Springboks centre Damian de Allende produced a colossal performance as he led the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights to a 46-32 victory over Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan Rugby League One.
The Wild Knights remain the only unbeaten team in the competition, having won nine of their 10 games so far this season, drawing once.
De Allende starred in the win over former Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie’s charges, scoring twice and assisting another as the Knights claimed a seven-try bonus-point victory.
Damian de Allende in a destructive mood
In an all-action display, the Springboks star also made 10 tackles, won a turnover, beat a match-high of six defenders from his 11 carries, gaining 52 metres from 11 carries and completed nine passes and two offloads.
It was a compelling performance from the Bok as the Knights charged to an impressive victory despite their plethora of injuries including De Allende’s regular midfield partner and Brave Blossoms international Dylan Riley who withdrew before kick-off.
Robbie Deans’ side suffered another setback when back-rower Lachlan Boshier limped off after half-an-hour, while replacement full-back Tom Parton later left due to a head knock.
The Knights got off to a strong start in the fixture as Jack Cornelsen opened the scoring after 14 minutes but the Steelers were quick to respond through Waisake Raratubua.
De Allende then made his mark on the fixture rounding off a wonderful attacking move in which fellow Springbok Lood de Jager was involved as the midfielder sped past the onrushing defence with All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick completing the tackle just too late to deny the try.
While that score put the Knights ahead, it did not last too long as it was the Steelers who held a 27-20 lead at the break after a Willie Potgieter try from a maul.
Kobe stretched out to a 12-point advantage with 30 minutes to play, through Ataata Moeakiola before De Allende sparked the comeback with another dominant run.
Clinching the bonus point win
The Steelers were slow to react to a quickly taken tap penalty and De Allende rode a tackle as he crashed over the line with Retallick just too late to prevent the Springboks star from grabbing his second try.
Just three minutes later, he set up ex-Hurricanes winger Vince Aso after a scrum charged towards the defence, producing a wonderful offload as the New Zealander sprinted in for his sixth try of the season, wrestling the lead back for his side.
Japanese international Ben Gunter rampaged over three minutes later to complete a three-try burst in just six minutes that all but finished Kobe off, with Kyohei Yamasawa finalising the scoring with a late try to extend the Wild Knights’ lead and seal the bonus point.
The result means that Kobe haven’t beaten the Wild Knights in 19 attempts since 2003.
