Super Rugby Pacific’s Blues wrapped up their inaugural Cross Border Rugby campaign with a resounding 57-22 victory over Yokohama Canon Eagles at Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium in Kanagawa on Saturday.
The Blues routed Suntory Sungoliath 43-7 in the opening Cross Border Rugby fixture one week ago and they ramped up their pre-season by overpowering a game Canon Eagles side.
The new Cross Border Rugby series is a product of the 2023 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Japan Rugby Football Union and the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, and featured last season’s four division one play-off sides from Japan and the visiting Blues and Chiefs.
Hosts Canon were without Springboks stars Faf de Klerk and Jesse Kriel who have returned home to underdog knee surgery and treatment for a thumb injury respectively.
Canon finished fourth in the regular season last year and lost to eventual winners Saitama Wild Knights in the play-off semi-finals.
Blues wing Caleb Clarke shone in his first game since the World Cup as he bagged a hat-trick in 42 minutes and was the Man of the Match.
Clarke, who last graced the field in a try-scoring performance in New Zealand’s demolition of Namibia in France, lived in Tokyo as a child while his father Eroni played for Ricoh Black Rams.
The powerhouse back was relishing playing in Japan and delivered a scintillating performance which saw him open the scoring after 14 minutes.
The Blues backline showed quick hands and moved the ball out to their danger man who darted over in the corner.
Fly-half Stephen Perofeta capitalised on a mistake by former Japan fly-half Yu Tamura who attempted a no-look pass but failed to find a teammate and the former crossed before converting his own try.
Centre Corey Evans, who was Man of the Match against Suntory, was next to cross after being put though by playmaker Perofeta before Clarke scored a stunning second.
Perofeta spotted Clarke in space on the left flank and found him with a pinpoint kick and the All Black dived to catch the ball and ground it before crossing out of bounds.
Canon fought back and Fijian-born former judoka Viliame Takayawa, whose father Nacanieli Qerewaqa Takayawa won heavyweight judo gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, shrugged off centre Meihana Grindlay to score after a surging run.
Takayawa, who is now eligible to play for Japan after qualifying through residency, was a constant threat and will be on the radar of Brave Blossoms coach Eddie Jones who was in attendance.
The Blues had the final say of the first half when youngster Josh Beehre went over to put his side 31-5 ahead at the break.
Clarke only needed two minutes of the second half to complete his hat-trick. Grindlay fed the third generation international who acrobatically dived over the try line in the corner to evade his opposite number Takayawa.
Canon continued to probe and closed the gap when Tangitau threw an interception to Christchurch-born utility back Luteru Laulala who made an instant impact after coming on at half-time.
Beehre continued to impress as he scored his second try before replacement scrum-half Sam Nock got in on the scoring act to put his team 50-12 in front with 10 minutes to go,
Canon showed their character and persevered to pull back two tries in the closing minutes. The Yokohama side capitalised on the visitors being down to 14 after hooker Kurt Eklund was sin binned for slowing the ball down at the ruck.
Laulala touched down for his second score before Takayawa’s replacement Masayoshi Takezawa ran in a late consolation try.
The 2023 Super Rugby Pacific play-off semi-finalists wrap up their pre-season on home soil against the Chiefs at Takapuna Rugby Club on 16 February before launching their Super Rugby Pacific season against the Fijian Drua in Northland the following week.
Line-ups:
Blues: Sullivan, Tangitau, Grindlay, Evans, Clarke, Perofeta, Funaki, Sotutu, Segner, Suafoa, Beehre, Darry (captain), Renata, Riccitelli, Lay
Replacements: Eklund, Vikena, Fusitu’a, Ta’avao, Ake, Thompson, Choat, Nock, Cashmore, Forbes, Gordon, Banks, Harford
Yokohama Canon Eagles: Ogura, Burua, Tabata, Kajimura, Takayawa, Tamura, Arai, Halasili, Shimada, Van Dyk, Philip, Douglas, Iwaihara, Niwai, Okabe
Replacements: Nakamura, Ahn, Sugimoto, Moli, Vakalahi, Yamasuga, Laulala, Takezawa
Picture courtesy of the Blues