Todd Blackadder's Toshiba Brave Lobos Tokyo advanced to the semi-finals of the Japan Premier League Rugby League after a thrilling 40-40 draw with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Tokyo today.
Brave Lupus, who were without All Black Richie Mo'unga following the death of fly father Simon last week, did their absent star proud in the first half as they took advantage of a host of errors by the visitors to take a 33-14 half-time advantage.
Monga's substitute Takuro Matsunaga converted four of the Brave Lupus' five attempts in the first 40 minutes, as well as their only goal of the second half, which proved crucial as his side gradually collapsed in the face of Kobe's furious response.
Playing as if the second half was the grand final – which it might be – Kobe dominated possession and possession, but was initially held back by resilient defence, leading to a constant series of fouls as nerves frayed and the attackers retreated. Possession through forced passes or loose drives into contact.
However, Dave Rennie's side continued to push forward, and the former Wallaby coaches' men looked as if they might escape when the weight of the defensive effort finally took its toll on their opponents.
Three attempts between the 66th minute and the sixth minute of referee's time, which consisted almost entirely of goal-line resets on the Brave Lupus goal line, finally produced a score for Kobe, with All Black's Shannon Frizell being careless.
Combinations
Japan's premier rugby league
Toshiba Brave Wolf Tokyo
Tokyo Songoliat
This allowed the Steelers to exploit the extra space created by his absence for winger Junta Hamano to score wide.
That left former Chiefs flyhalf Bryn Gatland, the competition's top scorer, with a chance to win the game but after scoring twice from balls that hit the post, his luck ran out with the decisive kick flying wide.
With this draw, Kobe trails the fourth-placed Yokohama Cannon Eagles by seven points.
Although the Eagles still have a visit to the undefeated Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights, they may need to lose two of their final three to give Kobe a chance.
The Wild Knights remain top with a 50-26 win over Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo with their 13th win of the season led by two tries for the second straight week from Wallaby winger Marika Koroibete.
The Robbie Deans-coached side has made it three wins in its third regular season and is unbeaten in four since the restart in Japan after Covid.
'Believe it or not' Kubota Spurs Funabashi Tokyo Bay season continued on Saturday when the defending champions were denied access to referee time for the second straight week, remarkably surrendering a 31-0 halftime lead as they were tied at 31-31 by Shizuoka. Blue Revs are in the second draw of the weekend.
The Blue Reeves team, for which dual international Charlie Piutau scored two goals, was seeking its first home win over Spurs since 2006 and could have ended that barren run had Kegen Faria not spoiled his team's last attempt from an easy corner, three minutes later. From the beginning. extra time.
The unlucky winger had sunk his previous effort from the sideline.
Kubota conceded two tries in a crazy final 10 minutes of action with 13 players after two of them were shown yellow cards, including former Wallaby player Bernard Foley, who was sent off for a neck tackle.
Foley had earlier scored his second attempt in as many weeks as part of Kubota's big lead.
Fiji-born midfielder Viliami Takayawa was the Eagles' main man on Friday night, scoring four goals during his team's 52-33 win over the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners.
The other matches saw two attempts from Beauden-Barrett to help Toyota Verblitz achieve two consecutive victories for the first time, defeating Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynamos 34-20, while third-placed Tokyo Suntory Singoliath defeated Mi Honda Heat 60-10.
