On April 14th, in Round 15 of the NTT Japan Rugby League One, Toyota Verblitz faced Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo at ZOZO Oripri Stadium in Ichihara, Chiba. Verblitz suffered a 7–37 loss, bringing their season record to 3 wins, 1 draw, and 11 losses. A light drizzle turned into steady rain shortly after kickoff. Two persistent issues for the team—slow starts and discipline—surfaced again early, setting the tone for a one-sided match.
The game began with the Black Ram’s kickoff. Just as Verblitz attempted to counterattack and clear their territory, a kick from Shinya Komura was charged down by their fly-half, resulting in a try in the 8th minute. “Charge-downs happen. I wasn’t shaken by it,” Komura said afterward.
Verblitz had a prime opportunity to hit back in the 11th minute with a lineout deep in the Black Ram’s 22m. They applied pressure with a maul, and Hooker Yoshikatsu Hikosaka dove for the line. However, TJ Perenara managed to slide underneath at the last second, preventing the grounding. Another lineout opportunity came in the 15th minute in similar territory, but the throw wasn’t caught cleanly, allowing the Black Rams to turn the tables and drive Verblitz back into their own half. Failing to capitalize on those chances proved costly.
The team was soon back under defensive pressure. In the 23rd minute, Lock Josh Dickson received a yellow card for a high tackle, followed by another yellow to Komura for the same offense in the 27th minute. Verblitz were reduced to 13 men. Though they managed to hold the try line during that stretch, they couldn’t mount a counterattack and remained territorially pinned through to halftime. The territorial statistics told the story. Verblitz held just 27% of territory, compared to the opposition’s 73%. Tackle count was lopsided as well, with Verblitz making 106 tackles compared to the Black Ram’s 41. The first 40 minutes were all about survival.
Down 0–16 at the break, the second half saw the Black Ram’s continue to dominate possession and territory. In the 50th minute, after sustained pressure from their forwards, they scored again, pushing the score to 0–23. Verblitz were outmatched at the breakdown, conceded penalties at scrum time, and struggled with lineout errors. The forwards were unable to impose themselves physically. In the closing stages, Verblitz attempted to go on the offensive, but handling errors disrupted their flow. Adre Smith finally broke through for a try two minutes from time, preventing a shutout—but the result was a comprehensive 7–37 defeat. It was a stark reversal from Round 4, when Verblitz had defeated the same opponent 32–18.
Head Coach Steve Hansen commented, “We had a good preparation and were confident, but the result didn’t follow. The scrum issues and yellow cards really hurt us.” He also pointed out the team’s errors. “Despite having the same number of line breaks as our opponent, we gave up 19 turnovers. We didn’t look after the ball.” Captain Kazuki Himeno returned to action for the first time in 92 days. “Even with 13 men, everyone kept fighting hard. As captain, I’m proud of the team—but that makes the result all the more frustrating,” he said.
Two days before the match, Hansen had noted, “We’ll need to judge when to bring in Okui, since this is Himeno’s first game back.” Okui was eventually subbed in for Keito Aoki in the 58th minute. “That was the best decision for the situation,” Hansen said. Himeno, freshly back from injury, ended up playing the full 80 minutes—a reflection of how tough the match was. Komura admitted, “When our forwards were under pressure, I didn’t make the best decisions. If I’d been able to spark some momentum in those moments...” The 22-year-old fly-half experienced firsthand the harsh realities of League One—especially in poor weather, when your pack is underperforming, and the game management challenge intensifies.
For the team, discipline has become the most urgent issue. “That’s two games in a row with yellow cards. We need to take concrete steps,” said Hansen. Fifteen rounds into League One, Verblitz now head into a bye week before their final three matches, beginning April 27th. The last three rounds—played back-to-back in Oita, Saitama, and Chiba—were all tough away fixtures. Fortunately, the final stretch includes games in Osaka Hanazono, Mie, and Toyota, meaning less travel. The team hopes to reset and recover this week, and finish the season strong.
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