Month: March 2023

Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath VS Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights

(Author: Azul, March 30, 2023)

On 11 March 2023, I went to Chichibunomiya Rugby Ground in Minato Ward, Tokyo, to watch the 11th League One match between Suntory Sungoliath and Panasonic WildNights. The match was the same combination as last season’s League One final, so the crowd was extraordinary.

The paid attendance was 19,076, almost a full house.

The day was also blessed with fine weather, warm and spring-like, and people could be seen wearing light clothing. As it was a home game for Sungoliath, the yellow cheering merchandise was noticeable.

Let’s take a look at the standings of the two teams at the start of Section 10 of League One.

2022-23	League One Order(Division 1)	2023.3.11
ranking	team	Win	Lose	Even	WP	GD
1	Saitama Wildnights	10	0	0	45	210
2	Kubota Spears	8	1	1	38	169
3	Tokyo Sungoliath	8	2	0	37	144
4	Yokohama Eagles	6	2	2	33	153
5	Tokyo Brave Lupas	5	5	0	26	103
6	Black Rams Tokyo	5	6	0	23	41
7	Sagamihara Dynaboars	4	5	1	20	-96
8	Kobe Steelers	4	7	0	19	-88
9	Toyota Verblitz	4	6	0	18	-69
10	Shizuoka Blue Revs	2	6	2	17	-1
11	Green Rockets Tokatsu	2	8	0	9	-205
12	Hanazono Riners	0	10	0	1	-361
	WP=Winning Point
	GD=Goal Difference

There were a few upsets in the Section 10 games.

Eighth-placed Shizuoka Blue Revs drew with fourth-placed Canon Eagles. However, they dropped two places in the standings.

Next, 10th-placed Toyota Verblitz moved up one place as they beat third-placed Suntory Sungoliath.

The teams in fifth to tenth place have a small difference in points, so they move up or down a couple of places depending on the win or loss in that section.

Let’s take a look at the two teams that played on the day.

First, an update on home team Suntory Sungoliath.

Sungoliath were the second-placed team last season and played a competitive game in the final. Naturally, they are favourites to win the championship again this season, but looking at their record this season, they have already suffered two defeats by the end of the tenth round. Some expect them to drop down the table from last season, especially as they lost to tenth-placed Toyota Verblitz in the 10th round. Against the teams at the top of the table, their vaunted attacking prowess does not seem to be translating well enough. Now, I will be interested to see how Sungoliath will fare against leaders WildNights. Today’s starting line-up was as follows.

Suntory Sungoliath
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Kenta KOBAYASHI	181cm	112kg	23
2	Shunta NAKAMURA	178cm	100kg	28	Japan　0cap
3	Shinnosuke Kakinaga	180cm	115kg	30	Japan　11cap
4	Tui Hendrik	188cm	110kg	35	Japan　47cap
5	Harry HOCKINGS	206cm	118kg	24
6	Kanji SHIMOKAWA	188cm	105kg	23	Japan　0cap
7	Kai YAMAMOTO	177cm	98kg	22
8	Tevita TATAFU	183m	124kg	26	Japan　14cap
9	Yutaka NAGARE	166cm	75kg	30	Japan　29cap
10	Aaron CRUDEN	175cm	82kg	33	New Zealand  50cap
11	Tevita Li	182cm	95kg	27
12	Ryoto NAKAMURA	181cm	92kg	30	Japan　30cap
13	Shogo NAKANO	186cm	98kg	25	Japan　5cap
14	Seiya Ozaki	175cm	85kg	27	Japan　4cap
15	Kotaro MATSUSHIMA	178cm	88kg	29	Japan　46cap

＊＊　 Player to watch　＊＊

Ryoto NAKAMURA. 181 cm, 92 kg, 30 years old. Position = CTB. Japan national cap = 30. a key player in Sungoliath’s team, who builds attacks and plays a key role in the defence. He was a SO in high school and university, so he has a bird’s-eye view of the whole ground. He also has a strong physical strength and is more than capable of dealing with top-class overseas players on a physical level.

Next, I would like to introduce today’s opponents, the Panasonic WildNights.

