On May 4th, Toyota Verblitz faced Mie Honda Heat in Suzuka in Round 17 of NTT Japan Rugby League One. In a must-win match to avoid the relegation playoff, Verblitz surged to a 31-11 lead by halftime and held off a strong second-half comeback by the Heat to claim a 38-30 victory. With this result, Verblitz secured their place in Division 1 for next season. Under the early May sun, signs of growth were evident—not just in nature but in Verblitz as well.
Their performance in the first 40 minutes was exactly what fans had long awaited. From kickoff, every forward aggressively attacked the breakdown, overwhelming the opposition. On attack, fly-half Shinya Komura utilized tactical kicking to gain territory, igniting momentum from the forward pack. In the 6th minute, Verblitz entered opposition territory thanks to a gain by center Nicholas McCurran, and flanker William Tupou scored the opening try. In the 12th minute, from a lineout maul, Komura connected with winger Joseph Manu in what has become a familiar combination this season for the second try. In the 16th minute, hooker Yoshikatsu Hikosaka scored from a lineout maul, followed by a try from lock Josh Dickson in the 32nd minute—four consecutive tries leading to a commanding 26-6 lead. Then, even after the halftime horn sounded, Hikosaka broke away from a lineout maul on the 10-meter line to score a solo try, making it 31-11 at the break.
In the second half, the Heat regained their momentum. “It wasn’t that we relaxed,” said captain Kazuki Himeno. “We were playing into a strong and constantly shifting wind, and we fell behind in kick reception.” The ever-changing wind in the stadium made it difficult to handle kicks accurately. The Heat also introduced their inspirational leader Pablo Matera, who had been out since Round 13 due to injury, from the 34th minute of the first half, helping them regain momentum. A series of penalties against Verblitz followed, and the Heat scored tries in the 10th and 22nd minutes of the second half, narrowing the gap to 31-23. A third try appeared to be awarded in the 27th minute but was later overturned after a TMO review.
Moments after that restart, Verblitz scored the try that would ultimately decide the outcome. From a scrum near midfield, the ball moved to the backs. Fullback Taichi Takahashi broke through the line, drew the final defender, and passed at the last possible moment to winger Vatiliai Tuidraki, who dashed down the sideline to score. “I tried to beat their winger with my speed and set up a final choice for their fullback—whether to come at me or Tai (Tuidraki),” explained Takahashi. It was a calm, well-timed decision. Komura’s conversion was successful, pushing the score to 38-23. Although they conceded a try at the end, Verblitz held on for a 38-30 win.
Captain Himeno began the post-match interview by saying, “First and foremost, I feel relieved.” He led by example, recording two turnovers in the first half and a match-high 17 tackles across both teams. “I’m very satisfied with the result. Our execution was good and the defense held firm,” said head coach Steve Hansen. Player of the Match honors went to hooker Yoshikatsu Hikosaka, who scored two tries. He has now been named POM in three of the team’s four wins. “I slacked off a bit, but the other forwards really worked hard,” Hikosaka said humbly, once again crediting his teammates. “It wasn’t about fear of the relegation playoff—we just wanted to enjoy the match as if it were the Grand Final. Everyone created that atmosphere,” he added.
It has been a challenging season filled with struggles and missed opportunities. But at the very end, by embracing the situation, the team finally rediscovered its true identity. The final score difference was eight points. Had Verblitz allowed their opposition to finish within seven points, the Heat would have gained a bonus point, and the relegation playoff spot would have remained undecided until the final round. The team's forwards made countless sacrifices to keep the lead intact, and it was fly-half Shinya Komura, who converted four of the six tries, that ultimately translated their efforts onto the scoreboard. "Young as he is, Komura’s kicking accuracy helped secure a win by more than seven points. That one point made all the difference—it determined the team’s future from next week onward,” said Hansen, emphasizing the weight of a single point.
Heat’s head coach Kieran Crowley commented, “After announcing the squad on Tuesday, we had to make changes due to injuries on Wednesday, and on match day, fly-half Manu Vunipola injured his calf and was unable to play. Despite the setbacks, I’m proud of the players.”
Though Verblitz have now avoided the relegation playoff, the path to this victory was paved with groundwork. In the final minutes of their previous match against the Sungoliath, they fought on with just 14 players without making substitutions. The day before, in the last Mirai Match, they defeated the same opposition’s second side by 34-19. Fly-half Masahiro Kitamura, who captained that game, said, “Everyone here is carrying frustration from not getting League One opportunities. The question is whether we can fulfill our role in that context.” It was a victory born of many individual emotions coming together as one team.
Toyota Verblitz will now play their final match of the season on May 10th, at Toyota Stadium, against the Spears. “We want to wrap up the season with a win in true Toyota fashion,” said fullback Takahashi. While their current standing—10th place as of Round 17—is not what the team hoped for, they aim to carry the rediscovered spirit from the first half of this match into next season.
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