Brodie Retallick becomes unlikely secret weapon in Japan

All Black Brodie Retallick might not be recognised for his try-scoring habits, but the Kobelco Kobe Steelers skipper looms as one of his side’s most potent threats as it tackles unbeaten Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo in the weekend’s Japan Rugby League One action.

Richie Mo’unga’s defending champions might have opened their title defence with two confident victories, but Kobe arrive in town on Sunday with their test forwards in top form; Retallick and Scotland hooker George Turner each having started the new season with back-to-back tries.

It is territory that is not entirely unfamiliar to Retallick, known to all and sundry as ‘Guzzler’, who helped himself to seven tries in his maiden season at Kobe during the final Top League, at one point going five matches straight where he crossed the goal-line.

Turner’s reunification with his old boss at Glasgow, ex-Chiefs and Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, has been no less successful, suggesting the two international forwards will be a major obstacle as Brave Lupus chases a 10th win from its last 12 outings.

The one-time Brave Lupus have been denied during this run was last season’s dramatic 40-40 draw with Kobe, which is the highest-scoring draw ever recorded in Japan.

Fixture

Japan Rugby League One

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo

32 - 26

Full-time

Kobelco Kobe Steelers

All Stats and Data

The weekend opens on Saturday with the pressure gauge already dialling up a notch on pre-season fancies Tokyo Sungoliath and Toyota Verblitz, both of whom enter the third-round clash having lost their opening two matches.

Steve Hansen’s men won the corresponding match 27-20 last year, but as it was only the second time Verblitz had beaten Sungoliath in their last 22 meetings, last term’s outcome provides no reason for confidence.

The afternoon also sees the still winless pair Yokohama Canon Eagles and Urayasu D-Rocks head to Fukushima, while Black Rams Tokyo take on the ominous assignment of trying to beat a Saitama Wild Knights outfit that has only ever lost once in the league’s regular season.

The final of the quartet of matches on the first day of round three has Kwagga Smith’s unbeaten Shizuoka traveling to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars.

Mie Honda Heat open Sunday’s proceedings against Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay, in circumstances so remarkable that they would have been unthinkable this time a year ago.
Kieran Crowley’s charges enter the match unbeaten against an opponent who beat them 75-0, with 11 tries, during the first of the two matches between the sides last season.

It was the biggest win in the Spears’ history.