RUGBY IN JAPAN NEWSLETTER Vol.11, No.3

The Rugby in Japan newsletter from Ian McDonnell is now into its 11th year.

RiJ is still catching up. Enjoy the read.

Contents

• Japan Rugby Top League 2013-14: Stage Two, Round 7 (Final)

• Japan Rugby Top League Team Profiles 2013-14 (15) Kubota

• Top Challenge One, Round Two

• The 50^th National University Championship 2013-14-Final

Japan Rugby Top League 2013-14

Stage Two, Round Seven

Group A

Date	Team	Score	Team	K/O	Venue
Sat, 18 Jan 2014	Suntory (1T)	22-19	Yamaha (3Ts)	14:15	Chichibu, Tokyo
Sun, 19 Jan 2014	Panasonic (3Ts)	27-15	NEC (2Ts)	12:00	Nishikyogoku, Kyoto
	Canon (3Ts	18-24	Toyota (2Ts)	14:15	Nishikyogoku, Kyoto
	Kobe (6Ts)	38-36	Toshiba (5Ts)	13:00	Kobe, Hyogo

Group B

Date	Team	Score	Team	K/O	Venue
Sat, 18 Jan 2014	Ricoh (4Ts)	28-13	Kubota (1T)	12:00	Chichibu, Tokyo
	NTT Docomo (6Ts)	38-12	Toyota Industries (2Ts)	12:00	Hanazono, Osaka
	Kintetsu (5Ts)	38-14	NTT Comm. (2Ts)	14:00	Hanazono, Osaka
Sun, 19 Jan 2014	Coca-Cola (7Ts)	37-26	Kyuden (4Ts)	14:15	Level 5, Fukuoka

Stage Two Round Six Wrap-up

Group A

In the only Group A game on Saturday, Suntory Sungoliath beat Yamaha Jubilo 22-19 at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo. The Sungoliath as the defending Top League champions had already booked their place in the play-offs but Yamaha had to beat Suntory as they were in a three-way battle with Toshiba and Kobe for the final two places in the play-offs. Suntory lead 13-0 at the break on the back of a try to wing Daishi Murata and the conversion and two penalties to centre Ryan Nicholas.  However, Yamaha fought back in the second half with tries to No8 Kyosuke Horie and fullback Ayumu Goromaru and the two conversion by Goromaru putting Jubilo in front 14-13. Two further Nicolas penalties pushed Suntory into the lead 19-14 only for replacement halfback Yuki Yatomi to tie up the scores at 19-all with the third Yamaha try in the thirty-fifth minute. Nicholas then won the game for Suntory with his fifth successful penalty in the eighty-third minute of play.

On Sunday, in the first game of a double header at the Nishikyogoku Sports Park in Kyoto, Panasonic Wild Knights defeated NEC Green Rockets 27-15. Panasonic have swept all before them in Group A with seven straight wins to top the table on 36 points and consequently enter the play-offs as the top ranked side. Although NEC finished second in Pool A, it was a contrast of fortunes in Group A with seven straight losses to finish in last place in the group. NEC led Panasonic 10-7 at the break but could not go on with it in the second half even though they still held the lead 15-10 at the seventy-minute mark. No8 Sione Vatuvei and wing Akihito Yamada added tries over the final ten minutes while Berrick Barnes potted both conversions and a penalty to put the sword to the Green Rockets.

In the other game in Kyoto, Canon Eagles went down 24-19 to Toyota Verblitz. The Eagles have proved to be the surprise package of the season and their giant-killer attitude worried the Verblitz but the Eagles fell just short of victory. Canon were fighting to avoid the wooden spoon in this group and they did just that by picking up a losing bonus point forcing NEC into last place. On the other hand, Toyota finished with three wins in a row giving their confidence a much-needed boost heading into the Widcard tournament. Steven Yates scored two first half tries to set up a healthy 18-7 lead at the break and although Canon won the second stanza 12-6, Toyota had the overall runs on the board for the wind.

