The 2013–14 Top League was the 11th season of Japan's domestic rugby union competition, the Top League. It kicked off on 30 August 2013. The final was held on 9 February 2014 and won by Panasonic Wild Knights.
Teams The Top League expanded from 14 to 16 teams for the 2013–14 season. The Sanix Blues team was relegated, and Coca-Cola West Red Sparks, Kubota Spears, Toyota Industries were promoted to the Top League for 2013–14.
TeamRegionCoachCaptainCanon EaglesMachida, Tokyo, Kantō Yoji Nagatomo Taku WadaCoca-Cola West Red SparksFukuoka, Kyushu Shogo Mukai Masakazu ToyotaKintetsu LinersHigashiosaka, Osaka, Kansai Ryusuke Maeda Haruki OtaKobelco SteelersKobe, Kansai Seiji Hirao Daiki HashimotoKubota SpearsAbiko, Chiba, Kantō Takashi Yamagami Tatsurou KonnoKyuden VoltexFukuoka, Kyūshū Koji Hirata Makoto MatsumotoNEC Green RocketsAbiko, Chiba, Kantō Greg Cooper Ryota AsanoNTT DoCoMo Red HurricanesOsaka, Kansai Kazunari Takano Hiroki YoshiokaNTT Com Shining ArcsChiba, Chiba, Kantō Masato Hayashi Hiraku TomoigawaPanasonic Wild KnightsOta, Gunma, Kantō Norifumi Nakajima Shota HorieRicoh Black RamsTokyo, Kantō Leon Holden Daisuke KomatsuSuntory SungoliathFuchū, Tokyo, Kantō Naoya Okubo Shinya MakabeToshiba Brave LupusFuchū, Tokyo, Kantō Kenichi Wada Michael LeitchToyota Industries ShuttlesAichi, Mizuho Tai McIsaac Takayuki KamitaniToyota VerblitzToyota, Aichi, Tokai Keiji Hirose Ryuta UenoYamaha JúbiloIwata, Shizuoka, Tokai Katsuyuki Kiyomiya Yuta Kasahara
Regular season For the Pool stage, the 16 teams were placed into 2 pools of 8 teams each and a round-robin tournament was played within each of the pools.
Then, for the Group stage, the top 4 teams from each pool went through to Group 1, and the bottom 4 teams from each pool went through to Group 2. The teams were given starting points based on where they finished in their pool. - i.e. starting points of 4, 3, 2, and 1, for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively; and starting points of 4, 3, 2, and 1, for 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th respectively.
Another round-robin was played for each of the groups. The Top League teams in Group 1 ranked 1st to 4th qualified for the title play-offs to fight for the Microsoft Cup and the Top League title. The top 4 also qualified directly into the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship.
The teams in Group 1 ranked 5th to 8th, and teams in Group 2 ranked 1st to 4th went through to the wildcard play-offs for qualification into the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship.
The teams in Group 2 ranked 5th to 7th went through to the promotion and relegation play-offs against regional challengers to fight to remain in the Top League. The team in Group 2 ranked 8th was automatically relegated to the regional leagues for 2014–15.
Table
Group stage tables Top League - Group StageGroup 1ClubPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTry BonusLosing BonusStart PointsPoints 1 Panasonic Wild Knights 7 7 0 0 224 105 119 4 0 4 36 2 Suntory Sungoliath 7 6 0 1 261 169 92 4 0 4 32 3 Kobelco Steelers 7 4 0 3 223 194 29 5 1 2 24 4 Toshiba Brave Lupus 7 4 0 3 181 151 30 2 3 2 23 5 Yamaha Júbilo 7 3 0 4 168 177 -9 2 2 3 19 6 Toyota Verblitz 7 3 0 4 127 188 -61 1 0 1 14 7 Canon Eagles 7 1 0 6 131 251 -120 0 3 1 8 8 NEC Green Rockets 7 0 0 7 130 210 -80 1 3 3 7Group 2ClubPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTry BonusLosing BonusStart PointsPoints 1 Kubota Spears 7 5 0 2 166 103 63 2 1 4 27 2 Kintetsu Liners 7 5 0 2 187 158 29 3 1 3 27 3 Ricoh Black Rams 7 4 0 3 217 150 67 5 2 2 25 4 Toyota Industries Shuttles 7 4 0 3 190 195 -5 4 0 3 23 5 NTT Com Shining Arcs 7 3 0 4 158 210 -52 3 1 4 20 6 Coca-Cola West Red Sparks 7 3 0 4 157 175 -18 3 3 1 19 7 NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes 7 2 0 5 152 160 -8 2 2 2 14 8 Kyuden Voltex 7 2 0 5 157 233 -76 3 0 1 12
Pool stage tables Top League - Pool StagePool AClubPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTry BonusLosing BonusPoints 1 Suntory Sungoliath 7 6 0 1 245 110 135 5 1 30 2 NEC Green Rockets 7 5 0 2 193 138 55 4 1 25 3 Kobelco Steelers 7 5 0 2 213 147 66 4 0 24 4 Toyota Verblitz 7 5 0 2 142 111 31 1 1 22 5 NTT Com Shining Arcs 7 4 0 3 155 175 -20 3 0 19 6 Toyota Industries Shuttles 7 1 0 6 172 185 -13 3 4 11 7 NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes 7 2 0 5 116 208 -92 2 0 10 8 Kyuden Voltex 7 0 0 7 87 259 -162 0 0 0Pool BClubPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTry BonusLosing BonusPoints 1 Panasonic Wild Knights 7 5 1 1 231 97 134 5 1 28 2 Yamaha Júbilo 7 5 1 1 209 150 59 3 0 25 3 Toshiba Brave Lupus 7 5 0 2 164 131 33 3 0 23 4 Canon Eagles 7 4 0 3 187 161 26 2 2 20 5 Kubota Spears 7 4 0 3 169 173 -4 3 1 20 6 Kintetsu Liners 7 2 0 5 139 167 -28 2 3 13 7 Ricoh Black Rams 7 1 1 5 142 196 -54 1 2 9 8 Coca-Cola West Red Sparks 7 0 1 6 125 291 -166 3 1 6
Pool stage
Group stage
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Title play-offs Top 4 sides of the regular season competed in the Microsoft Cup (2014) knock out tournament to fight for the Top League title. The top 4 teams of 2013–14 were Panasonic Wild Knights, Suntory Sungoliath, Kobelco Steelers, and Toshiba Brave Lupus.
