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2008–09 Top League

FieldValue
imageFlickr - tpower1978 - Microsoft Cup (1).jpg
imagesize300px
captionToshiba playing Sanyo for the 2009 Microsoft Cup.
countriesJapan Japan
date5 September 2008 - 18 January 2009
championsToshiba Brave Lupus (4th title)
runnersupSanyo Wild Knights
prevseason2007–08
nextseason2009–10

The 2008–09 Top League was the sixth season of Japan's domestic rugby union competition, the Top League. The Toshiba Brave Lupus defeated Sanyo Wild Knights by 17–6 in the final of the Microsoft Cup to claim the 2008–09 Top League championship.

The Top League is a semi-professional competition which is at the top of the national league system in Japan, with promotion and relegation between the next level down.

Preseason

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 Sagamihara DynaBoars.

Teams

TeamRegion
Coca-Cola West Red SparksFukuoka, Kyushu
Fukuoka Sanix BluesFukuoka, Kyushu
IBM Big BlueChiba, Kanto
Kintetsu LinersOsaka, Kansai
Kobelco SteelersHyogo, Kansai
Kubota SpearsChiba, Kanto
Kyuden VoltexFukuoka, Kyushu
NEC Green RocketsChiba, Kanto
Sanyo Wild KnightsGunma, Kanto
Suntory SungoliathTokyo, Kanto
Toshiba Brave LupusTokyo, Kanto
Toyota VerblitzAichi, Tokai
Yamaha JubiloShizuoka, Tokai
Yokogawa Musashino AtlastarsTokyo, Kanto

Regular season

Final standings

ClubPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTry BonusLosing BonusPoints
1[[File:Toshibabravelupus.png18px]] Toshiba Brave Lupus131201563211+352110
2[[File:Sanyowildknights.png18px]] Sanyo Wild Knights131201584197+387100
3[[File:Suntorycolours.png18px]] Suntory Sungoliath131003482298+184101
4[[File:Kobesteelers.png18px]] Kobelco Steelers13904358300+5852
5[[File:NECgreenrockets.png18px]] NEC Green Rockets13805298309−1141
6[[File:Kubotaspears.png18px]] Kubota Spears13805309334−2541
7[[File:Yamahajubilo.png18px]] Yamaha Jubilo13706344304+4061
8[[File:Toyotaverblitz.png18px]] Toyota Verblitz13607310286+2443
9[[File:Kintetsuliners.png18px]] Kintetsu Liners13508319348−2962
10[[File:Redsparkscolours.png18px]] Coca-Cola West Red Sparks13607273353−8011
11[[File:Fukuokasanixblues.png18px]] Fukuoka Sanix Blues133010266442−17654
12[[File:Kyudenvoltex.png18px]] Kyuden Voltex133010345451−10642
13[[File:IBMbigblue.png18px]] IBM Big Blue131012222496−27413
14[[File:Yokogawaatlasstars.png18px]] Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars131012230574−34440

Fixtures and results

{{anchor|Cup}} Title play-offs

Top 4 sides of the regular season competed in the Microsoft Cup (2009) knock out tournament to fight for the Top League title. The top 4 teams of 2008–09 were Toshiba Brave Lupus, Sanyo Wild Knights, Kobe Steelers, and Suntory Sungoliath.

Semi-finals

Final

|url-status= live

Top League Challenge Series

Main article: 2009 Top League Challenge Series

Honda Heat and Ricoh Black Rams won promotion to the 2009–10 Top League via the 2009 Top League Challenge Series, while Mazda Blue Zoomers and Toyota Industries Shuttles progressed to the promotion play-offs.

Promotion and relegation play-offs

Two promotion/relegation matches (Irekaesen) were played with the winners qualifying for the Top League in the next season. The 12th-placed team from the Top League against the 3rd-placed team from Challenge 1. The 11th-placed team from the Top League against the 1st-placed team from Challenge 2.

So Sanix and Kyuden stayed in the Top League for the following season.

Top 10 points scorers

PlayerTeamPtsTCPGDG
1David Hill[[File:Toshibabravelupus.png18px]] Toshiba Brave Lupus226116017
2Ryan Nicholas[[File:Suntorycolours.png18px]] Suntory Sungoliath15854117
3Shane Drahm[[File:Kubotaspears.png18px]] Kubota Spears13611631
4Yasumasa Shigemitsu[[File:Kintetsuliners.png18px]] Kintetsu Liners12352218
5Thinus Delport[[File:Kobesteelers.png18px]] Kobelco Steelers12241822
6Genki Saito[[File:Kyudenvoltex.png18px]] Kyuden Voltex11722816
6Tadanobu Ko[[File:IBMbigblue.png18px]] IBM Big Blue11722220
8Masakazu Irie[[File:Sanyowildknights.png18px]] Sanyo Wild Knights11433311
9Ayumu Goromaru[[File:Yamahajubilo.png18px]] Yamaha Jubilo9841516
10Daisuke Haradome[[File:Redsparkscolours.png18px]] Coca-Cola West Red Sparks8841612

Table notes

  • Pts = Points scored
  • T = Tries
  • C = Conversions
  • PG = Penalty Goals
  • DG = Drop Goals

End-of-season awards

Best fifteen

PositionNameTeam
1PRHisateru Nirashima
2HOYusuke Aoki
3PRKensuke Hatakeyama
4LOHitoshi Ono
5LODaniel Heenan
6FLSteven Bates
7FLReuben Thorne
8No.8Ryukoliniasi Holani
9SHFumiaki Tanaka
10SODavid Hill
11WTBHirotoki Onozawa
12CTBRyan Nicholas
13CTBSeiichi Shimonura
14WTBTomoki Kitagawa
15FBHiroki Yoshida

Table Notes

  • PR = Prop
  • HO = Hooker
  • LO = Lock
  • FL = Flanker
  • SH = Scrum Half
  • SO = Stand Off
  • CTB = Centre Three Quarter Back
  • WTB = Wing THree Quarter Back
  • FB = Full back

References

References

  1. "2008/09 Top League". The Rugby Archive.
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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