Tokyo Sungoliath winger Cheslin Kolbe, center, runs on his way to scoring a try against the Shizuoka BlueRevs during a Japan Rugby League One match at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground on March 29, 2025. (Kyodo)

TOKYO (Kyodo) — Springboks speedster Cheslin Kolbe was among the try scorers for Tokyo Sungoliath in a 22-17 victory over the Shizuoka BlueRevs in Japan Rugby League One on Saturday.

The two-time Rugby World Cup winner intercepted the ball and outsprinted the defense in a 50-meter race to the line for his fourth try of the season in the 36th minute at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground.

The converted effort gave head coach Kosei Ono’s team a 10-7 lead heading into the break, but they trailed again early in the second half after Shizuoka’s well-executed lineout set the stage for veteran hooker Takeshi Hino to dot down.

Shizuoka lock Yuya Odo was sin binned for a dangerous tackle in the 48th minute and Sungoliath quickly capitalized, with center Isaiah Punivai breaking the line and sending back-rower Ryuga Hashimoto over near the posts.

The seventh-place Tokyo side stayed ahead the rest of the way, gaining desperately needed points to make up ground on the teams ahead of them in the race for a playoff berth, including surprise contenders Shizuoka, who sit fourth.

In other results, the Saitama Wild Knights overpowered the Urayasu D-Rocks 54-26, while the Kubota Spears were 33-5 winners against the Sagamihara Dynaboars.