In the big crunch game in this group in the final round, Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers beat Toshiba Brave Lupus 38-36 in Kobe city. In a high-scoring game, the Steelers outscored the Brave Lupus six tries to five to collect maximum points from the match and consequently finish in third place on the table, one point ahead of Toshiba. Kobe and Toshiba picked up the final two places in the play-offs behind Panasonic and Suntory. Centre Jaque Fourie not only landed a hat trick of tries to finish the leading try scorer for the season but he also came away with the man-of-the-match award for his efforts.

Group B

In the first game of a double header at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo on Saturday, Ricoh Black Rams beat Kubota Spears 28-13 with a four-try bonus point to finish in the top half of the Group B table and move on to the Wildcard tournament. Kubota were under less pressure in this final round game as they were already heading to the Wildcard no matter what happened, but conversely the pressure brought out the best in the Black Rams. Ricoh lead 7-6 at halftime then exploded in the second half with three converted tries taking them out to a 28-6 lead by the hour mark. Although Kubota added a try to the scoresheet over the final quarter, Ricoh went on to take the game.

In the first game of a double header at the Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Ground in Osaka on Saturday, NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes were in a battle for Top League survival against Toyota Industries Shuttles and rose to the occasion with a 38-12 victory. Things were desperate for the Hurricanes as they sat in last place on the Group B table coming into this game with the bottom finisher in this group automatically relegated for next season. The Red Hurricanes lead 19-5 at halftime and then 38-5 late in the game before the Shuttles finished with a consolation try to close out the game. The win gave the Hurricanes 14 competition points, meaning Kyuden are the team dropped from Top League for next season.

In the other game at Hanazono, Kintetsu Liners went head to head with NTT Communications Shining Arcs coming out in front to the tune of 38-14. Kintetsu were playing on their home ground again and the Liners finished the rounds with a big five-tries-to-one win. Lock Luke Thomson and wing Rico Gear were among the try scorers as the home side built on their 21-7 halftime lead to run away with the game in the second period.

In the only Group B game on Sunday, Coca-Cola West Red Sparks played and beat Kyuden Voltex 37-26 at the Level Five Stadium in Fukuoka in an all-Kyushu derby. The loss consigns Kyuden to automatic relegation as the last-placed side in this group for what amounts to the second time after suffering the same fate at the end of the 2009-10 season. After only two seasons back in Top League, the Voltex will again have to play through the weak Kyushu regional league for a place back in the top flight of domestic Japanese corporate rugby. The Red Sparks safely avoided automatic relegation, but now run the gauntlet of the promotion and relegation play-offs.

Group A

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	BP1	BP2	Pts
1	Panasonic (+4)	7	7	0	0	224	105	119	4	0	36
2	Suntory (+4)	7	6	0	1	261	169	92	4	0	32
3	Kobe (+2)	7	4	0	3	223	194	29	5	1	24
4	Toshiba (+2)	7	4	0	3	181	151	30	2	3	23
5	Yamaha (+3)	7	3	0	4	168	177	-9	2	2	19
6	Toyota (+1)	7	3	0	4	127	188	-61	1	0	14
7	Canon (+1)	7	1	0	6	131	251	-120	0	3	8
8	NEC (+3)	7	0	0	7	130	210	-80	1	3	7

Group B

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	BP1	BP2	Pts
1	Kubota (+4)	7	5	0	2	166	103	63	2	1	27
2	Kintetsu (+3)	7	5	0	2	187	158	29	2	2	27
3	Ricoh (+2)	7	4	0	3	217	150	67	5	2	25
4	Toyota Industries (+3)	7	4	0	3	190	195	-5	4	0	23
5	NTT Comm. (+4)	7	3	0	4	158	210	-52	3	1	20
6	Coca-Cola (+1)	7	3	0	4	157	175	-18	3	3	19
7	NTT Docomo (+2)	7	2	0	5	152	160	-8	2	2	14
8	Kyuden (+1)	7	2	0	5	157	233	-76	3	0	12

Four points for win, two for draw, one bonus point for four tries or more (BP1) and one bonus point for losing by seven or less (BP2).

Leading Point Scorers

At the completion of Stage 1 and then Stage 2, Suntory centre Ryan Nicholas topped the point scorers list with 188 points.

