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2008–09 Top League

{{Infobox rugby union season

| image = Flickr - tpower1978 - Microsoft Cup (1).jpg

| imagesize = 300px

| caption = Toshiba playing Sanyo for the 2009 Microsoft Cup.

| countries = {{flagicon|Japan}} Japan

| date = {{nowrap|5 September 2008 - 18 January 2009}}

| champions = Toshiba Brave Lupus (4th title)

| runnersup = Sanyo Wild Knights

| relegated =

| matches =

| attendance =

| top point scorer =

| top try scorer =

| prevseason = 2007–08

| nextseason = 2009–10

}}

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.

{{TOC limit|3}}

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

class = "wikitable"
Team

!Region

Coca-Cola West Red Sparks

|Fukuoka, Kyushu

Fukuoka Sanix Blues

|Fukuoka, Kyushu

IBM Big Blue

|Chiba, Kanto

Kintetsu Liners

|Osaka, Kansai

Kobelco Steelers

|Hyogo, Kansai

Kubota Spears

|Chiba, Kanto

Kyuden Voltex

|Fukuoka, Kyushu

NEC Green Rockets

|Chiba, Kanto

Sanyo Wild Knights

|Gunma, Kanto

Suntory Sungoliath

|Tokyo, Kanto

Toshiba Brave Lupus

|Tokyo, Kanto

Toyota Verblitz

|Aichi, Tokai

Yamaha Jubilo

|Shizuoka, Tokai

Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars

|Tokyo, Kanto

Regular season

=Final standings=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
colspan="15" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"|Top League Table
bgcolor="#efefef" width="20"|

!bgcolor="#efefef" width="225"|Club

!bgcolor="#efefef" width="20"|Played

!bgcolor="#efefef" width="20"|Won

!bgcolor="#efefef" width="20"|Drawn

!bgcolor="#efefef" width="20"|Lost

!bgcolor="#efefef" width="20"|Points For

!bgcolor="#efefef" width="20"|Points Against

!bgcolor="#efefef" width="20"|Points Difference

!bgcolor="#efefef" width="20"|Try Bonus

!bgcolor="#efefef" width="20"|Losing Bonus

!bgcolor="#efefef" width="20"|Points

bgcolor=#d8ffeb align=center

|1

style="text-align:left;"|18px Toshiba Brave Lupus

|13

1201563211+35211059
bgcolor=#d8ffeb

|2

style="text-align:left;"|18px Sanyo Wild Knights

|13

1201584197+38710058
bgcolor=#d8ffeb

|3

style="text-align:left;"|18px Suntory Sungoliath

|13

1003482298+18410151
bgcolor=#d8ffeb

|4

style="text-align:left;"|18px Kobelco Steelers

|13

904358300+585243
bgcolor=#ccccff

|5

style="text-align:left;"|18px NEC Green Rockets

|13

805298309−114137
bgcolor=#ccccff

|6

style="text-align:left;"|18px Kubota Spears

|13

805309334−254137
bgcolor=#ffffff

|7

style="text-align:left;"|18px Yamaha Jubilo

|13

706344304+406135
bgcolor=#ffffff

|8

style="text-align:left;"|18px Toyota Verblitz

|13

607310286+244331
bgcolor=#ffffff

|9

style="text-align:left;"|18px Kintetsu Liners

|13

508319348−296228
bgcolor=#ffffff

|10

style="text-align:left;"|18px Coca-Cola West Red Sparks

|13

607273353−801126
bgcolor=#fffccc

|11

style="text-align:left;"|18px Fukuoka Sanix Blues

|13

3010266442−1765421
bgcolor=#fffccc

|12

style="text-align:left;"|18px Kyuden Voltex

|13

3010345451−1064218
bgcolor=#ffcccc

|13

style="text-align:left;"|18px IBM Big Blue

|13

1012222496−274138
bgcolor=#ffcccc

|14

style="text-align:left;"|18px Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars

|13

1012230574−344408
align=center

|colspan="15" style="border:0px"|

{{bull}} The top 4 teams qualified for the title play-offs.

{{bull}}The top 6 teams also qualified for entry into the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship.

{{nowrap| {{bull}} Teams 11 and 12 went through to the promotion and relegation play-offs against regional challengers. {{spaces|4}} }}

{{bull}} Teams 13 and 14 were automatically relegated.

bgcolor=#ffffff align=center

|colspan="15"|

{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2008/09 |title=2008/09 Top League |publisher= The Rugby Archive}}

Four points for a win, two for a draw, one bonus point for four tries or more (BP1) and one bonus point for losing by seven or less (BP2).

