KITAKYUSHU (Kyodo) -- South African star Damian de Allende scored a brace of tries Sunday to lead unbeaten Japan Rugby League One leaders the Saitama Wild Knights to a 38-22 win against Toyota Verblitz.

The two-time Rugby World Cup-winning center put head coach Robbie Deans' Wild Knights on the board when he received an offload from Dylan Riley and ran across in the seventh minute at Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture.

Tries from Esei Haangana and Atsushi Sakate gave Saitama a 21-5 halftime advantage before de Allende helped extend the lead with a storming kick return that set the stage for Ben Gunter to go over in the 47th minute.

De Allende's quick reflexes saw him intercept a chip and notch his brace in the 67th minute. Wild Knights flyhalf Kyohei Yamasawa was flawless from the kicking tee, hitting a penalty and converting all five of his team's tries.

Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen's star-studded Toyota side now have just one win and a draw from five matches.

They are reportedly set to bring former Wallaby captain Michael Hooper out of retirement to replace injured World Rugby Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit, who has not played a League One game this season.

In Sunday's other first-division results, Springbok superstar Cheslin Kolbe was among Tokyo Sungoliath's try-scorers in a 27-19 victory over the Mie Heat.

Kobe Steelers outside back Kanta Matsunaga ran in a hat-trick of tries in his team's 50-22 win against the visiting Urayasu D-Rocks.