Panasonic WildNights is the absolute champion, having reached the top of the Japan Rugby Professional League for two consecutive seasons in the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons, and are undefeated so far this season, aiming for a third consecutive title. The WildNights have a way of going about their business and even when they take an early lead, they always manage to turn it around and win the game in the second half of the match. All eyes will be on which team will be able to stop the WildNights’ winning streak. The starting line-up for the day is as follows:

Panasonic Wild Nights
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Keita Inagaki	186cm	116kg	31	Japan 44cap
2	Atsushi Sakade	180cm	104kg	28	Japan 32cap
3	Shohei HIRANO	178cm	120kg	29
4	Liam MITCHELL	197cm	117kg	27
5	Lood De JAGER	206cm	127kg	30	Soth Africa 65cap
6	Ben Gunter	195cm	120kg	24	Japan 2cap
7	Lachlan Boshier	191cm	104kg	27
8	Jack CORNELSEN	195cm	110kg	28	Japan 11cap
9	Taiki KOYAMA	171cm	74kg	28	Japan
10	Rikiya Matsuda	181cm	92kg	28	Japan 29cap
11	Ryuji Noguchi	177cm	83kg	27	Japan 14cap
12	Damian De ALLENDE	190cm	105kg	31	Soth Africa 68cap
13	Dylan Riley	187cm	102kg	25	Japan 9cap
14	Tomoki OSADA	179cm	90kg	23
15	Takuya Yamasawa	176cm	84kg	27	Japan 6cap

The reason for WildNights’ absolute strength is their depth of players. The starting line-up is a gorgeous team of players representing the strongest countries, a sort of World Selected Team.

＊＊　Player to watch 　＊＊

Tomoki OSADA. 179 cm, 90 kg, 23 years old. Position = CTB,WTB. captain of Waseda University in the 2021-2022 season. He was selected as a starter for the first time this season for the WildNights, a team with a strong group of players. Has been selected for the national team in each age group and is expected to become the next generation’s national representative. His ability to read the flow of the game and react ahead of time is something that has been cultivated through natural ability and daily hard work.

So, let the match begin.

4 minutes into the first half:

Sungoliath were feeling it early in the game. The game started with both sides kicking several kicks towards the opposition. Sungoliath’s WTB OZAKI received the ball on the right side of the field a little way into the enemy territory, and he put up a small punt behind the enemy line, where Sungoliath’s BK players gathered, CTB NAKANO caught the ball and ran into the in-goal and scored the first try in the middle right. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and Sungoliath led the game with the score 7-0.

18 minutes into the first half:

Around the 16th minute, Sungoliath almost scored a try, but video judgement ruled it a no try, and the WildNights regrouped and kicked an in-goal drop-out ball that went to Sungoliath’s WTB OZAKI, who took a short punt and rolled it forward for OZAKI. short punt and rolled it forward. He then caught it himself and tried to score a try in the right corner of the enemy in-goal, but WildNights WTB NOGUCHI stopped him just before the try. A video decision was made and WildNights’ NOGUCHI’s tackle was infringed as he went before Sungoliath’s OZAKI had possession of the ball. A certified try was awarded as it would have been a Sungoliath try without this infringement. Because of the certified try, seven points were added to Sungoliath’s tally, making the score 14-0. The infringement also resulted in WildNights’ NOGUCHI being temporarily sent off for 10 minutes.

30 minutes into the first half:

Sungoliath were defensively aware on this occasion, and even when WildNights came close to scoring in front of the in-goal, they were able to win the ball back in a tight battle, making it difficult for them to score.

WildNights were unable to score a try, but they did cross the enemy 22m line, almost in front of the goal posts, and were awarded a PG following an infringement by their opponents. WildNights’ SO MATSUDA made a steady success of this, and the three points were returned. The score was 14-3.

33 minutes into the first half:

Sungoliath opted for a PG after an opponent’s high tackle infringement between the 10m and 22m lines in enemy territory, and Sungoliath substitute SO TAMURA made a fine PG from a rather difficult position to make the score 17-3, again taking the lead by 14 points. The score was 17-3.

The first half ended with the score at this level, Sungoliath were pushed deep into their own half by WildNights, but a tenacious defensive display from their FW players ensured that WildNights were not able to score a try.

