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Damian McKenzie bags a hat-trick and 31 points as Suntory stroll to victory

(Photo by Toru Hanai/Getty Images)

All Blacks star Damian McKenzie has produced a masterclass performance in Japan Rugby League One, scoring a hat-trick and 31 points as Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath thumped Kobelco Kobe Steelers 56-17 in Tokyo.

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The result, their seventh of the season, has propelled Suntory top the summit of the League One table, and the Sungoliath will have McKenzie to thank for their rise back to the top of the competition.

The 26-year-old fullback was at his sublime best at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, where he scored the first of his trio of tries in the 17th minute, breaking the Kobelco defence and combining with Seiya Ozaki to score out on the right wing.

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      Shortly after the half-hour mark, McKenzie latched onto a Ryoto Nakamura grubber kick inside the opposition in-goal area and dot down to extend his side’s lead to 28-5.

      The 40-test international then rounded out his hat-trick when some stunning interlinking play by the Suntory backs put McKenzie away with a clean run to the line midway through the second half.

      In addition to his three tries, McKenzie walked away with an unblemished goal-kicking record, slotting all eight of his side’s conversion attempts.

      Furthermore, he came up with a clutch, last-gasp try-saving tackle on Kobelco lock JD Schickerling, who looked set to score after breaking away down the left-hand flank, and even assisted a Tevtia Li try in injury time.

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      That try was Li’s third, meaning he joined McKenzie in scoring a hat-trick, while Wallabies midfielder and 2021 World Rugby Player of the Year nominee Samu Kerevi also crossed for a try of his own early in the first half.

      McKenzie’s personal points haul was one point shy of the League One record, which is held by Nemani Nadolo, who scored 32 points while playing for the NEC Green Rockets against the Honda Heat in the 2011 Top League.

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      C
      CO 2 hours ago
      Whose ship has sailed before the first All Blacks squad?

      Based on last weekend there should be no Hurricanes loose forwards in the mix, they all seemed poor with the Brumbies once again fantastic at playing and executing as a team. The Hurricanes were also poor in the halves with the ten invisible and Cam Roigard trying to play up tempo, Helter skelter rugby which is what the Brumbies wanted.


      Roigards passing was telegraphic with his running game and sniping non existent, Ratima also appears to be getting metronomic, devoid of flair and his ten went invisible as well.


      If you can't step up at finals then you need to be punished, yes the blues were poor at times this season but they were right on either the last two games when it really matters.


      CWL is a bit larger but both him and Lakai are down on size for an eight and aren't freaks like Savea. Sotutu has to be in the mix and Dalton, but only if they front this Friday night.


      However six is an ongoing issue, Josh Beehre could be an answer to the lack of height in the loose forwards at Allblacks level, his driving try to ice the contest through a decent Chiefs pack was raw determination even with support.


      As for the previous try being ruled out on the flimsiest of technicalities that highlighted everything wrong with the TMO, it wasn't ‘rabbiting’, his knees dropped one after the other and he then brought his shoulders forward to extend and score, big guys can do that, that's why Sotutu has to be in the mix.


      Sititi looked short of a gallop and the Chiefs might be acting a bit too cute with their bench, the coach is saying all the right things but he's in the departure lounge and the signs are there that the Chiefs expected to be the best team in finals simply because they had the best bench.


      They're now under the pump and the winner of this year's super final will almost certainly be whoever wins this Friday in Christchurch.

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