Lood de Jager helps Saitama secure third-place as legends bow out

South African lock Lood de Jager returned from a seven-month injury lay-off to help Saitama Wild Knights defeat Sam Cane’s Suntory Sungoliath 26-19 in League One's third-place play-off.

The 33-year-old made his first appearance of the season having recovered from hip surgery following South Africa’s end-of-year tour in 2025.

Fit-again de Jager played 56 minutes in the penultimate club game of the Japanese season to hand the Springboks a major boost heading into a congested summer schedule.

© JRLO

Cane’s Suntory, who were aiming to provide a fitting send-off to club stalwarts Shinnosuke Kakinaga, Yutaka Nagare and Ryoto Nakamura in their last game, led 7-0 at the break after full-back Kotaro Matsushima scooped up a loose ball in his own 22 and sprinted the length of the field.

Fly-half Kaleb Trask returned to kicking duties as Stormers-bound Cheslin Kolbe was a late withdrawal from the 23 with his place on the bench going to Hideto Niguma.

Former Chiefs playmaker Trask, who spent one season with Honda Heat during the inaugural League One season in 2022, dictated proceedings for his side and converted Matsushima’s try.

Saitama rallied back in the second half with scrum-half Taiki Koyama going over just 60 seconds after the restart.

Replacement hooker Kazuma Shimane scored his first try of the season after 45 minute mark before impressive debutant Kanjiro Naramoto marked his first League One cap with a try.

Naramoto, 22, who replaced injured full-back Tom Parton after 13 minutes, missed the conversion with his side leading 19-7 after 50 minutes.

Suntory wing Taiga Ozaki crossed after 53 minutes to cut the deficit to seven points.

Saitama responded through lively South African speedster Maurice Marks who scored in back-to-back games for the first time in Japan.

Ozaki scored his second after 74 minutes following slick work from Nakamura who directed his wing inside him and popped up the ball for the former to burst through and head towards the posts.

Suntory, who trailed 19-26, pressed forward but were held out by an organised Saitama defence.  

Speaking in the post-match press conference, Cane said: “It was a tough week first and foremost because both teams are disappointed that we lost the semi-finals.

“We was excited about the opportunity to play together one last time. I thought it was a messy game but both teams worked hard and there was forced errors. Panasonic came out for the second half and scored some quick tries which hurt us.

“We’re already looking forward to next season. We've been together for nine months now so the boys need a break. We put so much, physically and mentally, into this job. A break will do us good. We'll take some lessons from this season and put them into next year.

“Finishing fourth is not up to Suntory’s standards.”