As you can see from the photos, it was a perfect day to watch the game, with high temperatures. The match also allowed loud cheering, albeit with the condition that masks were worn. The stadium also returned to an atmosphere befitting a hotly contested match.

Now for the start of the second half.

Let’s start the second half.

5 minutes into the second half:

As WildNights, they needed to score first to bring their usual winning pattern into play. At the start, the densely-packed battle was evenly matched between the two teams. However, once the WildNights got into enemy territory, FL BOSHIER and WTB OSADA exchanged passes with each other on the right flank, and after a quick move forward, BOSHIER scored a try in the middle on the right. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and WildNights made the score 17-10.

8 minutes into the second half:

WildNights’ first score of the second half may have been a counter-attack, as Sungoliath quickly fought back. from the kick-off after the try, Sungoliath connected with the ball and No.8 TATAFU got behind the WildNights’ defensive net. Sungoliath were caught just in front of the in-goal, but from the density created here, Sungoliath quickly moved to the right and CTB NAKAMURA connected with WTB OZAKI, with OZAKI scoring a try on the right edge of the enemy’s in-goal. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and Sungoliath again outscored WildNights with the score 24-10.

13 minutes into the second half:

The WildNights players became more focussed at this time and began to steadily win the ball when they had the chance, and after a foul on the opposition in front of the enemy goal on the left, the WildNights won the ball in their own lineout and quickly moved forward in a maul, with FL.　BOSHIER scored a try in the middle left of the enemy in-goal. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 24-17.

14 minutes into the second half:

With both teams now trading points, Sungoliath quickly started a series of attacks, going wide left and right. The WildNights’ CTB RILEY intercepted a Sungoliath pass from the SO to the CTB and ran through to score a try just under the opposition’s goalposts. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and the score was finally tied 24-24.

20 minutes into the second half:

The WildNights went on the offensive at this time of the half and Sungoliath, determined to stay on the losing side, made a series of attacks, but Sungoliath’s passes were forcibly deployed and the WildNights were able to steal them on a number of occasions. The WildNights took the ball and SO MATSUDA calmly found space in front of the enemy goal post, rolled in a punt and FB YAMAZAWA ran in to hold up the ball for a try. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and the score was 24-31 to the WildNights.

26 minutes into the second half:

In the second half, Sungoliath were passing the ball even when they were in an impossible position to be intercepted, while WildNights were not releasing dangerous passes, but a numerical advantage was formed as their followers ran to the opposite side. This allowed WildNights’ WTB OSADA to receive a pass and score a try right down the middle. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 24-38 and WildNights finally 14 points ahead.

33 minutes into the second half:

Sungoliath came close to scoring several times in the closing stages with a series of attacks on the opposition’s in-goal, but at the crucial moments, they threw difficult passes and cut off their own attacks. Conversely, WildKnights pushed forward from this point and came close to the opposition goal, which Sungoliath tried to stop, but committed an infringement, giving WildNights a PG opportunity in front of the in-goal. SO Matsuda converted it to make the score 24-41.

44 minutes of the second half:

Sungoliath finally had a chance to score towards the end of the game. From a lineout on their own ball in front of the in-goal on the right side of the opposition line, a maul was formed and they pushed forward for a try, but the WildNights rebounded. From here, Sungoliath moved to the left and the ball was finally passed to WTB OZAKI on the left side, who scored a try in the left corner of the enemy’s in-goal. The conversion goal after the try failed.

Sungoliath got their revenge with a try at the end of the match, but the final score was 29-41, and in the end it was a fair win for the leaders WildNights. However, Sungoliath also showed signs of a resurgence of strong attacking power that had not been seen in recent games. Expect a great match in the play-offs.

With five games remaining in League One for each team, will the WildNights continue their winning streak or will there be a team that can halt their winning streak? We look forward to the future of League One to give the Japanese national team momentum at RWC 2023.

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

Stop the war.

Peace to Ukraine

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

Yokohama　Canon　Eagles VS Shizuoka　Blue Revs

(Author: Azul, March 19, 2023)

The weather is turning spring-like in March, and from Friday 3 March until Friday 21 April, League One will be playing night matches. On this first night match (3 March), I went to Chichibunomiya Rugby Ground in Minato Ward, Tokyo, to watch the Yokohama Eagles vs Shizuoka Blue Revs match. Let’s have a look at the League One standings at the start of Section 10.

