JRLO Round 10 Recap: Springbok Damien de Allende delivers as Wild Knights hammer Kobe Steelers

byTom Sansom

With the Japan Rugby League One season heating up, title contenders and relegation battlers alike delivered a weekend full of thrilling action. Damian de Allende spearheaded a dramatic Saitama Wild Knights comeback to keep their unbeaten streak alive, while Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo edged out Kubota Spears in a tense showdown.

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Springbok star de Allende Inspires Wild Knights to emphatic win

Damian de Allende delivered a masterclass performance for Saitama Wild Knights as they stormed back from a 12-point deficit to maintain their unbeaten run in Japan Rugby League One. The 87-cap Springbok veteran scored two tries and assisted another, leading his side to a thrilling victory over Kobelco Kobe Steelers.

Despite injuries to key players, including Dylan Riley and Lachlan Boshier, the Wild Knights showed their resilience. Kobe seemed poised for an upset, stretching their lead to 12 points with 30 minutes remaining while fullback Ryuji Noguchi was in the sin-bin.

However, de Allende’s quick-thinking tap penalty ignited Saitama’s comeback, with the South African star scoring before setting up Vince Aso for his sixth try of the season. Three minutes later, Ben Gunter bulldozed over to complete a stunning six-minute, three-try blitz that sealed the victory. Flyhalf Kyohei Yamasawa’s late score denied Kobe even a bonus point, extending the Wild Knights’ dominance over their rivals to 19 consecutive matches since 2003.

Faf de Klerk's Yokohama Eagles Climb as Playoff Race Intensifies

Elsewhere, the sure boot of Brave Blossoms veteran Yu Tamura propelled Yokohama Eagles to a crucial 33-22 win over Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath. Tamura was flawless off the tee, landing seven from seven for an 18-point haul. With tries from Springbok Jesse Kriel and South African fullback Brendan Owens, Yokohama ended a three-game winless run and climbed the standings, while the loss saw the Steelers drop to sixth.

Shizuoka Blue Revs rebounded emphatically from last week’s heavy defeat, outclassing Mie Honda Heat 44-14. South African-born winger Sylvian Mahuza crossed twice in the first half as the Blue Revs built an unassailable 32-7 lead, even with disciplinary issues that saw them temporarily reduced to 13 men.

Richie Mo'unga & Brave Lupus Triumph in Epic Battle with Spears

A fiercely contested clash between second-placed Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and defending champions Kubota Spears saw Toshiba edge a 31-27 thriller. Richie Mo’unga and Shannon Frizell combined early to set the tone before Brave Blossoms hooker Mamoru Harada extended Toshiba’s lead. Kubota fought back, with Bernard Foley’s clever chip-and-chase setting up Malcolm Marx, but a costly yellow card to Bryn Hall proved pivotal. Toshiba winger Jone Naikabula capitalized, scoring his league-leading 11th try to secure the victory.

Relegation Battle Tightens

In the relegation dogfight, Toyota Verblitz survived a second-half scare to beat Urayasu D-Rocks 36-31. A blistering start saw Steve Hansen’s men race to a 21-0 lead, but defensive lapses allowed D-Rocks to close the gap. Despite conceding 31 of the game’s last 39 points, Toyota held on, while Urayasu remain bottom, now eight points adrift of safety.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars’ playoff hopes continue to fade after a fifth loss in six games. Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo secured a 22-7 victory, with former Wallaby Semisi Tupou scoring in his third straight match. The Dynaboars’ slide has now dropped them into the relegation zone.

Division Two & Three Round-Up

Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks stunned Hanazono Kintetsu Liners 36-29, scoring two late tries to overturn a deficit and claim their third win of the season. Despite tries from Will Genia, Quade Cooper, and Akira Ioane, Kintetsu fell short in a dramatic finish.

NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu crushed Kyuden Voltex 48-7, with Teruya Goto bagging a hat-trick. Meanwhile, Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi returned to the top of Division Two with a commanding 54-19 win over Hino Red Dolphins.

In Division Three, Mazda SkyActivs Hiroshima extended their lead atop the table with a dominant 45-17 victory over Sayama Secom Rugguts, with Kohei Kamei scoring twice. Wycliff Palu’s Kurita Water Gush Akishima also impressed, putting Yakult Levins Toda to the sword with a 56-12 rout.

Match Results:

Division One:

Saitama Wild Knights 45-26 Kobelco Kobe Steelers
Yokohama Eagles 33-22 Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath
Shizuoka Blue Revs 44-14 Mie Honda Heat
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo 31-27 Kubota Spears
Toyota Verblitz 36-31 Urayasu D-Rocks
Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo 22-7 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars

Division Two:

Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks 36-29 Hanazono Kintetsu Liners
NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu 48-7 Kyuden Voltex
Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi 54-19 Hino Red Dolphins

Division Three:

Mazda SkyActivs Hiroshima 45-17 Sayama Secom Rugguts
Kurita Water Gush Akishima 56-12 Yakult Levins Toda

As Japan Rugby League One heads into the second bye weekend, the title race, playoff push, and relegation battle are all intensifying. With Damian de Allende and the Wild Knights setting the pace, the coming weeks promise more thrilling rugby action.

QUIZ: Can You Name the England XV that Won the 2020 Six Nations?

England last won the Six Nations in 2020, in what was a crowning achievement during the Eddie Jones era. Coming off the back of the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final heartbreak, England bounced back to win their seventh Six Nations title since the competition's Italian expansion in 2000.

England secured the trophy with a win in Rome, as they handed Italy a one-sided 34-5 bonus point defeat. We are challenging you to remember who started for England that day, as the match was played in front of an empty stadium during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

You have five minutes to provide your answers, good luck!

Japan Rugby League One