ROUND SIX PREVIEW: Fresh from their first win of the season, at the fifth attempt, Tokyo Sungoliath coach Kosei Ono has had an extra week to prepare for their next challenge: a trip to Iwata Stadium to tackle the competition’s most improved outfit, Blue Revs.
After finishing eighth in each of the first three seasons of Japan Rugby League One, confidence is justifiably high in Shizuoka with the Kwagga Smith-led side heading into the bye weekend in third off the back of a stunning six-point win over Brave Lupus Tokyo, which ended the defending champions’ 13-match unbeaten streak.
While Saturday’s visitors arrive in an unfamiliar 10th, Sungoliath are just three points off the last qualifying position for the play-offs and have not lost in the last 14 matches they have played against the Blue Revs.
One of the wins in that sequence came on their last visit to Shizuoka, where they scored two tries in the final 10 minutes to snatch a 29-25 win, with Springbok Cheslin Kolbe and All Black Sam Cane both contributing tries.
While neither will feature on Saturday, 31-year-old fullback Kotaro Matsushima – like Ono a veteran of Japan’s stunning upset win over South Africa at the 2015 Rugby World Cup – will step out for the first time this season.
Last year’s second fixture between the two sides saw the lead change hands five times as a pulsating afternoon ended in a 31-all draw.
Ironically, that was the Blue Revs’ second draw in seven days, an experience Suntory have had themselves this season.
Elsewhere, top plays bottom as winless D-Rocks trek to Kumagaya for the first time in three years to meet the unbeaten Wild Knights, who have lost at home just once since the league began.
Last weekend’s win at Fukuoka saw Wild Knights and Springbok lock Lood de Jager make his on-field return after suffering a major shoulder injury in last year’s Final, and the visit of D-Rocks provides an opportunity to increase his playing minutes as he builds towards full fitness.
The Wild Knights’ latest success came at the expense of Verblitz, who will be pleased to move on from their bogey team as they host the in-form Eagles.
With Faf de Klerk the fulcrum from scrumhalf, and his international teammate Jesse Kriel a key part of a razor-sharp attack that has scored 140 points in the last three weeks, the Eagles are flying, rising to fourth, five places and seven points above Saturday’s opponents.
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Kriel has an interesting task ahead, taking on Verblitz’ prized midfield recruit Joseph Manu, who appears to be getting better with every outing as the former Rugby League star adapts to his new code, and made a difference coming off the bench last time, scoring one try and setting up another in their 22-38 defeat.
Perhaps ominously for the newcomer though, the Springbok has been in the form of his life and has been a centrepiece of the Boks’ global dominance in recent years.
The 30-year-old has also developed a happy knack of scoring tries this season too, having made the whitewash three times in five outings, after just 19 from 53 appearances for the Eagles across the five seasons prior.
Although former Wallaby skipper Michael Hooper has joined Verblitz as a replacement for injured Springbok Pieter Steph du Toit, he won’t feature against the Eagles, while Brave Blossoms loose forward Kazuki Himeno and scrumhalf Aaron Smith will also miss the game, denying the contest of a head-to-head between the All Black and Springbok No.9’s.
Sagamihara Dynaboars and Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay each have new recruits to ‘show off’ as they clash at Sagamihara Gion Stadium, with lock and former England Under-20 captain Lewis Chessum slotting in on the bench after landing in Kanagawa, while the Spears will start pacy All Black outside back Shaun Stevenson, after giving him a debut in the last 30 minutes against Black Rams Tokyo.
The only side outside of the top three to have lost just once, the Spears will be looking to keep those above them in sight, while the Dynaboars will be aiming for an immediate bounce back after they were well beaten by the Eagles in the Kanagawa derby.
With two home wins this season, the Dynaboars have already equalled the number they achieved from their entire schedule in Kanagawa last term.
Home comforts served Kobe Steelers well last time, as they won for the first time in three weeks, which will make the Black Rams’ task a difficult one as they bid to snap a run of three consecutive defeats.
Kobe’s commanding win over D-Rocks saw them jump into the final play-off position, and the Black Rams are the second of three consecutive home matches, which give the sixth-placed Steelers an opportunity to consolidate their position in the top half of the table.
They face a visiting side struggling to ‘go the distance’, with Tabai Matson’s men having been ahead at half-time in three of their four losses to date.
Sunday sees Brave Lupus in the rare position of looking to rebound after a defeat as they head to Suzuka Gardens.
After suffering their first loss in 14 starts, they are up against a Heat side whose form has tailed off, having registered three consecutive defeats since they opened promisingly with wins over the Black Rams and Verblitz respectively.
With three of their five matches having been decided by five points or less, Kieran Crowley’s side is a good watch, but the former Italy coach would probably settle for a dull 80 minutes, if that’s what it takes to right the ship and bowl the defending champions.
