Springboks produce try-scoring frenzy in Japan

Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath’s impressive young fly-half Mikiya Takamoto missed a last-minute conversion attempt as his side played out its second draw in as many weeks in Japan Rugby League One on Sunday.

Sungoliath drew 26-26 with Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay with the 23-year-old Takamoto, who is joint-second in the standings for the most points so far in the season, having scored the opening try of the game, before suffering the mortification of his late missed goal-kick.

The five-time champions of Japan, who drew with Toyota Verblitz last week, ended round four in strange territory for them, second from bottom in the standings.

The competition is currently led by Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights who on Sunday chalked up win number four with a drama filled 48-24 win over Mie Honda Heat, who finished the game with 13 men after a late red card to Los Pumas back-rower Pablo Matera, and yellow to centre Kyogo Okano, both for dangerous play.

Fixture

Japan Rugby League One

Tokyo Sungoliath

26 - 26

Full-time

Kubota Spears

All Stats and Data

Earlier, Wild Knights winger Koki Takeyama scored a first half hat-trick as the home side motored to a 33-5 halftime lead.

Fellow winger Lemeki Lomano Lava led a Heat revival by completing a hat-trick of his own, as they closed to 33-24 with 20 minutes to play, but the threat was shut down by Saitama, who saw the game out with its final two tries.

On a good weekend for Springbok internationals, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars winger Kurt-Lee Arendse scored his third and fourth tries of the campaign to lead his side to an upset 34-26 win over Kobelco Kobe Steelers, who fell to ninth after their third defeat of the season.

Cheslin Kolbe had scored for Suntory while Arendse’s two tries matched those scored by the pair’s fellow Springbok, centre Jesse Kriel, who crossed twice as Yokohama Canon Eagles ended Shizuoka Blue Revs’ unbeaten run with Saturday’s 53-35 success.

Shizuoka ‘wonder’ winger Malo Tuitama was also at it again, scoring two of the game’s 13 tries, which took his record to eight from the last three weeks.

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo had to work hard to get past winless Urayasu D-Rocks in the opening game of the weekend, with last year’s Division Two champions briefly in sight of an upset, before a late penalty goal by Takuro Matsunaga confirmed a 22-14 win.

Urayasu’s injury plagued star Israel Folau bolted 60 metres for D-Rocks’ second try, which was the 35-year-old’s 16th from just 26 matches across four seasons since his arrival in Japan.

Saturday’s other match in Division One saw Toyota Verblitz come from behind to beat Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo 32-18 to record their first win, with dangerous winger Taichi Takahashi bagging his second try-scoring double of the season to extend his tally to 23 tries from his last 30 appearances.

All Black back-rower Akira Ioane is still to experience a win since his move to Hanazono Kintetsu Liners after his side were defeated 36-17 by Division Two leaders Red Hurricanes Osaka.

Mazda SkyActivs Hiroshima lead the way in Division Three following a thumping 57-13 win over Wycliff Palu’s Kurita Water Gush Akishima saw them record three wins in-a-row for the first time since 2017.