RUGBY IN JAPAN NEWSLETTER Volume 10, No.8

CONGRATULATIONS RIJ newsletter celebrates it’s 10th anniversary

RiJ reports on the semi-finals of the National Championship with Kobe upsetting Toshiba to make their first final since 2004 while Suntory keep rolling on with a solid win over Panasonic as they look to defend their national title next Sunday.

Enjoy the read.

Ian McDonnell lives and works in Japan. He can be contacted at ianmcdo@apost.plala.or.jp

CONTENTS

• The 50th National Championship 2013 Round 2

The 50^th National Championship 2013

Prior to 2009, the National Championship had an 8-team format for three years, but from 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with the inclusion of two extra Top League sides. Thus, the National Championship now involves six Top League sides, the two top university teams, the winner of the Top Challenge Series and the Top Club team. The first round of the 50^th National Championship 2013 kicks off on Saturday, 02 February 2013.

The top four finishers on the final Japan Rugby Top League table automatically qualify for the National Championship. At the completion of all thirteen rounds of the 2012-13 Top League season, Suntory Sungoliath topped the table followed by Toshiba Brave Lupus, Panasonic Wild Knights and Kobelco Steel Kobe Steelers. These four teams also participate in the Top League Play-off semi-finals with the two teams taking part in the final, that is, Suntory and Toshiba, receiving byes over the first two rounds of the National Championship.

In 2010, the Wildcard Tournament was introduced for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. These six sides played off over two weekends to determine the final two Top League participants after the top four Top League finishers gained automatic qualification. In the 2013 Wildcard Tournament, Toyota Verblitz and Yamaha Jubilo qualified for the National Championship.

The two universities that participated in the 49^th National University Championship final gained admission to the National Championship. Teikyo University defeated Tsukuba University in the final and consequently Teikyo qualified as University 1 and Tsukuba qualified as University 2.

In 2013, Kubota Spears (Top East), Toyota Industries Shuttles (Top West), Coca-Cola West Red Sparks (Top Kyushu) together with Mitsubishi Dynaboars as the winner of Top Challenge Two contested the Top Challenge One series with Coca-Cola as the winner gaining automatic entry to the National Championship as the Top Challenger.

In 2013, in the final of the 20^th National Club Championship Rokko Fighting Bull (Kansai 1) beat Hokkaido Barbarians (Kanto 1) 49-0 to qualify for the National Championship as the Club Champion.

Semi-finals

Date: Saturday, 16 February 2013

Kobelco Steel Kobe Steelers (Top League) 31 d Toshiba Brave Lupus (Top League) 29

Venue: Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Ground, Osaka
Kick-off: 14:00
Referee: Taizo Hirabayashi
Attendance: 5,392

Preview
Kobelco Steel Kobe Steelers have played their way through from the first round beating Toyota 20-5 and Coca-Cola 45-29 along the way to set up this semi-final clash with Toshiba Brave Lupus at the Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby ground in Osaka on Saturday afternoon. On the other hand, Toshiba as finalists in the Japan Rugby Top League Play-off series enter the fray of the 50^th National Championship here at the semi-final stage. Toshiba finished second on the final Top League table and close behind Kobe finished fourth. These two sides met in round eleven back in mid December with Toshiba just getting home 29-27 and this semi-final encounter promises to be another close fought affair. Toshiba have had three weeks off to prepare for this game after losing the Top League final to Suntory back in late January whereas Kobe have been playing themselves back into form over the early stages of the Championship. It thus comes down to the never-ending dilemma of whether it is better to keep playing rugby or have time off in the lead up to major knock-out games but the fact remains that the slate will be wiped clean in the preparation of both sides. Flanker Daiki Hashimoto as captain will play a crucial role for Kobe while the combination of Craig Wing and Jaque Fourie in the centres will be one of the strong points on their line up in both attack and defence. Meanwhile, Toshiba may think they have the edge up front in the forwards with the likes of lock Hitoshi Ono and flanker Steven Bates leading the way while the kicking form of five-eighth David Hill could tip the result one way or the other.

