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2021 Top League
Kubota halfback Daisuke Inoue in February 2021
CountriesJapan
Date20 February 2021 – 23 May 2021
Champions Panasonic Wild Knights (5th title)
Runners-up Suntory Sungoliath
Matches played73
Attendance250,022
(average 3,425 per match)
Highest attendance8,747 (Suntory Sungoliath v Kubota Spears, 3 April 2021)
Top point scorer Beauden Barrett (168)
Top try scorer Malo Tuitama (14)
Official website
www.top-league.jp
←  2020
2022 →

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]

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

Red Conference

Ladder

Red Conference Standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD BP Pts
1 Suntory Sungoliath 7 7 0 0 420 129 291 6 34
2 Toyota Verblitz 7 6 0 1 288 186 102 4 28
3 Kubota Spears 7 5 0 2 236 130 106 5 25
4 NTT Communications Shining Arcs 7 3 1 3 236 254 -18 3 17
5 Toshiba Brave Lupus 7 3 0 4 224 229 -5 4 16
6 Honda Heat 7 1 0 5 133 240 -107 2 6
7 Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars 7 1 1 5 123 309 -186 0 6
8 Munakata Sanix Blues 7 1 0 6 139 322 -183 1 5

Fixtures & Results

Round 1

20 February 2021
13:00
NTT Communications Shining Arcs41 - 13 Honda Heat
Report
Yumenoshima Stadium
Attendance: 950
20 February 2021
14:00
Toyota Verblitz34 - 33 Toshiba Brave Lupus
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 4305

Round 2

27 February 2021
12:00
Toshiba Brave Lupus7 - 39 Kubota Spears
Report
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 4150
27 February 2021
14:00
Munakata Sanix Blues23 - 30 Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars
Report
Global Arena
Attendance: 1280
28 February 2021
13:00
NTT Communications Shining Arcs29 - 47 Toyota Verblitz
Report
Yumenoshima Stadium
Attendance: 2940
28 February 2021
14:00
Honda Heat14 - 31 Suntory Sungoliath
Report
Mie Sports Garden
Attendance: 2817

Round 3

6 March 2021
12:00
Kubota Spears34 - 24 NTT Communications Shining Arcs
Report
Edogawa Stadium
Attendance: 2459
6 March 2021
14:00
Toyota Verblitz45 - 3 Honda Heat
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 4116

Round 4

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

Round 5

27 March 2021
14:00
Toyota Verblitz36 - 39 Suntory Sungoliath
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 4251
28 March 2021
12:00
Kubota Spears32 - 17 Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars
Report
Edogawa Stadium
Attendance: 2057
28 March 2021
13:00
Honda Heat24 - 25 Munakata Sanix Blues
Report
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Attendance: 1265

Round 6

3 April 2021
14:00
Suntory Sungoliath33 - 26 Kubota Spears
Report
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 8747
4 April 2021
12:00
Honda Heat17 - 53 Toshiba Brave Lupus
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 1685

Round 7

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

White Conference

Ladder

White Conference Standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD BP Pts
1 Panasonic Wild Knights 7 6 1 0 318 76 242 5 31
2 Kobelco Steelers 7 6 1 0 289 138 151 3 29
3 NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes 7 4 0 3 175 175 0 1 17
4 Ricoh Black Rams 7 3 0 4 179 184 -5 5 17
5 Canon Eagles 7 3 1 3 176 230 -54 2 16
6 Yamaha Júbilo 7 3 0 4 239 240 -1 3 15
7 Hino Red Dolphins 7 1 1 5 90 238 -148 1 7
8 NEC Green Rockets 7 0 0 7 139 324 -185 1 1

Fixtures & Results

Round 1

20 February 2021
14:00
Panasonic Wild Knights55 - 14 Ricoh Black Rams
Report
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 3941
20 February 2021
14:00
Kobelco Steelers47 - 38 NEC Green Rockets
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 3752
21 February 2021
14:00
Canon Eagles24 - 26 NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
Report
Machida Stadium
Attendance: 2989
21 February 2021
14:00
Hino Red Dolphins17 - 52 Yamaha Júbilo
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 2084

