World Cup final rivals Cheslin Kolbe and Sam Cane marked their League One debuts with an emphatic win for their new team Suntory Sungoliath who swept past reigning champions 52-26 Kubota Spears at Chichibunomiya Memorial Ground on Sunday.
Suntory avenged last season’s play-off semi-final loss to the eventual champions - in the same venue - with a ruthless display of attacking verve as the Spears could not contain the visitors’ fast-thinking and high-energy backline.
An impressive crowd of 18,110 fans saw Suntory put down a marker as they illustrated their title credentials by outmuscling and outworking the Spears.
Two-time World Cup-winning Springbok Kolbe moved to full-back for his first taste of League One action – having played on the wing in their final pre-season match - as he switched positions with Japanese standout Kotaro Matsushima who played on the left wing.
While Suntory called on their high-profile World Cup stars, Kubota left out their own marquee signings as Wales’ Liam Williams and veteran All Black Dane Coles watched from the stands after left out of the 23-man matchday squad.
Suntory raced to a 21-0 lead inside 18 minutes.
Captain Kosuke Horikoshi drove over from close range inside three minutes before Kolbe and Matsushima combined in the midfield to put last season’s top try scorer Seiya Ozaki (18) through to cross in the corner for his first score of the new campaign.
Clinical Ozaki strolled over for his second and his team’s third try.
David Bullring opened Spears’ account after 22 minutes as he capitalised on a momentary lapse in concertation from Suntory to cross the whitewash.
Seiya Ozaki’s younger brother Taiga Ozaki showed his pace and power as he cut up a tired looking Spears defence and left the outstretched former Australia fly-half and last season’s top scorer Bernard Foley (173 points) in his wake.
Suntory’s polished backs showed their brilliance yet again when Matsushima spotted Seiya Ozaki in space on the right flank and found him a pinpoint kick as the prolific marksman completed a first half hat-trick.
Trailing 7-35 at the interval, the Spears needed to threaten the scoreboard early and often when play resumed.
The champions’ 6ft 3in, 127kg prop Opeti Helu pounced when Cane spilled the ball on the ground on his own five metre line to spark hopes of an unlikely comeback.
Inside centre Keisuke Moriya provided an instant response to dampen the hosts’ hopes.
With Suntory leading 40-14 with 15 minutes remaining, the task in hand for the Spears turned to salvaging some pride against one of their top rivals.
Veteran South African full-back Gerhard van den Heever added to his below-par team’s haul with a fine sole effort as he beat three men before cutting inside and going over under the posts.
Taiga Ozaki grabbed his second and his family’s fifth try of the game before the Spears’ replacement hooker Schalk Erasmus ensured that the champions showed some grit in the second half as he went over from close range.
Suntory replacement Saimoni Vunirangi completed the scoring after picking the ball up from a ruck two metres from the try line.
The highly-influential Kolbe (below - right) was awarded Player of The Match.
“First run out with the brothers, thank you for all the support today and all the messages,” said the 2019 and 2023 World Cup winner.
Suntory host star-laden Toshiba Brave Lupus at Chichibu this Sunday as All Blacks captain Sam Cane will face his New Zealand teammates Richie Mo'unga and Shannon Frizell. Toshiba prevailed 43-30 in a hard-fought encounter with Kwagga Smith’s Shizuoka Blue Revs on the opening day.
Kubota visit Mie on Sunday to play hapless Honda Heat who were blown away 15-80 by Kobelco Kobe Steelers in the opening game of the 2023-2024 season.
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