2018–19 Top League

The 2018–19 Top League[lower-alpha 1] was the 16th season of Japan's top-tier domestic rugby union competition, the Top League.

2018–19 Top League
Kobelco, the 56th All-Japan Champions in 2018–19
CountriesJapan
Date31 August – 15 December 2018
ChampionsKobelco Steelers (2nd title)
Runners-upSuntory Sungoliath
Matches played80
Attendance465,556
(average 5,819 per match)
Highest attendance31,332
(Toyota Verblitz v Suntory Sungoliath, Round 1)
Lowest attendance736
(Coca-Cola Red Sparks v Toyota Industries Shuttles, 15th-place play-off)
Top point scorerSam Greene (68)
Top try scorerLomano Lemeki (8)

Competition rules

The sixteen Top League teams were divided into two conferences for the first stage of the competition; each team played the seven other teams in their conferences once.[1]

All sixteen teams then progressed to a play-off stage; the top four teams in each conference advanced to the title play-offs and the bottom four teams in each conference to the 9th-place play-offs, which determined the final positions for the season. The title play-offs doubled up as the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship, which would no longer include university teams.[2] The bottom four teams in the 9th-place play-off all played in relegation play-off matches.[3]

Teams

The following teams took part in the 2018 Top League competition:

Red Conference
Team Name Region
Hino Red DolphinsHino, Tokyo, Kanto
Kobelco SteelersKobe, Kansai
Munakata Sanix BluesMunakata, Fukuoka, Kyushu
NEC Green RocketsAbiko, Chiba, Kanto
NTT Communications Shining ArcsChiba, Chiba, Kanto
Suntory SungoliathFuchu, Tokyo, Kanto
Toyota Industries ShuttlesNagoya, Aichi, Chūbu
Toyota VerblitzToyota City, Aichi, Chūbu
White Conference
Team Name Region
Canon EaglesMachida, Tokyo, Kanto
Coca-Cola Red SparksFukuoka, Kyushu
Honda HeatSuzuka, Mie, Kansai
Kubota SpearsAbiko, Chiba, Kanto
Panasonic Wild KnightsOta, Gunma, Kanto
Ricoh Black RamsTokyo, Kanto
Toshiba Brave LupusFuchu, Tokyo, Kanto
Yamaha JúbiloIwata, Shizuoka, Chūbu

First Stage : Red Conference

Standings

The current standings for the 2018 Top League First Stage Red Conference are:

2018 Top League First Stage Red Conference standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kobelco Steelers7610353156+1974030
2Suntory Sungoliath7601239164+752026
3Toyota Verblitz7511237135+1023126
4NTT Communications Shining Arcs7304252192+603419
5NEC Green Rockets7304171191−201114
6Toyota Industries Shuttles7304163233−700012
7Hino Red Dolphins7106123261−138116
8Munakata Sanix Blues700775281−206000
Legend:
P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.

The top four teams qualified for the title play-offs.
The bottom four teams in each conference qualified to the 9th-place play-offs.

Matches

The 2018 Top League First Stage Red Conference fixtures are:[4]

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 2 (rescheduled)

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

First Stage : White Conference

Standings

The current standings for the 2018 Top League First Stage White Conference are:

2018 Top League First Stage White Conference standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Yamaha Júbilo7601216112+1044028
2Panasonic Wild Knights760120696+1103027
3Kubota Spears7502172119+531223
4Ricoh Black Rams7403191165+261320
5Honda Heat7214207221−142214
6Toshiba Brave Lupus7205150186−361312
7Canon Eagles7214131175−441112
8Coca-Cola Red Sparks7007116315−199000
Legend:
P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.

The top four teams qualified for the title play-offs.
The bottom four teams in each conference qualified to the 9th-place play-offs.

Matches

The 2018 Top League First Stage White Conference fixtures are:[4]

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Second Stage

Standings

The final standings for the 2018 Top League were:

2018–19 Top League standings
Pos Team
1Kobelco Steelers
2Suntory Sungoliath
3Yamaha Júbilo
4Toyota Verblitz
5NTT Communications Shining Arcs
6Panasonic Wild Knights
7Kubota Spears
8Ricoh Black Rams
9Honda Heat
10NEC Green Rockets
11Toshiba Brave Lupus
12Canon Eagles
13Munakata Sanix Blues
14Hino Red Dolphins
15Toyota Industries Shuttles
16Coca-Cola Red Sparks
Top League and All-Japan Rugby Football Championship champions.
The 13th to 16th-placed teams qualify to the relegation play-offs.

Title play-offs

The four quarter final winners qualified for the semi-finals, while the losers qualified for the 5th-place semi-finals.

The two semi-final winners qualified for the final, while the losers qualified for the 3rd-place match. The two 5th-place semi-final winners qualified for the 5th-place match, while the losers qualified for the 7th-place match.

The final matches determined the final standings.

9th-place play-offs

The four 9th-place quarter final winners qualified for the 9th-place semi-finals, while the losers qualified for the 13th-place semi-finals and the relegation play-offs.

The two 9th-place semi-final winners qualified for the 9th-place final, while the losers qualified for the 11th-place match. The two 13th-place semi-final winners qualified for the 13th-place match, while the losers qualified for the 15th-place match.

The final matches will determine the final standings.

Relegation play-offs

The matches played were:

See also

Notes

  1. Despite the competition starting and finishing in 2018, it's still widely referred to as the 2018–19 Top League rather than the 2018 Top League. The overall season still extends into 2019, with the 2018–19 Top League Cup finishing in January 2019.

References

  1. "Top League to feature 2 conference system for next 2 years". Kyodo News. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  2. "National championship to exclude universities". Kyodo News. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  3. 「ジャパンラグビー トップリーグ2017-2018」大会方式・リーグ組分け・対戦カード決定 ["Japan Rugby Top League 2017-2018" competition format · League grouping · Fixture determination] (Press release) (in Japanese). Top League. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  4. "TL Schedule 2018" (PDF) (Press release) (in Japanese). Top League. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
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