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Brave Lupus’ title defence is under threat as Kobe Steelers build momentum toward the playoffs.

Richie Mo'unga's hopes of signing off with a title at Brave Lupus Tokyo are fading, as the defending champions' poor run continued in Japan Rugby League One, while Dave Rennie's Kobe Steelers remain firmly on track for the playoffs.

Kobe, coached by the former Wallabies boss, strengthened their position in second with a convincing 49-28 win over Tokyo Sungoliath.

The victory underlined their attacking strength, with the Kansai club becoming the first this season to pass 100 tries, reaching 105, 23 more than ladder leaders Saitama Wild Knights.

The Wild Knights, known for their defensive discipline, also impressed in round action, shifting gears in attack to defeat Sagamihara Dynaboars 57-19 and maintain top spot.

Spears Funabashi Bay consolidated third place with a 54-21 win over Mie Heat, running in four late tries in the final 10 minutes. Wallaby Bernard Foley featured after returning from injury and is set to depart the club at season's end.

In contrast, Brave Lupus' slide has become a central storyline. The two-time defending champions suffered a heavy 50-26 loss to 10th-placed Yokohama Eagles, who capitalised during Mo'unga's 10-minute absence for a yellow card, scoring 19 points in that period.

The result leaves Brave Lupus holding onto the sixth and final playoff spot by just two points. However, eight defeats in their past 10 matches have raised serious doubts about their ability to mount a title defence.

Elsewhere, Shizuoka BlueRevs defeated Urayasu D-Rocks 49-26, while Toyota Verblitz recorded a 40-28 win over BlackRams Tokyo to round out the weekend's results.