Springbok lock Lood de Jager and Wallaby winger Marika Koroibete scored two tries apiece to spark unbeaten Japan Rugby League One front runners Saitama Wild Knights to a 40-7 victory over Toyota Verblitz on Saturday.
The Robbie Deans-coached Wild Knights extended their winning streak from the opening round of the season to 14 straight matches with the one-sided result at Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium in Nagoya.
Saitama flanker Ben Gunter looked back to his best in his fourth game following an extended injury layoff, making one bruising carry after another to help keep the visitors on the front foot.
De Jager broke the Toyota line for his team's first try in the fourth minute and plowed across for a second four minutes later.
The Wild Knights extended the lead to 21-0 in the 16th minute after Rikiya Matsuda sent Koroibete over in the corner, then kicked the extras.
Toyota flanker Will Tupou put his team on the board from a sharply executed lineout play before Koroibete's second try enabled Saitama to stake a 26-7 halftime advantage.
Replacement Craig Millar added one of Saitama's second-half tries before being sent to the sin bin in the 66th minute.
In Saturday's other match, hooker Shunta Nakamura scored a hat-trick of tries to help the fourth-place Yokohama Eagles stay in the playoff picture with a 43-19 win against Sagamihara Dynaboars.
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