	Name	Team	T	G	PG	DG	Pts.
1	Ryan Nicholas	Suntory	2	44	30	0	188
2	Ayumu Goromaru	Yamaha	3	34	28	0	167
3	Shaun Webb	NEC	2	18	31	0	139
4	Harumichi Tatekawa	Kubota	0	23	25	0	121
5	Ryohei Mitomo	Canon	1	33	14	0	113
6	Yasumasa Shigemitsu	Kintetsu	2	27	14	0	106
7	Yoshio Kimishima	NTT Comm.	2	28	11	0	99
8	Berrick Barnes	Panasonic	3	18	14	0	93
9	Takahiro Ogawa	Toshiba	3	16	14	0	89
10	Jaque Fourie	Kobe	17	0	0	0	85

Leading Try Scorers

At the completion of Stage 1 and then Stage 2, Kobe centre Jaque Fourie topped the try scorers list with 17 tries.

	Name	Team	Tries
1	Jaque Fourie	Kobe	17
2	Akihito Yamada	Panasonic	11
2	Kenta Tsukamoto	Suntory	10
4	Shindo Kamaike	NEC	9
4	Ryan Kankowski	Toyota Ind.	9
4	JP Pietersen	Panasonic	9
7	Tokiro Harada	Canon	8
7	Rikiya Asami	Toyota Ind.	8
7	Masakatsu Hikosaka	Toyota	8
7	Tomoki Kitagawa	Panasonic	8
11	Emosi Kauhenga	Ricoh	7
11	Radike Samo	Kintetsu	7
11	Hiraku Tomoigawa	NTT Comm.	7
14	Koliniasi Ryu Holani	Panasonic	6
14	Shuetsu Narita	Suntory	6
14	Tim Bennetts	Canon	6

Stage 2, Round 7 Man-of-the-match Awards

Date	Group	Teams	Score	Teams	MOTM
Sat 18 Jan 2014	B	Ricoh	28-13	Kubota	Tamati Ellison,
					Ricoh No.12
	A	Suntory	22-19	Yamaha	Ryan Nicholas,
					Suntory No.12
	B	NTT Docomo	38-12	Toyota Industries	Takuro Miuchi,
					NTT Do. No.8
	B	Kintetsu	38-14	NTT Comm.	Tadanobu Ko,
					Kintetsu No.15
Sun 19 Jan 2014	B	Coca-Cola	37-26	Kyuden	Masakazu Toyota,
					Coca-Cola No.6
	A	Panasonic	27-15	NEC	JP Pietersen,
					Panasonic No.13
	A	Canon	19-24	Toyota	Takaya Monji,
					Toyota No.10
	A	Kobe	38-36	Toshiba	Jaque Fourie,
					Kobe No.13

Top League Profiles 2013-14

(15) Kubota Spears

www.kubota-spears.com

2013-14 Introduction: In the 2010-11 season, after having played in every previous Top League season, Kubota finished second to last on the final Top League table and were automatically relegated back to the Top East regional division for the following season. In the 2011-12 season, Kubota made it through to the Top Challenge One series only to see Canon and Kyuden win promotion to Top League leaving the Spears in the regions for another year. Last season (2012-13), Kubota again made it through to the Top Challenge One series and although they were beaten 37-31 by Coca-Cola in the opening round, they went on to beat Toyota Industries 32-30 and Mitsubishi Dynaboars 40-17 to claim second place on the table and win promotion back to Top League for the expanded 2013-14 season. It is going to be anything but an easy ride for Kubota after two seasons out of Top League but with Toutai Kefu in his second year as head coach and a good balance in the squad that includes young Japan international playmaker Harumichi Tatekawa, Tongan international Kurt Morath and the former Highlanders pair of Alando Soakai and Kade Poki not to mention the blockbusting Seilala Mapusua  and Sam Norton-Knight in the backline the Spears are not going to be pushovers.

Established: The Kubota rugby team was established in 1978 with its company address in central Tokyo and training facilities in nearby Funabashi city in Chiba prefecture. Kubota went through the ranks of local Kanto Company Rugby from Division 4 in 1984 before finally gaining admission to the East Japan Company League in 1998. They finished 5^th that year and followed that up with 3^rd, 3^rd and 4^th over subsequent years. In 1990, to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the company, Kubota made rugby the official company sport. The full name for the team is Kubota Spears, with the image of the spear slashing through opposition defences.

