Former All Blacks captain Sam Cane and Springboks winger Cheslin Kolbe both scored tries in Suntory’s heartbreaking Japan Rugby League One quarter-final defeat.

The Kubota Spears emerged as 20-15 victors in the semi-final clash courtesy of Koga Nezuka and Ruan Botha tries, with former Wallabies fly-half Bernard Foley adding the conversions and a penalty.

Kolbe and Cane score in quarter-final defeat

Yuya Hirose’s penalty in the 72nd minute pushed the Spears into a 20-12 lead with a late Kolbe shot at goal cutting the gap, but Suntory were unable to complete the comeback.

In a closely fought first-half, Kubota were in the lead thanks to a penalty from Foley in the seventh minute, with the game coming alive in the second 40.

Kolbe finally opened the scoring for Suntory in the 44th minute as the Springboks speedster sprinted after a grubber kick by Japan international Kotaro Matsushima.

The ball sat up nicely for the winger about a metre away from the line as he regathered to dot down with Foley unable to cover in time.

Cheslin Kolbe’s embarrassing blunder costs Springboks star a try while Sam Cane scores twice

Kubota hit back soon after, though, as Nezuka received the ball out wide from a scrum before he skinned two defenders with his pace and footwork before powering through the attempted tackle of Suntory number eight Ryugo Hashimoto.

Foley added the extras despite immense pressure from Kolbe, who attempted to repeat his Rugby World Cup quarter-final heroics by charging down the kicker.

Next, it was the turn of former All Blacks skipper Cane to score with a smart lineout move. Suntory set up a lineout five metres from the Kubota line and instead of risking a maul against the Spears, hooker Kosuke Horikoshi threw short to his tighthead prop Kan Nakano at the front of the lineout who showed soft hands to send Cane over unopposed. Kolbe would add the conversion after missing the shot at goal for his own try to go into a 10-12 lead.

The Spears would reclaim the lead, however, as Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx – who was named Man of the Match – went inches short of scoring only for fellow South African Botha to power over.

Replacement fly-half Hirose put Kubota into an eight-point lead with a penalty from 40 metres out and Kolbe would convert a similar shot in 77th minute after missing four minutes prior.

Ultimately, Kubota would hold out for the win, which books them a place in the semi-finals where they will meet the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights.

READ MORE: Jason Ryan hails Sam Cane ‘resilience’ and how the All Blacks ‘couldn’t not pick him’

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/sam-cane-and-cheslin-kolbes-stunning-tries-not-enough-in-heartbreaking-quarter-final-defeat