit, the Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions, 32-0, at the Best Denki Stadium in Fukuoka.
If the Voltex, who boast Brumbies Super Rugby flanker Colby Fainga’a and Scotland international Phil Burleigh, bring the form from that game with them on the trip across from Kyushu, the Skyactives will have their hands full.
Sunday, January 22
MAZDA SKYACTIVES HIROSHIMA v KYUSHUDENRYOKU KYUDEN VOLTEX at Hiroshima, 1pm (JT)
