Division One

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo might currently put the wind up most of their opponents in Japan Rugby League One, but if there is one side who won’t intimidated, it’s Shizuoka BlueRevs, who visit the league-leaders on Saturday.

Although they are without their talisman skipper Kwagga Smith, with the Springbok backrower sitting this one out, the BlueRevs arrive in the capital fresh off a comprehensive demolition of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars and boasting the belief that beating previous title-winners Toshiba, and Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights, provides.

Shizuoka’s victory over Brave Lupus in January, which was achieved despite the concession of a converted try in just the third minute, was a testament to the work done by second-season coach Yuichiro Fujii to transform the previously mid- table outfit – who had finished eighth in each of the competition’s first three editions – into genuine title contenders.

Even without their regular captain – those duties will be handled by dual international Charles Piutau – Shizuoka won’t back down with the newfound confidence highlighted by the transformation of their outcomes in close contests.

After losing 14 of their 48 matches across the first three editions of League One by margins of 10 points or less, the BlueRevs have featured in eight such games this season and won seven of them.

This includes the 34-28 win over Brave Lupus, with the magnitude of that success such that it is the only defeat the defending champions have suffered in their last 23 matches.

Charles Piutau replaces Kwagga Smith as game captain for Shizuoka BlueRevs

Brave Lupus shredded fifth-placed Kobelco Kobe Steelers’ defence to pieces during Sunday’s remarkable 11-try romp – their most tries in a League One match – but while achieving a 73-28 scoreline against a side with their own championship ambitions will have provided satisfaction, the level of experience amongst Toshiba’s leadership group should ensure Todd Blackadder’s men don’t relax.

Veteran Brave Blossoms leader Michael Leitch has shown his thirst for another title by completing 34 more tackles than any other player in the league, while All Black flyhalf Richie Mo’unga is also inspiring his teammates, last week gaining a competition high 190 run metres with ball in hand.

Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay look to be one of Toshiba’s biggest threats, but Frans Ludeke’s third-placed outfit are a more immediate concern for Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath after the latter entered the top six for the first time following last weekend’s high-scoring win over Mie Honda Heat.

After having had to wait 15 games for a first ever win over Suntory two seasons ago, Kubota backed up their initial success on the opening day of the league’s second edition with two more victories enroute to their maiden national title.

The Spears have now lost just once in their last six against Sungoliath and couldn’t have been any more impressive in their recent demolition of Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo, who were denied any points for the opening 50 minutes.

After back-to-back wins in mid-March, last weekend’s 38-8 loss to the BlueRevs has most likely ruled out any hopes the eighth-placed Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars had of contesting the playoffs.

Sagamihara will be without the injured Springbok star Kurt-Lee Arendse on Saturday as they host a Yokohama Canon Eagles outfit that ranks one point below Suntory despite last week’s drought breaking 33-22 win over Urayasu D-Rocks, which ended a run of four straight defeats.

While each of the Dynaboars and ninth-placed Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo – both nine points from the playoffs positions – still have a mathematical pathway to the top six, their biggest priority will be to avoid being dragged into the fight to avoid the Replacement Battle, being just four points above 11th place.

Ricoh were unable to get close to the Spears but could close the door on any relegation concerns during Sunday’s meeting with tenth-placed Toyota Verblitz, but that is going to require a major shift in the historical balance of power between the two as the Black Rams have lost 17 of their last 19 games.

Although Steve Hansen’s men are playing better than their current ranking suggests, they still give off the appearance of counting down the days until a disappointing campaign ends.

A red card contributed to their ninth loss in a row against the Wild Knights with the game, in some ways, a reflection of the season, in so much as that some of the damage has been self-inflicted.

This includes the league’s worst goal-kicking success rate as well as the sanction of nine yellow cards and a red from 14 matches.

Verblitz are two points above the promotion/relegation positions, with the second held by Mie Honda Heat who open the round tomorrow night against the Wild Knights.

Ex-Italy coach Kieran Crowley’s men have lost their last five and face a tall order arresting the slide against Saitama, even though the league’s maiden champions are dealing with an injury count which will see just seven of their starting line-up from the opening day win over Sungoliath suit up against Heat.

