The 2019 Top League Cup was the second edition of the Top League Cup, a rugby union cup competition for Japan's Top League and Top Challenge League teams. This was the first time Top Challenge League teams played in the competition, after the 2018–19 featured Top League teams only.

Competition rules

The 24 Top League and Top Challenge League teams were divided into four pools for the first stage of the competition, seeded as per their final positions in the 2018–19 season. Each pool consisted of a top seed that finished in the top four of the 2018–19 Top League, a second seed that finished between 5th and 8th, a third seed that finished between 9th and 12th, a fourth seed that finished between 13th and 16th, a fifth seed that finished in the top four of the 2018 Top Challenge League and a sixth seed that either finished between 5th and 8th, or was newly-promoted to the Top Challenge League. Each team played the five other teams in their pool once.

The four group winners qualified to the finals tournament semifinals, with the two semifinal winners progressing to the final.

Teams The following teams took part in the 2019 Top League Cup competition:

Team Name Pool 2018–19 placing Region Canon Eagles C 12th (Top League) Machida, Tokyo, Kanto Coca-Cola Red Sparks C 16th (Top League) Fukuoka, Kyushu Hino Red Dolphins A 14th (Top League) Hino, Tokyo Metropolis Honda Heat A 9th (Top League) Suzuka, Mie Prefecture Kamaishi Seawaves C 7th (Top Challenge League) Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture Kintetsu Liners D 3rd (Top Challenge League) Higashiosaka, Osaka, Kansai Kobelco Steelers D 1st (Top League) Kobe, Kansai Kubota Spears C 7th (Top League) Abiko, Chiba, Kanto Kurita Water Gush A 4th (Top Challenge League) Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture Kyuden Voltex B 5th (Top Challenge League) Fukuoka, Kyushu Mazda Blue Zoomers D 6th (Top Challenge League) Fuchu, Hiroshima Prefecture C 2nd (Top Challenge League) Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture Munakata Sanix Blues B 14th (Top League) Munakata, Fukuoka, Kyushu NEC Green Rockets D 10th (Top League) Abiko, Chiba, Kanto B 1st (Top Challenge League) Osaka, Kansai B 5th (Top League) Chiba, Chiba, Kanto Panasonic Wild Knights A 6th (Top League) Ota, Gunma, Kanto Ricoh Black Rams D 8th (Top League) Tokyo, Kanto Shimizu Blue Sharks A Promoted to Top Challenge League Chūō, Tokyo Metropolis Suntory Sungoliath A 2nd (Top League) Fuchu, Tokyo, Kanto Toshiba Brave Lupus B 11th (Top League) Fuchu, Tokyo, Kanto Toyota Industries Shuttles D 15th (Top League) Aichi, Mizuho Toyota Verblitz C 4th (Top League) Toyota, Aichi, Tokai Yamaha Júbilo B 3rd (Top League) Iwata, Shizuoka, Tokai

Pool phase Pool A 2019–20 Top League Cup Pool A # Team Notes 1 Suntory Sungoliath 5 5 0 0 245 37 208 24 Advance to final tournament 2 Panasonic Wild Knights 5 4 0 1 184 83 101 20 3 Honda Heat 5 3 0 2 109 116 −7 14 4 Hino Red Dolphins 5 2 0 3 167 118 49 12 5 Kurita Water Gush 5 1 0 4 53 177 −124 4 6 Shimizu Blue Sharks 5 0 0 5 55 282 −227 0

Pool B 2019–20 Top League Cup Pool B # Team Notes 1 Toshiba Brave Lupus 5 5 0 0 194 82 112 23 Advance to final tournament 2 NTT Com Shining Arcs 5 4 0 1 215 76 139 20 3 Yamaha Jubilo 5 3 0 2 190 86 104 16 4 NTT Red Hurricanes 5 2 0 3 111 117 −6 10 5 Munakata Sanix Blues 5 1 0 4 50 206 −156 4 6 Kyuden Voltex 5 0 0 5 70 263 −193 1

Pool C 2019–20 Top League Cup Pool C # Team Notes 1 Kubota Spears 5 5 0 0 121 42 79 23 Advance to final tournament 2 Canon Eagles 5 4 0 1 131 59 72 20 3 Coca-Cola Red Sparks 5 3 0 2 101 112 −11 14 4 Kamaishi Seawaves 5 2 0 3 54 160 −106 9 5 Mitsubishi DynaBoars 5 1 0 4 53 87 −34 7 6 Toyota Verblitz 5 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 Withdrew from competition

Pool D 2019–20 Top League Cup Pool D # Team Notes 1 Kobelco Steelers 5 5 0 0 211 77 134 23 Advance to final tournament 2 Kintetsu Liners 5 4 0 1 210 89 121 19 3 NEC Green Rockets 5 3 0 2 119 125 −6 14 4 Ricoh Black Rams 5 2 0 3 162 78 84 12 5 Toyota Industries Shuttles 5 1 0 4 69 174 −105 4 6 Mazda Blue Zoomers 5 0 0 5 58 286 −228 1

Cup playoffs

Semifinals

Final

References