2022-23	League One Order(Division 1)	2023.3.3
ranking	team	Win	Lose	Even	WP	GD
1	Saitama Wildnights	9	0	0	40	195
2	Kubota Spears	8	0	1	38	184
3	Tokyo Sungoliath	8	1	0	36	151
4	Yokohama Eagles	6	2	1	31	153
5	Tokyo Brave Lupas	4	5	0	21	64
6	Kobe Steelers	4	5	0	19	-34
7	Sagamihara Dynaboars	3	5	1	16	-105
8	Shizuoka Blue Revs	2	6	1	15	-1
9	Black Rams Tokyo	3	6	0	14	-21
10	Toyota Verblitz	3	6	0	14	-76
11	Green Rockets Tokatsu	2	7	0	9	-158
12	Hanazono Riners	0	9	0	1	-352
	WP=Winning Point
	GD=Goal Difference

The Eagles, who play this day, are currently in fourth place, and the Blue Revs are currently in eighth place.

In the standings, you will notice that Blue Revs, who are in eighth place, have two wins, while Verblitz and Black Rams, who are in ninth and tenth place, have three wins but are higher in the standings. Blue Revs are an extremely tenacious team. They are a team with the ability to make the top teams suffer.

And the fans know it, with a crowd of 5,929 on the day.

Let’s take a look at the latest news from both teams.

First, let’s look at the Yokohama Canon Eagles, who are the home team on this day.

They are currently in fourth place and have secured a play-off place. Last season, they ran out of steam at the end of the season and missed out on the play-offs. This season, they have become more competitive and have played close matches against the top teams. However, there are still six games remaining, so we must not let up until the very end.

Today’s starting line-up is as follows.

Yokohama Eagles
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Takato OKABE	180cm	105kg	28
2	Yusuke Niwai	174cm	95kg	31	Japan 10cap
3	Tatsuro SUGIMOTO	175cm	110kg	26
4	Max DOUGLAS	201cm	112kg	22
5	Cory Hill	196cm	117kg	31	Wales 32cap
6	Sioeli VAKALAHI	178cm	110kg	24
7	Naoto Shimada	181cm	99kg	31	Japan
8	Sione HARASILI	180cm	120kg	23
9	Faf DEKLARK	172cm	88kg	31	South Africa 44cap
10	Yu Tamura	181cm	92kg	34	Japan 70cap
11	Masayoshi TAKEZAWA	176cm	86kg	27
12	Yusuke Kajimura	181cm	95kg	27	Japan 2cap
13	Jesse Kriel	185cm	95kg	29	South Africa 58cap
14	Inoke BURUA	178cm	95kg	23
15	Jumpei OGURA	172cm	80kg	30	Japan 4cap

＊＊　 Player to watch　＊＊

Faf DEKLARK. 172 cm, 88 kg, 31 years old. Position = SH. Caps for South Africa = 44. Commander of the South African national team, which was crowned world champions at RWC 2019. Continues to inspire the team with his combative style of play. He changes his passing path just before he gives the ball away, so opposing teams have to be prepared to defend against DEKLARK or they will get through his defensive net. He is a world-class player with a distinctive presence.

Next up are the visiting team of the day, the Shizuoka Blue Revs.

The Blue Revs are a strong team who were contenders for the top league title from 2014-2019. This season, they have dropped down to the bottom of the table, but have rarely suffered a complete defeat or a heavy defeat. They are always aggressive in their pursuit of victory and are a very worthwhile team for the team’s supporters to support.

Today’s starting line-up is as follows.

