Divisions Two & Three

It’s a feeling they haven’t experienced since March 24, but NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu are finally in the winner’s circle again after Saturday’s 59-17 win over Kamaishi Seawaves in Iwate.

The seaside air clearly refreshed the visitors, who blanked their hosts 28-0 in the second half to give ex-Wallaby scrumhalf Nick Phipps his maiden win as the side’s fulltime captain, while ending the six-game losing run the Green Rockets had endured since the final quarter of last season.

The Seawaves offered resistance in the first half, which they ended trailing 31-17, but that was as good as it got as Phipps and his men ran away with the game.

Indian-born fullback Keagen Faria grabbed a hattrick for the winners, while Wales flyhalf Rhys Patchell celebrated his first visit to northern Japan with his first try in League One as part of a 13-point haul for the afternoon.

Saturday’s second game saw Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks continue their successful start to the season, beating Kyushu Electric Power Kyuden Voltex 41-33, with veteran South African Conrad van Wyk continuing the form that saw him lead the try-scoring in the lower divisions last term, by picking up his first two tries of the new campaign.

The other game in the section produced a win for the visitors as Red Hurricanes Osaka came away from Aichi with an impressive 30-22 win today.

Red Hurricanes were at one point reduced to 13 men and trailed 20-3 after half an hour but refused to give way, holding Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi scoreless in the second period while they stunned the locals with three tries.

Yakalt Levins Toda appear to be relishing life in Division Three with the new entry making it two-wins from as many attempts following Saturday’s 29-16 win over Kurita Water Gush Akishima.

Hooker Kosetsu Kawachi followed up last week’s hattrick against LeRIRO Fukuoka with two tries against Water Gush even though he didn’t take the field until the 20th minute as a replacement.

SkyActivs Hiroshima are also unbeaten following today’s thrilling 31-27 win over Sayama Rugguts.