Following a one-week break, the NTT Japan Rugby League One resumed with Round 6, marking the start of inter-conference matches against Conference A teams. On February 1st, Toyota Verblitz faced the Yokohama Canon Eagles at Toyota Stadium. Despite a fierce final push in the final seconds, Verblitz fell short, losing 20-24. Their overall record now stands at 1 win, 1 draw, and 4 losses, placing them eighth in the competition rankings.
The final moments of the match were reminiscent of their Round 15 encounter last season played on April 27th, 2024. In the 38th minute of the second half, trailing by four points, Verblitz launched phases of desperate attacks. Even after the final horn sounded, the play continued. Last time, they went through 30 phases before fullback Taichi Takahashi scored a game-winning try. This time, they continued for 23 phases before the Eagles disrupted possession, crushing their hopes.
“If you look at the game itself without the scoreboard, both teams played outstanding rugby,” said head coach Steve Hansen in the post-match press conference. His words reflected the evenly contested nature of the game, where the momentum constantly swung back and forth. Even the Eagles head coach Keisuke Sawaki admitted, "The only thing we gained from today was the win," highlighting the intense competition.
Verblitz had already lost captain Kazuki Himeno in Round 4 due to injury, and scrum-half Aaron Smith was also unavailable after suffering a concussion. Kaito Shigeno stepped up for his first start of the season at scrum-half, forming a half-back duo with fly-half Rikiya Matsuda. Despite the loss, Verblitz's two tries both stemmed from plays initiated by this former Japan international combination.
In the 19th minute of the first half, Matsuda launched a kick behind the defense, leading to a well-connected attack deep into the Eagle’s territory. Shigeno followed up, secured possession just short of the try line, and kept the ball alive. The ball was then shifted through Nicholas McCurran, Kosei Miki, and eventually to prop Shogo Miura, who dived over the try line.
In the 13th minute of the second half, Matsuda was once again instrumental in setting up Taichi Takahashi for his sixth try of the season. Shigeno feigned a kick but instead connected with Takahashi, who was running through the defense line. It was a shining moment for Shigeno to express his fine skills, in his first start of the season at 9.
Despite the loss, there were clear signs of improvement from the previous match. Matsuda, who had struggled with his kicking in Round 5, initially missed his first penalty goal but then successfully converted two goals and two penalty kicks. During the bye week, he analyzed the recordings of his kicks to identify the issue. “I was in too much of a rush, too focused on moving forward. When I missed that first kick, I realized I hadn't pulled back far enough,” Matsuda reflected.
Although his kicking returned to form and he was involved in every try scored, the final result left him shaking his head."It was a good game, but there’s no such thing as a good game when you lose,” he said.
Akito Okui, wearing the No. 8 jersey for the second consecutive match, made a crucial defensive play just before halftime, successfully stealing the ball near Verblitz’s own try line to prevent a score. “I was determined to stop them at all costs. My teammates made great tackles, which allowed me to steal the ball. That was a team effort,” Okui emphasized.
But as soon as one progress is seen, a new challenge arises. “No. 8 has been a position where Himeno has always made his presence felt in attack. Right now, I’m not able to make that same impact. I need to create more momentum myself,” he admitted. Both Okui and Matsuda have been through successful programs — from Saitama Wild Knights and Teikyo University. They continue to push the team to reach new levels.
Hansen, however, refused to use the absence of Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kazuki Himeno, and Aaron Smith as an excuse. “I don’t want to make excuses about certain players missing. The players have given their best effort, and I can’t ask for more than what they did,” Hansen said, praising their efforts. While acknowledging that the loss was frustrating, he clarified, "My frustration isn't with the players’ efforts or what we do—it’s simply that we couldn’t get the results we wanted. The team played well enough to deserve a win.”
Game captain Yoshikatsu Hikosaka echoed the sentiment. "The result didn’t go our way, but we’re playing good rugby. If we keep at it, the results will come. We just have to trust ourselves and stick together." There is no doubt within the team —“The night is long that never finds the day."
It’s a line from Macbeth: the darkest hour comes just before dawn. Even amidst the struggles, a new day arises. "We’re still picking up points even in losses, and that will be crucial down the road. We just have to stay the course and keep pushing forward," said Matsuda. With early-entry players set to join the squad, Verblitz will continue to move forward, strengthened by new teammates and unwavering belief.
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