Shizuoka Blue Revs
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Kazuhiro KWADA	172cm	102kg	26
2	Takeshi HINO	172cm	100kg	32	Japan 5cap
3	Heiichiro ITO	175cm	115kg	32
4	Samuera ANISE	198cm	118kg	38	Japan 12cap
5	Murray DOUGLAS	198cm	115kg	33
6	Malgene ILAUA	187cm	107kg	29	Japan 7cap
7	Richard GOH JONES	177cm	93kg	23
8	Kwagga SMITH	180cm	94kg	29	South Africa 29cap
9	Bryn HALL	183cm	93kg	30
10	Kenta IEMURA	176cm	93kg	22
11	Chikara ITO	173cm	80kg	32	Japan 1cap
12	Viliami TAHITUA	183cm	102kg	31	Tonga 9cap
13	Hiroto KOBAYASHI	173cm	83kg	30
14	Eito MAKI	176cm	88kg	22
15	Keagen FARIA	183cm	85kg	28

＊＊　Players to watch　＊＊

Kwagga SMITH. 180 cm, 94 kg, 29 years old. Position = FL, No. 8; South Africa Cap = 29. Despite being 180 cm tall, he continues to be a regular player in the South African national team’s FW players, who are all big men over 2 m tall. The League One teams know that SMITH is unstoppable one-on-one, so they have a special defensive system for him, but he still manages to break through.

So, let the match begin.

As for the match conditions on this day, the temperature was 9 degrees Celsius and there was almost no wind. The cold, I didn’t feel so much.

3 minutes into the first half:

Blue Revs had a PG opportunity from an opponent’s infringement in front of the enemy goal posts, 20 metres away. Blue Revs’ SH HALL scored this without incident to make the score 0-3.

15 minutes into the first half:

The Eagles advanced their position inside their opponents’ right 22m line on a penalty kick following an infringement by their opponents. Here, the Eagles gradually made progress with a series of attacks, mainly from the flanks, and finally No.8 Harasiri scored a try in the middle of the enemy in-goal on the right. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and the Eagles made the score 7-3.

29 minutes into the first half:

The Eagles had a PG opportunity in front of the enemy goal posts, 5 metres out, and Eagles SO Tamura converted to make the score 10-3.

35 minutes into the first half:

A Blue Revs infringement saw the Eagles advance deep into enemy territory on the right flank. Just beyond the enemy 22m line, from a my ball lineout on the right, a moderate mix of FW rushes and BK deployment saw the Eagles close in on the opposition in-goal. SH DEKLARK then stopped the opposition with a dummy pass and passed to SO TAMURA who looped around and scored a smooth, flowing try to the left centre without any pressure on TAMURA. The conversion goal after the try failed and the score, 15-3.

38 minutes into the first half:

Just as it looked like the first half was going to end, the Blue Revs made a big play to the delight of the entire crowd. Here, NO.8 SMITH, with the ball in his hands, overtook two of the opposition defenders and drove forward, dragging Eagles SH DEKLARK, who came in to tackle him, still further forward. He went on to drag three men into the in-goal to score a try.

The conversion goal after the try was missed, but the Blue Revs were seven points behind at 15-8 with this score at the end of the first half, and this big play by the Blue Revs’ SMITH, which was replayed on the electric board, made such a strong impression on the crowd that the whole place was in stitches for a few moments. It left a strong impression on the crowd.

The first half ended here, but the game was hotly contested and lived up to the expectations of the spectators who had gathered for this evening’s night-time game. What will the second half bring?

21 minutes into the second half:

For a while in the second half, the game was deadlocked and no goals were being scored. It was only after a change of players in the Eagles’ SH and SO that the game started to get going.

At the same time, the Blue Revs switched to Greene (number 22) at CTB, and the developing attack began to find its rhythm and break through the opposition’s defensive network. GREENE then developed to the left and FB FARIA scored a try in the in-goal in the middle left of the enemy line. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and the Blue Revs tied the score at 15-15.

31 minutes of the second half:

The game was leaning towards the Blue Revs at this time of the game. In attack, the Blue Revs started to push the Eagles forward, mainly through CTB GREENE, and in the scrums. Once the Blue Revs were pushed into their own in-goal, they regained the ball in a tight battle and connected with the ball from their own in-goal, and with an effective touch kick by SO IEMURA, they quickly advanced to the 22m line on the left side of the enemy line. Here, the Eagles secured the ball in their own lineout and attempted to connect and advance, but dropped the ball and committed a Not Release the ball infringement in a tight battle there, handing the Eagles the right to attack. From the penalty kick, Blue Revs No.8 Smith took advantage of a momentary lapse by his opponent and surged forward to score a try in the middle left corner. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and the Blue Revs finally succeeded in turning the tables. The score was 15-22.

Once again, Kwagga SMITH did the decisive work.

33 minutes into the second half:

Eagles, looking for a win at all costs, went on the offensive from the kick-off after the try, catching the Blue Revs’ kick for a positional recovery and counter-attacking from there. FB MARAIS (substitution), who received the ball, used his individual skills to get past four Blue Revs defenders, where he offloaded and passed to WTB TAKEZAWA, who scored a try in the left corner of the opposition’s in-goal. Eagles kicker OGURA succeeded with a PG from a difficult position in the left corner to level the scores at 22-22.

39 minutes of the second half:

The Eagles came out on the attack in the closing stages of the match, with both the FW and BK going all out in a maul, while the BK, led by FB MALLEY, tore through the opposition’s defensive network. The Eagles kicker was OGURA, who was slightly more comfortable kicking the PG than the previous conversion goal. So far this season, OGURA had enjoyed a 100% success rate in goal. However, the kick was unsuccessful as it deflected to the left of the goal post. Immediately afterwards, the Eagles’ HC SAWAKI’s bitter face appeared on the electronic board, and the stadium cheered.

In the end, the match ended with the score at that level, and was a draw. Note that the Man of the match was Blue Revs’ No.8 Kwagga Smith.

The fans in attendance applauded both teams for a good game. Thanks, players.

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

Stop the war.

Peace to Ukraine

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars VS NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu

(Author: Azul, March　8, 2023)

On 26 February 2023, Japan Rugby League One reached its ninth round and I went to Chichibunomiya Rugby Ground in Minato Ward, Tokyo, to watch the game. (Nearly half of my matches this season have been at Chichibunomiya Rugby Ground.)

League One has already played half of its matches this season, and as of 26 February, the standings are as follows.

2022-23	League One Order(Division 1)	2023.2.26
ranking	team	Win	Lose	Even	WP	GD
1	Kubota Spears	8	0	1	38	184
2	Tokyo Sungoliath	8	1	0	36	151
3	Saitama Wildnights	8	0	0	35	157
4	Yokohama Eagles	6	2	1	31	153
5	Tokyo Brave Lupas	4	5	0	21	64
6	Kobe Steelers	4	4	0	19	4
7	Sagamihara Dynaboars	3	4	1	15	-98
8	Shizuoka Blue Revs	2	6	1	15	-1
9	Black Rams Tokyo	3	6	0	14	-21
10	Toyota Verblitz	3	6	0	14	-76
11	Green Rockets Tokatsu	1	7	0	5	-165
12	Hanazono Riners	0	9	0	1	-352
	WP=Winning Point
	GD=Goal Difference

The four teams in the play-offs for the championship are now almost firmly established, with the Wildnights, Spears, Sungoliath and Eagles in the top four and points clear of the bottom five, with Bravelupas in fifth place still in with a chance of pulling the upset.

Conversely, the three teams at the bottom of the table, Liners (12th) and Green Rockets (11th), are almost certain to play for a place in Division 2. The remaining one team could be any of the teams in 7th to 10th place. It is a tough survival game.

If a team is relegated from Division 1 to Division 2, it will play significantly fewer games and attract fewer spectators, which means lower salaries for individual players and more players having their contracts terminated next season. The replacement competition is a battle for survival as a professional sports player.

And today’s game was a match between two teams who cannot afford to lose to each other in order to win the replacement game.

It’s between the Dynaboars, currently ranked seventh in League One, and the Green Rockets, currently ranked 11th.

Here are the latest updates on both teams.

First, an update on the home team of the day, the Sagamihara Dynaboars.

Last season, they finished third in Division 2 and beat NTT Shining Arcs in the replacement round to gain their long-awaited promotion to Division 1. Before the season started, most predictions were that the team would finish in the bottom half of the table, as they were promoted from third place in Division 2. However, the team has greatly surpassed those expectations, winning three games, losing one and drawing one by the fifth round, winning against last season’s top teams and becoming the eye of the storm in the first half of the season.

Today’s opponents, Green Rockets, were last in Division One last season, failing to win a single game, but survived to reach the round of fixtures and remain in Division One. For the Dynaboars players and fans, this was a game they did not want to lose. I expect a hot game.

Here is today’s starting line-up for the Dynaboars.

Dynaboars
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Hayato HOSODA	173cm	103kg	27
2	Yuki MIYAZATO	179cm	103kg	25
3	Tomoaki ISHII	182cm	120kg	27
4	Linde Makoto DANIEL	198cm	105kg	35
5	Walt STEENKAMP	203cm	121kg	27
6	Masataka TSURUYA	186cm	105kg	32
7	Yusuke SAKAMOTO	176cm	95kg	24
8	Jackson HEMOPO	194cm	112kg	29	NZ 5cap
9	Kota Iwamura	182cm	87kg	29
10	James SHILLCOCK	178cm	88kg	25
11	Nozomi NARA	180cm	93kg	26
12	Henry BRACKIN	180cm	95kg	34	Japan 7th
13	Curtis RONA	194cm	102kg	30
14	Jonmun HAN	184cm	93kg	26
15	Alaia’sa Solarorand	177cm	94kg	27

＊＊ Player to watch ＊＊

Kota IWAMURA. 182 cm, 87 kg, 29 years old. He is a graduate of Doshisha University and is the captain of the Dynaboars. A large scrum-half, a rarity in Japan, he is a rare player who can break through the scrum side and stop opposing FWs from breaking through on their own, with a physique that is comparable to a FW third row player.

Next, here is the latest information on NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu.

As of 26 Feb, they are in 11th place in League One with 1 win and 7 losses. Their only win came from the bottom-placed Liners. Last season, the team lost all of its games in League One and finished at the bottom of the table, but in the replacement round, they played with HONDA Heat to stay in Division One. The team’s attacking ability is also good in Division One, as is the way they play. The main reasons for the loss are the high level of infringements and the incomplete team defence: the Green Rockets brought in a large number of players from other teams before entering League One, so their team tactics are not yet set in stone. The Green Rockets, however, have been rubbing shoulders with the Dynaboars at the high level of Division One last season and are determined not to lose to a newly promoted team, which is the opposite of the Dynaboars. They are not going to want to lose this match either.

The Green Rockets starting line-up is as follows.

Green Rockets
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Suguru KUBO	178cm	110kg	24
2	Yo SATO	178cm	96kg	29
3	Satoshi UEDA	181cm	112kg	33
4	Daiki Yamagiwa	198cm	103kg	24
5	Luke PORTER	201cm	119kg	25
6	Whetukamokamo Douglas	190cm	110kg	30
7	Ryoi KAMEI	178cm	97kg	28
8	Aseri MASIVOU	180cm	87kg	24	Japan 7th
9	Nick PHIPPS	170cm	75kg	34	Australia 72cap
10	Taisetsu Kanai	178cm	88kg	25
11	Kanta OMATA	171cm	82kg	28
12	Christian RAUI	180cm	105kg	24
13	Maritino Nemani	181cm	101kg	30
14	Yuma SUGIMOTO	178cm	86kg	25
15	Lemeki LOMANO LAVA	178cm	96kg	34	Japan 16cap

＊＊ Player to watch ＊＊

Lemeki LOMANO LAVA. 178 cm, 96 kg, 34 years old. Japan national team caps=16. Position=WTB, FB, SO. In a sense, he represents the current Green Rockets. He moved from Honda Heat at the start of League One. The Green Rockets did not have a player who could play the game-making SO at a high level, so Lemeki, who has not enough experience as SO, played a lot of games as the main SO last season. However, he has gradually adapted and has done so, reaffirming Lemeki’s extraordinary talent.

So, let the match begin.

5 minutes into the first half:

Dynaboars kicked off and the game got underway, with Dynaboars looking for an opportunity to score in opposition territory. From there, the Dynaboars expanded to the right and SO Shilcock easily slipped through to score a try just under the opposition goal posts. A successful conversion goal after the try also put the Dynaboars ahead. The score was 7-0.

