Springboks hooker Malcolm Marx scored a crucial try \u2013 only his second of the season \u2013 as Kubota Spears bounced back from last week\u2019s upset loss to Toyota Verblitz by inflicting an historic 27-22 defeat on Tokyo Sungoliath.<\/p>\n
Kubota had mauled their rivals 79-20 when they met earlier in the season, putting a record score on the western Tokyo outfit.<\/p>\n
While the calculator was not required on Saturday, there was more pain for a gallant Sungoliath side as they fell to a fourth consecutive Japan Rugby League One<\/a> defeat for the first time since the 2004-05 season.<\/p>\n Back among the tries<\/p>\n Desperate to break their losing streak, Sungoliath fought hard to avoid their fate, with two tries by rookie Western Cape back-rower Pierich Siebert helping them to a 19-12 half-time advantage after his countryman Marx<\/a> had driven Kubota ahead with his 27th minute try.<\/p>\n While the World Rugby Player of the Year had been seemingly unstoppable close to the goal-line in previous seasons; a point backed up by a tally of 35 tries from 51 games, his scoring prowess returned at an opportune time, as the Spears eventually subdued their rivals despite a tense finish after a Cheslin Kolbe penalty goal closed the gap to five with 12 minutes to play.<\/p>\n Although beaten, fifth-placed Sungoliath have collected bonus points from each of their last four matches, and are almost over the line as far as qualification for the play-offs is concerned, 11 points clear of seventh-placed Toyota.<\/p>\n Eddie Jones\u2019 bold prediction after Dave Rennie\u2019s Brodie Retallick comments with \u201935 the new 30\u2032<\/a><\/p>\n Ardie Savea: The favourites for the All Blacks star\u2019s signature and why his decision doesn\u2019t rest on the Rugby World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n Despite the win, the third-placed Spears were unable to collect a bonus point and are now three behind Kobelco Kobe Steelers on the championship ladder, after they claimed maximum points from their 38-24 win over Verblitz at Aichi.<\/p>\n Steve Hansen\u2019s men were chasing a sixth win from their last seven outings, but they were stunned when rookie Kobe full-back Shunsuke Uenobo crossed for the first of what would become a hat-trick of tries in just the second minute.<\/p>\n The 22-year-old, who burst onto the scene with a try treble on debut against Shizuoka BlueRevs in February, has crossed nine times in as many appearances, scoring in each of his last three games.<\/p>\n Hat-trick for Uenobo<\/p>\n Uenobo completed his hat-trick nine minutes into the second spell to allow Dave Rennie\u2019s charges to edge clear after Verblitz had closed to within four shortly after half-time.<\/p>\n While Uenobo didn\u2019t score again, Kobe winger Inoke Burua did, with the former Fiji U20 international scoring twice in the final stages to round out his side\u2019s impressive victory.<\/p>\n