The 13rd round of 2017 Super Rugby was held on 3rd week of May. Japan team Sunwolves had a bad record until now, their resurls were 1 win and 9 losses. Last week, the Sunwolves didn’t have a match and they were taking a rest.
In this season, many players of the Sunwolves were absent from injuries and rest, so they could not organize the best members. But in the 13rd round, Harumichi Tatekawa (CTB) of the captain was back in the starting member. And Hitoshi Ohno (LO) was also in the bench.
On May 20 a match of round 13 was held in the Singapore National Stadium, the Sunwolves played against the Sharks (Cell C Sharks). The Sunwolves had played against the Sharks a time last year, the Sharks beat the Sunwolves 40 to 29 in Durban on July 2016.
There were about 10,000 spectators in the Stadium at Singapore. In the Sunwolves, 9 Japan national rugby union team players of 2015 Rugby World Cup got on the bench. The starting members of both teams were as follows;
☆：Japan national rugby union player of 2016 Autumn Internationals
★：the Sunwolves player of 2016 Super Rugby
Sunwolves ■PR: Keita Inagaki (★), Yusuo Yamaji (☆) ■HO: Shota Horie (☆★) ■LO: Sam Wykes, Naohiro Kotaki (★) ■FL: Shuhei Matsuhashi (☆), Yoshitaka Tokunaga ■No.8: Williie Britz ■SH: Fumiaki Tanaka (☆) ■SO: Yu Tamura (☆★) ■WTB: Kenki Fukuoka (☆) , Shota Emi ■CTB: Harumichi Tatekawa (Cap,☆★), Ryohei Yamanaka (★) ■FB: Kotaro Matsushima (☆)
Sharks ■PR: Thomas du Toit, Lourens Adriaanse ■HO: Chiliboy Ralepelle ■LO: Ruan Botha, Stephan Lewies ■FL: Philip van der Walt (Cap), Jean-Luc du Preez ■No.8: Daniel du Preez ■SH: Cobus Reinach ■SO: Garth April ■WTB: Sbu Nkosi, Kobus van Wyk ■CTB: Johan Deysel, Lukhanyo Am ■FB: Lwazi Mvovo
In the Sunwolves, Yusuke Niwai (HO), and Koki Yamamoto (PR), Timothy Lafaele (CTB) and Derek Carpenter (CTB) rested for getting themselves into good physical condition.
Then in the Shraks, Patrick Lambie of the captain (SO) had suffered from a brain concussion in last week’s match, so he didn’t get on the bench. And Curwin Bosch of the top scorer (FB) has exited from the team because he was selected as a South Africa national under-20 rugby union team player of the World Rugby Under 20 Championship.
Sharks’ tries until this match is less than the Sunwolves (Sharks were 26 tries in 11 matches, Sunwolves were 27 tries in 10 matches), but Sharks’s success rate of tackle is the first rank in 2017 Super Rugby, so they have a strong defense.
In this match Horie replaced on the early time with injury, but Takeshi Hino who instead of Horie tried so the Sunwolves got even 7 to 7 in the 19 minute of first half. But then the Sunwolves repeatedly dropped the ball with Sharks’ tackle and were turned over.
In the second half, the Sunwolves fought a lot and the score was 21 to 17 in the 63 minute. But for some players of Sunwolves have injured and failed some passes, Sunwolves were taken 3 tries in the last 5 minutes. Finally the Sharks beat the Sunwolves 38 to 17.
This youtube’s video is the movie of Sunwolves vs. Sharks. In the 14th round, the Sunwolves play against the Cheetahs at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium on May 27.
