There's a defining moment, or maybe a handful of key plays, in every championship match or championship series ― that is, unless it's a blowout from start to finish. And we were reminded of this in the back-and-forth Japan Rugby League One final on Sunday, May 26.
For sports fans, this is one of the most appealing aspects of watching games: new heroes emerge or established stars bolster their reputations with big plays.
In the Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo's compelling 24-20 triumph over the Saitama Wild Knights, head coach Todd Blackadder's squad took a 17-6 lead five minutes into the second half on winger Jone Naikabula's second try of the match and flyhalf Richie Mo'unga's conversion kick.
The match was far from over, though. Pride was on the line, as well as the shiny championship trophy to be awarded before a crowd of 56,000-plus fans at Tokyo's National Stadium.
And remember this: Even with an outstanding 14-1-1 record in the League One regular season, the Brave Lupus were underdogs.
The Wild Knights, guided by longtime New Zealand-born coach Robbie Deans, entered the championship final with a 16-0 regular-season record. Then they eked out a 20-17 win over the Yokohama Canon Eagles in the semifinals.
Wild Knights Provide a Vivid Reminder of Their Exceptional Rugby Skills
Surprising nobody, based on their overall excellence in the 2023-24 campaign, the Wild Knights rallied. In the second half, they pulled to within 17-13 on a Ben Gunter try and a Rikiya Matsuda conversion in the 24th minute.
Moments later, a Taiki Koyama try and another Matsuda conversion gave the Wild Knights a 20-17 advantage.
And with 20 minutes left in the match, anything was still possible, even though momentum had shifted to the unbeaten Wild Knights.
Both teams kept grinding away, seeking to gain the upper hand.
With six minutes remaining, Brave Lupus center Yuto Mori rumbled over the goal line with a go-ahead try and Mo'unga's kick extended the lead to 24-20.
Scoring chances followed for the Wild Knights, but they fell short and ran out of time.
Fijian-born Naikabula was instrumental in the Brave Lupus gaining the aforementioned 11-point advantage and preserving the lead at the end.
His first try put them on the scoreboard in the 27th minute, trimming the Wild Knights' early 6-0 lead to a single point. And then Mo'unga provided the conversion to flip the lead to the Brave Lupus (7-6).
MVP of the 2023-24 Japan Rugby League One season, Mo'unga nailed a penalty kick to increase the margin to 10-6 before halftime.
Late-Match Drama Seals the Final Result
Based on the ebb and flow of the match, hustle, determination, speed, brute strength and all-around fundamentals all factored into the final outcome.
And then in the waning moments, as the Wild Knights sought to conclude their perfect season with a victory, Naikabula denied them that pleasure. He made a title-clinching tackle in the final minute.
Naikabula was named Man of the Match.
The Brave Lupus claimed their first title of the League One era, which began in 2022, succeeding the Top League. In addition, they won their first championship since 2010.
It's been said that good things come to those who wait.
Just ask Naikabula, who attended Setsunan University in Osaka and made his Rugby World Cup debut for the Brave Blossoms in 2023.
"It's been a long time coming," Naikabula said, according to Kyodo News. "We got this win for the Toshiba (Brave Lupus) family and all the fans."
A Veteran Star's Profound Impact
New Zealand star Mo'unga was added to the roster on a three-year deal after the 2023 Rugby World Cup. If there was any doubt before Sunday's final that his addition was a brilliant move by Brave Lupus management, that question was put to rest.
Mo'unga brought a wealth of big-match experience to the Brave Lupus lineup and produced points in all 16 matches before the playoffs commenced. Then he did the same thing in a 28-20 triumph over the Tokyo Sungoliath in the semifinals and in the title match.
Former Japan national team captain Michael Leitch, a Brave Lupus player since 2011, recognized that Mo'unga was an influential figure for the team throughout the season.
"His decision-making, how he runs the week, how he controls the game and how he educates our players and staff," Leitch, the Brave Lupus captain, was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse after the title match.
Leitch then said, "He just brings another level of rugby IQ and I think that was evident today, just the way he managed the game and how he kicked and the options he took."
Mo'unga Reacts to His Team's Title-Clinching Victory
Knowing what to say and how to say it is another important aspect of a go-to player's persona, one that he projects onto the sport in times of success and times of disappointment. Comments are published and redistributed thousands of times in this age of social media.
In the aftermath of the Brave Lupus' triumph over the Wild Knights, Mo'unga said all the right things.
"The Wild Knights are an awesome club, really the benchmark in this competition," Mo'unga said, according to The Associated Press. "The Brave Lupus have been driven this year by people who really care about the organization.
"A lot of hard work goes into putting this rugby team out there and all credit to everyone at this club who wanted this championship so bad. I'm proud to be part of it."
RELATED:
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- [ODDS and EVENS] All Blacks Help Elevate Level of Japan Rugby League One
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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