Springboks Cheslin Kolbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Manie Libbok shine in Japan, while Faf de Klerk faces a setback.
The Springboks had a mix of triumphs and setbacks in the Japanese rugby scene this weekend. Cheslin Kolbe and Pieter-Steph du Toit stood out for their respective clubs, while Manie Libbok made his debut. However, Faf de Klerk suffered an injury setback.
The Saitama Wild Knights dominated the defending champions, Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, with a 46-0 victory, despite missing key players like Damian de Allende and Lood de Jager. Meanwhile, Jesse Kriel and Faf de Klerk's team, the Shizuoka BlueRevs, lost to Kwagga Smith's team, the Yokohama Canon Eagles, with a score of 39-27. De Klerk had to leave the field early due to an injury.
Malcolm Marx, the World Rugby Player of the Year, played a crucial role in the Kubota Spears' 33-28 win over the Kobelco Kobe Steelers. The Spears faced a challenge when lock Akira Ieremia received a red card, but Marx steered the team to victory.
The BlackRams Tokyo's narrow half-time lead slipped away as they lost 29-15 to Tokyo Sungoliath. Springbok star Cheslin Kolbe and former Wallaby Sean McMahon contributed to the second-half tries.
The Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars, featuring World Cup-winning centre Lukhanyo Am, lost to the Urayasu D-Rocks 27-24. Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi was a standout performer for the D-Rocks, who secured a dramatic win with a late try.
Toyota Verblitz, with Pieter-Steph du Toit, defeated Mie Honda Heat 44-33. Du Toit scored and assisted a try, making his first appearance for the club since May 2024.
In the second division, Manie Libbok made his debut for the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners, kicking five from six in their 40-14 win over Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi. The Liners dominated the final 30 minutes, with All Black centre Peter Umaga Jensen scoring a try, and his twin brother Thomas receiving a yellow card.
