Sunday, 4 May 2025:
 | | Quade Cooper. | |
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Wallabies veteran Quade Cooper has kept alive his hopes of departing Japan Rugby League One with another promotion.
The 37-year-old playmaker had a leading role as Hanazono Liners beat Green Rockets Tokatsu 42-19 to set up a final day showdown against section champions Shuttles Aichi.
Cooper, who was Division Two Player of the Year when he led the Liners to promotion three years ago, announced recently he is parting company with the Osaka-based club at the end of the season.
His side needed to beat the Green Rockets on Saturday to have any chance of making the promotion/relegation series.
As well as setting up two tries by manipulating the defence with trademark short passes, Cooper also kicked five from five, one being the conversion of the try scored by his long-time halves partner, Will Genia.
Cooper's success contrasted with the fortunes of another ex-Wallaby flyhalf, with Bernard Foley missing a conversion from a wide angle in the final play of Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay's thrilling 29-29 draw with Saitama Wild Knights.
While the result could cost the Wild Knights top seeding for the playoffs, second will still earn Robbie Deans and his men a bye in the first round of the elimination series, with the Spears now likely to have to strip for the first weekend after dropping to third.
Defending champions Brave Lupus Tokyo returned to the top of the table after a 45-28 win over Sagamihara Dynaboars, while Tokyo Sungoliath became the final qualifier for the playoffs, wrapping up sixth courtesy of a 43-34 win over Black Rams Tokyo.
Ex-Wallaby backrower Liam Gill had an unusual afternoon, scoring two tries and setting up two others, but the 32-year-old was also one of a trio from the Black Rams who were yellow carded, which all but sealed their fate.
Samu Kerevi scored the 10th try from his last nine appearances, but it was not enough to prevent another defeat for Urayasu D-Rocks on a madcap afternoon where they shared 17 tries with Shizuoka BlueRevs in a 62-52 defeat.
D-Rocks will be joined in the post-season relegation series by Mie Heat, whose last hopes were ended despite two tries by Wallaby fullback Tom Banks, during Sunday's 38-30 defeat by Verblitz.
The win by Steve Hansen's men, which pulled them clear of the relegation zone, featured the 11th try of the season by code-hopping former NRL star Joseph Manu.
The afternoon's other match saw Dave Rennie's Kobe Steelers beat Yokohama Eagles 47-29.
