Bok star gives League convert a rugby lesson

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ROUND SIX WRAP: A few Springbok players grabbed the headlines in Round Six of Japan Rugby League One.

Two-time NRL premiership winner Joseph Manu didn't have to look far for inspiration in terms of what he needs to do if he is to master his new code.

Manu's sixth game of Rugby Union ended in defeat when Verblitz lost to the Eagles on Saturday.

The Eagles were led to their 24-20 victory by Springbok midfielder Jesse Kriel, who gave his novice opponent a lesson.

Kriel scored his fourth try of the season and was influential in two more.

The Wild Knights succumbed to 'generosity' late in their match with Urayasu D-Rocks, giving up tries in the 79th and 81st minutes to cut their winning margin to 27 in a 53-26 victory.

Now winless after their first six matches, D-Rocks continue to find the step up from Division Two challenging, and they were out of business by half-time at Kumagaya, swamped by four tries as the hosts romped ahead 32-5.

The Wild Knights eventually finished with seven, two of which were claimed by former Super Rugby utility back Vince Aso, while the game featured tries for both Springbok forwards on display.

Lood de Jager crossed for the league-leaders, while loose forward Jasper Wiese made it back-to-back tries for D-Rocks, having scored in his previous outing against the Kobe Steelers.

After returning from the shoulder injury, he sustained in last term's final during the Wild Knights win over Verblitz in the previous round, De Jager continued his comeback with a solid 50-minute workout, which included a try, as well as a deft back flick pass in the lead-up to the second of Aso's scores.

The 32-year-old's progress will be encouraging for Wild Knights coach Robbie Deans, as it will for his South African counterpart, Rassie Erasmus, whose depth in the position was tested by injuries last year.

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Meanwhile, 18 points from flyhalf Mikiya Takamoto led Sungoliath to their second win of the season, knocking Blue Revs out of the top four in the process, as the visitors powered to a 33-14 win at Yamaha Stadium On Saturday.

The leading point-scorer in the competition with 80, two ahead of the Wild Knights flyhalf Kyohei Yamasawa, Takamoto has three tries amongst his tally and has only been held to a single-digit contribution once.

The Blue Revs, who had memorably upset the defending champions, Brave Lupus Tokyo, in the previous round, led 14-13 shortly after the start of the second half but were held scoreless for the final 35 minutes as Sungoliath scored three tries to finish the job.

Despite the absence of internationals, Springbok wing Cheslin Kolbe and All Black loose forward Sam Cane, Sungoliath overcame the concession of the day's first try – a brilliant length-of-the-field effort by rising star Valynce Te Whari – to lead 13-7 at half-time.

They kept control despite Shizuoka briefly getting their noses in front after the competition's top try-scorer, wing Malo Tuitama, bagged his ninth try from six outings, to raise local hopes.

In the end, Sungoliath won comfortably, scoring the final three tries, including a skilful effort by loose forward Tamati Ioane who regathered a ball that bounced off his chest then his head, before regaining control and racing to the goal-line.

The win continued the Sungoliath stranglehold over Shizuoka which has seen the Fuchu-based side unbeaten from the last 15 occasions that the two sides have met.

The Blue Revs' second defeat of the season came with added cost, as the denial of any bonus points helped the Eagles and Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay jump above them on the standings.

After having to wait until the fifth round for their first win, Sungoliath are now seventh, and within striking distance of the play-off positions.

Their next assignment is another tricky one when they head to Kansai to face a Kobe Steelers outfit shooting for four straight wins on their home patch.

Despite the concession of an early eight-point deficit, Dave Rennie's side had too much firepower for the Black Rams Tokyo, who were run ragged as they slumped to their heaviest defeat of the season in a 15-44 loss.

Former Chiefs wing Ataata Moeakiola led the way, bagging two first-half tries for the home team, who finished with six, including one by Brodie Retallick.

The Kobe skipper had an interesting afternoon, being yellow carded in the first half for a professional foul, before returning to gallop 30 metres for his fifth try of the campaign, swatting away three defenders as he went.

The try saw the All Black lock rise to the top of the standings among the competition's try-scoring forwards.

The Spears are also on the rise, with the 2022-23 champions moving into the top four after disposing of Sagamihara Dynaboars 40-12, blowing the home side away with 27 points in the second half. Wing Haruto Kida scored two of their six tries.

The competition's breakout star during the championship-winning campaign, where he scored 16 tries, Kida was quieter last term when restricted to four, but the 25-year-old is building up momentum again, having gathered as many tries as he did in the entire 2023-24 season from his last three appearances.

But for some errant goal-kicking, which saw the Spears miss four of eight attempts in the absence of Wallaby sharpshooter Bernard Foley, the damage to Sagamihara could have been greater than the 28-point margin they conceded.

Sunday's only match saw Brave Lupus set the scene perfectly for next weekend's grand final rematch against the Wild Knights after Todd Blackadder's men recorded a comfortable 35-12 win over the Heat.

Despite being held to a 7-5 half-time lead after an even first period, Brave Lupus piled on the pressure after the break, with two tries in four minutes putting paid to Heat's hopes of avoiding a fourth consecutive defeat.

All Black loose forward Shannon Frizell, who scored nine tries in his maiden season in Japan last term, picked up his third of the title defence to get the scoreboard moving, while the hero of the grand final, Brave Blossoms wing Jone Naikabula, also contributed among the defending champions' four second-half tries.

Impressive fullback Takuro Matsunaga, who is handling the goal-kicking ahead of All Black Richie Mo'unga this term, showed why as he converted all five of Brave Lupus' tries, the first of which he scored himself, with the 15-point haul moving him to third on the individual rankings for point's scored.

Additional source: AAP

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