The Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights head into the first bye weekend of the Japan Rugby League One season at the top of the point’s table after beating Toyota Verblitz 38-22 in Fukuoka.
In what was the Wild Knights’ 16th win from their last 17 meetings in the rivalry, and the eighth in-a-row for the former Australia boss against his ex-All Blacks and Verblitz counterpart Steve Hansen, Saitama led 21-5 at halftime on Sunday, and finished with five tries.
Springbok midfielder Damien de Allende got two of them, while the Aussie pair of backrower Ben Gunter and lock Esei Haangana also scored.
Verblitz were at their most dangerous late in the game when ex-Sydney Roosters centre Joseph Manu came off the bench to score a try and set up another.
The other ex-Wallaby coach in the league, Dave Rennie, enjoyed one of his most satisfying afternoons in Japan to date after Kobe Steelers marked the biggest week of the year in their home city by demolishing Urayasu D-Rocks 50-22.
Friday was the 30th anniversary of the 1995 earthquake which struck the Hanshin region, 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ing more than 6000 people in nearby Kobe while destroying an estimated quarter of the buildings in the city.
The Kobe players and management attended a special early morning candle lighting remembrance ceremony on the anniversary day, before today steamrolling a D-Rocks side that was without it’s trump card, Israel Folau.
All Blacks Brodie Retallick and Ngane Laumape were among the try-scorers for the Steelers, whose were led by a hat-trick from winger Kanta Matsunaga.
Veteran former Wallaby backrower Sean McMahon was a try-scorer for Tokyo Sungoliath as they beat Mie Heat 27-19 at Suzuka to record their first win of the season.
On Saturday Valynce Te Whare, who played for the Dolphins in the NRL last year, scored two tries to lead Shizuoka Blue Revs to the biggest upset of the season to date, taking down defending champions, Brave Lupus Tokyo, 34-28.
Despite All Black pair Richie Mo’unga and Shannon Frizell scoring for the visitors, Te Whare’s double, as well as a try by ex-All Black utility back Charles Piutau, gave Blue Revs a match-winning lead, before Brave Lupus rallied to snatch a bonus point.
Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay overcame Black Rams Tokyo 26-18, but only after trailing 15-11 at halftime, while Yokohama Eagles thumped Sagamihara Dynaboars 47-21 in the day’s other match.
