Australian-born centre Dylan Riley scored a decisive try in the 73rd minute on Sunday as the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights beat Suntory Sungoliath 18-12 in the inaugural final of Japan Rugby League One at Tokyo’s National Stadium.
The 25-year-old Japan international, who was born on Australia’s Gold Coast, crossed the line near the end of a tense final to give the Wild Knights breathing space as they held on to defend their status as the leading club in Japan.
Riley is fast becoming Suntory’s nemesis.
Watch every game of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific finals, streaming ad free, live and on demand only on Stan Sport. Sign up for your free seven day trial!
His five points on Sunday added to the intercept try he scored in last year’s Top League final, which set the Wild Knights on their way to a 31-26 victory over Suntory.
A former Australia under-20s representative, Riley’s acquisition and development has represented a shrewd bit of recruitment by Wild Knights coach Robbie Deans, who coached the Wallabies between 2008-2013.
Renowned for his ability to spot and develop raw talent, Deans brought Riley, lock Jack Cornelsen and loose forward Ben Gunter to the club, out of relative anonymity within the Australian development system, turning them into two-time Japan club title-winners.
READ MORE: Ericsson claims Indy 500 in front of 300,000
READ MORE: $1.2m star snubbed in new look Maroons side
READ MORE: Why ‘out of form’ Blues star couldn’t be picked
All three players made their Test debuts for Japan last year.
Sunday’s title was Deans’ fifth with the Wild Knights, matching his five Super Rugby crowns with the Crusaders.
He also won Tri-Nations titles and the Bledisloe Cup while with the All Blacks, and later Australia’s first Tri-Nations title for a decade as coach of the Wallabies.
Alongside Riley, Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete, whom Deans brought to the club this year, was Saitama’s star.
Koroibete’s frequent barging runs were topped only by his effortless run in for the game’s opening try, after being set up by snappy play from Riley and Wild Knights fullback Ryuji Noguchi.
Suntory was kept in the game by the accurate boot of former All Blacks star Damian McKenzie, whose fourth penalty in the 66th minute drew his side to within a point of the Wild Knights.
While his opposite goalkicker, Takuya Yamasawa, missed three of his six attempts, the Saitama flyhalf was involved in the match’s key moment when he knocked the ball from McKenzie’s grasp as the Suntory fullback was diving for the tryline just before halftime.
The ball spilled free, and with it went Suntory’s title hopes as they were unable to break down the well organised Wild Knights defence through the second half of a game played in an energy sapping 31 degrees.
The weekend saw the end of the promotion/relegation series, with former Australia international Israel Folau’s NTT Communications Shining Arcs finishing a disastrous season with relegation while ex-Wallabies coach Michael Cheika’s NEC Green Rockets retained their top-tier status after tying their series with Honda Heat.
The Mitsubishi Dynaboars replace the Shining Arcs in the top division next year.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by CLICKING HERE!