Malcolm Marx and Bernard Foley will face off against Cheslin Kolbe and Sam Cane after the lineup for next week’s quarterfinals in Japan Rugby League One was confirmed.
The Springbok hooker failed to score for just the third time in his last 10 appearances yesterday, but this didn’t prevent third-placed Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay comfortably accounting for Toyota Verblitz 37-14 to set up a third meeting of the season with Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath on Sunday.
The pair drew 26-26 in January before Kubota beat Suntory 30-10 last month.
Suntory enter the elimination round on the back of a 60-17 hammering from the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights, with both their Springbok winger and All Black backrower yellow carded late in the game, as the home side ran in eight tries.
Flyhalf Kyohei Yamasawa contributed 23 points to the Wild Knights’ biggest win of the season, which confirmed a top two finish, and direct entry to the semi-finals.
Fixture
Japan Rugby League One
Kubota Spears
Tokyo Sungoliath
Springbok teammates Damien de Allende and Lood de Jager were among the try-scorers for the Wild Knights.
Defending champions Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo also have next weekend off, after finishing the regular season with a 49-28 win over Yokohama Canon Eagles to earn number one ranking.
The Eagles, who have had a wretched campaign, briefly threatened to make a game of it when they rallied from 21-0 down to close the gap to seven, but a try straight after halftime by All Black backrower Shannon Frizell kicked off a dominant second half by Toshiba, which ended with Yokohama down to 14 after Jesse Kriel was yellow carded for a professional foul.
The sanction came 10 minutes after the 31-year-old South African had scored his ninth try of the season, which included four in his final five games.
Kobelco Kobe Steelers have work to do if they are to overcome Shizuoka BlueRevs in Saturday’s opening quarterfinal, after being beaten by Kwagga Smith’s men for the second time in the season, 29-23.
BlueRevs scrumhalf Shuntaro Kitamura scored twice during yesterday’s win to end his remarkable rookie season joint-second on the individual try-scoring chart with 14.
Urayasu D-Rocks gained a confidence boost ahead of next week’s promotion/relegation series against Division Two champions Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi, by beating Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 34-21 on Friday to secure just their third win.
Mie Honda Heat had a more underwhelming preparation, copping a 67-22 hiding from Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo, which allowed TJ Perenara’s side to equal the club’s previous best placing in the league of seventh.
Heat will play Hanazono Kintetsu Liners after Quade Cooper’s side thrashed the Shuttles 38-7 to claim the section’s second spot in the series.
Veteran Wallaby Will Genia scored his 10th try of the season in Kintetsu’s win.
AloJapan.com