World Rugby Player of the Year Ardie Savea scored four tries as Dave Rennie's Kobelco Kobe Steelers defeated Steve Hansen's Toyota Verblitz 57-22 to move into the top four in Japan Rugby League 1. The company expanded to
The former Wallabies coach did not face former All Blacks leader Hansen in the Test arena, but Sunday's emphatic win was a highlight for a team that included the All Blacks trio of Savea, Ngane Laumape and Brodie Retallick. secured the right.
Loose forward Savea, who is enjoying a season-long sabbatical with Kobe and is due to move to New Zealand later this year, scored two tries in both halves, while flyhalf Bryn Gatland also scored 27 points. He scored 2 tries with an all-round performance. point.
Verblitz, led by Hansen and featuring All Black halves Beauden Barrett and Aaron Smith, led by three points at half-time but were blown away after the break and suffered their fourth defeat of the season.
Defending champions Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay, who are without Wallabies fly-half Bernard Foley injured, dropped out of the top four after losing 34-28 to Curtis Rona's Sagamihara Dynaboars in Sunday's other match. Disappeared.
On Saturday, fellow Wallaby veteran playmaker Quade Cooper scored a try, but he was unable to prevent Hanazono Kintetsu Liners from suffering their eighth defeat of the season as they lost 50-32 to undefeated Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo. .
Blazlupus' former Crusaders manager Todd Blackadder will face one of his mentors next weekend in a showdown with Robbie Deans' Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights.
Springbok second-row Ruud de Jager scored two tries for the Wild Knights, who easily defeated Shizuoka Blue Revs 45-19.
In Saturday's other match, Eddie Jones' old club Tokyo Suntory Sun Goliath defeated the hapless Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo 62-0, and on Friday night Yokohama Canon Eagles defeated Mie Honda Heat 50-21. Former Waratahs second row Max Douglas scored twice.
The Heat, led by Wallaby Tom Banks, are still winless as the season reaches its halfway point.
