In an effort to drive up the overall standard and popularity within
Japan of Japanese rugby and improve the results of the
Japan national rugby union
team, the
Japan Rugby
Football Union created a new professional 12-team league,
called the
Top League. The first season was
2003-4. From the 2006-7 season the league was expanded to include
14 teams like the
Super 14 and the
Top 14.
The chief architect of the league was
Hiroaki Shukuzawa who strongly felt the
urgency of improving Japanese domestic company rugby to a
professional level which would allow Japan to compete more
convincingly at Rugby World Cups. Many full-time foreign
professionals (mainly from Australia and New Zealand) have played
in the Top League, notably
Tony Brown and
George Gregan.
The league has a JRFU-appointed chairman and a commissioner.
Major Developments and Rule Changes
- From the 2008-9 season, three foreign players will be allowed
on the field at one time, one more than previously allowed. In
addition to the three foreigners, one member of an Asian union,
such as South Koreans Kim Kwang Mo
(Sanyo Wild Knights) and Choi Ki Joon (Fukuoka Sanix Blues), will be allowed to
take the field. From the 2009-10 season one of the three must have
played for Japan or be eligible to do so. ( Daily Yomiuri, February 28, 2008). Video referee
decisions will be introduced in this season's Microsoft Cup.
- From the 2007-8 season a timekeeping system independent of the
referee was introduced.
- From the 2006-7 season the league was expanded from 12 to 14
teams.
Seventh season (2009-10)
Pre-season
IBM Big Blue and Yokogawa Atlastars were automatically relegated at
the completion of the 2008-9 season for finishing 13th and
14th.
Ricoh and Honda won promotion through the Top Challenge
series.
Kyuden and Sanix retained their places in Top League when they won
their respective promotion and relegation play-offs.
Teams
| Team |
Region |
| Coca Cola West Red
Sparks |
Fukuoka , Kyushu |
| Fukuoka Sanix Blues |
Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| Honda Heat |
Suzuka, Mie |
| Kintetsu Liners |
Osaka ,
Kansai |
| Kobe Steel Kobelco
Steelers |
Hyogo ,
Kansai |
| Kubota Spears |
Chiba, Kanto |
| Kyuden Voltex |
Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| NEC Green Rockets |
Chiba, Kanto |
| Ricoh Black Rams |
Tokyo ,
Kanto |
| Sanyo Wild Knights |
Gunma ,
Kanto |
| Suntory Sungoliath |
Tokyo, Kanto |
| Toshiba Brave Lupus |
Tokyo, Kanto |
| Toyota Verblitz |
Aichi ,
Tokai |
| Yamaha Jubilo |
Shizuoka , Tokai |
|
Sixth season (2008-9)
Pre-season
Kintetsu Liners returned to the
league, and Yokogawa Denki were promoted for the first time (and
renamed
Yokogawa Musashino
Atlastars in the off season). They replaced
Ricoh Black Rams and
Mitsubishi Dynaboars.
Teams
| Team |
Region |
| Coca Cola West Red
Sparks |
Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| Fukuoka Sanix Blues |
Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| IBM Big Blue |
Chiba ,
Kanto |
| Kintetsu Liners |
Osaka,
Kansai |
| Kobe Steel Kobelco
Steelers |
Hyogo,
Kansai |
| Kubota Spears |
Chiba, Kanto |
| Kyuden Voltex |
Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| NEC Green Rockets |
Chiba, Kanto |
| Sanyo Wild Knights |
Gunma,
Kanto |
| Suntory Sungoliath |
Tokyo, Kanto |
| Toshiba Brave Lupus |
Tokyo, Kanto |
| Toyota Verblitz |
Aichi,
Tokai |
| Yamaha Jubilo |
Shizuoka, Tokai |
| Yokogawa Musashino
Atlastars |
Tokyo, Kanto |
Fifth season (2007-8)
For further details see 2007-08
Top League.
Pre-season
Kyuden Voltex and
Mitsubishi Dynaboars joined the league
for the first time.
Teams
There are 14 teams, given in alphabetical order with their
geographical location by prefecture, as follows:
| Team |
Region |
| Coca Cola West Red
Sparks |
Fukuoka , Kyushu |
| Fukuoka Sanix Blues |
Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| IBM Big Blue |
Chiba , Kanto |
| Kobe Steel Kobelco
Steelers |
Hyogo , Kansai |
| Kubota Spears |
Chiba, Kanto |
| Kyuden Voltex |
Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| Mitsubishi Dynaboars |
Kanagawa , Kanto |
| NEC Green Rockets |
Chiba, Kanto |
| Ricoh Black Rams |
Tokyo,
Kanto |
| Sanyo Wild Knights |
Gunma , Kanto |
| Suntory Sungoliath |
Tokyo, Kanto |
| Toshiba Brave Lupus |
Tokyo, Kanto |
| Toyota Verblitz |
Aichi , Tokai |
| Yamaha Jubilo |
Shizuoka , Tokai |
Post-season
The top four teams (Sanyo, Suntory, Toyota and Toshiba) played in
the fifth
Microsoft Cup to decide the
league champion.
Suntory
Sungoliath beat
Sanyo Wild
Knights 14-10 in the final on February 24, 2008 to become the
2007-08 League Champions.
