Springbok Stars Shine Individually as Wild Knights Secure Last-Gasp Victory in Japan Rugby League One

Springbok stars Cheslin Kolbe and Faf de Klerk shine in Japan Rugby League One despite losses for Sungoliath and Yokohama Eagles in Round 12.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 30, 2026, 6:52 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Rugby365

Late Drama Denies Sungoliath in Heavyweight Tokyo Clash

The Saitama Wild Knights staged a remarkable late recovery to break the hearts of Tokyo Sungoliath with a 36-34 victory in a high-stakes League One encounter. Sungoliath appeared to have the match secured with a ten-point lead and only seven minutes of regulation time remaining, but a persistent Saitama offensive eventually breached their defenses. According to match reports, replacement prop Lisala Finau scored the winning try in the 84th minute, capping off a relentless period of pressure that saw a previous Saitama effort disallowed just moments earlier by the television match official.

Kolbe Delivers Masterclass Despite Heartbreaking Result

Cheslin Kolbe lived up to his "superman" reputation, accounting for 24 of his team’s points in a losing effort. The Springbok winger crossed the line for his eighth try of the season and maintained a high level of accuracy off the tee, converting seven of his nine attempts. Despite his individual brilliance, Sungoliath could not withstand the final onslaught from the Wild Knights, marking another narrow defeat to their traditional rivals. This result leaves the Tokyo side searching for consistency as they look to close the gap on the league leaders in the coming weeks.

Verblitz Overcome Disciplinary Hurdle to Secure Away Win

In Yokohama, Toyota Verblitz displayed significant defensive grit to secure a 33-27 win over the Eagles, despite being reduced to 13 men in the final quarter. Second-rowers Lourens Erasmus and Hingano Lolohea were both sent to the sin bin within sixty seconds of each other, leaving their side vulnerable during a critical phase of the match. However, the squad led by Aaron Smith conceded only three points during the period of numerical disadvantage. This resilience proved decisive, as late tries from Viliame Tuidraki and William Tupou reclaimed the lead and secured Verblitz’s fourth win in their last five outings.