2020 Top League

The 2020 Top League was the 17th season of Japan's top tier domestic rugby union competition. The season was initially suspended after round six and then further cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.[1]

2020 Top League
Countries Japan
Date12 January 2020 – 23 February 2020
Matches played48
Attendance541,078
(average 11,272 per match)
Highest attendance37,050
Toyota Verblitz v Panasonic Wild Knights
18 January 2020
Lowest attendance2,610
Kubota Spears v Hino Red Dolphins
16 February 2020
Official website
www.top-league.jp

Teams

ClubRegionPrevious season
Canon Eagles Machida, Tokyo 12th
Hino Red Dolphins Hino, Tokyo 14th
Honda Heat Suzuka, Mie 9th
Kobelco Steelers Kobe 1st
Kubota Spears Abiko, Chiba 7th
Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars Sagamihara Promoted from 2018 Top Challenge League
Munakata Sanix Blues Munakata, Fukuoka 13th
NEC Green Rockets Abiko, Chiba 10th
NTT Communications Shining Arcs Chiba Prefecture 5th
NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes Osaka Promoted from 2018 Top Challenge League
Panasonic Wild Knights Ōta, Gunma 6th
Ricoh Black Rams Setagaya 8th
Suntory Sungoliath Fuchū, Tokyo 2nd
Toshiba Brave Lupus Fuchū, Tokyo 11th
Toyota Verblitz Toyota City 4th
Yamaha Jubilo Iwata, Shizuoka 3rd


Standings

2020 Top League Standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Panasonic Wild Knights660027388+1856030
2Kobelco Steelers660031875+2434028
3Yamaha Jubilo650129298+1944026
4Suntory Sungoliath6402239113+1263219
5NTT Communications Shining Arcs6402187111+762119
6Kubota Spears6402163114+492119
7Toshiba Brave Lupus6402169192−232118
8Toyota Verblitz6303202209−72115
9Canon Eagles6303140177−371013
10Honda Heat6204153156−31211
11Munakata Sanix Blues6204110185−751110
12Ricoh Black Rams620472170−98008
13Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars6105103244−141014
14Hino Red Dolphins6105123273−150004
15NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes610581331−250004
16NEC Green Rockets600687176−89022
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 eight teams qualified for the finals.


Fixtures & Results

Round 1

12 January 2020
11:45
Ricoh Black Rams5–28Honda Heat
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 7,318
12 January 2020
13:00
Panasonic Wild Knights34–11Kubota Spears
Report
Kumagaya Rugby Ground
Attendance: 17,722
12 January 2020
13:00
Yamaha Jubilo31–29Toyota Verblitz
Report
Yamaha Stadium
Attendance: 13,985
12 January 2020
13:00
Kobelco Steelers50–16Canon Eagles
Report
Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 23,004
12 January 2020
14:00
Munakata Sanix Blues24–18NEC Green Rockets
Report
Best Denki Stadium
Attendance: 7,216

Round 2

18 January 2020
11:45
NEC Green Rockets17–27Hino Red Dolphins
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 7,603
18 January 2020
13:00
Yamaha Jubilo24–36Kobelco Steelers
Report
Yamaha Stadium
Attendance: 10,163
18 January 2020
13:00
Toyota Verblitz20–40Panasonic Wild Knights
Report
Toyota Stadium
Attendance: 37,050
19 January 2020
13:00
Honda Heat21–23Kubota Spears
Report
Mie Sports Garden
Attendance: 6,778
19 January 2020
14:00
Munakata Sanix Blues16–18Ricoh Black Rams
Report
Best Denki Stadium
Attendance: 4,508

Round 3

25 January 2020
11:30
Honda Heat23–32Toshiba Brave Lupus
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 6,548
25 January 2020
13:00
Ricoh Black Rams0–38Yamaha Jubilo
Report
Takebishi Stadium Kyoto
Attendance: 4,360
25 January 2020
14:00
Toyota Verblitz61–31Hino Red Dolphins
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 8,888
26 January 2020
13:00
Kobelco Steelers35–29Suntory Sungoliath
Report
Noevir Stadium Kobe
Attendance: 26,312

Round 4

1 February 2020
11:30
Hino Red Dolphins19–48Yamaha Jubilo
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 3,682
1 February 2020
14:00
Toyota Verblitz58–29Honda Heat
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 8,734
2 February 2020
13:00
Canon Eagles17–51Panasonic Wild Knights
Report
Machida Stadium
Attendance: 9,120

Round 5

15 February 2020
11:30
Canon Eagles24–39Honda Heat
Report
Kumagaya Rugby Ground
Attendance: 20,138
15 February 2020
11:30
NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes7–82Yamaha Jubilo
Report
Yanmar Stadium Nagai
Attendance: 16,483
15 February 2020
14:00
Panasonic Wild Knights46–27Toshiba Brave Lupus
Report
Kumagaya Rugby Ground
Attendance: 22,705
15 February 2020
14:00
Suntory Sungoliath60–14Toyota Verblitz
Report
Yanmar Stadium Nagai
Attendance: 19,584
16 February 2020
13:00
Kubota Spears49–12Hino Red Dolphins
Report
Yumenoshima Stadium
Attendance: 2,610

Round 6

22 February 2020
11:30
NEC Green Rockets12–26Ricoh Black Rams
Report
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 10,687
22 February 2020
11:45
Canon Eagles22–10Munakata Sanix Blues
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 14,625
22 February 2020
13:00
Honda Heat13–14NTT Communications Shining Arcs
Report
Mie Sports Garden
Attendance: 3,111
22 February 2020
14:00
Hino Red Dolphins14–69Suntory Sungoliath
Report
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 13,856
22 February 2020
14:00
Toyota Verblitz20–18Kubota Spears
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 5,343

References

  1. "Japan cancels entire Top League season due to COVID-19". Rugby Pass. 23 March 2020. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020.
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