Marika Koroibete and former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans will be chasing final glory after Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights won the first Japan Rugby League One semi-final.
The unbeaten Wild Knights took their season record to 17 wins after a thrilling 20-17 success over a Yokohama Canon Eagles outfit that fielded Wallabies second-rower Matthew Phillip, alongside the two-time World Cup-winning Springbok centre Jesse Kriel.
While Koroibete’s involvement on Saturday was limited, the fearsome winger did steamroll Yokohama fullback Junpei Ogura, from which the Australian-born Brave Blossoms second-rower Jack Cornelsen scored, to help his side to a 13-3 halftime lead.
The victory continued a remarkable run by Deans, who has now won 16 of the 18 professional club finals that he has prepared teams for, nine of which have been in Japan.
Springboks centre Damian de Allende scored his side’s only try of the second half, but it proved crucial, putting the Wild Knights back in front by three after the Eagles had opened the spell with two quick tries to finally convert their on-field dominance into points.
Having averaged 47 points per game through the regular season, the Wild Knights found themselves under siege for much of the afternoon but were able to edge their opponents when it mattered, as both sides went scoreless through the final 23 minutes.
The six-time champions will find out on Sunday who they will face in the decider, following the second of the semi-finals between Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath.
Elsewhere, Samu Kerevi got the better of his ex-international colleague Quade Cooper as Division Two champions Urayasu D-Rocks beat Hanazono Kintetsu Liners 21-12 at home in the first of their two-legged promotion/relegation series.
Fellow Division One sides Ricoh Black Rams and Mie Honda Heat ended in charge of their respective ties.
Ex-Wallabies prop Paddy Ryan and former Queensland utility back Isaac Lucas were tryscorers in the Black Rams’ 40-21 win over an NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu outfit that featured former Australia halfback Nick Phipps.
Wallabies fullback Tom Banks was a tryscorer in the Heat’s 57-39 win over Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi, but his effort was out-shone by the ex-Argentine skipper Pablo Matera, who crossed the line four times.
Former Waratahs back-rower Taleni Seu scored twice for the Shuttles, but his side’s promotion hopes are on life-support, needing to overturn an 18-point deficit in the away leg.
