REVIEW: Two more World Cup winning Springboks have been injured with the news that Faf de Klerk and Jesse Kriel cried off injured during their Japanese club, the Eagles’ The Cross Border Rugby loss against the Blues.
According to reports the pair might potentially have season-ending injuries.
The Blues managed to secure their second victory, downing the Eagles 57-22.
Having seen off Tokyo Sungoliath comfortably by 36 points on the opening weekend of The Cross Border Rugby, last year’s Super Rugby semifinalists made sure of the win with a dominant first half, where they scored five tries to end with an unassailable 31-5 lead.
The Eagles, who made the final four of Japan Rugby League One last term but have suffered a hammer blow after losing De Klerk and Kriel, rallied gamely in the second spell, but their three tries were mere consolation, as the Blues added four more to finish with an impressive 35-point margin.
The visitor’s performance was led by All Black winger Caleb Clarke, who made a statement to the national selectors by scoring three tries before being withdrawn after 48 minutes.
The Chiefs survived a late scare from Spears to end successfully after a 35-30 win over the current Japan Rugby League One champions in Tokyo on Saturday.
Coming off the back of last weekend’s historic loss to the Wild Knights, the Chiefs appeared on course to ensure there would be no repeat when they strode to a 21-8 halftime lead, posting three first half tries.
Any thoughts of a comfortable ride for last year’s Super Rugby finalists in the second half were soon dispelled though, when Kubota wing Yamazaki Hiroyuki crossed for the first of his two tries in the 47th minute, which set up an enthralling last half and hour as the Chiefs struggled to fend off their gallant opponents.
While Chiefs hooker Bradley Slater extended the visitor’s lead to 10 points when he scored his side’s fourth try in The teams exchanged three touchdowns in seven minutes starting in the 57th minute. Kubota prop Satoshi Saita narrowed the lead to five points on the hour mark, and Hamilton Burr added a try in the 64th minute to put the New Zealanders up to 12 points going into the last stages.
The young Kubota team persisted in pressing, making the run home nerve-wracking. With four minutes left, Hiroyuki scored once more, giving the Spears hope that they would pull off what had appeared to be an implausible heist for the majority of the afternoon.
Both teams will have reason for pleasure after the day even though it wasn’t, with the Chiefs holding on.
These results mean the The Cross Border Rugby finishes with the Super Rugby sides claiming three wins to the Wild Knights’ impressive winning performance on behalf of Japan Rugby League One.
Japanese officials are hoping the inaugural tournament is the start of a regular and more formal relationship at club level between the two countries.
The Chiefs and Blues will now face each other at home before Super Rugby Pacific begins on February 23 with a rematch of the previous season’s championship match between the Crusaders and the Chiefs in Hamilton between the winners of that previous season.
A day later, the Blues are at home entertaining Fijian Drua.
The top level of Japan Rugby League One will return the following weekend when the Verblitz takes on Heat and the Wild Knights host Sungoliath. Yokohama won’t play until February 24 when they go to the undefeated Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo.
The following afternoon, Kubota go to Osaka to play the still-losing Hanazono Kintetsu Liners FC.
Results
Saturday, February 10
Blues 57-22 Eagles; at Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium, Yokohama
Chiefs 35-30 Kubota Spears; at Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo
