Rugby

Naikabula scores double in title win

May 27, 2024 10:03 am

Brave Lupus Tokyo player Jone Naikabula (L) carries the ball against Saitama Wild Knights in the Japan Rugby League [ Source : english.kyodonews]

Four Fijians helped the Brave Lupus Tokyo defeat the Saitama Wild Knights 24-20 in the Japanese rugby championship final yesterday.

Seta Tamanivalu, Michael Leitch, Jone Naikabula and Samu Anise played a key role in the side’s triumph.

Naikabula scored a double in each half for the Brave Lupus.

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Former Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete, who was playing for the Wild Knights was sinbinned for hauling Naikabula down by the collar as he charged for the line.

All Blacks fly half Richie Mo’unga also picked up a winner’s medal in his first season with the Brave Lupus.

The New Zealand fly-half moved to Tokyo on a three-year deal after playing in his country’s narrow Rugby World Cup final defeat to South Africa last year.

He won Super Rugby titles with Crusaders in each of the last seven years and he added to his collection in front of more than 55,000 fans at Tokyo’s National Stadium.