The slogan for 2010-11 is “Being True”.

The Company: Kubota is mainly known as an agricultural machinery manufacturer, producing such things as tractors, rice planters and harvesters etc. However, they are also involved in construction machinery, vending machines, pumps, water and sewage treatment equipment and cast metals. Have a look at www.kubota.co.jp and go to the English page.

Titles:

Top League – none.

From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Microsoft Cup, the play-off series to determine the overall Top League champion. From the 2009-10 season, the Microsoft company did not renew their naming rights sponsorship and so the finals series became known as the Top League Play-off Tournament.

2012-13 (14 teams): DNP. Played in Top East.

2011-12 (14 teams): DNP. Played in Top East.

2010-11 (14 teams): 13^th on table on 11 points with 1 win, 1 draw and 11 losses. Automatically relegated to Top East.

2009-10 (14 teams): 6^th on table on 31 points with 6 wins and 7 losses.

2008-9 (14 teams): 6^th on table on 37 points with 8 wins and 5 losses.

2007-8 (14 teams): 8^th on table on 26 points with 5 wins and 8 losses.

2006-7 (14 teams): 8^th on table on 30 points with 5 wins, 2 draws and 6 losses.

2005-6 (12 teams): 8^th on table on 23 points with 4 wins, 1 draw and 6 losses.

2004-5 (12 teams): 6^th on table on 27 points with 5 wins and 6 losses.

2003-4 (12 teams): 8^th on table on 22 points with 4 wins and 7 losses.

National Championship – none.

After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.

For 2013, the Wildcard Tournament again featured six teams, that is, the six teams that finished fifth to tenth on the final Top League table for the 2012-13 season. In the first round, eighth placed NEC Green Rockets beat ninth placed NTT Communications Shining Arcs 38-14 and seventh placed Kintetsu Liners beat tenth placed Ricoh Black Rams 43-21. In the second round the following weekend, sixth placed Yamaha Jubilo beat Kintetsu 70-12 and fifth placed Toyota Verblitz beat NEC 41-23. The two winners from the second round in Yamaha and Toyota qualified for the National Championship as the Wildcard Qualifiers.

2013 (50^th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.

2012 (49^th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.

2011 (48^th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.

2010 (47^th NC - 10 teams): Lost to NEC 22-21 in Wildcard Tournament and thus DNQ.

2009 (46^th NC - 10 teams): Knocked out in first round by Suntory 62-17.

2008 (45^th NC - 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.

2007 (44^th NC - 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.

2006 (43^rd NC - 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.

2005 (42^nd NC - 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.

2004 (41^st NC - 22 teams): Beat IBM 32-14, but then lost to Kobe 52-12.

Corporate Championship – none. The Corporate Championship started in 1949 and ended with the 55^th Corporate Championship in 2003 as a consequence of the introduction of Top League as the national corporate league in the 2003-4 season.

Colours: orange jersey with navy shoulders, navy shorts and socks. The alternative jersey is sky blue with navy shoulders.

 Style of Play: As a company rugby club Kubota are relatively new, celebrating their 30^th year in 2008 and they are yet to win any major silverware. In the first seven seasons of Top League they managed to consistently finish mid-table and although they may lack the firepower of heavy weights like Toshiba, Panasonic and Suntory, they are definitely a team on the rise.

Kubota were under a new coaching regime for the 2010-11 season with Jun Sano taking over as head coach, but at the end of the season the Spears finished second last and were automatically relegated from Top League for the first time. To their credit, they regrouped and with Shunji Ishikura and Toutai Kefu taking over as coaches they fought their way back into Top League for the expanded 2013-14 season.

Over the years, Kubota have consistently managed to beat teams below them on the table while showing the same consistency in losing to teams higher on the table. Over the first seven years of Top League Kubota had never seriously been in the title hunt but at the same time they have never been threatened with relegation or relegation play-offs. They have been a team very much stuck in the middle with the best they have finished is sixth (three times), while the worst they have finished is eighth (four times), not including the season they were relegated.

For a number of years the style of play at Kubota was very much centred on their foreign players such as Toutai Kefu (retired at the end of the 2009-10 season) and Damian McInally (retired at the end of the 2008-9 season). By and large, however, the trend continues in 2013-14 with Sam Norton-Knight, Kade Poki and Seilala Mapusua in the backs this year to shoulder a lot of the responsibility at the Spears. However, there are also a number of local players with international experience such as centres Harumichi Tatekawa and Otukolo Katoni and a solid core of hardworking clubmen like back rower Kota Suzuki and wing Yasuhiro Negishi. Unfortunately though, the plight of clubs like Kubota is their inability to attract the cream of university players who tend to drift to the elite Top League sides. With the system skewed in the favour of the top sides in this respect, until an overhaul of the structure of Japanese rugby is done nothing much will change.

Kubota have tended to be very hot and cold, especially against the stronger teams in this competition and so consistency across the season is essential if they are to eventually crack that glass ceiling into the top four. It is not impossible but Kubota must win the games they are expected to win and then spring a few surprises over the top guns of Top League.

Players to Watch: As mentioned above, Kubota are not a team of standout stars but there are a number of experienced clubmen in the fold to pull the younger players along. In the forwards, flanker Kota Suzuki is in his tenth year with the club while the hard men of the front row are loosehead prop Hiroshige Tezuka, Korean prop Park Sung-Ku and hooker Kaname Ogiwara. Of course, in the pack is Alando Soakai and newcomer Joshua Fuimaono.

In the backs, the stand-out foreign players are Samoan centre Seilala Mapusua, playmaker Sam Norton-Knight who moved across from Panasonic in the off-season and former Highlanders outside back Kade Poki. Japan Sevens star Takashi Suzuki joined Kubota from Secom in 2009-10 and he adds to the experience in the side. Tongan born centre Katoni Otukolo was educated through high school and university in Japan and along the way managed to represent Japan at High School, U21, U23, University, Sevens and national levels. He earned 3 caps for Japan in the spring tests of 2005 under then head coach Mitsutake Hagimoto with two starts in the centres and one as a replacement on the wing. Adding great strength to Kubota in their return to Top League is the presence of Harumichi Tatekawa who has established himself in the japan national side under Eddie Jones in either the No.10 or No.12 jersey. His quality goal kicking will also be needed as the season progresses.

Cap holders for Japan in the current squad: (2)

In 2013, in the HSBC A5N series, Kubota were represented by five-eighth, inside centre Harumichi Tatekawa who had game time in all four tests. In the IRB PNC series, Kubota were again represented by Tatekawa who stated in all four tests. In the middle of the PNC series, Wales toured Japan for two tests and Kubota were represented by Tatekawa who started as five-eighth in both tests.

Harumichi TATEKAWA (557), 24 y/o (02/12/1989), 19 caps at five-eighth or inside centre.

Katoni OTUKOLO (Tonga/Japan) (470), 31 y/o (23/08/1982), 3 caps at centre, or wing.

The Coach: Shunji Ishikura is the manager while Toutai Kefu is the head coach at Kubota for the 2013-14 season. Ishikura and Kefu formed this partnership in the 2012-13 season as the team regained their place in Top League.

The Captain: lock Tatsuro Konno (28/11/1986) is in his third season as captain at Kubota for the 2013-14 season.

Losses: (3)

KIM Young-Nam (Korea), 35 y/o (23/07/1978), lock/flanker, 193/115, 10 caps for Korea, NTT Docomo 2008-9 and 2009-10, from Ricoh, after 2 seasons with club.

Hugh MCMENIMAN (AUS), lock/flanker, 26 y/o, 200/114, 1^st year. He was born in Brisbane and represented Australian School in 2001 from St Joseph’s Nudgee College before going through the Reds Academy to make his Super rugby debut in 2005. He has been plagued by shoulder, neck, ankle and knee injuries throughout his career and earned the nickname “madness” as a result of playing with injuries. As a Wallaby he made his debut against Samoa in 2005 and played in four of the five games for Australia at the RWC 2007 before playing the last of his 21 test against Wales in November 2008. After 2 seasons with club.

