The return of a fresh Springbok Malcolm Marx is probably the last thing a bruised Kobelco Kobe Steelers need as the Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay line them up in one of the feature clashes of round five in Japan Rugby League One which kicks off in Kanagawa on Saturday.
Marx was allowed to bypass last week by Spears coach Frans Ludeke, although his absence didn’t hinder the momentum of the second placed side as they comfortably dispatched Michael Cheika‘s NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu.
After a hattrick in his last outing, the 28-year-old hooker is already on target to better his seven try haul last term.
Kobe’s potential problems don’t end there, with Kubota winger Haruto Kida on a run which has seen him score in his last six league matches, while Wallaby flyhalf Bernard Foley also returns to the starting line-up after coming off the bench last week.
Third top point-scorer in the league last term, Foley is fourth this time with 42 points to date, eight less than his Kobe counterpart Seungsin Li (50), who is second on the ladder for individual points behind Canon’s veteran flyhalf, Yu Tamura (61).
Kida shares top spot on the try-scoring chart with Seiya Ozaki.
Both have six, although Suntory’s flying fullback will be fancying himself to add to that tally when the Sungoliath visit struggling Kintetsu on Sunday.
The Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights, who are without inside centre Damien de Allende (paternity leave) for a second week, visit the improving Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo in what could be a tasty clash, especially with Ricoh having gained momentum from two wins on the spin.
After both lost last time out, Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo host Toyota Verblitz on Sunday in a game whose
importance increased after they dropped to sixth and ninth respectively.
Fixtures – All games in Japanese time (GMT+9 hrs)
Saturday
Yokohama Canon Eagles vs Green Rockets Tokatsu (12pm)
Black Rams Tokyo vs Saitama Wild Knights (1pm)
Kubota Spears vs Kobelco Kobe Steelers (2:30pm)
Sunday
Hanazono Kintetsu Liners vs Tokyo Sungoliath (12pm)
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo vs Toyota Verblitz (2pm)
Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars vs Shuizoka Blue Revs (2:30pm)
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