Champions Kubota end Kobe’s play-off hopes in Sapporo

League One champions Kubota Spears ended Kobe Steelers’ play-off ambitions with a convincing 39-29 victory at the Sapporo Dome in Hokkaido on Sunday. 

The Sapporo Dome, which is home to J-League football side Consadole Sapporo and baseball outfit Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, hosted games at the 2019 Rugby World Cup and regularly stages Brave Blossoms Test matches. 

There was nothing but pride on the line for Franks Ludeke’s Spears who had suffered seven losses in 13 games in a below-par defence of their crown while Ardie Savea’s Kobe side had to win to keep alive their faint hopes of a top four spot. 

Dave Rennie made the bold call of starting World Player of The Year Savea on the bench with Japan-qualified Tiennan Costley getting the nod at number eight. 

Kubota, who were bolstered by the return of Welsh full-back Liam Williams, made the perfect start when flanker and former Japan captain Pieter Labuschagne opened the scoring inside five minutes.

Kobe’s right wing Rakuhei Yamashita brought the visitors level before Bryn Gatland, the son of Welsh head coach Warren Gatland, coolly slotted the conversion to give them the lead.

Dane Coles was forced off with a leg injury after 16 minutes following a trademark barnstorming run which saw him stopped just short of the try line.

Japan-qualified prop Opeti Helu restored Kubota’s lead and Foley, who was left out of the matchday squad for the Wallabies World Cup game at the same stadium against Fiji in 2019, added the conversion.

Division one’s top points scorer Gatland kicked a penalty and enjoyed another faultless display with the boot.

Kubota right wing Koga Nezuka crossed after 32 mins and Foley added the extras.

Gatland closed the gap with two penalties before the break to leave the champions and allocated hosts leading 19-16 at the interval.

The second half started with Foley and his counterpart Gatland trading penalties as the latter, who joined from the Chiefs last year, rising to the occasion of keeping his team in the game and maintaining their play-off push.

With a lead of two points, Kubota firmly wrestled the game away from Kobe by scoring two tries and a penalty in the space of three minutes.

South African lock Ruan Botha and energetic young scrum-half, Shinobu Fujiwara, who will surely be in Eddie Jones’ summer plans, both crossed either side of a Foley penalty to inflate the score to 39-22.

Junta Hamano, who replaced right wing Yamashita, grabbed a late consolation try and Gatland remained perfect with the boot by notching his seventh successive kick of the game.

Kobe conclude their campaign with a home fixture against Shizuoka Blue Revs next week before travelling to relegation-threatened Honda Heat on 4 May.

Kubota host Honda in Edogawa next week before ending their reign as the defending champions against title contenders Suntory Sungoliath on 4 May. Picture courtesy of Kobe Steelers