Michiru KASAKURA, 31 y/o (25/07/1982), halfback, 168/73, into company workforce after 8 seasons with club.

Gains: (8)

PAK Sung-Koo (Korea), 30 y/o (22/07/1983), prop, 180/113, 6 caps for Korea, from Yamaha, from NEC after 3 seasons with club.

Taiki KOGA, 24 y/o (16/04/1989), prop, 178/110, from Tsukuba University.

Kyohei TOMONAGA, 23 y/o (04/10/1990), lock, 184/101, from Meiji University.

Phillip Searle FINAU (Japan/Tonga), 24 y/o (15/02/1989), flanker, 178/99, from Daito Bunka University.

Shota HAGISAWA, 23 y/o (19/01/1990), flanker, 187/95, from Ryutsu Keizai University.

Sam NORTON-KNIGHT (AUS), 29 y/o (02/12/1983), five-eighth, 188/86, Brumbies (2005), Waratahs (2006 to 2009), Cardiff Blues (2009-10). He represented Australia A in 2005, 2006 and 2008 and earned two caps for the Wallabies in 2007 against Wales and Fiji. From Panasonic after 3 seasons with club.

Kade POKI (NZL), 26 y/o (17/01/1988), centre, 175/85, Highlanders.

Keita UCHIDA, 23 y/o (22/11/1990), fullback, 177/87, from Tsukuba University, he has represented Japan at High School level.

Overseas Players & Staff: (10 & 2)

Katoni OTUKOLO (Japan/Tonga), 31 y/o (23/08/1982), centre, 187/108, 8^h year, 3 caps for Japan, from Saitama Institute of Technology.

LEE Myung-Geun (Korea), 35 y/o (08/04/1978), halfback, 170/73, 5^th year. He has 12 caps for Korea and joined Kubota after two seasons with World.

Joshua FUIMAONO (NZL), 30 y/o (04/09/1983), flanker/No8, 189/106, 4^th year, from Gold Coast Breakers (Aus.). Australia U21 (2004), Queensland A (2005), Western Force S14 (2006), Secom (2007-8).

Alando SOAKAI (NZL/Tonga), 30 y/o (11/05/1983), flanker, 182/104, 3^rd year, Highlanders.

Seilala MAPUSUA (NZL), 33 y/o (27/02/1980), centre, 180/106, 3^rd year, 26 caps for Samoa and 7 for Pacific Islands.

Hoani MATENGA (NZL), 26 y/o, (13/04/1987), lock, 196/105, 2^nd year, Highlanders.

Erone TAKITAKI (Tonga/Japan), 28 y/o (07/04/1985), lock/No8, 184/120, 2^nd year, Saitama Institute of Technology, from Coca-Cola.

PAK Sung-Koo (Korea), 30 y/o (22/07/1983), prop, 180/113, 6 caps for Korea, from Yamaha, from NEC after 3 seasons with club.

Sam NORTON-KNIGHT (AUS), 29 y/o (02/12/1983), five-eighth, 188/86, Brumbies (2005), Waratahs (2006 to 2009), Cardiff Blues (2009-10). He represented Australia A in 2005, 2006 and 2008 and earned two caps for the Wallabies in 2007 against Wales and Fiji. From Panasonic after 3 seasons with club.

Kade POKI (NZL), 26 y/o (17/01/1988), centre, 175/85, Highlanders.

Toutai KEFU, head coach.

Martin HULME, athletic high performance manager.

The 2013-14 Squad: (49) the list starts with captain and vice-captains and then continues through forwards and backs in order from props to fullbacks. Family names are last.

