2021 Top League

The 2021 Top League was the 18th season of Japan's top tier domestic rugby union competition. The original schedule was for a three stage competition that included all 16 Top League teams plus the top four sides from the Top Challenge League, in preparation for the three-tier professional league planned for 2022.[1] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan the season was postponed and re-formatted.[2]

2021 Top League
Kubota halfback Daisuke Inoue in February 2021
CountriesJapan
Date20 February 2021 – 23 May 2021
ChampionsPanasonic Wild Knights (5th title)
Runners-upSuntory Sungoliath
Matches played73
Attendance250,022
(average 3,425 per match)
Highest attendance8,747 (Suntory Sungoliath v Kubota Spears, 3 April 2021)
Top point scorerBeauden Barrett (168)
Top try scorerMalo Tuitama (14)
Official website
www.top-league.jp

Under the revised format, the two leagues were played separately. The Top League sides were split into two conferences of eight teams for the first stage, followed by a 16-team knockout stage to decide the champion team.

Teams

Club Region Head Coach Captain
Canon Eagles Machida, Tokyo Keisuke Sawaki Yu Tamura
Hino Red Dolphins Hino, Tokyo Takuro Miuchi Kyosuke Horie
Honda Heat Suzuka, Mie Danny Lee Ryota Kobayashi
Kobelco Steelers Kobe Dave Dillon Tom Franklin
Kubota Spears Abiko, Chiba Frans Ludeke Harumichi Tatekawa
Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars Sagamihara Greg Cooper Heiden Bedwell-Curtis
Munakata Sanix Blues Munakata, Fukuoka Corey Brown Ryuichiro Fukutsubo
NEC Green Rockets Abiko, Chiba Ryota Asano Ryoi Kamei
NTT Communications Shining Arcs Chiba Prefecture Hugh Reece-Edwards Shokei Kin
NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes Osaka Johan Ackermann Lourens Erasmus
Panasonic Wild Knights Ōta, Gunma Robbie Deans Atsushi Sakate
Ricoh Black Rams Setagaya Damien Hill Shuhei Matsuhashi
Suntory Sungoliath Fuchū, Tokyo Milton Haig Ryoto Nakamura
Toshiba Brave Lupus Fuchū, Tokyo Todd Blackadder Michael Leitch
Toyota Verblitz Toyota City Simon Cron Kaito Shigeno
Yamaha Jubilo Iwata, Shizuoka Naoya Okubo Yuya Odo

Stage One

The 16 Top League sides will be split between a red conference and a white conference. They will only play against teams from their conference.[3]

Ladder

Red Conference Standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD BP Pts
1Suntory Sungoliath7700420129291634
2Toyota Verblitz7601288186102428
3Kubota Spears7502236130106525
4NTT Communications Shining Arcs7313236254-18317
5Toshiba Brave Lupus7304224229-5416
6Honda Heat7105133240-10726
7Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars7115123309-18606
8Munakata Sanix Blues7106139322-18315

Fixtures & Results

Round 1

20 February 2021
14:00
Kubota Spears43 - 17Munakata Sanix Blues
Report
Nakadai Sports Park Athletic Stadium
Attendance: 1488
20 February 2021
14:00
Toyota Verblitz34 - 33Toshiba Brave Lupus
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 4305

Round 2

28 February 2021
14:00
Honda Heat14 - 31Suntory Sungoliath
Report
Mie Sports Garden
Attendance: 2817

Round 3

6 March 2021
14:00
Toyota Verblitz45 - 3Honda Heat
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 4116

Round 4

13 March 2021
13:00
Munakata Sanix Blues29 - 61Toyota Verblitz
Report
Global Arena
Attendance: 2001
14 March 2021
13:00
Kubota Spears38 - 7Honda Heat
Report
ZA Oripri Stadium
Attendance: 2115

Round 5

27 March 2021
14:00
Toyota Verblitz36 - 39Suntory Sungoliath
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 4251
28 March 2021
13:00
Honda Heat24 - 25Munakata Sanix Blues
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 1265

Round 6

4 April 2021
12:00
Honda Heat17 - 53Toshiba Brave Lupus
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 1685

Round 7

11 April 2021
13:00
Toyota Verblitz25 - 24Kubota Spears
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 4252

Ladder

White Conference Standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD BP Pts
1Panasonic Wild Knights761031876242531
2Kobelco Steelers7610289138151329
3NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes74031751750117
4Ricoh Black Rams7304179184-5517
5Canon Eagles7313176230-54216
6Yamaha Júbilo7304239240-1315
7Hino Red Dolphins711590238-14817
8NEC Green Rockets7007139324-18511

Fixtures & Results

Round 1

20 February 2021
14:00
Kobelco Steelers47 - 38NEC Green Rockets
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 3752
21 February 2021
14:00
Canon Eagles24 - 26NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
Report
Machida Stadium
Attendance: 2989
21 February 2021
14:00
Hino Red Dolphins17 - 52Yamaha Júbilo
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 2084

