In a week in which a new Wallabies coach was unveiled, one of Joe Schmidt’s predecessors continued his dominance of Japan Rugby League One, as the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights romped to a 70-12 win over Mie Honda Heat.
The Wild Knights, who will play the Chiefs in their next outing on February 4 as part of the new Cross Border Rugby series between New Zealand and Japan, showed they will be a handful for the Super Rugby side by plundering 10 tries.
The ruthless showing gives the six-time Japanese champions a firm grip on top spot in the standings.
Of particular interest to Schmidt will have been the performance of star Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete, who accounted for two of the Wild Knights’ tries.
Being used as a finisher this season, the 31-year-old entered the game on the hour mark.
He had a try within moments of taking the field and added another 10 minutes later.
Former Melbourne Rebels second-rower Esei Ha'angana also scored twice.
Springbok second rower Lood de Jager, on the comeback trail after missing the Rugby World Cup due to illness, got the party started with his second try in as many weeks.
While Saitama made light work of Heat, the Eddie Jones-advised Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath - who will play the Blues as part of the international series - needed a late try to pip Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars 36-34.
Sagamihara, who featured former Wallabies back Curtis Rona, will be wondering how they lost after scoring four tries in the opening 15 minutes of the game.
A try by Melbourne-born Trevor Hosea got the comeback started, with the second-rower’s score beginning a remarkable sequence of 31 unanswered points - including a try by All Blacks’ Rugby World Cup skipper Sam Cane - as Sungoliath turned a 29-0 deficit into a 31-29 lead with 15 minutes remaining.
Both sides scored tries in the last 10 minutes, with centre Shogo Nakano’s 83rd-minute score proving the match-winner to move Suntory into second place on the ladder.