Tatsuro Konno (c). Forwards: Hiroshige Tezuka, Park Sung-Ku, Mitsuhisa Goto, Wataru Iwazume, Taro Hatamoto, Yusuke Sato, Kenta Koike, Taiki Koga, Takayuki Kabuki, Kaname Ogiwara, Naomichi Tatekawa, Kota Suzuki, Hironori Maekawa, Hoani Matenga, Yuki Shishimoto, Yoshiki Niizeki, Kyohei Tomonaga, Alando Soakai, Takeru Owani, Joshua Fuimaono, Ryota Inahashi, Phillip Searle Finau, Hiroaki Sugimoto, Shota Hagisawa, Reiichi Tamura and Erone Takitaki. Backs: Myung-Geun Lee, Hayato Motegi, Daisuke Inoue, Sam Norton-Knight, Gintaro Takahashi, Hideyuki Moriwaki, Harumichi Tatekawa, Seilala Mapusua, Katoni Otukolo, Kade Poki, Akio Takano, Hironori Abe, Kenta Tanaka, Shingo Yoshida, Takashi Suzuki, Yasuhiro Negishi, Hidetaka Shibahara, Yuji Ito, Yuya Tensaka, Koji Mori, Takuya Miyata and Keita Uchida. Coach: Toutai Kefu.

 

Top League Promotion and Relegation: Top Challenge Series 2013-14

Round Two

Fukuoka Sanix Blues (Top Kyushu 1) 113 d Yokokawa Musashino Atlastars (Winner TC2) 7

Date: Sunday, 19 January 2014
Venue: Komazawa Stadium, Tokyo
Kick-off: 12:00

In a complete rout that does nothing else but make a mockery of the whole concept of the Top Challenge Series, Sanix whitewashed Yokokawa to the tune of 113-7. The Blues ran in nineteen tries, fourteen of which five-eighth Hiroshi Tashiro and wing Shusaku Hamazato converted. After running up a lead of 52-7 by the end of the first half, Sanix kept up the pressure bringing up three figures in the seventieth minute when centre Akira Natomi crossed for his third try of the afternoon.

Honda Heat (Top West 1) 28 d Mitsubishi Dynaboars (Top East 1) 19

Date: Sunday, 19 January 2014
Venue: Komazawa Stadium, Tokyo
Kick-off: 14:00

In the second game at the Komazawa Stadium, Honda defeated Mitsubishi Dynaboars 28-19 to move on step closer to automatic promotion back to Top League for next season. Mitsubishi led 12-11 at halftime but Honda had the better of the second half with No8 Tomasi Soqeta and lock Yutaro Kamada scoring tries while five-eighth Takahiro Furuya kicked two conversions and a drop goal to take the game well away from Mitsubishi.

Round Three

Sunday, 26 January 2014

Mitsubishi Dynaboars (Top East 1) v Yokokawa Musashino Atlastars (Winner TC2), Hanazono, Osaka, 12:00.

Honda Heat (Top West 1) v Fukuoka Sanix Blues (Top Kyushu 1), Hanazono, Osaka, 14:00.

50^th National University Championship 2013-14

Final

Sunday 12 January 2014
National Stadium, Tokyo

Teikyo University (1^st in Pool A) 41 d Waseda University (1^st in Pool D) 34

Teikyo University made it an unprecedented five university titles in a row when they beat Waseda University 41-34 in the final of the 50^th National University Championship at the National Stadium in Tokyo on Sunday 12 January 2014.

Waseda got on the scoreboard first with a converted try to right wing Takeshi Ogino inside the first minute of play but Teikyo struck back when lock Naohiro Kotaki touched down in the tenth minute. Teikyo captain Ryoto Nakamura playing at inside centre tried to levelled the scores but the conversion was unsuccessful leaving Waseda in front 7-5. Giant prop Ryota Fukamura then put Teikyo in front with a try in the twenty-third minute and this time Nakamura was on target to push out the score to 12-7. Waseda had the final say in the opening half with five-eighth Jumpei Ogura adding a penalty to take the sides to halftime with Teikyo holding a slender 12-10 lead.

The defending champions stormed out of the blocks in the second half with tries to wing Yasunari Isoda in the first minute and two tries to five-eighth Rikiya Matsuda in the twelfth and fifteenth minutes to blow out the score to 34-10. Waseda came back with Ogino touching down in the eighteenth and twenty-seventh minutes while centre Yuki Tsubogo scored in the nineteenth minute to narrow the difference to 34-19 with ten minutes to play. Hooker Atsushi Sakate added one more try for Teikyo while likewise Tsubogo touched down for Waseda but the clock wound down leaving Teikyo to celebrate as champions for the fifth year in a row.

Ian McDonnell can be contacted at ianmcdo@apost.plala.or.jp