Spears point the way with victory at Verblitz
KUBOTA Spears moved top of Japan Rugby League One with a 44-34 victory away to Toyota Verblitz. Tries from Haruto Kida, Shinobu Fujiwara, Malcolm Marx and a brace by Koga Nezuka put the visitors 36-10 ahead at half time.
However 19 unanswered points through Rob Thompson’s try and Yoshikatsu Hikosaka’s double put Verblitz within a score.
Despite Verblitz’s best efforts at a comeback, former Wallaby fly-half Bernard Foley brought his tally up to 14 points off the tee and Hailea sealed the win with a late crossover.
In yesterday’s other game, the Canon Eagles moved up to fourth with a bonus point win over the Black Rams.
The Eagles came out the blocks firing with converted tries by Brandon Inoke and Marais but the Rams hit back with SP Maira’s touchdown and eight points from the boot of Matt McGahan. But Naoto Shimada and Mitchell Brown touched down as the Eagles coasted to their fourth win of the season.
Today’s action sees the Wild Knights visit an NEC Green Rockets outfit that is struggling for confidence, and seems to have run out of points, with just 19 scored in their last 240 minutes of play.
Shizuoka’s first win of the season last weekend should give the Blue Revs plenty of swagger as they visit Will Genia’s battling
Hanazono Kintetsu Liners, while the mid-table clash on the same afternoon provides Kobe and the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars an opportunity to end unwelcome streaks.
Kobe have lost their last three, while their hosts have a draw and a loss from their most recent outings.