Injured pride rather than injured bodies is the biggest issue for Kobe coach Dave Rennie after their disastrous performance last weekend, but while the defeat didn’t loosen their grip on fifth, it has given added significance to what otherwise might have been considered a routine afternoon’s work against Urayasu D-Rocks.

The former Wallaby boss will be hoping the return of his captain, second rower Brodie Retallick, can spark the side, although they have essentially ‘swapped’ All Blacks, with midfielder Ngane Laumape not featuring.

While last week’s return of Israel Folau didn’t have the desired effect as far as the win column was concerned, Urayasu’s star man should be better for his first workout since early January and will be looking to build on that 60-minute appearance to create mischief for Kobe alongside his ex-test teammate Samu Kerevi.

The Wallaby midfield back is one of the form players of the competition, having scored seven tries in his last six outings.

Urayasu has been rocked by the news their Springbok backrower Jasper Wiese has been ruled out of the rest of the competition due to injury.

Divisions Two & Three

Quade Cooper’s recent announcement that his journey with Hanazono Kintetsu Liners will end following the conclusion of the current campaign has added an extra edge for both the 80-times capped Wallaby, but also his teammates, to drive the club back into Division One before the 37-year-old heads out the door.

Player of the Year for the division when Cooper helped guide Kintetsu into the top section at the end of League One’s maiden season, the experienced flyhalf has shared number 10 duties this term with former (NSW) Waratahs flyhalf Will Harrison, serving as both an unofficial ‘tutor’, but also as a ‘go to’ man when Hanazono has needed a lift.

Kintetsu require one of those now, trailing second-placed NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu by four as the race for the two places in the post-season promotion/relegation series tightens.

While 10 points from their final four outings would confirm a return to The Replacement Battle for the section-leading Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi – who travel to bottom-placed Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves on Saturday – the task for Cooper’s side is a tad more complicated, and there is no room for error.

Kintetsu are still to play the two sides ranked above them before the regular season winds up, and while a victory against NEC in early May would go a long way towards providing a promotion shot, getting to that date unscathed is non- negotiable.

This means beating cross-town rivals Red Hurricanes Osaka.

While it seems unlikely that the Red Hurricanes – who have lost five of their last six – can make The Replacement Battle, they have nothing to lose, which represents a worry to a Hanazono side they already have already convincingly beaten.

The Red Hurricanes’ 36-17 win was the second of two defeats Kintetsu suffered from the season’s opening three weekends – the other match finished in a draw – which left their playoff ambitions hanging by a thread.

NEC have recovered from their own early season ‘wobble’ to place promotion destiny in their own hands.

Wayne Pivac’s men are unbeaten in their last five, with that run having started in a convincing 50-23 win over Lima Sopoaga’s Shimizu Corporation Koto Blue Sharks, whom they now meet again.

NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu head coach Wayne Pivac

The Blue Sharks were overtaken on the standings by Kyushu Electric Power Kyuden Voltex after their gallant loss to the Shuttles last weekend and will have mixed feelings about the outcome when the Voltex host Hino Red Dolphins.

While a Voltex victory would push the Fukuoka-based outfit further ahead on the point’s table, it would also keep Hino in one of the section’s two Replacement Battle positions, which is territory the Blue Sharks want to avoid after having been automatically promoted last term.

Saturday’s action in Division Three features a top-of-the-table clash which will almost certainly decide the section title if Mazda SkyActivs Hiroshima can chalk up their 10th victory of the season from the visit of Sayama Secom Rugguts.

A Sayama success would go a long way towards closing the door on third-placed Kurita Water Gush Akishima’s promotion chances, despite the latter enjoying a four-game winning streak.

Ex-Wallaby backrower Wycliff Palu’s Water Gush hammered Saturday’s opponents Yakult Levins Toda 56-12 last month and need to do so again to keep the top two within range.

The first match of the current round, which was played at the end of March, saw Le RIRO Fukuoka record their maiden league win after beating Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions 33-17.