Semi Finals/Replacement Battles - Second Leg

Prior to the second final of Japan Rugby League One, the Spears hadn’t beaten the Wild Knights in 14 matches; a run which included a semi-final in the last Top League, as well as one in the new competition’s maiden journey.

Fast forward to Sunday, when the teams meet in Episode IV of their League One final’s trilogy, and the scorecard stands two-one in the Spears’ favour.
Not only did Kubota’s maiden title three years ago – when they were inspired by Springbok Malcolm Marx to win a 17-15 arm-wrestle in the championship game – end the Wild Knights’ hegemony over club matters in Japan, it also spurred the Spears on as they eliminated Saitama from the competition again last term, prevailing 28-24 after another titanic struggle.

In circumstances not too dis-similar to last year, the Spears enter the sudden death match having survived their first elimination test on the opening weekend of the finals, comfortably seeing off Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, 26-3.

Despite being held to a 7-3 halftime lead, Kubota always appeared to have the upper hand against the two-time defending champions, which they cemented with three second half tries to complete an impressive victory.

While five-time title-winning coach Robbie Deans remains involved in the background as an advisor, the Wild Knights enter the playoffs on the back of an impressive debut season under the charge of the New Zealander’s long-time assistant Atsushi Kanazawa, which saw just two defeats, and second position on the standings.

But, like last year, Saitama arrive at the playoffs party having not played for three weeks, which they may view as a mixed blessing after their slow start in the corresponding game last term, when they conceded a 15-point lead and were unable to run the Spears down.

While the Wild Knights won the clash between the two earlier in the season, their two-point victory – achieved with a try in the 82nd minute – represented the fourth time in the last seven meetings that four points or less had separated the sides, while they couldn’t be split in one of last year’s clashes, which ended in a 29-29 draw. With that history, another close contest seems almost certain.

Saturday’s opening semi-final between the number one-ranked Kobelco Kobe Steelers and first weekend winners Tokyo Sungoliath is more difficult to ‘read’.

The earlier season clashes between the pair produced contrasting results, with Kobe stealing a 22-20 victory in the first following an 80th minute penalty goal by Brave Blossoms flyhalf Seungsin Lee, before romping home 49-28 in the return fixture.

Having come within a shaved goalpost of elimination against BlackRams Tokyo, Sam Cane’s men will have drawn belief from the composure they showed following their opponent’s missed penalty goal attempt, being able to keep the ball alive during the patient build up that led to their match-winning try.

In a campaign which saw them at one point losing an unprecedented five games in a row, while also being on the end of a record 79-20 defeat by Kubota, it’s not hard to understand why there was such jubilation in the Sungoliath camp after last weekend’s Houdini act.

Maybe, just maybe, fortune is smiling on them again.

Cane will line up against his former (Waikato) Chiefs coach Dave Rennie, alongside ex-All Black teammates Ardie Savea, Anton Lienert-Brown and Brodie Retallick, having played alongside the latter since he and his Kobe captaincy counterpart first became teammates at the Super Rugby club in 2012.

That year, which was also Rennie’s debut at the helm, saw the Chiefs win the first of what became back-to-back titles, a feat which has ultimately led the Kobe boss to the All Black role via stints at Glasgow, with the Wallabies, and now in Kobe.

The game also brings together the two category leaders amongst the season’s individual point-scoring, with Sungoliath’s departing South African star Cheslin Kolbe advancing his tally to 205 last weekend, while Retallick remains the try-scoring front-runner with 17.

Expect both to have a major say on which side advances to the championship game.

promotion/relegation series

While nervous times await the league’s top four, Division One’s participants in The Replacement Battle promotion/relegation series, Urayasu D-Rocks and Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars will retain their status barring a remarkable turn of events.

Glenn Delaney’s Dynaboars cruised to a 36-14 win over Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi, leaving the Division Two champs staring at a third defeat in as many Replacement Battle series during the League One era.

While Graham Rowntree’s D-Rocks had to fight a bit harder to see off Shimizu Corporation Koto Blue Sharks, by the end of the afternoon they had finished with a one-point greater advantage than the Dynaboars have over the Shuttles, with the Division Two side left to rue a calamitous final 10 minutes which saw them concede three tries, ruining an afternoon that had appeared promising when they led 10-6 at halftime.

Which of the four participants play in Division Three next season is less clear, with neither of the Division Two sides, Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves or Hino Red Dolphins, yet safe in their Replacement Battles, after narrow home wins against their lower ranked rivals in the first leg.
Toutai Kefu’s Seawaves, who have not lost in seven previous promotion/relegation matches, have just a two-point buffer to defend as they head to Tokyo for the return fixture against SAYAMA SECOM RUGGUTS, while Division Three winners SkyActivs Hiroshima trail the Red Dolphins by three as they welcome their Tokyo-based rivals to Chugoku.