Round 2

28 February 2021
12:00
Yamaha Júbilo22 - 23Ricoh Black Rams
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 1856
28 February 2021
14:00
Panasonic Wild Knights60 - 12Hino Red Dolphins
Report
Kumagaya Rugby Ground
Attendance: 4380
28 February 2021
14:00
Kobelco Steelers73 - 10Canon Eagles
Report
Noevir Stadium Kobe
Attendance: 4407

Round 3

6 March 2021
14:00
Kobelco Steelers52 - 7Hino Red Dolphins
Report
Noevir Stadium Kobe
Attendance: 2504

Round 4

14 March 2021
14:00
Yamaha Júbilo32 - 40Canon Eagles
Report
Yamaha Stadium
Attendance: 6436

Round 5

27 March 2021
13:00
Yamaha Júbilo22 - 53Kobelco Steelers
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 6267

Round 6

Round 7

11 April 2021
14:00
Canon Eagles71 - 24NEC Green Rockets
Report
Kumagaya Rugby Ground
Attendance: 2211

Playoff Stage

All sixteen Top League sides plus the top four finishing sides from the 2021 Top Challenge League will be included in the playoff stage. All matches of the playoff stage are knockouts with lower ranked Top League conference teams and the top four Top Challenge League teams playing in the first round to qualify to the round of sixteen.[4]

First round

Bracket

Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
        
Sungoliath 76
Green Rockets 31
Sungoliath Bye
Black Rams
Brave Lupus 24
Black Rams 27
Sungoliath 26
Spears 9
Spears 46
Jubilo 12
Spears 23
Steelers 21
Steelers 50
Dynaboars 17
Sungoliath 26
Wild Knights 31
Verblitz 49
Red Dolphins 29
Verblitz 33
Red Hurricanes 29
Red Hurricanes 21
Heat 13
Verblitz 21
Wild Knights 48
Eagles 43
Shining Arcs 13
Eagles 17
Wild Knights 32
Wild Knights 54
Liners 7

