Faf on the winning side against Smith...again
JAPAN LEAGUE ONE, ROUND TWO WRAP: The Eagles recovered their poise after the disastrous opening round mauling by the Wild Knights, holding off Verblitz 24-22 in a thrilling contest in Kanagawa.
There was a big spotlight on rival scrumhalves Faf de Klerk (Eagles) and Aaron Smith (Verblitz), who faced each other again after meeting in October’s World Final.
Their international teammates, flyhalf Beauden Barrett (Verblitz) and centre Jesse Kriel (Eagles) also suited up in that match.
Both sides scored three tries, but the extra conversion kicked by veteran Brave Blossoms flyhalf Yu Tamura made the difference, despite a late rally from Verblitz.
Verblitz still had seven minutes left when All Black scrumhalf Aaron Smith scored his maiden try in Japan, to bring his team to within two points.
Despite playing the final stages without the former Blues lock Liaki Moli, who was yellow carded for dangerous play with nine minutes left, the Eagles successfully managed the time they were short-staffed, condemning Verblitz to a repeat of last season, where they lost second up after having won on opening day.
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Meanwhile, All Blacks Richie Mo’unga and Shannon Frizell were on the winning side against Cheslin Kolbe’s Tokyo Sungoliath.
Frizell was the toast of Fuchu as his maiden try in Japan Rugby League One allowed Brave Lupus to claim the first instalment of bragging rights in the neighbourhood for the season.
The 29-year-old New Zealander, who joined the club from Super Rugby’s Highlanders after the World Cup, scored his side’s fourth try to finally take down their traditional rivals, after the boot of rookie Tokyo Sungoliath flyhalf Mikiya Takamoto had kept his team in the game.
Playing in just his second match in the grade, after injury had rubbed out one of Sungoliath’s major off-season signings, Wales international Gareth Anscombe, the 22-year-old kicked four penalty goals and a conversion, to keep Sungoliath in touch, despite the concession of four tries to one.
Brave Lupus scored three first-half tries to lead 19-13 at the break, with predictable names featuring on the scoresheet for both sides.
After scoring a hat-trick in the corresponding fixture last season, when he ended as the competition’s leading try-scorer, and then opening this campaign with another hat-trick, wing Seiya Ozaki provided Sungoliath’s sole five-pointer, although his effort was matched on the day by Brave Blossoms wing Jone Naikabula.
Scorer of two tries in last year’s contest, and 10 across the season, the Kelston Boys’ High School (New Zealand) educated powerhouse provided the second of Brave Lupus’s first-half tries as they established a handy lead.
Frizell then ultimately settled the contest in the 57th minute by scoring the only try of the second period, although Takamoto’s fourth penalty goal secured Sungoliath a valuable bonus point in what is certain to be a tense semifinal race.
While Anscombe is out for the foreseeable future, Takamoto will soon have international support, with Sungoliath having captured the signature of the 110-cap Pumas flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez as a replacement player.
Sanchez, who has scored 941 test points, featured in six of the seven matches played by Argentina at this year’s World Cup, and becomes the 27th foreign player from that tournament to link with a Japan Rugby League One club.
Wild Knights Run Wild
While Brave Lupus are one of four teams who are unbeaten after two rounds, it has taken just two weeks for the Wild Knights to throw down the gauntlet to their rivals.
The seven-time champions were at their imperious best as they dismissed the Liners in Osaka, barely raising a sweat as they charged to a 49-0 victory.
Although the Liners held on bravely in the first half, limiting the deficit to 8-0 at the break, a try in the third minute of the second period by first-season Brave Blossoms midfielder Tomoki Osada opened the floodgates, being the first of seven for the half as the Wild Knights ran riot.
But for an uncharacteristically off-day by the Wild Knights goal-kickers, who between them missed five of their nine attempts, the damage for the home side could have been even worse.
The five-star performance gives the Wild Knights back-to-back maximum hauls to kick off their title chase, already being two points ahead of the same stage last season, when they failed to secure a bonus point from their opening two wins.
While the Wild Knights were rattling their sabres, the Steelers also flexed their muscles, coming from behind to beat a gallant Blue Revs, who fought back from an 8-18 halftime deficit to hit the front in the 72nd minute, only to concede the match-winning try a minute later.
Dave Rennie’s men started strongly, scoring the opening two tries of the game, with the home side not being helped when their inspirational skipper Kwagga Smith was yellow carded in the 33rd minute for a professional foul.
Fortunately for the Blue Revs, the incident only cost them three points, and Smith made amends when he returned to score his second try of the season as Blue Revs clawed their way back into the game.
For all their spirit, the Blue Revs have a habit of losing the close ones, and it was another, with wing Kanta Matsunaga’s 73rd-minute try settling the contest.
After finishing ninth last term, the remodelled Steelers, have improved dramatically under the stewardship of the former Wallaby coach, and sit third, a point behind co-leaders, the Wild Knights and Brave Lupus.
Japan Rugby League One Results Round Two:
Division One:
Saturday, December 16:
Mie Heat 0-75 Spears
Black Rams Tokyo 17-25 Sagamihara Dynaboars
Eagles 24-22 Verblitz
Sunday, December 17:
Liners 0-49 Wild Knights
Blue Revs 26-30 Kobe Steelers
Tokyo Sungoliath 19-26 Brave Lupus
Division Two:
Saturday, December 16
Red Hurricanes Osaka 27-25 Seawaves
D-Rocks 57-12 Voltex
Aichi 36-25 Green Rockets Tokatsu
Division Three:
Saturday, December 16:
Hiroshima 30-15 Gush Akishima
