Fiji-born Wallabies center Samu Kerevi is facing a challenging opening to the season with his Japanese club, Urayasu D-Rocks, after suffering a heavy defeat against Shizuoka Blue Revs, with a final score of 62-19. This newly promoted team has struggled defensively, allowing a total of 93 points in just their first two matches.
Kerevi is not alone in this rough start, as former Wallaby star Israel Folau also finds himself in the same situation, with the team starting the season at 0-2 in the fourth edition of Japan Rugby League One. Additionally, Joseph Manu, a former NRL player who joined Verblitz, experienced a loss as they fell 21-17 to Mie Heat, despite having scored in his debut match the previous week.
Bernard Foley, another former Wallaby, had a difficult outing as well. After his heroic late-game performance against Verblitz the previous week, which saw him score a drop goal to win, he missed a critical penalty kick that could have changed the outcome of his team’s match against Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay, leading to a narrow 26-24 defeat. This result marked the 16th loss in their last 17 encounters against the Wild Knights.
On a brighter note, the Kobe Steelers managed to secure their first win of the season, triumphing over Yokohama Eagles with a score of 36-18. Similarly, the Brave Lupus Tokyo demonstrated their championship mettle by dominating Sagamihara Dynaboars with a striking 61-8 victory, showcasing a remarkable sequence of seven tries in a span of just 20 minutes.
Though the path may be steep for Kerevi and his teammates, these early struggles could serve as invaluable lessons for growth and cohesion as the season progresses. With plenty of games left, opportunities for redemption and improvement remain on the horizon for all teams involved.
Leave a comment