De Klerk's team gearing up for final four in Japan
PREVIEW: As the Japan Rugby League One kicks into overdrive and teams jostle for that pivotal semi-final spot, a win for Springbok Faf de Klerk’s Eagles will put Yokohama in pole position for a place in the final four, requiring just one log point from their final round tie with Kobelco Kobe Steelers.
For some teams, the penultimate weekend of the regular season throws up contests on whose outcomes the final judgment of their entire campaigns may rest.
In other cases, the matches – both at the top, and the bottom of the table – form an important part of the build- up to what comes next, in the semi-finals for some, and the replacement battle for others.
From a title perspective, the most pivotal game will be played on Saturday at Kanagawa’s Nissen Stadium, where Yokohama Canon Eagles and Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath slug it out in a contest with huge ramifications for both.
The fourth-placed Eagles, who only secured a try-scoring bonus point late on in their win over NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu, will kick off against Suntory knowing the state of play on the championship standings, with fifth-placed Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo having completed their Match Day 15 engagement in Tokyo the night before.
A win by Toshiba against the relegation threatened Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagmihara Dynaboars, especially if it has been achieved with a try-scoring bonus point, would place the blow torch on Saturday’s loser, who could still be overtaken by Brave Lupus in the qualifying season’s final round.
If the Dynaboars lose, and Kobelco Steelers pick up at least a bonus point in their tie against winless Hanazono Kintetsu Liners, Mitsubishi’s place in the replacement battle would be confirmed.
The Green Rockets, who are already there, meet a Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay side looking to lock down second position, while the league-leading Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights face the team that has come closest to knocking them off during their 47-game unbeaten run, Shizuoka Blue Revs.
While the Blue Revs are still in the hunt for a sixth-place finish, that position will likely be sewn up by the winner of Sunday’s clash between Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo and Toyota Verblitz.
The second weekend of finalization in Division Two may confirm the first of the replacement battle’s matchups, with Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi destined for an elimination tie against the 10th-place finisher from the division above should Mie Honda Heat prevail.
With Mitsubishi playing their penultimate game of Division One the night before, the Sagamihara name may already have been inked as the Shuttles’ opponent by the time fulltime is reached at Aichi.
Although the Division Three title is decided, Kyushu Electric Power Kyuden Voltex will be looking to pinch at least one win off NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes when the pair meet for the third and final time, with the champions elect narrow winners of their previous two meetings, 22-18 and 23-14.
DIVISION ONE
Friday, April 14
TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO v MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES SAGAMIHARA DYNABOARS
Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo, 7pm (JT)
HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS v KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS
Hanazono Rugby Stadium Stadium, Osaka, 7pm
Saturday, April 15
YOKOHAMA CANON EAGLES v TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH
Nissan Stadium, Kanagawa, 2pm (JT)
SAITAMA PANASONIC WILD KNIGHTS v SHIZUOKA BLUE REVS
Kumagaya Sports and Culture Park Rugby Field, Saitama, 4.30pm (JT)
Sunday, April 16
RICOH BLACK RAMS TOKYO v TOYOTA VERBLITZ
Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo, 2pm (JT)
NEC GREEN ROCKETS v KUBOTA SPEARS FUNABASHI TOKYO BAY
Kashiwanoha Park Stadium, Chiba, 2.30pm (JT)
DIVISIONS TWO & THREE
Saturday, April 15
TOYOTA INDUSTRIES SHUTTLES AICHI v MIE HONDA HEAT at Tokyo, 12pm (JT)
Saturday, April 15
MAZDA SKYACTIVS HIROSHIMA v CHUGOKU ELECTRIC POWER RED REGULIONS at Hiroshima, 1pm (JT)
NTT DOCOMO RED HURRICANES v KYUSHU ELECTRIC POWER KYUDEN VOLTEX at Osaka, 2.30pm (JT)
