VIDEO: Mostert beat Kolbe in Bok showdown in Japan

WRAP: Mie Honda Heat, captained by Springbok Franco Mostert, caused an upset of the weekend, beating fourth-placed Tokyo Sungoliath 24-17 in the Japan League One on Saturday.

Former Italian coach Kieran Crowley’s side were steered to their sixth victory from the last nine outings by Flying Fijians hooker Tevita Ikanivere, who scored twice for the third time in four weeks as Honda rocked Sungoliath with three tries in the opening 16 minutes.

The first was scored by Heat backrower Pablo Matera, who rammed his way between two defenders from a ruck near the goal-line to open the scoring.

The Argentinian test centurion later bookended a man-of-the-match performance by holding up prop Kenta Kobayashi, when the Sungoliath man had appeared certain to score a game-levelling try with one minute left, ending a tough day at the office for Cheslin Kolbe and his team.

Meanwhile, Springbok Kwagga Smith was in fine form for Shizuoka BlueRevs, scoring a double to overturn a 19-point deficit from the opening half an hour to beat Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars 45-41.

The win also keeps his team in the finals conversation with just four regular-season games to go.

Toyota Verblitz scored a stunning upset as the race for the sixth and final place in the play-offs intensified.

Steve Hansen’s men, who started Saturday a whopping 31 points behind their opponents on the championship standings, were too good for former league leaders Kubota Spears, grinding out a 24-7 victory on a wet day in Gifu to further heat up the race for the finals.

Sunday’s games saw dual international Seta Tamanivalu score an invaluable hat-trick for Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo as they fought off a stern challenge from Urayasu D-Rocks to register their first win since mid-January after a 40-24 success.

The defending champion’s first win in eight matches owed much to their All Black-turned-Flying Fijians centre, whose third try helped quell a fightback by D-Rocks that had threatened to add to Toshiba’s woes, as Urayasu drew up to 26-24 with 15 minutes remaining.

The 34-year-old, who had also scored against D-Rocks in the corresponding fixture in January, dotted down in each of the 10th, 50th and 67th minutes, although his efforts were not enough to earn his side a bonus point, Brave Lupus finishing one try short in their six-try-to-four victory.

Kobelco Kobe Steelers took advantage of Kubota’s defeat in today’s other game, with All Black backrower Ardie Savea scoring twice in their comfortable 40-19 win over BlackRams Tokyo.

Already the league’s highest try-scorers, Dave Rennie’s side added a further six to take their season tally to 92-16 of which have been scored against the luckless Black Rams – as they collected maximum points to breeze past the Spears on the points table.

Kobe trail Saitama Wild Knights by two points after the latter returned to the competition summit for the second time in three weeks following a 19th victory in a row against Yokohama Canon Eagles; this one a comfortable 42-15 success.

Beaten at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium only once in the history of League One – by Shizuoka, whom they will face after the bye weekend – the Wild Knights were never pressured by the Eagles, blowing the game open in the second half after the visitors had held Saitama to two tries in the opening period.

Wallaby winger Marika Koroibete and Springbok midfielder Damian de Allende both scored after the break as Yokohama’s resistance wilted, with the Wild Knights rounding out a satisfying afternoon by picking up their seventh try-scoring bonus point of the campaign.

Wallaby flyhalf Noah Lolosio provided the star turn in Division Two, with a try-scoring hat-trick amongst a 27-point haul as Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi outclassed Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves 52-27 on their trip north to Iwate.

The bonus point victory drew the Shuttles level with Hanazono Kintetsu Liners on points, but below them on the win differentials, having won one game less.

Kintetsu, who have ex-Wallabies Will Genia and Quade Cooper on the coaching staff as advisors, missed out on a bonus point despite edging a pulsating Osaka derby, coming from 14-points behind to beat RedHurricanes 36-31.

Division Three leaders SkyActivs crushed cross-town rivals Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions 49-7 on derby day in Hiroshima.