Unbeaten Knights gear up for final battle

Saitama Wild Knights

take on Brave Lupus Tokyo for the League One title in a star studded first versus second battle.

Wild Knights are favourites having won all 17 of their games this year, but face a worthy adversary in Lupus, whose only loss came to Wild Knights in March, 36-24.

The teams are led by former Crusaders coach/ captain combination Robbie Deans (Wild Knights) and Todd Blackadder (Lupus), with a rich history between the sides who are first and second in the all-time title tallies in Japanese rugby’s 20-year professional history – Wild Knights with six, Lupus with five.

Lupus were last champions in 2010, and given the absence of trophies in Blackadder’s coaching career, they’ll be leaning on the vast winning experience of Richie Mo’unga and Michael Leitch.

Wild Knights – who have Marika Koroibete, Lood De Jager and Damian De Allende in their ranks – lost last year’s final defeat to Kubota Spears and are aiming to honour legendary Japan hooker Shota Horie’s farewell game with a victory. Wild Knights have nine on the trot against Lupus, as well as the 2014 and 2016 finals against them.

Suntory Sungoliath

secured third place by beating Canon Eagles 4033 with a last minute winner from Shota Emi.

Johan Ackermann and Greig Laidlaw’s Urayasu D-Rocks secured promotion with a second-leg 35-30 win over Kintetsu Liners to give them an aggregate win of 56-42.

D-Rocks will be the only promoted side given the aggregate victories for Honda Heat and Black Rams in their relegation play-offs.

Heat lost their second leg to Toyota Industries

24-15 with three first-half tries being the difference maker, but the advantage earned by their first leg win of 57-39 was enough.

Rams saw off Wayne Pivac’s with an aggregate score of 95-21.