The pressure ran high, and the opponents were radically different.
Toshiba's Luatangi Samurai Vatuvei (center) is congratulated
by his teammates after scoring the winning try during the Top League
final against Suntory on Sunday.
KYODO PHOTO The final result, however, remained the same. Barely.
The experience-laden Toshiba Brave Lupus topped the Suntory Sungoliath 14-13 to clinch the team's third consecutive Microsoft Cup on Sunday in front of 23,067 at Tokyo's Prince Chichibu Stadium.
Toshiba came from behind to win in extra time, as Luatangi Samurai Vatuvei emerged from the maul, scoring the winning try in the 47th minute and leaving the Sungoliath in shock.
"It was a strange feeling in the last few minutes," Brave Lupus captain Tomioka Teppei said. "Even though we were in the overtime, we didn't think we would lose.
"I told the players to believe in themselves and put all their efforts into the scrum. And we won."
All season, Toshiba has relied on its senior players, playing power rugby centered on mauling.
Early on, however, it appeared Suntory -- young, athletic and energetic -- would beat Toshiba at its own game. The Sungoliath had two focused training camps held in special preparation for Toshiba's style.
In the 25th minute, Suntory's Toru Kurihara won the ball in a Brave Lupus pass and scored an individual try from 75 meters, but the score was evened by CTB Scott McLoud's try and Hiroki Yoshida's conversion.
Early in the second half, Suntory WTB Taira Koji was crushed down by Vatuvei just before the tryline in a high tackle, which earned the 125-kg, Tongan-born lock a yellow card and 10 minutes off the field.
Vatuvei got a breather, but Suntory failed to take advantage of the situation.
Nonetheless, the Sungoliath still remained poised to hoist the Microsoft Cup heading into the final minutes.
Then Vatuvei swung the momentum back toward the defending champs.
"I only lend my name to this try," he said afterward. "It was the effort of all 15 of us."
The last time the two Fuchu-based teams met during the Top League tournament (Jan. 6 at Ajinomoto Stadium), the rainy weather conditions favored Toshiba's game, resulting in a tight 12-10 victory for the Brave Lupus.
Suntory's head coach, Katsuyuki Kiyomiya, couldn't hide the disappointment of another close setback.
"I wouldn't be happy, even if we won today," he said. "Our team didn't show its true style."