Tomoki Kitagawa became just the second player to score 100 Top League tries Sunday as Panasonic Wild Knights overcame a controversial red card to beat Kubota Spears 34-25.
Kitagawa's try came in the 54th minute of the game at Ota Sports Park 10 minutes after Yasutaka Sasakura was sent off by referee Mike Adamson.
The Panasonic fullback's boot caught Lappies Labuschagne in the face while he was making an aerial catch and without the benefit of a big screen at the ground, Adamson had no option but to follow the recommendation of the TMO.
But Kitagawa made sure the crowd's boos soon turned to cheers as he made the most of a great offload from Richard Buckman to go over for his milestone try and join Canon Eagles' Hirotoki Onozawa (109) in the century club.
"It took a long time after the 99th try. I'm thankful to my teammates," Kitagawa said. "I'd like to eclipse Onozawa-san's 109 tries. I want to aim for the top."
Daniel Heenan, who handed the Godzilla model he was given for being man-of-the-match to one of Kitagawa's sons after the game, praised the veteran wing.
"He's been a great servant of Panasonic and deserves all the accolades he gets," said the Wild Knights lock.
The victory leaves Panasonic in third spot in the standings on 38 points, 10 behind leaders Yamaha Jubilo and nine back of second-placed Suntory Sungoliath.
Kobe Kobelco Steelers are also on 38 points — but trail Panasonic on points difference — after a hat trick of tries from Tonisio Vaihu and a brace from Rakuhei Yamashita helped them hammer Munakata Sanix Blues 60-21.
In the day's other game, Toshiba Brave Lupus' dreadful run continued as they fell to their sixth loss in seven games, going down 22-17 to lowly Coca-Cola Red Sparks.
In a game that saw the lead change hands on five occasions, Panasonic eventually took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half after they led by just six points at the break.
Keisuke Uchida, Akihito Yamada (who is third on the all-time try list with 72), Kitagawa and Heenan all crossed for Panasonic with Takuya Yamasawa kicking four conversions and two penalty goals.
Patrick Osborne grabbed a brace of tries for Kubota on his Top League debut with Hideto Kondo also crossing the chalk and Hideyuki Moriwaki adding 10 points via his left boot.