25 minutes into the first half:

Green Rockets kicked the ball deep into enemy territory, where the Dynaboars attempted to maul their way forward from their own lineout, but the ball was held up by Green Rockets and a maul unplayable infringement was committed, resulting in a scrum. The Green Rockets then moved the ball left and CTB RAUI broke through the opposition defence to score a try at the left end of the goal post. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and the score was tied 7-7.

29 minutes of the first half:

The Dynaboars secured the ball kicked into their own right flank, and when it was deployed from there, the Green Rockets were fouled for Not role away. From that position, SO SHILLCOCK kicked a PK to the enemy’s right near the 22m line, where the Dynaboars attempted a series of attacks from their own ball lineout, which the Green Rockets defence held firm and stopped well, but when the ball was deployed to the left, the Dynaboars SO SHILLCOCK cut in cleverly and scored a try in the left centre. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and the score was 14-7, Dynaboars again taking the lead.

First 34 minutes into the first half:

The Green Rockets launched a series of attacks in enemy territory. The Green Rockets attacked strongly and gradually moved forward in enemy territory, gradually closing in on the opposition in-goal. Green Rockets’ No.8 MASIVOU dragged three opposition day defenders to the edge of the in-goal, which was barely stopped by the Dynaboars’ defenders. However, Green Rockets SH PHIPPS supplied a quick pass from here and SO KANAI scored a try to the right side of the goal post. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and the score was again level at 14-14.

The first half ended with the score unchanged.

The Dynaboars scored two tries through SO Shilcock’s clever exploitation of the opposition defence after breaking down the opposition formation with an all-out attack, while the Green Rockets showed their ability to break through with their No.8 and CTB to score tries by sheer force. It was an evenly contested game, with both sides showing their strengths.

Now for the start of the second half.

9 minutes into the second half:

Greeen Rockets lost a lineout of their own ball near the 22m line on the right side of enemy territory to the Dynaboars. However, in a dense battle immediately afterwards, the Green Rockets won the ball back and launched a series of attacks. After a series of densely packed battles near the goal posts, Green Rockets’ SO KANAI saw the opposition formation and released a long pass to WTB OMATA who was waiting on the left flank. OMATA caught it and scored a try in the left corner of the enemy in-goal. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and the score was 14-21, with the Green Rockets taking the lead for the first time in the match.

17 minutes into the second half:

The Dynaboars scored from a lineout deep in the enemy territory on their right flank, and after a maul, they surged forward and hooker MIYAZATO scored a try in the middle on the right. The conversion goal after the try was also successful and the score was tied 21-21.

23 minutes into the second half:

The Dynaboars were looking for a try rather than a PG after an infringement in opposition territory, and SO Silcock kicked deep down the right flank to give them a lineout on their own ball, which they mauled for a try. Once the Green Rockets broke up the maul, they were penalised and the Dynaboars again went for a maul try, with hooker MIYAZATO scoring his second try of the day. The conversion goal after the try failed, and the score was 26-21, with the Dynaboars back in front.

34 minutes into the second half:

After FB Roland was temporarily sent off for a foul by the Dynaboars in the 27th minute of the second half, the Green Rockets went on the attack in quick succession, trying to score a try, but the Dynaboars managed to hold on. However, the Green Rockets then won a lineout on the left side of the opposition line, and from there, the Green Rockets formed a maul and surged forward, scoring a try by hooker SATO in the middle on the left.

Hooker SATO scored a try. The conversion goal after the try failed.

40 minutes of the second half

The teams were locked in a tight contest with only a few minutes remaining. The Green Rockets dominated the ball and continued to attack in succession, using all the ground left and right, until the Green Rockets broke from the right corner and the ball was passed to FB REMEKI, who rolled in a golo punt from deep enemy territory. This was caught by Green Rockets WTB OMATA, who scored a try in the left corner of the enemy in-goal.

The horn went before the conversion goal after the try, so the game ended as soon as the conversion goal after the try was scored. The final score was 26-33.

The win gave Green Rockets their second win since the opening day of the season. In contrast, the Dynaboars suffered their fourth consecutive defeat, but as they won by seven points or less, they picked up one winning point. Both teams will now have a tough battle to stay in the first division, which will continue until the final day of the season.

Paid attendance on the day was 3,217. Thanks for the hotly contested match. Thanks to both teams.

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

Stop the war.

Peace to Ukraine

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