Top League (Japan)
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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
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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 |
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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.