Suntory Sungoliath continued on their unbeaten way Saturday as they made it seven wins from seven games in the Top League.
Keisuke Sawaki's team beat the NEC Green Rockets 33-14 at Kashiwanoha Park Stadium to keep up the pressure on league leaders Yamaha Jubilo, who they meet on Dec. 24 in a game that is more and more likely looking like the title decider.the
Chikara Ito ran in a hat trick of tries as Yamaha topped Honda Heat 47-25 to remain two points ahead of Suntory as the season approaches the halfway stage.
However, both sides will have seen the result from Kariya in Aichi Prefecture — where previously winless Toyota Industries Shuttles upset Toshiba Brave Lupus 27-22 — to know nothing can be totally taken for granted.
Played in ideal conditions and with Brave Blossoms coach Jamie Joseph in the stands, it was a contrasting day in Chiba Prefecture for two players looking to wear the No. 10 jersey for Japan.
Suntory flyhalf Kosei Ono looked assured on the ball and varied his game intelligently, helped it has to be said by the amount of ball he was presented by his pack. The 29-year-old also kicked well from the tee, finishing the day with three conversions from four attempts.
The same could not be said for his NEC counterpart, Yu Tamura, who faded in and out of the game and made a number of unforced errors.
Ono's abundant supply of possession was evident from the start as Suntory camped in the NEC 22 from the kickoff.
The Green Rockets initially defended well, but in the eighth minute Nigel Ah Wong split the midfield to go over unopposed.
Ono added the extras and then turned creator for Suntory's second try 10 minutes later, the flyhalf's inch perfect kick pass finding Shohei Takeshita, who went over in the corner.
Ono kicked the conversion from the touchline for good measure before being forced into defensive duties as NEC started to play itself back into the game.
But a tendency to rush the final pass at times meant it was unable to trouble the scoreboard operator.
Instead it was Suntory which added to its tally in the 32nd minute as Takaaki Nakazuru went over following another powerful break by Ah Wong as NEC's inability to make first-up tackles that cost it dearly and saw it trail 19-0 at the break.
"We lacked belief in what we can do as a side and that showed in the latter part of the first half and parts of the second half," said NEC coach Peter Russell, who added his side made too many unforced errors.
Kotaro Matsushima extended the lead in the 48th minute following another error by Tamura as Suntory once again came out of the blocks the quickest.
In the day's other games, the Kubota Spears edged the Munakata Sanix Blues 28-27 and the Ricoh Black Rams downed the Kintetsu Liners 31-24.