Mitsubishi Dynaboars (14th) and
Ricoh Black Rams (13th) were
automatically relegated.
Fourth season (2006-7)
Pre-season
The number of teams was increased from 12 to 14. Coca Cola became
the second Kyushu-based team in the Top League. IBM returned to the
league.
Teams
Coca Cola West Red
Sparks
Fukuoka Sanix Blues
IBM Big Blue
Kobe Steel Kobelco
Steelers
Kubota Spears
NEC Green Rockets
Ricoh Black Rams
Sanyo Wild Knights
Secom Rugguts
Suntory Sungoliath
Toshiba Brave Lupus
Toyota Verblitz
World Fighting Bull
Yamaha Jubilo
Post-season
The top four teams in the league played in the
Microsoft Cup which was officially integrated
into the league from this season as the "Top League Play-off
Tournament Microsoft Cup". The cup was won by
Toshiba Brave Lupus which also won the
All-Japan
Championship.
Secom and World (13th and 14th) were automatically relegated, to be
replaced by
Kyuden Voltex, the third
team from Kyushu to enter the league, and
Mitsubishi Dynaboars from Kanto.
Third season (2005-6)
Pre-season
After the play-offs (see
Top Challenge
series below for details) the twelve teams were as follows.
Secom and Sanix returned after a season out of the league,
replacing Kintetsu and IBM.
Teams
Fukuoka Sanix Blues
Kobe Steel Kobelco
Steelers
Kubota Spears
NEC Green Rockets
Ricoh Black Rams
Sanyo Wild Knights
Secom Rugguts
Suntory Sungoliath
Toshiba Brave Lupus
Toyota Verblitz
World Fighting Bull
Yamaha Jubilo
Post-season
The top eight teams played in the
Microsoft Cup.
Coca Cola West Japan (now Coca
Cola Red Sparks) gained promotion to the League at the end of the
season. IBM returned to the league.
Second season (2004-5)
Pre-season
IBM and Toyota gained promotion.
Teams
Kintetsu Liners
Kobe Steel Kobelco
Steelers
Kubota Spears
NEC Green Rockets
Nihon IBM Big Blue
Ricoh Black Rams
Sanyo Wild Knights
Suntory Sungoliath
Toshiba Brave Lupus
Toyota Verblitz
World Fighting Bull
Yamaha Jubilo
Post-season
The top eight teams played in the inaugural
Microsoft Cup.
The eleventh and twelfth teams (Kintetsu and IBM) were
automatically relegated, and the ninth and tenth placed teams
(World and Ricoh) had to win play-offs to stay in the Top League,
which they did.
First season (2003-4)
The first season began with 12 teams.
Teams
Fukuoka Sanix Blues
Kintetsu Liners
Kobe Steel Kobelco
Steelers
Kubota Spears
NEC Green Rockets
Ricoh Black Rams
Sanyo Wild Knights
Secom Rugguts
Suntory Sungoliath
Toshiba Brave Lupus
World Fighting Bull
Yamaha Jubilo
Post-season
Secom and Sanix were relegated at the end of the season. IBM and
Toyota were promoted.
Top League Challenge series (2005)
(Note: The information below relates to the 2005 series.
For details of the 2008 series see here.)
The top-placed regional teams from East Japan, West Japan and
Kyushu played each other in Top Challenge One. The top two were
automatically promoted, replacing the 11th and 12th teams which
were automatically relegated. The third-placed team played the 10th
placed Top League team, with the winner of that game taking a Top
League place.
The second-placed regional teams played each other in Top Challenge
Two for the right to play the 9th placed Top League team, with the
winner taking a Top League place.
This structure continues unchanged in 2008, except that there are
now 14 teams (not 12) in the Top League.
Top Challenge One
2005
January 16: Secom Rugguts 0 Fukuoka Sanix Bombs 34 (Komazawa,
Tokyo)
January
23: Fukuoka Sanix Bombs 41 Toyota Jido Shokki [Toyota Industries]
36 (Hakata no
Mori
, Fukuoka)
January 29: Toyota Jido Shokki 17 Secom Rugguts 24
(Mizuho Koen, Nagoya)
So Sanix and Secom were promoted to the Top League for
2005-6.
Top Challenge Two
January 16:
Mitsubishi Juko [Heavy
Industries] Sagamihara 14
Coca Cola West Japan 62 (Komazawa,
Tokyo)
January 23: Coca Cola West Japan 15
Honda
Heat 28 (Hakata no Mori, Fukuoka)
January 29: Honda Heat 31 Mitsubishi Juko Sagamihara 54 (Mizuho
Koen, Nagoya)
So Honda Heat won the right to play
World Fighting Bull for a place in the
Top League 2005-6. (Honda Heat came top in Top Challenge Two
because they gained a bonus point for the number of tries scored
against Mitsubishi Juko Sagamihara.)
Promotion/Relegation games (Irekaesen)
February 13
Toyota Jido Shokki 7 Ricoh Black Rams 42
Honda Heat 0 World Fighting Bull 49
So Ricoh and World stayed in the Top League for the 2006-7
season.
Top League Champions
Famous foreign players
See also
External links
Wikis
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