    Round of 16

    24 April 2021
    12:00
    Toshiba Brave Lupus24 - 27Ricoh Black Rams
    Try: Jone Naikabula (2) 3' m 64' c
    Daigo Hashimoto 61' m
    Takahiro Ogawa 80+2' c
    Con: Jack Stratton (0/2)
    Takahiro Ogawa (2/2) 65' 80+3'
    ReportTry: Takei Hinata 15' c
    Toshiya Takahashi 24' c
    Shota Yamamoto 78' c
    Con: Matt McGahan (3/3) 16' 25' 79'
    Pen: Matt McGahan (2/2) 9' 39'
    Paloma Mizuho Stadium
    Attendance: 2558
    24 April 2021
    12:00
    Kubota Spears46 - 12Yamaha Júbilo
    Try: Bernard Foley 12' c
    Finau Tupa 25' c
    Penalty Try 29'
    Lappies Labuschagné (3) 53' m 74' c 77' c
    Con: Bernard Foley (2/3) 14' 26'
    Gerhard van den Heever (2/2) 75' 78'
    Pen: Bernard Foley (2/2) 22' 60'
    ReportTry: Chikara Ito 3' c
    Kakeru Okumura 72'
    Con: Kakeru Okumura (1/2) 4'
    Pen: Kakeru Okumura (0/1)
    Edogawa Stadium
    Attendance: 2033
    24 April 2021
    14:30
    Suntory Sungoliath76 - 31NEC Green Rockets
    Try: Beauden Barrett (2) 2' c 74' c
    Shota Emi 6' m
    Sean McMahon 12' m
    Takaaki Nakazuru (2) 28' m 33' m
    Yukio Morikawa 38' c
    Penalty Try 42'
    Yutaka Nagare 43' c
    Seiya Ozaki 56' c
    Samu Kerevi 64' c
    Con: Beauden Barrett (4/8) 3' 34' 40' 44'
    Hikaru Tamura (3/3) 57' 65' 75'
    ReportTry: Daiki Nakajima (3) 22' m 53' c 80' c
    Pat Tafa 62' c
    Keisuke Yamada 78' m
    Con: Alex Goode (2/4) 53' 63'
    Benhard Janse van Rensburg (1/1) 80+1'
    Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
    Attendance: 4182
    24 April 2021
    14:30
    Kobelco Steelers50 - 17Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars
    Try: Richard Buckman 9' c
    Ryohei Yamanaka 14' m
    Lui Naeata 21' m
    Ataata Moeakiola 41' c
    Hikaru Hashimoto (2) 50' c 68' m
    Brodie Retallick 60' c
    Hirotaka Hirabara 72' c
    Con: Timothy Lafaele (0/1)
    Aaron Cruden (4/6) 11' 42' 51' 61'
    Lee Seung-sin (1/1) 73'
    Pen: Aaron Cruden (0/1)
    ReportTry: Ippei Yamamoto 26' c
    Michael Little 57' c
    Con: James Wilson (2/2) 27' 58'
    Pen: James Wilson (1/1) 17'
    Hanazono Rugby Stadium
    Attendance: 2990
    25 April 2021
    12:00
    NTT Communications Shining Arcs13 - 43Canon Eagles
    Try: Doga Maeda 51' c
    Con: Greig Laidlaw (1/1) 52'
    Pen: Greig Laidlaw (2/2) 9' 17'
    ReportTry: Kobus van Dyk 5' c
    SP Marais (2) 23' c 73' c
    Jesse Kriel 40+1' m
    Ed Quirk 55' c
    Amanaki Saumaki 78' c
    Con: Yu Tamura (4/5) 6' 57' 74' 80'
    Jumpei Ogura (1/1) 24'
    Pen: Yu Tamura (1/1) 44'
    Edogawa Stadium
    Attendance: 1983
    25 April 2021
    12:00
    Honda Heat13 - 21NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
    Try: Nobutaka Ubukata 61' m
    Franco Mostert 67' m
    Con: Gwangtee Oh (0/2)
    Pen: Gwangtee Oh (1/1) 17'
    Matt Duffie (0/1)
    ReportTry: Makazole Mapimpi 26' c
    Lourens Erasmus 39' c
    TJ Perenara 57' c
    Con: Ei Kawamuko (3/3) 27' 40' 58'
    Paloma Mizuho Stadium
    Attendance: 3260
    25 April 2021
    14:30
    Panasonic Wild Knights54 - 7Kintetsu Liners
    Try: Jack Cornelsen (2) 28' c 44' m
    Itsuki Onishi 52' c
    Dylan Riley 68' c
    Ryuji Noguchi 71' c
    Kenki Fukuoka 75' m 78' c
    Con: Rikiya Matsuda (3/4) 29' 53' 68'
    Takuya Yamasawa (2/3) 72' 79'
    Pen: Rikiya Matsuda (3/3) 50' 56' 60'
    ReportTry: Joshua Nohra 16' c
    Con: Patrick Stehlin (1/1) 17'
    Hanazono Rugby Stadium
    Attendance: 3989
    25 April 2021
    14:30
    Toyota Verblitz49 - 29Hino Red Dolphins
    Try: Jamie Henry 15' c
    Taichi Takahashi (2) 20' c 78' c
    Male Sa'u 27' c
    Fetuani Lautaimi 48' c
    Rob Thompson 67' c
    Takehito Namekawa 75' c
    Con: Lionel Cronjé (7/7) 16' 21' 27' 48' 68' 76' 79'
    ReportTry: Chance Peni (2) 4' c 59'c
    Taiki Kawai 63' c
    Yuki Go 80+2' m
    Con: Taro Togo (3/3) 6' 60' 64'
    Toshizumi Kitagawa (0/1)
    Pen: Taro Togo (1/1) 23'
    Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
    Attendance: 3849

    Quarter-finals

    8 May 2021
    13:00
    Toyota Verblitz33 - 29NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
    Try: Kieran Read 41' c
    Jamie Henry (2) 62' c 71' m
    Con: Lionel Cronjé (2/3) 42' 63'
    Pen: Lionel Cronjé (3/3) 9' 22' 48'
    ReportTry: Tom Marshall 15' m
    Mifiposeti Paea 27' c
    Wimpie van der Walt 43' c
    Kouk Shigeno 52' c
    Con: Marty Banks (3/4) 28' 45' 54'
    Pen: Marty Banks (1/2) 1'
    Egao Kenko Stadium
    Attendance: 2534
    8 May 2021
    15:00
    Panasonic Wild Knights32 - 17Canon Eagles
    Try: Dylan Riley 2' c
    Keisuke Uchida 14' c
    Kenki Fukuoka 61' m
    Shota Fukui 66' c
    Con: Rikiya Matsuda (2/3) 3' 15'
    Takuya Yamasawa (1/1) 67'
    Pen: Rikiya Matsuda (2/2) 29' 32'
    ReportTry: Yu Tamura 47' c
    Naoya Minamihashi 68' c
    Con: Yu Tamura (2/2) 48' 69'
    Pen: Yu Tamura (1/1) 8'
    Kumagaya Rugby Ground
    Attendance: 4651
    9 May 2021
    12:45
    Kobelco Steelers21 - 23Kubota Spears
    Try: Hayden Parker 39' c
    Atsushi Hiwasa 63' c
    Rakuhei Yamashita 70' c
    Con: Hayden Parker (1/1) 40'
    Aaron Cruden (2/2) 64' 71'
    Pen: Hayden Parker (0/1)
    ReportTry: Sione Vatuvei 3' c
    Honeti Taumohaapai 9' c
    Con: Bernard Foley (2/2) 4' 10'
    Pen: Bernard Foley (1/2) 24'
    Gerhard van den Heever (2/3) 61' 76'
    Shizuoka Stadium
    Attendance: 5543