Round 2

27 February 2021
14:00
NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes38 - 19 NEC Green Rockets
Report
Yanmar Stadium Nagai
Attendance: 2232
28 February 2021
12:00
Yamaha Júbilo22 - 23 Ricoh Black Rams
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 1856
28 February 2021
14:00
Panasonic Wild Knights60 - 12 Hino Red Dolphins
Report
Kumagaya Rugby Ground
Attendance: 4380
28 February 2021
14:00
Kobelco Steelers73 - 10 Canon Eagles
Report
Noevir Stadium Kobe
Attendance: 4407

Round 3

6 March 2021
12:00
NEC Green Rockets31 - 59 Yamaha Júbilo
Report
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 3760
6 March 2021
14:00
Kobelco Steelers52 - 7 Hino Red Dolphins
Report
Noevir Stadium Kobe
Attendance: 2504
6 March 2021
14:00
Canon Eagles0 - 47 Panasonic Wild Knights
Report
Showa Denko Dome Oita
Attendance: 7008

Round 4

14 March 2021
14:00
Ricoh Black Rams19 - 20 Kobelco Steelers
Report
Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium
Attendance: 4204
14 March 2021
14:00
Yamaha Júbilo32 - 40 Canon Eagles
Report
Yamaha Stadium
Attendance: 6436

Round 5

27 March 2021
12:00
Ricoh Black Rams28 - 31 Canon Eagles
Report
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 6302
27 March 2021
13:00
Yamaha Júbilo22 - 53 Kobelco Steelers
Report
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 6267

Round 6

4 April 2021
14:00
Kobelco Steelers13 - 13 Panasonic Wild Knights
Report
Noevir Stadium Kobe
Attendance: 8523

Round 7

10 April 2021
13:00
Panasonic Wild Knights55 - 19 Yamaha Júbilo
Report
Kumagaya Rugby Ground
Attendance: 8389
11 April 2021
14:00
Canon Eagles71 - 24 NEC 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 - 27 Ricoh 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 - 12 Yamaha 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 - 31 NEC 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 - 17 Mitsubishi 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 - 43 Canon 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 - 21 NTT 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 - 7 Kintetsu 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 - 29 Hino 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 - 29 NTT 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 - 17 Canon 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 - 23 Kubota 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 - 21 Toyota 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 - 9 Kubota 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 - 31 Panasonic 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
FB 15 Japan Seiya Ozaki
RW 14 Japan Takaaki Nakazuru
OC 13 Japan Shogo Nakano
IC 12 Japan Ryoto Nakamura ( c)
LW 11 Japan Shota Emi
FH 10 New Zealand Beauden Barrett
SH 9 Japan Yutaka Nagare
N8 8 Australia Sean McMahon
OF 7 Japan Naoki Ozawa
BF 6 Japan Hendrik Tui
RL 5 Australia Harry Hockings
LL 4 England Tom Savage
TP 3 Japan Shinnosuke Kakinaga
HK 2 Japan Shunta Nakamura
LP 1 Japan Yukio Morikawa
Substitutions:
HK 16 Japan Kosuke Horikoshi
PR 17 Japan Shintaro Ishihara
PR 18 Australia Sam Talakai
LK 19 New Zealand Joe Latta
FL 20 Japan Tevita Tatafu
SH 21 Japan Naoto Saito
FH 22 Japan Hikaru Tamura
CE 23 Japan Yusuke Kajimura
Coach:
New Zealand Milton Haig
FB 15 Japan Ryuji Noguchi
RW 14 Australia Semisi Tupou
OC 13 Japan Dylan Riley
IC 12 Wales Hadleigh Parkes
LW 11 Japan Kenki Fukuoka
FH 10 Japan Rikiya Matsuda
SH 9 Japan Keisuke Uchida
N8 8 Japan Jack Cornelsen
OF 7 Japan Shunsuke Nunomaki
BF 6 Japan Ben Gunter
RL 5 England George Kruis
LL 4 Japan Daniel Heenan
TP 3 Japan Shohei Hirano
HK 2 Japan Atsushi Sakate ( c)
LP 1 Japan Keita Inagaki
Substitutions:
HK 16 Japan Shota Horie
PR 17 Japan Craig Millar
PR 18 Japan Asaeli Ai Valu
LK 19 Japan Ryota Hasegawa
FL 20 Japan Itsuki Onishi
SH 21 Japan Taiki Koyama
FH 22 Japan Takuya Yamasawa
CE 23 Japan Shota Fukui
Coach:
New Zealand 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.