The Kamisenryu Sea Turtles have defeated the Kansai Kaminari in the opening round of the Japanese National Cup : West Division held over the weekend.
Held in Osaka, the Kaminari lead at halftime, up 30 – 22, before the Sea Turtles dominated in the second half, running out 56 – 34 winners in a high scoring match.
Kansai will have the opportunity to avenge their loss on August 7, with the top ranked team after the two matches collecting the Kansai Cup and progressing to the National Cup Grand Final.
The 2021 Japanese National Cup currently features five clubs in the 2021 season, with the East Division featuring three clubs, the Abiko Ducks, Mitaka Spartans and South Ikebukuro Rabbitohs.
The Japanese National Cup has been played since 1998, with the last iteration of the competition taking place in 2019 due to COVID-19. So far only one match has been played in 2021, with the Mitaka Spartans defeating the South Ikebukuro Rabbitohs. Other matches have been postponed due to COVID lockdowns.