Wrap-up

Kobelco Steel Kobe Steelers played their way into the final of the 50^th National Championship with a pulsating 31-29 win over the higher ranked Toshiba Brave Lupus at the Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby ground in Osaka on Saturday afternoon. Kobe have won the national title a total of nine times, more than any other team, however, their last appearance in the decider was back in 2004 when they lost 22-10 to Toshiba with their last crown in 2001 when they had to share the spoils with Suntory after the final was drawn 27-all. Kobe stunned their more fancied rivals over the opening quarter with tries to fullback Kenji Shomen, wings Yuta Imamura and Yoshikazu Ohashi setting up a 19-0 lead forcing Toshiba to chase the game. Centre Jaque Fourie stretched the lead to 26-3 with a try early in the latter half and a second on the hour made it 31-10. Toshiba upped the ante over the final twenty minutes with tries to flankers Tomoaki Nakai and Steven Bates and No8 Masato Toyoda getting the Brave Lupus to within two points but time ran out with Kobe holding on for the win.

Suntory Sungoliath (Top League) 26 d Panasonic Wild Knights (Top League) 13

Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo
Kick-off: 14:00
Referee: Taku Otsuki
Attendance: 5,578

Preview
Like Kobe in the other semi-final, Panasonic Wild Knights have played their way through from the first round beating Yamaha 56-14 and Teikyo University 54-21 along the way to set up this semi-final clash with Suntory Sungoliath at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby ground in Tokyo on Saturday afternoon. On the other hand, like Toshiba, as finalists in the Japan Rugby Top League Play-off series Suntory enter the fray of the 50^th National Championship here at the semi-final stage. Suntory are still to be beaten this season and after defeating Toshiba in the Top League Play-off final in late January the Sungoliath are two wins away from taking the Top League and National championship double for the second year in a row. Suntory finished first on the final Top League table while Panasonic finished third. These two sides met in round seven back in October with Suntory running out convincing 34-20 winners but this semi-final encounter should be much closer. Suntory have all bases covered with a powerful starting line-up and incredible depth on the bench. Lock and captain Shinya Makabe is at the heart of the forwards in a pack that includes the skills of George Smith while the starting halves combination of Fourie du Preez and Kosei Ono will get the backs moving in the right direction. Tusi Pisi from the bench is a dynamic game breaker as he proved by winning the player-of-the-series award in the Top League Play-offs. Panasonic also have a top shelf line up with Daniel Heenan and Ryu Koliniasi Holani key figures in the forwards while Top League try scoring record breaker Akihito Yamada and goal kicking fullback Atsushi Tanabe are aces in the backs.

Wrap-up

The all-conquering Suntory Sungoliath kept their unbeaten record this season intact with a 26-13 win over Panasonic Wild Knights in the semi-finals of the 50^th National Championship and are now just one win away from taking the Top League and National Championship double for the second year in a row. Running into the face of a stiff breeze, Suntory took a slim 7-6 lead into the halftime break before dominating possession and territory over the latter half. Panasonic tackled themselves to a standstill but the workload told in the end with Suntory gradually pulling away on the scoreboard. Centre Ryan Nicholas landed an early penalty before right wing Daishi Murata found a hole in the Panasonic defence to touch down for the second Suntory try in the 23^rd minute. Nicholas converted the try then added a further penalty while Tusi Pisi potted an opportunist drop goal to widen the margin to 23-6 inside the final ten minutes of play. Sione Vatuvei pulled one try back for the Knights but a Nicholas penalty at the death sealed the impressive win leaving Suntory to face Kobe in the final at the National Stadium in Tokyo next Sunday.

Round Two

Date: Sunday, 10 February 2013

Kobelco Steel Kobe Steelers (Top League) 45 d Coca-Cola West Red Sparks (Top Challenger) 29

Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo
Kick-off: 12:00
Referee: Takashi Harada
Attendance: 6,469

Panasonic Wild Knights (Top League) 54 d Teikyo University (University 1) 21

Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo
Kick-off: 14:00
Referee: Kimitoshi Shiozaki
Attendance: 7,702

Round One

Date: Saturday, 02 February 2013

Kobelco Steel Kobe Steelers (Top League) 20 d Toyota Verblitz (Top League Wildcard) 5
Venue: Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Ground, Osaka
Kick-off: 12:00
Referee: Tomoyuki Matsugu
Attendance: 4,560

Coca-Cola West Red Sparks (Top Challenger) 47 d Tsukuba University (University 2) 15

Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo
Kick-off: 12:00
Referee: Kyosuke Toda
Attendance: 2,790

Teikyo University (University 1) 115 d Rokko Fighting Bull (Club Champion) 5

Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo
Kick-off: 14:00
Referee: Yuji Hosomomi
Attendance: 3,091

Panasonic Wild Knights (Top League) 56 d Yamaha Jubilo (Top League Wildcard) 14

Venue: Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Ground, Osaka
Kick-off: 14:00
Referee: Shuhei Kubo
Attendance: 4,977