    Semi-finals

    15 May 2021
    14:00
    Panasonic Wild Knights48 - 21Toyota Verblitz
    Try: Kenki Fukuoka (3) 1' m 69' c 77' c
    Takuya Yamasawa 60' c
    Dylan Riley 75' c
    Con: Rikiya Matsuda (3/4) 62' 70' 76'
    Takuya Yamasawa (1/1) 78'
    Pen: Rikiya Matsuda (4/6) 21' 27' 33' 46'
    Drop: Rikiya Matsuda 24'
    ReportTry: Masato Furukawa 5' m
    Taichi Takahashi (2) 9' m 16' m
    Con: Lionel Cronjé (0/3)
    Pen: Lionel Cronjé (2/3) 35' 47'
    Hanazono Rugby Stadium
    Attendance: 0
    16 May 2021
    13:10
    Suntory Sungoliath26 - 9Kubota Spears
    Try: Shota Emi 33' m
    Con: Beauden Barrett (0/1)
    Pen: Beauden Barrett (6/7) 25' 30' 42' 49' 55' 59'
    Drop: Beauden Barrett 20'
    ReportPen: Gerhard van den Heever (3/3) 8' 23' 47'
    Hanazono Rugby Stadium
    Attendance: 0

    Final

    23 May 2021
    13:10 JST
    Suntory Sungoliath26 - 31Panasonic Wild Knights
    Try: Ryoto Nakamura 35' c
    Takaaki Nakazuru 42' m
    Naoto Saito 70' c
    Seiya Ozaki 78' c
    Con: Beauden Barrett (3/4) 37' 71' 79'
    Pen: Beauden Barrett (0/1)
    ReportTry: Dylan Riley 5' c
    Kenki Fukuoka 30' c
    Asaeli Ai Valu 55' m
    Con: Rikiya Matsuda (2/3) 6' 31'
    Pen: Rikiya Matsuda (3/3) 14' 25' 39'
    Takuya Yamasawa (1/2) 73'
    Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
    Attendance: 4668
    Referee: Akihisa Aso
    FB15 Seiya Ozaki
    RW14 Takaaki Nakazuru
    OC13 Shogo Nakano
    IC12 Ryoto Nakamura (c)
    LW11 Shota Emi
    FH10 Beauden Barrett
    SH9 Yutaka Nagare
    N88 Sean McMahon
    OF7 Naoki Ozawa
    BF6 Hendrik Tui
    RL5 Harry Hockings
    LL4 Tom Savage
    TP3 Shinnosuke Kakinaga
    HK2 Shunta Nakamura
    LP1 Yukio Morikawa
    Substitutions:
    HK16 Kosuke Horikoshi
    PR17 Shintaro Ishihara
    PR18 Sam Talakai
    LK19 Joe Latta
    FL20 Tevita Tatafu
    SH21 Naoto Saito
    FH22 Hikaru Tamura
    CE23 Yusuke Kajimura
    Coach:
    Milton Haig
    FB15 Ryuji Noguchi
    RW14 Semisi Tupou
    OC13 Dylan Riley
    IC12 Hadleigh Parkes
    LW11 Kenki Fukuoka
    FH10 Rikiya Matsuda
    SH9 Keisuke Uchida
    N88 Jack Cornelsen
    OF7 Shunsuke Nunomaki
    BF6 Ben Gunter
    RL5 George Kruis
    LL4 Daniel Heenan
    TP3 Shohei Hirano
    HK2 Atsushi Sakate (c)
    LP1 Keita Inagaki
    Substitutions:
    HK16 Shota Horie
    PR17 Craig Millar
    PR18 Asaeli Ai Valu
    LK19 Ryota Hasegawa
    FL20 Itsuki Onishi
    SH21 Taiki Koyama
    FH22 Takuya Yamasawa
    CE23 Shota Fukui
    Coach:
    Robbie Deans

    Notes

    1. Matches cancelled due to Covid-19 result in a 0-0 draw.

    References

    1. "Top League revises format, schedule for 2021 campaign". The Japan Times. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
    2. "Top League delays start of season due to COVID-19 outbreak". The Japan Times. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
    3. "Top League 2021 Stage One". Top League. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
    4. "Japan Rugby Top League 2021 Announces New Tournament Format and Season Calendar". Japan Rugby Football Union. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
    5. "Beauden Barrett's Suntory Sungoliath progress to Top League semi-finals after match cancelled due to COVID". RugbyPass. 1 May 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
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