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The All Blacks influence behind Japan Rugby League One contenders
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo are poised to become the second qualifier for the semi-finals in Japan Rugby League One when they take on Kobelco Kobe Steelers in a blockbuster finish to round 13.
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The pair will square off on Sunday afternoon in Tokyo with a win qualifying Brave Lupus for their second visit to the playoffs in three seasons, while doing serious damage to their opponents’ hopes of featuring in the competition’s knockout stages.
Todd Blackadder’s Brave Lupus have been beaten just once in 12 matches, losing 36-24 to the unbeaten Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights in a game which could prove a prelude to next month’s grand final.
Blackadder oversaw the most remarkable run by any side in Super Rugby history in 2011 when his Crusaders outfit went an entire season without playing at home – after the Christchurch earthquake wrecked the now defunct Lancaster Park – and still made it to the final.
The former All Black captain has revived the fortunes of Brave Lupus since he joined from Bath in 2019, presiding over 44 wins from 64 matches (69%), as well as taking the club to its first semi-final since 2015.
Among those wins are the last four games against Kobe, with last season’s double followed by a 46-39 win on Christmas Eve, which was notable for an astonishing four tries by the recently arrived All Black Shannon Frizell.
The 30-year-old was not known as a regular try-scorer when he joined the club, having managed just 19 from 68 matches for the Highlanders and eight in 33 test matches for New Zealand, but he has gained a taste for the goal-line in Brave Lupus colours, scoring eight from 12 appearances to rank third among try-scoring forwards in the competition.
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The backrower’s influence has complemented that of Blackadder’s other big name offshore recruit, All Black flyhalf Richie Mo’unga, who has more than repaid the faith of the coach who gave him his first a shot at Super Rugby as a youngster.
The most dangerous conjurer of tries in the league, with more assists than any other player, Mo’unga has also weighed in with 126 points, which included 16 in Toshiba’s earlier win over Kobe.
After their loss to third-placed Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath last weekend, Dave Rennie’s men are treading a fine line in terms of the semi-finals and could be nine points behind Yokohama Canon Eagles with three to play should they lose.
The fourth-placed Eagles open the weekend as part of a rare Friday night double, chasing maximum points against bottom side Hanazono Kintetsu Liners in Osaka, while the Wild Knights are also in action tomorrow as they seek an 18th win from their last 19 meetings with Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo.
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Saturday sees Shizuoka Blue Revs (6th) and Toyota Verblitz (7th) bid to keep their faint semi-final hopes alive against Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars respectively, while third-placed Sungoliath should inch closer to playoffs’ confirmation with a win over 11th-placed Mie Honda Heat.
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments