Latest news with #WildKnights
The Advertiser
25-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Wallaby, All Black rivals vie for top honours in Japan
Serial championship winner Richie Mo'unga will be chasing a second title in Japan, to go with seven in Super Rugby, when he goes head-to-head with former Wallaby flyhalf rival Bernard Foley in the League One final. The pair featured prominently on a weekend that saw two former Wallaby coaches ousted from the competition. Mo'unga gave a masterful display on Saturday, which included two 40/20 kicks and five-from-five off the goal-kicking tee, as his Brave Lupus overran Dave Rennie's Kobe in the second half, turning a 7-3 half-time advantage into a crushing 31-3 victory. Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay edged out the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 28-24 in Sunday's second semi-final, holding their nerve after their opponents threatened to run down a 15-point deficit when they closed to 25-24 midway through the second half. The Spears, who had the Wild Knights on the back foot from the third minute when Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scored, wouldn't be denied, and will bid for their second title in League One, after they upset the Wild Knights two seasons ago. Brave Lupus will be hunting for back-to-back championship crowns in Sunday's grand final, after beating the Wild Knights in last year's decider. Rennie guided Kobe to the semi-finals for the first time since they won the Japanese nationwide league in 2018, but they were gradually worn down by the defending champions, conceding four tries. However, it could have been even worse, with Brave Lupus twice being called back for offences in the build-up after crossing the goal line. Elsewhere, Urayasu D-Rocks' stars Samu Kerevi and Israel Folau still have work to do, even though both scored tries, with the former continuing to push his Wallabies claims by scoring twice in his side's 43-42 defeat by Shuttles Aichi in the first leg of their promotion/relegation series. Quade Cooper and Will Genia also have to come from behind in the return match if they are to sign off from Hanazono Liners with promotion, after their side lost 29-25 to Mie Heat, for whom ex-Wallaby Tom Banks was a try-scorer. Serial championship winner Richie Mo'unga will be chasing a second title in Japan, to go with seven in Super Rugby, when he goes head-to-head with former Wallaby flyhalf rival Bernard Foley in the League One final. The pair featured prominently on a weekend that saw two former Wallaby coaches ousted from the competition. Mo'unga gave a masterful display on Saturday, which included two 40/20 kicks and five-from-five off the goal-kicking tee, as his Brave Lupus overran Dave Rennie's Kobe in the second half, turning a 7-3 half-time advantage into a crushing 31-3 victory. Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay edged out the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 28-24 in Sunday's second semi-final, holding their nerve after their opponents threatened to run down a 15-point deficit when they closed to 25-24 midway through the second half. The Spears, who had the Wild Knights on the back foot from the third minute when Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scored, wouldn't be denied, and will bid for their second title in League One, after they upset the Wild Knights two seasons ago. Brave Lupus will be hunting for back-to-back championship crowns in Sunday's grand final, after beating the Wild Knights in last year's decider. Rennie guided Kobe to the semi-finals for the first time since they won the Japanese nationwide league in 2018, but they were gradually worn down by the defending champions, conceding four tries. However, it could have been even worse, with Brave Lupus twice being called back for offences in the build-up after crossing the goal line. Elsewhere, Urayasu D-Rocks' stars Samu Kerevi and Israel Folau still have work to do, even though both scored tries, with the former continuing to push his Wallabies claims by scoring twice in his side's 43-42 defeat by Shuttles Aichi in the first leg of their promotion/relegation series. Quade Cooper and Will Genia also have to come from behind in the return match if they are to sign off from Hanazono Liners with promotion, after their side lost 29-25 to Mie Heat, for whom ex-Wallaby Tom Banks was a try-scorer. Serial championship winner Richie Mo'unga will be chasing a second title in Japan, to go with seven in Super Rugby, when he goes head-to-head with former Wallaby flyhalf rival Bernard Foley in the League One final. The pair featured prominently on a weekend that saw two former Wallaby coaches ousted from the competition. Mo'unga gave a masterful display on Saturday, which included two 40/20 kicks and five-from-five off the goal-kicking tee, as his Brave Lupus overran Dave Rennie's Kobe in the second half, turning a 7-3 half-time advantage into a crushing 31-3 victory. Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay edged out the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 28-24 in Sunday's second semi-final, holding their nerve after their opponents threatened to run down a 15-point deficit when they closed to 25-24 midway through the second half. The Spears, who had the Wild Knights on the back foot from the third minute when Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scored, wouldn't be denied, and will bid for their second title in League One, after they upset the Wild Knights two seasons ago. Brave Lupus will be hunting for back-to-back championship crowns in Sunday's grand final, after beating the Wild Knights in last year's decider. Rennie guided Kobe to the semi-finals for the first time since they won the Japanese nationwide league in 2018, but they were gradually worn down by the defending champions, conceding four tries. However, it could have been even worse, with Brave Lupus twice being called back for offences in the build-up after crossing the goal line. Elsewhere, Urayasu D-Rocks' stars Samu Kerevi and Israel Folau still have work to do, even though both scored tries, with the former continuing to push his Wallabies claims by scoring twice in his side's 43-42 defeat by Shuttles Aichi in the first leg of their promotion/relegation series. Quade Cooper and Will Genia also have to come from behind in the return match if they are to sign off from Hanazono Liners with promotion, after their side lost 29-25 to Mie Heat, for whom ex-Wallaby Tom Banks was a try-scorer.
West Australian
25-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Wallaby, All Black rivals vie for top honours in Japan
Serial championship winner Richie Mo'unga will be chasing a second title in Japan, to go with seven in Super Rugby, when he goes head-to-head with former Wallaby flyhalf rival Bernard Foley in the League One final. The pair featured prominently on a weekend that saw two former Wallaby coaches ousted from the competition. Mo'unga gave a masterful display on Saturday, which included two 40/20 kicks and five-from-five off the goal-kicking tee, as his Brave Lupus overran Dave Rennie's Kobe in the second half, turning a 7-3 half-time advantage into a crushing 31-3 victory. Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay edged out the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 28-24 in Sunday's second semi-final, holding their nerve after their opponents threatened to run down a 15-point deficit when they closed to 25-24 midway through the second half. The Spears, who had the Wild Knights on the back foot from the third minute when Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scored, wouldn't be denied, and will bid for their second title in League One, after they upset the Wild Knights two seasons ago. Brave Lupus will be hunting for back-to-back championship crowns in Sunday's grand final, after beating the Wild Knights in last year's decider. Rennie guided Kobe to the semi-finals for the first time since they won the Japanese nationwide league in 2018, but they were gradually worn down by the defending champions, conceding four tries. However, it could have been even worse, with Brave Lupus twice being called back for offences in the build-up after crossing the goal line. Elsewhere, Urayasu D-Rocks' stars Samu Kerevi and Israel Folau still have work to do, even though both scored tries, with the former continuing to push his Wallabies claims by scoring twice in his side's 43-42 defeat by Shuttles Aichi in the first leg of their promotion/relegation series. Quade Cooper and Will Genia also have to come from behind in the return match if they are to sign off from Hanazono Liners with promotion, after their side lost 29-25 to Mie Heat, for whom ex-Wallaby Tom Banks was a try-scorer.
