Frizell gets one over Savea in Japan
WRAP: All Black loose forward Shannon Frizell was the toast of Fuchu after scoring four tries, leading Brave Lupus to a successful Christmas Eve heist at the home of Kobe Steelers.
Brave Lupus won an entertaining contest 46-39 at Noevir Stadium, with the powerful 29-year-old scoring twice in each half to hand Ardie Savea’s Kobe Steelers a defeat in Japan.
Frizell’s All Black teammate Richie Mo’unga was also a key contributor on the scorecard, contributing 16 points off the boot, which included converting five of Brave Lupus’s six tries.
選手入場🔥
それぞれの表情に注目😳@kobe_steelers @bravelupus1048 #NTTリーグワン #リーグワン pic.twitter.com/jCS1c6oGB7— JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE｜リーグワン🏉 (@LeagueOne_JP) December 24, 2023
The win means Toshiba heads into the New Year’s break one point behind the table-leading Wild Knights, with Kobe dropping to fourth.
The Wild Knights and Brave Lupus are the only sides who remain undefeated after Kobe and Sagamihara Dynaboars were both beaten for the first time.
Cheslin Kolbe’s Suntory Sungoliath are third after coasting to a 34-16 victory at Suzuka, despite home side Mie Honda Heat
putting up a vastly improved performance after having conceded 155 points in their first two matches on return to
Division One.
ついに三重にも彼らが集結🌏
一体どんな話をしているんでしょうか👤💭チェスリン・コルビ選手🇿🇦
サム・ケイン選手🇳🇿
フランコ・モスタート選手🇿🇦@hondaheat @sungoliath #NTTリーグワン#リーグワン pic.twitter.com/QJG5BUSoeK— JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE｜リーグワン🏉 (@LeagueOne_JP) December 24, 2023
Sungoliath jumped to a 17-0 advantage in the opening half an hour and pushed out to 27-6 in the 57th minute after Brave Blossoms star Kotaro Matsushima scored the fifth of their six tries.
Kieran Crowley’s side fought back with two tries before the end, but Sungoliath’s advantage was too great to be
run down.
After losing just one game during the entirety of last season, Kubota Spears have lost two of their first three, beaten by Kwagga Smith’s Blue Revs.
The 23-19 win is the Blue Revs first win over the season.
Verblitz Find the Right Gear
Saturday saw Toyota Verblitz inflict a first defeat on Sagamihara, winning a scoring bonanza 54-40, with the two
sides sharing 14 tries.
Despite the concession of an early try to the Dynaboars’ All Black backrow Jackson Hemopo, Verblitz were in charge for most of the match, leading 31-21 at halftime and keeping Mitsubishi at arms-length throughout.
Former Wallaby centre Curtis Rona scored for the third week in a row, this time contributing two tries, while Hemopo scored a second, but Mitsubishi’s hopes had gone long before two tries in the final 10 minutes closed the margin of defeat.
Brave Blossoms skipper Kazuki Himeno was among the try-scorers for the winners as was Verblitz wing Taichi Takahasi, who had scored four tries for the Barbarians at Bristol during the off-season.
All Black flyhalf Beauden Barrett converted all but one of Toyota’s eight tries.
Wild Knights were never threatened during a comfortable 44-17 win over the still winless Black Rams at Kumagaya.
The home side scored four first half tries as they forged ahead 25-3 at halftime, and despite the concession of two in the second half, still finished with a seven-try-to-two advantage.
Eagles had put 71 points on Liners last season, and they scored 66 this time, but the eventual 40-point winning margin must have seemed fanciful after the visitors were awarded a penalty try straight after halftime which closed the score to 26-19.
Six tries later, it finished 66-26, leaving Kintetsu to contemplate back-to-back second half collapses after a competitive first 40 minutes.
Kintetsu held Saitama to an eight-point halftime advantage a week ago, but still lost 49-0.
Division One
Saturday, December 23
Wild Knights 44-17 Black Rams
Eagles 66-26 Liners
Toyota Verblitz 54-40 Dynaboars
Sunday, December 24
Mie Heat 34-16 Tokyo Sungoliath
Kubota Spears 19-23 Blue Revs
Kobe Steelers 39-46 Brave Lupus
Division Two
Saturday, December 23
Green Rockets 41-24 Voltex
Sunday, December 24
Japan Steel Seawaves 22-52 Urayasu D-Rocks
Aichi 71-12 Red Hurricanes
Division Three
Saturday, December 23
Red Regulions 19-34 Blue Sharks
Sunday, December 24
Hino Red Dolphins 37-24 Kurita Water Gush Akishima
