Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete will probably be hoping to return to his tryscoring methods when the Saitama Wild Knights tackle the Inexperienced Rockets in Japan Rugby League One this weekend.
New Australia coach Eddie Jones will probably be protecting an in depth eye on the type of the Fijian flyer, who is anticipated to play a pivotal half within the World Cup squad this yr.
Koroibete has scored three tries in his earlier two matches for the unbeaten Knights however was contained by the Yokohama Eagles protection in spherical six.
Sunday’s conflict may also pit former Wallabies and Tremendous Rugby-winning coaches Michael Cheika and Robbie Deans towards one another, albeit for simply the second time of their careers.
Deans received their first encounter when the Knights beat the Rockets final yr.
Whereas Cheika largely carries out his Japanese duties from afar with former Sydney College coach Rob Taylor his supervisor on the bottom, Deans is fingers on at Saitama.
His experience has led the Knights to 5 titles in Japan, the identical quantity he received with the Crusaders.
The 2-time defending champions are already wanting ominous this yr, with a last-gasp 21-19 victory over Yokohama – their sixth win of the marketing campaign – within the earlier spherical.
The Rockets and former Wallaby halfback Nick Phipps face a herculean process with Cheika’s males drawing a clean in final weekend’s 21-Zero loss to the Shizuoka Blue Revs, going scoreless within the second half in two straight losses.
In different Division One matches, Bernard Foley’s Kubota Spears Tokyo Bay go to Steve Hansen’s Verblitz and the Peter Hewat-coached Black Rams line up at Yokohama.
Will Genia’s Hanazono Liners welcome the Blue Revs to Osaka whereas the Sagamihara Dynaboars host the Kobe Steelers.
Tokyo Sungoliath prepares for his or her largest sport of the yr towards native rivals Courageous Lupus Tokyo.
With either side in scorching kind, and sitting third and fourth on the competitors ladder, Sunday’s derby ought to add one other important chapter to their storied 43-year rivalry.
