Welsh lock Cory Hill scored a brace of tries, and South Africa's Faf de Klerk came on in the second half to help Yokohama Eagles preserve their lead in a wild 39-30 Japan Rugby League One victory over Kobe Steelers on Sunday.
After Kobe opened with an early penalty from Lee Seung Sin, Yu Tamura scored the opening try for the Eagles at Yokohama's Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium in the eighth minute and finished with four conversions and two penalties.
The Eagles took a 15-13 lead into the changing rooms, and Hill scored his first, going over after a Steelers handling error near the try line in the 45th minute. Tamura's conversion made it 22-13.
It was a fitting start to a second half, a see-saw affair with the ball frequently changing hands.
De Klerk, who helped the Springboks win the 2019 World Cup final in the same city, received warm applause from the crowd as he entered in the 54th minute and gave the Eagles a second wind.
De Klerk's pin-point pass sent Hill over for a 66th-minute try after Kobe closed to within two at 22-20.
"We knew it was going to be a tough game. Kobe's always got a great team," Hill said. "There was a lot of hard work by the boys, and I was just lucky to be at the end of two (tries)."
Lee kicked 15 points for Kobe, and his accuracy kept the Steelers close. They were denied a bonus point, however, after the Eagles powered over from a maul in the 74th minute, and Tamura kicked a 79th-minute penalty.
In Sunday's other two opening-round games of the league's second season, Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay defeated Tokyo Sungoliath 31-18, and Green Rockets Tokatsu held off Hanazono Liners 36-34.
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