Defending Japan Rugby League One champions the Toshiba Brave Lupus were hammered 46-0 by the Saitama Wild Knights in their season opener on Sunday.
Former Wallabies and Crusaders boss Robbie Deans stepped down as head coach ahead of the new season, moving into an executive advisor position, but new boss Atsushi Kanazawa got his tenure off to an emphatic start.
Deans was in charge of the Wild Knights for 12 years, winning four titles with the side and has seemingly left the club in good hands with Kanazawa’s men running in four tries and nilling their opponents in his first game in charge.
This despite the absence of Springboks stars Damian de Allende and Lood de Jager. They weren’t the only frontline men missing from the matchday 23, with the likes of Marika Koroibete, Dylan Riley, Ben Gunter, Jack Cornelsen, and Keita Inagaki also absent.
In stark contrast, title holders Toshiba had many of the stars who clinched the title in the final last season, beating Kubota Spears 18-13.
Mo’unga ran the show at fly-half that day and started the season opener, as did fellow All Black Shannon Frizell. Japan internationals Warner Deans and Michael Leitch were both absent, but the pack was largely the same.
Wild Knights dominate
The Wild Knights dominated from the early knockings as captain Atsushi Sakate grabbed the opening try in the 14th minute after Takuya Yamazawa slotted a penalty seven minutes earlier.
Number eight Viliami Afu Kaipouli and full-back Tom Parton added further tries in the first half, while Yamazawa converted both tries and two penalties to keep the scoreboard ticking over as they surged into a 33-0 half-time lead.
The scoring certainly slowed down in the second half, with the fly-half adding another two penalties and converted Lachlan Boshier’s try to complete the romp. Yamazawa finished the game with 26 points.
Outgoing All Blacks coach’s next move confirmed while Eddie Jones’ future decided
Meanwhile, last season’s finalist Kubota Spears extended their winning streak over Kobelco Kobe Steelers to seven, overcoming the red carding of Akira Ieremia in Saturday’s meritorious 33-28 win in front of over 20,000 people at Noevir Stadium.
All Black centre Anton Lienert Brown touched down in his League One debut for Kobe as Dave Rennie’s men led 16-15 at the break, but the home side was unable to capitalise when Ieremia was dismissed 11 minutes into the second period for dangerous play, suffering themselves when Ardie Savea was yellow carded for dissent.
The two sides traded tries in Savea’s absence, but Brave Blossoms winger Haruto Kida scored the match-winner, with his second try of the afternoon providing the Spears with a five-point buffer they retained until the finish.