Arendse scores to seal close win against Hansen's Verblitz

ROUND SIX WRAP: Springbok wing Kurt-Lee Arendse crossed the whitewash to add more misery to former All Black coaches Steve Hansen and Ian Foster’s Verblitz in Japan Rugby League One.

Joseph Manu scored two tries to lead a thrilling comeback, but it fell short as Verblitz suffered their fifth loss of the season following Sunday’s 44-40 defeat by Sagamihara Dynaboars.

The Dynaboars had romped to a 41-14 half-time lead, but two tries in seven minutes by the ex-Sydney Roosters NRL star straight after the resumption breathed life into the contest.

A close finish had seemed unlikely in Kanagawa after the home side romped to a 41-7 lead, but Sagamihara Dynaboars wound up enduring a tense finish, having to stand firm during a scoreless final 12 minutes after Verblitz ran in the final five tries of the afternoon.

Samoan international Matt Vaega (two) and Springbok Kurt-lee Arendse accounted for three of Sagamihara’s six tries, while ex-rugby league star Joseph Manu led the Verblitz recovery, scoring twice early in the second spell, although it was not enough for Verblitz to avoid their fifth defeat.

Wild Knights coach Robbie Deans, also a former boss of the Wallabies, had to settle for a share of the spoils in Sunday’s match in Kumagaya.

In a high-octane encounter that saw momentum shift repeatedly, Brave Lupus appeared in trouble when they trailed 7-16 at half-time, having been dominated territorially despite enjoying a strong breeze at their backs.

Orchestrated by All Black flyhalf Richie Mo’unga, who had scored their opening try and then set up two more, the defending champions rallied and were on course for the win until winger Koki Takeyama’s second try with five minutes to play drew the home side level.

In last year’s grand Final loss to Brave Lupus, the Wild Knights had what would have been the match-winning try struck off by an intervention from the television match official.

On Sunday it was Brave Lupus left counting the cost of the replay after winger Jone Naikabula had a try rubbed out for dangerous use of a forearm by Seta Tamanivalu on his Wild Knights’ opposite in the lead-up play.

The Fijian-born Brave Blossoms winger did later score, but the draw keeps the Wild Knights on top of the standings, five points ahead of Brave Lupus, who remain second.

Wallaby Matthew Philip’s first half try was in vain for Yokohama Eagles on Saturday as Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay came from behind for a 30-22 win that lifted them into third place.

Dave Rennie’s Kobe Steelers lost their chance to enter the top four after a dramatic 29-31 loss to Tokyo Sungoliath, with ex-Chiefs flyhalf Bryn Gatland missing a 76th-minute conversion to tie the scores.

Samu Kerevi’s Urayasu D-Rocks beat Mie Heat 31-26 for the first win of the season, and Black Rams Tokyo suffered a fifth consecutive loss, going down 24-32 against Shizuoka Blue Revs.

Saturday saw significant wins for Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay (30-22) and Tokyo Sungoliath (31-29) over Yokohama Eagles and Kobe Steelers respectively, with the Spears climbing to third while Sungoliath are now just one point outside of the play-off places.

Urayasu D-Rocks gave new head coach Greig Laidlaw his first win after they edged Mie Heat 31-26.

Heat have lost five straight, as has Black Rams Tokyo after their 24-32 defeat by Shizuoka Blue Revs.