The inaugural Microsoft Cup final to be played at Tokyo's National Stadium on Feb. 22 will be an all-Kanto affair following Sunday's two semifinals.
At Hanazono Stadium in Osaka, two tries from Semisi Saukawa helped NEC pull off a major surprise as the Green Rockets beat the Top League champion Kobe Kobelco Steelers 34-10, while at Tokyo's Chichibunomiya, the Toshiba Brave Lupus needed a penalty in the third minute of injury time to beat the Sanyo Wild Knights 36-34.
The Steelers had beaten the Green Rockets on the last day of the Top League season to ensure they walked away with the silverware, but the Kobe-based team seemed to have run out of puff and had no answer to a determined NEC outfit, which outscored the champion six tries to one.