Samu Kerevi has been the important thing man for Urayasu D-Rocks all season, so it was no shock that he stepped up once more when it mattered by scoring two tries to assist his facet retain Division One standing after a nervous 27-21 win over Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi as we speak.
Following an exciting 43-42 win within the opening leg final week, the Division Two facet made an incredible begin, leaping to a 14-0 benefit after the primary quarter, however the supremacy didn’t final.
Two tries in seven minutes by the Wallaby midfielder – his thirteenth and 14th of the marketing campaign – allowed D-Rocks to show the sport and the tie round earlier than half-time, with an Otere Black penalty objective giving them a 17-14 lead.
The edges traded transformed tries after the break, because the Shuttles saved inside vary, however they had been unable to search out the strive they wanted as soon as Black’s second penalty objective had prolonged Urayasu’s collection result in 5.
As well as making a further statement to Joe Schmidt ahead of the naming of the Wallabies squad, Kerevi gained the additional satisfaction of besting his brothers, with hooker Jone and centre Josua featuring for the Shuttles.
Friday night saw ex-Italy coach Kieran Crowley’s Mie Honda Heat see off Hanazono Kintetsu Liners 29-19 to win each legs of their collection.
Trailing by 4 after a 29-25 loss in Osaka, Kintetsu had levelled the tie by half-time, main
14-10.
Departing Wallabies Quade Cooper and Will Genia relived the glory days, combining in a motion that arrange the latter’s eleventh strive of the season, a private greatest at membership degree for the 110-cap Australian scrum-half.
Genia later arrange Kintetsu’s second strive, however the Division Two facet had been left to rue their lack of ability to make capital out of the sin binning of Warmth second-rowers Mark Abbott and Franco Mostert.
As an alternative, inspirational Argentine back-rower and man-of-the-match Pablo Matera and Mostert each scored whereas Abbott was off the sector, with Kintetsu once more held scoreless when the Springbok second-rower was yellow carded.
Whereas a late strive by centre Timo Sufia briefly raised Kintetsu hopes – decreasing the collection margin to eight – winger Kyogo Okano crossed 5 minutes from time to safe Honda a 3rd consecutive season within the prime flight.
The defeat was a disappointing manner for Cooper and Genia to finish their six years in Japan, with neither of the 37-year-olds having revealed whether or not their celebrated careers are at an finish.
There was no change to the established order between Divisions Two and Three as Nippon Metal Kamaishi Seawaves hammered Mazda SkyActivs Hiroshima 51-24 whereas Shimizu Company Koto Blue Sharks edged Sayama Secom Rugguts 31-28.
Dave Rennie gained the duel between the previous Wallaby coaches, with Kobelco Kobe Steelers finishing a satisfying marketing campaign by beating the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights 22-17 within the play-off for third and fourth.