Semi-finals
Final
Team detailsPanasonic Wild Knights FB 15Yasutaka Sasakura RW 14Tomoki Kitagawa OC 13Seichi ShimomuraIC 12Yasuki Hayashi LW 11Akihito YamadaFH 10Berrick BarnesSH 9 Fumiaki Tanaka N8 8 Koliniasi Holani OF 7 Tadasuke Nishihara BF 6 Sione Vatuvei RL 5 Daniel Heenan LL 4 Yu Young-nam TP 3 Tomokazu Soma HK 2 Shota Horie (c) LP 1 Keita InagakiReplacements:HK 16Tetsuya Shitara PR 17Naoki Kawamata PR 18Ryusioapelatu Holani LK 19Yoichi Ijima FL 20Daichi Wakamatsu SH 21Nicholas Ealey CE 22JP Pietersen FB 23Takashi Miyake Coach: Norifumi NakajimaSuntory Sungoliath FB 15Go Aruga RW 14Murata DaishiOC 13Koji Taira IC 12Ryan Nicholas LW 11Kenta TsukamotoFH 10Kosei Ono SH 9 Fourie Du Preez N8 8 Ozawa Naoki OF 7 Takamichi Sasaki BF 6 George Smith RL 5 Makabe Shinya (c)LL 4 Shinozuka KojiTP 3 Hatakeyama Kensuke HK 2 Aoki Yusuke LP 1 Kanei Tateo Replacements:HK 16Shintaro Ishihara PR 17Ozaki Akira PR 18Ikegaya Yosuke FL 19Takemoto Juntaro FL 20Hendrik Tui SH 21Hiwasa Atsushi CE 22Tusi Pisi FB 23Nagatomo Yasunori Coach: Naoya Okubo
Wildcard play-offs The Top League Group 1 teams ranked 5–8 and Group 2 teams ranked 1–4 played off over two rounds, with the second round winners qualifying for the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship.
First round
Second round
So Yamaha and Toyota advanced to the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship.
Top League Challenge Series
Fukuoka Sanix Blues won promotion to the 2014–15 Top League via the 2013–14 Top League Challenge Series, while Honda Heat, Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars and Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars progressed to the promotion play-offs.
Promotion and relegation play-offs The Top League teams in Group 2 ranked 5th, 6th, and 7th, played-off against the Challenge 1 teams ranked 4th, 3rd, and 2nd, respectively, for the right to be included in the Top League for the following season.
So Coca-Cola West Red Sparks, NTT Docomo, and NTT remained in the Top League for the next season.
End-of-season awards
At the end of season awards, Panasonic Wild Knights flyhalf Berrick Barnes was named Top League MVP, a day after helping his side to the league title. He was handed his trophy by Japan coach Eddie Jones.
Team awards AwardWinner Top League winners: Panasonic Wild Knights Fair Play award: Best fans:
Individual awards AwardWinner Top League MVP: Berrick Barnes (Panasonic) Rookie award: Most tries: Jaque Fourie (Kobe Steel) 17 tries Top scorer: Ryan Nicholas (Suntory) Best kicker: Ryan Nicholas (Suntory) Best referee: Playoffs MVP:
Team of the season #Winner 1. Keita Inagaki (Panasonic) 2. Shota Horie (Panasonic) 3. Kensuke Hatakeyama (Suntory) 4. Hitoshi Ono (Toshiba) 5. Daniel Heenan (Panasonic) 6. George Smith (Suntory) 7. Tadasuke Nishihara (Panasonic) 8. Kyosuke Horie (Yamaha) 9. Atsushi Hiwasa (Suntory) 10. Berrick Barnes (Panasonic) 11. Akihito Yamada (Panasonic) 12. Male Sa'u (Yamaha) 13. Jaque Fourie (Kobe Steel) 14. Tomoki Kitagawa (Panasonic) 15. Ayumu Goromaru (Yamaha)
References