Aussie falls short in bid to spear Japanese rugby glory
Richie Mo'unga has won the trans-Tasman battle of the Test fly-halves, his Brave Lupus Tokyo fending off Aussie Bernard Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay 18-13 in the Japan Rugby League One final.
The 31-year-old, lured to Fuchu by his former Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder last year, added his second Japanese title to the seven he won in Super Rugby.
The All Black scored his 11th try of the season in the eighth minute to give Brave Lupus the early advantage in an even first half, which ended 8-6 in the defending champions' favour after Mo'unga added a penalty goal.
Wallaby flyhalf Foley was on target twice with three-pointers for the Spears.
Brave Lupus took control after halftime, pushing out to a 12-point lead when winger Yuto Mori scored his side's second try, which was converted by Mo'unga, who then added a second penalty goal.
Given they had lost just twice all season, the Spears were never going to go quietly, having already shown their resilience when they kept Brave Lupus out during a 10-minute period in the second half when reduced to 14 men after winger Halatoa Vailea was yellow-carded.
Veteran midfielder Harumichi Tatekawa set up a nervous finale when he scored with eight minutes remaining.
But Brave Lupus defended grimly to become the first side in League One to win back-to-back championships.
It was the club's seventh title since a nationwide round-robin league was introduced 22 years ago.
Sunday's game at Tokyo's National Stadium was watched by a crowd of 51,009.
Meanwhile, there was no fond farewell for former Wallabies Quade Cooper and Will Genia when the Hanazono Liners lost in their final game in Japan Rugby League One.
Hanazono needed to overcome a four-point deficit from the first leg of their promotion series against Mie Heat on Friday night (Saturday AEST).
They were unable to do so, overrun in the second period of a 29-19 defeat after leading 14-10 at halftime.
Cooper produced one last piece of the old magic, combining with Genia in a movement that led to the latter's 11th try of the season in the ninth minute.
Genia also set up his side's second try for winger Tomoya Kimura, but the Liners were left to rue their inability to capitalise after Heat twice had men yellow-carded.
Midfielder Samu Kerevi turned on another powerful display in his final audition for a place in the Wallabies squad, touching down twice as Urayasu D-Rocks beat Shuttles Aichi 27-21 to retain their Division One status.
Victory was sweet for the Wallaby as his brothers Jone and Josua featured for the Shuttles.
Dave Rennie won the battle of the former Wallaby coaches in the Division One playoff for third and fourth, with Kobelco Kobe Steelers beating the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 22-17.
Wallaby winger Marika Koroibete was a try-scorer for the Wild Knights.
Richie Mo'unga has won the trans-Tasman battle of the Test fly-halves, his Brave Lupus Tokyo fending off Aussie Bernard Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay 18-13 in the Japan Rugby League One final.
The 31-year-old, lured to Fuchu by his former Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder last year, added his second Japanese title to the seven he won in Super Rugby.
The All Black scored his 11th try of the season in the eighth minute to give Brave Lupus the early advantage in an even first half, which ended 8-6 in the defending champions' favour after Mo'unga added a penalty goal.
Wallaby flyhalf Foley was on target twice with three-pointers for the Spears.
Brave Lupus took control after halftime, pushing out to a 12-point lead when winger Yuto Mori scored his side's second try, which was converted by Mo'unga, who then added a second penalty goal.
Given they had lost just twice all season, the Spears were never going to go quietly, having already shown their resilience when they kept Brave Lupus out during a 10-minute period in the second half when reduced to 14 men after winger Halatoa Vailea was yellow-carded.
Veteran midfielder Harumichi Tatekawa set up a nervous finale when he scored with eight minutes remaining.
But Brave Lupus defended grimly to become the first side in League One to win back-to-back championships.
It was the club's seventh title since a nationwide round-robin league was introduced 22 years ago.
Sunday's game at Tokyo's National Stadium was watched by a crowd of 51,009.
Meanwhile, there was no fond farewell for former Wallabies Quade Cooper and Will Genia when the Hanazono Liners lost in their final game in Japan Rugby League One.
Hanazono needed to overcome a four-point deficit from the first leg of their promotion series against Mie Heat on Friday night (Saturday AEST).
They were unable to do so, overrun in the second period of a 29-19 defeat after leading 14-10 at halftime.
Cooper produced one last piece of the old magic, combining with Genia in a movement that led to the latter's 11th try of the season in the ninth minute.
Genia also set up his side's second try for winger Tomoya Kimura, but the Liners were left to rue their inability to capitalise after Heat twice had men yellow-carded.
Midfielder Samu Kerevi turned on another powerful display in his final audition for a place in the Wallabies squad, touching down twice as Urayasu D-Rocks beat Shuttles Aichi 27-21 to retain their Division One status.
Victory was sweet for the Wallaby as his brothers Jone and Josua featured for the Shuttles.
Dave Rennie won the battle of the former Wallaby coaches in the Division One playoff for third and fourth, with Kobelco Kobe Steelers beating the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 22-17.
Wallaby winger Marika Koroibete was a try-scorer for the Wild Knights.
Richie Mo'unga has won the trans-Tasman battle of the Test fly-halves, his Brave Lupus Tokyo fending off Aussie Bernard Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay 18-13 in the Japan Rugby League One final.
The 31-year-old, lured to Fuchu by his former Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder last year, added his second Japanese title to the seven he won in Super Rugby.
The All Black scored his 11th try of the season in the eighth minute to give Brave Lupus the early advantage in an even first half, which ended 8-6 in the defending champions' favour after Mo'unga added a penalty goal.
Wallaby flyhalf Foley was on target twice with three-pointers for the Spears.
Brave Lupus took control after halftime, pushing out to a 12-point lead when winger Yuto Mori scored his side's second try, which was converted by Mo'unga, who then added a second penalty goal.
Given they had lost just twice all season, the Spears were never going to go quietly, having already shown their resilience when they kept Brave Lupus out during a 10-minute period in the second half when reduced to 14 men after winger Halatoa Vailea was yellow-carded.
Veteran midfielder Harumichi Tatekawa set up a nervous finale when he scored with eight minutes remaining.
But Brave Lupus defended grimly to become the first side in League One to win back-to-back championships.
It was the club's seventh title since a nationwide round-robin league was introduced 22 years ago.
Sunday's game at Tokyo's National Stadium was watched by a crowd of 51,009.
Meanwhile, there was no fond farewell for former Wallabies Quade Cooper and Will Genia when the Hanazono Liners lost in their final game in Japan Rugby League One.
Hanazono needed to overcome a four-point deficit from the first leg of their promotion series against Mie Heat on Friday night (Saturday AEST).
They were unable to do so, overrun in the second period of a 29-19 defeat after leading 14-10 at halftime.
Cooper produced one last piece of the old magic, combining with Genia in a movement that led to the latter's 11th try of the season in the ninth minute.
Genia also set up his side's second try for winger Tomoya Kimura, but the Liners were left to rue their inability to capitalise after Heat twice had men yellow-carded.
Midfielder Samu Kerevi turned on another powerful display in his final audition for a place in the Wallabies squad, touching down twice as Urayasu D-Rocks beat Shuttles Aichi 27-21 to retain their Division One status.
Victory was sweet for the Wallaby as his brothers Jone and Josua featured for the Shuttles.
Dave Rennie won the battle of the former Wallaby coaches in the Division One playoff for third and fourth, with Kobelco Kobe Steelers beating the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 22-17.
Wallaby winger Marika Koroibete was a try-scorer for the Wild Knights.
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