Perth Now
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Wallaby, All Black rivals vie for top honours in Japan
Serial championship winner Richie Mo'unga will be chasing a second title in Japan, to go with seven in Super Rugby, when he goes head-to-head with former Wallaby flyhalf rival Bernard Foley in the League One final. The pair featured prominently on a weekend that saw two former Wallaby coaches ousted from the competition. Mo'unga gave a masterful display on Saturday, which included two 40/20 kicks and five-from-five off the goal-kicking tee, as his Brave Lupus overran Dave Rennie's Kobe in the second half, turning a 7-3 half-time advantage into a crushing 31-3 victory. Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay edged out the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 28-24 in Sunday's second semi-final, holding their nerve after their opponents threatened to run down a 15-point deficit when they closed to 25-24 midway through the second half. The Spears, who had the Wild Knights on the back foot from the third minute when Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scored, wouldn't be denied, and will bid for their second title in League One, after they upset the Wild Knights two seasons ago. Brave Lupus will be hunting for back-to-back championship crowns in Sunday's grand final, after beating the Wild Knights in last year's decider. Rennie guided Kobe to the semi-finals for the first time since they won the Japanese nationwide league in 2018, but they were gradually worn down by the defending champions, conceding four tries. However, it could have been even worse, with Brave Lupus twice being called back for offences in the build-up after crossing the goal line. Elsewhere, Urayasu D-Rocks' stars Samu Kerevi and Israel Folau still have work to do, even though both scored tries, with the former continuing to push his Wallabies claims by scoring twice in his side's 43-42 defeat by Shuttles Aichi in the first leg of their promotion/relegation series. Quade Cooper and Will Genia also have to come from behind in the return match if they are to sign off from Hanazono Liners with promotion, after their side lost 29-25 to Mie Heat, for whom ex-Wallaby Tom Banks was a try-scorer.
The Mainichi
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Rugby: Brave Lupus, Wild Knights punch League One semifinal tickets
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Brave Lupus Tokyo and the Saitama Wild Knights secured Japan Rugby League One semifinal berths and a week's rest Saturday by winning their last matches of the regular season and finishing first and second in the standings, respectively. Defending champions Brave Lupus dispatched the already-eliminated Yokohama Eagles 49-28, while the Wild Knights, last season's runners-up, were 60-17 winners against playoff-bound Tokyo Sungoliath. Both Brave Lupus and the Wild Knights needed to win to ensure direct tickets to the final four, with the third-place Kubota Spears finishing just two points outside the top two after completing their regular season with a 37-14 victory against Toyota Verblitz. Former All Blacks Seta Tamanivalu and Shannon Frizell were among the try scorers for Todd Blackadder's Brave Lupus at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, while Richie Mo'unga booted 14 points. Springboks center Damian de Allende scored the first of eight tries by Robbie Deans' Wild Knights in a one-sided affair at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium. Frans Ludeke's Spears will battle sixth-place Sungoliath, while the fourth-place Shizuoka BlueRevs will take on the fifth-place Kobe Steelers in next weekend's quarterfinals for a place in the semifinals.
Kyodo News
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Rugby: Steelers book League One playoff spot with win over Dynaboars
KYODO NEWS - 9 hours ago - 19:31 | Sports, Rugby, All The Kobe Steelers secured a place in the playoffs for the first time when they ran in nine tries to beat the Sagamihara Dynaboars 59-33 in Japan Rugby League One on Saturday. The win guaranteed the fifth-place Steelers a top-six finish as they improved to a 9-7 record and 46 points. The ninth-place Dynaboars dropped to 6-10 with 26 points. Inoke Burua scored the first two tries of the match to give Kobe a 12-0 lead through 13 minutes at Hanazono Rugby Stadium. Tiennan Costley and Takuya Kitade also crossed for the home side later in the first half as the Steelers raced to a 24-7 halftime lead. A converted try by Sagamihara's Walt Steenkamp cut Kobe's lead to 24-14 shortly after the break. But the Steelers pulled away with three tries, extending the lead to 45-14. In the day's other matches, the Saitama Wild Knights held off Black Rams Tokyo 27-21. The Kubota Spears defeated Mie Heat 39-20. The Wild Knights and Spears have already clinched their playoff spots, along with Brave Lupus Tokyo and the Shizuoka BlueRevs. Related coverage: Rugby: Wild Knights defeat 14-man Verblitz to clinch playoff spot Rugby: Richie Mo'unga scores brace to lead Brave Lupus past Toyota Rugby: Spears score 10 tries to thrash BlueRevs in League One
