Division One

Kwagga Smith was at his inspirational best as he led Shizuoka BlueRevs to an invaluable 34-24 win over Toyota Verblitz to stay alive in the race for the Japan Rugby League One playoffs.
The irrepressible 32-year-old, who led his side to their maiden playoff appearance last season, dominated at the breakdown as the BlueRevs broke a run of five consecutive defeats to put themselves back in contention for the top six.

Although they had comfortably beaten Verblitz 43-19 in January, Shizuoka faced a very different outfit today, with Steve Hansen’s men chasing a fourth win on end to continue their charge up the table.
They were always chasing the game though after Shizuoka’s bold start, with the Springbok backrower one of three try-scorers as the visitors posted a 19-7 halftime lead.

Toyota rallied strongly after the break, reviving memories of the BlueRevs’ agonising defeat last weekend when they were pipped by a late TJ Perenara score, but a try by the former (Wellington) Hurricanes second rower Justin Sangster eased the nerves after Verblitz had pulled themselves up to 27-24.
The win allowed Shizuoka to leapfrog Verblitz on the point’s table, ending the weekend seventh, five points behind a faltering Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo.

There was late drama at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium as Mie Honda Heat snatched a 24-22 win over Brave Lupus after South African centre Dawid Kellerman held his nerve to land an injury time penalty goal.
Moments earlier, Brave Lupus looked like they had pulled the game from fire after Richie Mo’unga landed a 77th minute penalty, allowing Toshiba to hit the front, having trailed for much of the contest.

It was not to be, with former Azzurri coach Kieran Crowley’s Honda completing a double for the season against the defending champions.

The afternoon had started promisingly for Toshiba when their All Black flyhalf scored a try in the sixth minute, but the disastrous finish condemned Brave Lupus to a sixth straight defeat, with their place in the top six under siege as they head into next week’s showdown with Kubota Spears.

Friday saw Yokohama Canon Eagles celebrate the Shunbun no Hi (Vernal Equinox Day) holiday by causing the biggest upset of the season to date; with the bottom side stunning top-ranked Kobelco Kobe Steelers 38-29 at Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium.

Having finally made it to the summit for the first time since their last title in 2018, Kobe made a strong start as they chased their 11th win-in-a-row, with backrower Ardie Savea crossing in the ninth minute.

The celebrated All Black, and his test teammates second rower Brodie Retallick and centre Anton Lienert Brown, each featured with tries, but their thunder was stolen by Yokohama’s Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk.

The 34-year-old human dynamo, who was appearing for just the third time after being injured on opening day, helped himself to a first half hattrick – the first of his 36-game League One career – which put his side on the front foot and gave them a 24-10 halftime advantage, as well as growing the belief that they could finish the job.

While Kobe mounted their inevitable comeback, answering with three straight tries to wrestle back the lead by five points with 12 minutes remaining, the rescue mission ultimately failed.

Belying their lowly ranking, Leon MacDonald’s side wouldn’t quit, reclaiming the front through a converted try by former Maori All Blacks skipper Billy Harmon, before replacement centre Ryo Tabata scored with five minutes left to seal the victory and deny Kobe a losing bonus point.

Having propped up the table since the opening weekend, their second win in a row lifted the Eagles above
Urayasu D-Rocks, with the prospect of being dropped into the post-season relegation series for the bottom two sides, which had appeared almost certain three weeks ago, now far from a done deal.

Kobe’s defeat allowed Saitama Wild Knights to return to the top of the table after they extended their formidable record against BlackRams Tokyo following a convincing 31-7 victory.

Two tries in the last eight minutes from South African outside back Maurice Marks saw the Wild Knights finish with a bonus point, as they increased their unbeaten run against the BlackRams to 23 matches, and their unbeaten sequence at home against all-comers to 24.

Saitama are equal on points with Kubota, whom they beat last week, after the Spears bounced back from that disappointment to overrun D-Rocks 59-35 in a high scoring frenzy in Tokyo.

Coach Frans Ludeke had the luxury of using World Player of the Year Malcolm Marx and Wallaby Bernard Foley off the bench, but their limited role made little difference as the Spears ran in nine tries.
All Black Shaun Stevenson scored one of them, his fifth of the campaign, and kicked five conversions, as D-Rocks slumped to an eighth consecutive defeat.

The result was as good as settled after 20 minutes, by which time Kubota had bolted to a 28-0 lead, but D-Rocks coach Graham Rowntree will be encouraged by the way his side hung in the contest and continued to chance their arm, being rewarded with five tries of their own.
Urayasu’s defence needs plenty of work though after they conceded 59 points for the second time in seven days.

Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars eased clear of the bottom two after upsetting Tokyo Sungoliath for the second time in three weeks following a nail-biting 35-32 win.

On an afternoon where the lead changed hands five times, Sungoliath will be kicking themselves for letting the game slip through their fingers after they looked in control leading 32-21 entering the final 20 minutes.
All Black scrumhalf Brad Weber copped an early yellow card for a professional foul but later redeemed himself with his first League One try to take Sagamihara to the sheds ahead 21-17.

While Wallaby backrower Sean McMahon’s try shortly after the resumption regained the lead for Sungoliath, they were run down in the final stages, with the Dynaboars winning charge ignited by Springbok centre Lukhanyo Am.
The vastly experienced 32-year-old, who is enjoying a new lease of life during his second stint in Japan, continued his excellent form with a try for the second week on end to close his side to within four points.

Maori All Blacks backrower Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, who like Weber had been sin-binned earlier, delivered the killer blow eight minutes before the finish, with his try recovering the lead and lifting the Dynaboars three points clear of the drop zone.

In finishing with 35 points, the Dynaboars broke an unusual sequence, having totaled 34 in each of their previous three matches against Sungoliath, whom they have now beaten on the last three occasions where the pair have met.

Division Two & Three

Green Rockets Tokatsu accounted for Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves in Division Two while there were wins for Yakult Levins Toda and Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions in Division Three.