Suntory Sungoliath opened the defense of their Japan Rugby Top League title Friday night with a 32-5 win over Canon Eagles at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground.

A brace of tries from last season's MVP, Takaaki Nakazuru, five pointers from Shunta Nakamura, George Smith and Daishi Murata and two conversions and a penalty goal from Kosei Ono ensured Wallabies legend Matt Giteau marked his TL debut with a win.

Giteau showed flashes of brilliance in his 55 minutes on the field and said he was slowly adapting to rugby in Japan.

"The first camp I had with the team was very tough," he said. "Suntory train at a high tempo and after four or five weeks I now feel a lot better and have a lot more volume in the legs."

"It was great to get the win but I felt a bit of pressure as Suntory set themselves very high standards and were unbeaten last season."

And those standards were not met, according to captain Yutaka Nagare.

"We won but that is not the type of rugby that will win us the final," he said.

"We weren't able to play the Suntory way of creating space and attacking it."

In the evening's other games, a crowd of 27,871 at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, watched Ayumu Goromaru mark his return to Japanese rugby with two conversions as Yamaha Jubilo beat Toyota Verblitz 14-11.

Rugby: Goromaru marks return to Japan Top League

Rugby World Cup 2011 winner Andy Ellis bagged a hat-trick of tries as Kobe Kobelco Steelers beat NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes 39-16, Ricoh Black Rams edged NTT Communications Shining Arcs 17-13 and Kintetsu Liners beat 13-12 Toyota Industries Shuttles thanks to Yasumasa Shigemitsu'a last-minute drop goal.

In Tokyo, a stop-start affair played under lights deemed not bright enough for Super Rugby, the Suntory pack reaped the benefits of a week's training from England forwards coach Steve Borthwick.

Hooker Nakamura and No. 8 Smith both powered over in the first half before the backs took over with wing Nakazuru scampering over in the 35th minute.

With Ono adding the extras to two of the tries, Suntory led 19-0 at the break.

"We didn't show any patience and the (third-minute) sin-binning (of Finau Tupa) really hurt us," Canon coach Yuki Imamura said.

Ono extended the lead with a penalty four minutes into the second stanza before Joe Wheeler put in a kick pass unbecoming of a lock to free up Murata for a try in the 54th minute.

Canon forwards Philip van der Walt and Ed Quirk worked tirelessly and new flyhalf Yu Tamura had his moments and the Eagles' efforts were finally rewarded with Richard Arthur Havili scoring a well-worked try in the 60th minute.

But that was as good as it got for Canon, and Nakazuru rounded things off with his second try four minutes from time after the Suntory pack had once again forced a turnover.