Kubota outmuscles Saitama to book final against Toshiba

Former League One champions Kubota Spears defeated the competition’s inaugural winners Saitama Wild Knights to book a place in next week’s final against reigning champions Toshiba Brave Lupus.

Robbie Deans’ dominant side won the 2022 League One final against Suntory Sungliath and fell short to Kubota at the same stage a year later and then lost out to Toshiba a year ago.  

After three consecutive finals, Deans’ Saitama have failed to advance to the final for the first time in the League One era.

Frans Ludeke’s Kubota won the League One title in 2023 but were off the pace last season with key international players Malcom Marx, Bernard Foley and Liam Williams missing large chunks of the season.

Sunday’s thrilling second semi-final was hotly contested but the Funabashi-based winners outworked and outmuscled last season’s runners-up Saitama and led from three minutes into the game until the final whistle.

The nail-biting encounter attracted 17,735 fans to Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium which is located on the same street as Japan’s National Stadium which will stage the final.

Champions Toshiba saw off Kobe Steelers 31-3 on Saturday ahead of today’s anticipated clash in the same stadium which pitted second-placed Saitama against third-placed Kubota.

South Africa’s double World Cup winner Malcolm Marx opened the scoring after just three minutes with his 10th try of the season. The free-scoring hooker powered over from close range for his 36th try in 49 games for Kubota.  

Lively scrum-half Shinobu Fujiwara charged down full-back Takuya Yamasawa’s kick and scooped up the ball on the 22-metre line before sprinting clear to score after 10 minutes.  

Saitama responded through number eight Jack Cornelsen who picked up the ball from the base of the scum and darted over before Fujiwara grabbed his second after receiving an offload from Marx two metres from the try line.

Kubota led 22-10 at the break and Deans reacted by replacing props Keita Inagaki and Lisala Finau with veteran duo Craig Millar and Asaeli Ai Valu.

Wallabies star Marika Koroibete was then introduced after 45 minutes in place of Tomoki Osada while lock Esei Haangana replaced Liam Mitchell.

Kubota's Tonga-born wing Halatoa Vailea, who is understood to be on the radar of Japan head coach Eddie Jones, stepped up for a trademark long distance penalty and effortlessly slotted the kick from 40 metres out to extend their advantage to 15 points.

Saitama engineered a fightback through wing in-form Koki Takeyama who retrieved his own kick through by diving on the ball to score for his 15th try of the campaign.

Maturing fly-half Kyohei Yamasawa, the club's long-time understudy to Rikiya Matsuda who left for Toyota Verblitz last summer, cut the deficit to one point when he converted his own try after 57 minutes.

Fujiwara and centre Harumichi Tatekawa both missed tackles on Yamasawa on the 22 and he punished them by racing through the gap to set up a nerve-jangling final 20 minutes.

Vailea had the final say when he knocked over after a second penalty from the 40 metre mark to seal a 28-24 victory and send his side into their first final since 2023.

In the post-match press conference, Kubota’s Ludeke said: “I’m delighted for the result. We had to work hard. Saitama never went away. It was a one-point game and it was all to play for. We was able to win the key moments. Small margins make a difference. We're very grateful that we have our opportunity in the final next week."

His counterpart Deans rued Saitama’s costly errors.

“We weren’t accurate enough; we had a couple of unforced errors. That was the difference. They made their pressure count. We have to give credit to Kubota. Some of our errors were uncharacteristic but this is what happens in play-off rugby.

“This year will serve us well really. We’ll be a force for a long time to come. We’ve built depth this season and it’s been a great experience for many young players.

“We’ve now got the game that nobody wants to play in (third-place play-off). We’re obligated to do it. It’s quick turnaround, it’s not a game we were planning to play in.”

Saitama (1-15): Keita Inagaki, Atsushi Sakate (c), Lisala Finau, Liam Mitchell, Lood de Jager, Ben Gunter, Lachlan Boshier, Jack Cornelsen, Taiki Koyama, Kyohei Yamasawa, Tomoki Osada, Damian de Allende, Dylan Riley, Koki Takeyama, Takuya Yamasawa

Replacements: Kenji Sato, Craig Millar, Asaeli Ai Valu, Esei Haangana, Itsuki Onishi, Yuta Takagi, Marika Koroibete, Ryuji Noguchi

Kubota (1-15): Yota Kamimori, Malcolm Marx, Opeti Helu, Ruan Botha, David Bulbring, Tyler Paul, Takeo Suenaga, Faulua Makisi (c), Shinobu Fujiwara, Bernard Foley, Koga Nezuka, Harumichi Tatekawa, Rikus Pretorius, Halatoa Vailea, Atsushi Oshikawa

Replacements: Hayate Era, Kota Kaishi, Keijiro Tamefusa, David van Zeeland, Finau Tupa, Bryn Hall, Yamada Hibiki, Lappies Labuschagné 

Picture courtesy of Kubota Spears