Top League (Japan)

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Top League

Current season Season 2019/20
sport Rugby union
Association JRFU
League foundation 2003
Teams 16
Country countries Japan
Title holder Kobelco Steelers (2018/19)
TV partner DAZN
Website top-league.jp
↓ Top Challenge League
Opening ceremony for the 2009/10 season finals
Emperor Naruhito with his wife Masako during a game of the 2018/19 season

The Top League (jp. ト ッ プ リ ー グ, Toppu Rīgu ) is the top division of men in rugby union in Japan . In 2003 it replaced the previous top division Zenkoku Shakaijin Ragubī Taikai, which had been held since 1948 .

overview

The Top League is so far the only professional men's league in Japanese rugby union. Most of the 16 teams now taking part in the game are owned by Japanese companies , so their players are employed by them. In this way, sometimes high salaries can be paid to local talent but also international stars. Since 2010, some of their players have been among the highest paid in rugby union in the world.

Since it was founded in 2003, the Top League has been expanded from twelve to 14 and finally 16 participating teams. Your games will be played during the season break of the international league competition Super Rugby . This enables numerous players to play for two different teams in two non-competing leagues all year round. Some of the particularly successful players in the Top League belong to the roster of the internationally playing Sunwolves , which have been the only Japanese team in super rugby since 2016 .

In recent years the Top League has attracted numerous international rugby union stars. The best-known non-Japanese who competed for teams in the Top League include Jaque Fourie , Matt Giteau , Dan Carter , Ma'a Nonu , Sonny Bill Williams and Shane Williams .

In 2004, a second division was introduced permanently with the Top Challenge League . The four teams of the Top League with the fewest points scored play towards the end of the season to remain in the top division. While two of the four teams have to be relegated to the Top Challenge League , the four best teams in the Top Challenge League can fight for promotion. The teams with the fewest points in the Top Challenge League are again forced to relegate to one of the three regional leagues.

Due to the high number of teams from the Tokyo metropolitan area, most of the Top League games are played in the Chichibunomiya Stadium .

Teams

The following 16 teams will play in the Top League in the 2019/20 season :

Team (short name) Full name (Japanese) City, prefecture founding year
Canon Eagles Canon Eagles ( キ ヤ ノ ン イ ー グ ル ス ) Machida , Tokyo 1980
Docomo Red Hurricanes NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes ( NTT ド コ モ レ ッ ド ハ リ ケ ー ン ズ ) Osaka , Osaka 1993
Hino Red Dolphins Hino Red Dolphins ( 日 野 レ ッ ド ド ル フ ィ ン ズ ) Hino , Tokyo 1950
Honda Heat Honda Heat ( ホ ン ダ ヒ ー ト ) Suzuka , Mie 1960
Kobelco Steelers Kobe Seikō Kobelco Steelers ( 神 戸 製鋼 コ ベ ル コ ス テ ィ ー ラ ー ズ ) Kobe , Hyogo 1928
Kubota Spears Kubota Spears ( ク ボ タ ス ピ ア ー ズ ) Funabashi , Chiba 1978
Mitsubishi Dynaboars Mitsubishi Jūkōgyō Sagamihara Dynaboars ( 三菱 重工 相 模 原 ダ イ ナ ボ ア ー ズ ) Sagamihara , Kanagawa 1981
Munakata Sanix Blues Munakata Sanix Blues ( 宗 像 サ ニ ッ ク ス ブ ル ー ス ) Munakata , Fukuoka 1994
NEC Green Rockets NEC Green Rockets ( NEC グ リ ー ン ロ ケ ッ ツ ) Abiko , Chiba 1985
NTT Communications Shining Arcs NTT Communications Shining Arcs ( NTT コ ミ ュ ニ ケ ー シ ョ ン ズ シ ャ イ ニ ン ン グ ア ー ク ス ) Ichikawa , Chiba 1976
Panasonic Wild Knights Panasonic Wild Knights ( パ ナ ソ ニ ッ ク ワ イ ル ド ナ イ ツ ) Ōta , Gunma 1960
Ricoh Black Rams Ricoh Black Rams ( リ コ ー ブ ラ ッ ク ラ ム ズ ) Setagaya , Tokyo 1953
Suntory Sungoliath Suntory Sungoliath ( サ ン ト リ ー サ ン ゴ リ ア ス ) Fuchu , Tokyo 1980
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tōshiba Brave Lupus ( 東芝 ブ レ イ ブ ル ー パ ス ) Fuchu , Tokyo 1948
Toyota Verblitz Toyota Jidōsha Verblitz ( ト ヨ タ 自動 車 ヴ ェ ル ブ リ ッ ツ ) Toyota , Aichi 1941
Yamaha Júbilo Yamaha Hatsudōki Júbilo ( ヤ マ ハ 発 動機 ジ ュ ビ ロ ) Iwata , Shizuoka 1984

In the 2018/19 season, the Coca-Cola Red Sparks and Toyota Industries Shuttles teams were relegated , while the Mitsubishi Dynaboars and Docomo Red Hurricanes teams were promoted .

The current champions are the Kobelco Steelers team . The record champions are the teams Suntory Sungoliath and Toshiba Brave Lupus with five wins each . The record champions of the previous league between 1948 and 2003 were the Yawata Steel team with twelve wins.

See also

Web links