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NRL convert Joseph Manu faces biggest test yet versus Bok centre
Rugby league convert Joseph Manu faces his biggest test to date when he squares off against Springbok centre Jesse Kriel in the latest act of Japan Rugby League One, which returns after a one-week break on Saturday.
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The 28-year-old former National Rugby League (Australia) star has shown promising signs in his five-match foray into rugby union but in Kriel, he marks up against one of the game’s best, as Toyota Verblitz hosts fourth-placed Yokohama Canon Eagles.
A key part of a South African side that has won back-to-back Rugby World Cups, as well as last year’s Rugby Championship – the Boks’ first for five years – Kriel is arguably in the form of his life.
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And he has started the new season in fine style, picking up three tries, to boost his tally to 22 from 58 appearances since he joined the Eagles after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Although Manu showed what he is capable of after coming off the bench for the latter stages of the 38-22 loss to the Wild Knights two weeks ago, scoring one try and setting up another, the game was long gone by that stage.
Kriel is unlikely to afford his novice opponent, who will start this week, the time and space he enjoyed then.
While the stars collide at Toyota Stadium, it could be hard going for Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo, and their head coach Tabai Matson when they head to Kobe.
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So far, Setagaya has been a frustrating place for the ex-Harlequins boss, who saw his side lose to an 81st minute try against Mie Honda Heat on opening day.
Things haven’t gotten much better in the time since.
Matson’s men are second from bottom but a record showing one win and four defeats is misleading as the Black Rams haven’t been that bad.
Ricoh has led at halftime in three of their four losses, and while Matson has already had great value from off-season signing TJ Perenara, the All Black has been unable to stem the tide, even playing from flyhalf where he scored a try in the latest defeat against Kubota.
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Perenara returns to scrumhalf this week against an opponent for whom coach Dave Rennie has the luxury of running foreign test players George Turner and Ngane Laumape from his bench.
The winless Urayasu D-Rocks will probably remain that way after Saturday’s trip to Saitama while coming off their first win of the season, Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath will test themselves against third-placed Shizuoka Blue Revs.
Fifth placed Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay visit Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars while Sunday’s game sees Mie Honda Heat, whose season has started sinking after three straight defeats, host Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo.
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