Japan Rugby League One round five preview

Things might be about to get worse for Toyota Verblitz. Fresh off having let a 29-10 halftime lead slip against BlackRams Tokyo, they now must rouse themselves for one of the most daunting assignments in League One, visiting unbeaten Kubota Spears at their Tokyo home base, Spears Edoriku Field in eastern Tokyo.
The Spears are top-of-the table on differentials by one point over Saitama Wild Knights after they waltzed past Mie Honda Heat last weekend. In truth, they could be further ahead, but for taking their foot off the gas in the last quarter, which allowed a 45-0 advantage become a 45-21 full-time result.

The Spears’ current form is just one of Toyota’s problems. Arguably even bigger is that their opponents have never lost at Saturday’s venue, sending 21 opponents packing
since League One began five years ago. Frans Ludeke’s men are the league’s highest point-scorers thus far, having clocked up 207 in four games, 54 ahead
of the Wild Knights who are next best. Ominously, Toyota have the poorest defensive record, worse even than the two winless sides ranked below them on the current standings, with 162 points conceded at 40.5 per game.

That deficiency was on show for all to see against BlackRams Tokyo, who scored 27 unanswered points in the second half, at times exposing a wafer thin Verblitz defence, even when they were reduced in on-field personnel.
An emotional afternoon awaits in Hyogo as Kobelco Kobe Steelers welcome the BlackRams for the annual Memorial match to mark the 31st anniversary of the 1995 Kobe earthquake which devastated the city on January
16 of that year, claiming 6434 lives.

Over 200,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed in what became known as the Great Hanshin earthquake, which struck at a magnitude of 6.9 approximately 20 kilometers from Kobe.
The match is just one of several activities that will be conducted around the city to mark a solemn moment in the region’s history, including candlelight vigils, the release of floating lanterns to guide the spirit of the victims, as well as various ceremonies focusing on ensuring those lost lives that were lost are not forgotten. The circumstances may add extra fuel to coach Dave Rennie’s team talk, not that it is needed with the former Wallaby bosses’ charges flying after three wins on the bounce, including last weekend’s 22-20 nailbiter against Tokyo Sungoliath.

While Kobe are in good form, they are sure to be tested by the BlackRams, who arrive with back-to-back wins, and a swagger which suggests they might deliver on the promise of last term when they fell just short of the playoffs. They might be a two-time semi-finalist in League One, but the playoffs are the last thing on the mind of Yokohama Canon Eagles coach Leon MacDonald, who somehow must find a win against the Wild Knights at Kanagawa to prevent his side sliding to its fifth defeat this season.

A further loss would be Canon’s ninth in a row which would surpass the club’s previous worst run of defeats in nationwide leagues, when they lost eight across the 2014-15 season.
It would also be their 18th successive defeat against the Wild Knights, whom the Eagles last beat in 2013. With Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk on the long-term injury list, his place in the squad has been taken by
former All Black hooker Liam Coltman, who will make his debut off the bench. The visitors arrive in their usual form, largely untroubled in their opening four outings, and showing all the
qualities that have taken them to three of the four finals in the League One era, alongside the last two deciders in
the old Top League.

As always, the Wild Knights’ success is being built on constructing the meanest defense going, with just 44 points conceded so far, 53 less than the Spears, who are the only other side yet to let in three figures.
Shizuoka BlueRevs did briefly entertain hopes of unsettling Saitama, but their challenge dropped away in the second half of a 37-22 loss, after having led 15-8 at halftime. With just one win so far, Kwagga Smith’s side badly need a form reversal, but last year’s playoffs participants won’t find it easy against a Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars outfit who were done little justice by the scoreline in their
47-22 defeat against Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo last time, having trailed by six heading into the final 20 minutes.

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo are the next test of Urayasu D-Rocks’ playoffs credentials, with last season’s tailenders rapidly becoming the ‘feel good’ story of the season after compiling three wins in their opening four matches. The champions are a big step up for Graham Rowntree’s men, who will be without the star pairing of Wallaby Samu Kerevi and dual code man Israel Folau, while Springbok backrower Jasper Wiese is on the bench.
After their agonizing loss last time, which made it two defeats on the bounce, Sungoliath coach Kosei Ono will be expecting a response from his players when they host the winless Heat.
There are five matches across Divisions Two and Three in what is a split round for both sections.