Kobe Kobelco Steelers went top of the Red Conference thanks to a 69-5 hammering of Munakata Sanix Blues in Saturday's only Japan Rugby Top League game.

The Round 2 game was originally slated for Sept. 8 but was postponed as a result of the earthquake that hit Hokkaido two days earlier.

With life on the northern island returning to some sense of normality, the two teams flew up from Kansai and Kyushu, respectively, to battle it out at Tsukisamu Open Stadium.

Former All Black Andy Ellis scored three tries and had a hand and boot in two others as Dave Dillon's side improved to three wins and a draw to head the group on 15 points.

Rugby Kobe

Ryohei Yamanaka and Richard Buckman both weighed in with two tries apiece, and there were further five-pointers for Shohei Shikata, Ryuhei Arita, Daiki Hashimoto and Shinsuke Iseki with Nicholas Ealey, who was born in the Hokkaido capital, adding seven conversions.

Andrew Everingham was Sanix's lone try scorer.

Toyota Verblltz are second in the Red Conference with 13 points, one more than Suntory Sungoliath, Toyota Industries Shuttles and NTT Communications Shining Arcs.

Sanix, meanwhile, remain rooted to the bottom of the group without a point to their name.

This season, the league's 16 teams have been split into two Conferences -- Red and White. Following seven rounds of pool games the top four sides from each group will play for the league title.

rugby(Ryohei Yamanaka)

The bottom eight sides will fight it out to determine which four will enter relegation/promotion playoffs with the top four teams from the second-division Top Challenge League.

Panasonic Wild Knights, the only other unbeaten side in the league, head the White Conference with 17 points, three more than Yamaha Jubilo and Ricoh Black Rams. Toshiba Brave Lupus are fourth on 11 points.