If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

{{bull}} Difference between points for and against

{{bull}} Total number of points for

{{bull}} Number of matches won

{{bull}} Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams

{{bull}} Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

align=left|

=Fixtures and results=

{{Expand section|1=Results Rd 1-13 (source [https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fweb.archive.org%2Fweb%2F20120924101047%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.top-league.jp%2Fgame%2F2008%2Fschedule901.html top-league.jp]) |date=November 2013}}

{{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=

----

{{rugbybox collapsible |time=14:00

| date = 1 February 2009

| home = Toshiba Brave Lupus | score = 26–7 | away = Kobelco Steelers

| stadium = }}

----

{{rugbybox collapsible |time=14:00

| date = 1 February 2009

| home = Sanyo Wild Knights | score = 32–22 | away = Suntory Sungoliath

| stadium = }}

----

=Final=

----

{{rugbybox collapsible | class =collapsible expanded

| date = 8 February 2009 |time=14:00

| home = Toshiba Brave Lupus | score = 17–6 | away = Sanyo Wild Knights

| report= [https://web.archive.org/web/20150905084902/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2009/02/09/more-sports/rugby/scandal-clouds-toshibas-victory-in-microsoft-cup/ Report]{{cite news

|date= 9 February 2009

|title= Scandal clouds Toshiba's victory in Microsoft Cup

|work= Japan Times

|accessdate= 25 August 2016

|url= http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2009/02/09/more-sports/rugby/scandal-clouds-toshibas-victory-in-microsoft-cup/

|url-status= live

|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20150905084902/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2009/02/09/more-sports/rugby/scandal-clouds-toshibas-victory-in-microsoft-cup/

|archivedate= 5 September 2015}}

| stadium = Chichibunomiya, Tokyo

| attendance= 17,000}}

----

Top League Challenge Series

{{main|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.

----

{{rugbybox collapsible | time = 14:00

| date = 14 February 2009

| home = Fukuoka Sanix Blues

| score = 38–22

| report =

| away = Toyota Industries Shuttles

| stadium =

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

{{rugbybox collapsible | time = 14:00

| date = 14 February 2009

| home = Kyuden Voltex

| score = 31–10

| report =

| away = Mazda Blue Zoomers

| stadium =

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

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

Top 10 points scorers

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
style="width:20px;" abbr="Position"|

!width=185 |Player

!width=200 |Team

!width=20 |Pts

!width=20 |T

!width=20 |C

!width=20 |PG

!width=20 |DG

1style="text-align:left;"|David Hillstyle="text-align:left;"|18px Toshiba Brave Lupus2261160170
2style="text-align:left;"|Ryan Nicholasstyle="text-align:left;"|18px Suntory Sungoliath158541170
3style="text-align:left;"|Shane Drahmstyle="text-align:left;"|18px Kubota Spears136116312
4style="text-align:left;"|Yasumasa Shigemitsustyle="text-align:left;"|18px Kintetsu Liners123522180
5style="text-align:left;"|Thinus Delportstyle="text-align:left;"|18px Kobelco Steelers122418220
6style="text-align:left;"|Genki Saitostyle="text-align:left;"|18px Kyuden Voltex117228161
6style="text-align:left;"|Tadanobu Kostyle="text-align:left;"|18px IBM Big Blue117222201
8style="text-align:left;"|Masakazu Iriestyle="text-align:left;"|18px Sanyo Wild Knights114333110
9style="text-align:left;"|Ayumu Goromarustyle="text-align:left;"|18px Yamaha Jubilo98415160
10style="text-align:left;"|Daisuke Haradomestyle="text-align:left;"|18px Coca-Cola West Red Sparks88416120

Table notes

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

End-of-season awards

=Best fifteen=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
style="width:20px;" abbr="Number"|

!width=20 |Position

!width=200 |Name

!width=200 |Team

1PRstyle="text-align:left;"|Hisateru Nirashimastyle="text-align:left;"|18px Kobelco Steelers
2HOstyle="text-align:left;"|Yusuke Aokistyle="text-align:left;"|18px Suntory Sungoliath
3PRstyle="text-align:left;"|Kensuke Hatakeyamastyle="text-align:left;"|18px Suntory Sungoliath
4LOstyle="text-align:left;"|Hitoshi Onostyle="text-align:left;"|18px Toshiba Brave Lupus
5LOstyle="text-align:left;"|Daniel Heenanstyle="text-align:left;"|18px Sanyo Wild Knights
6FLstyle="text-align:left;"|Steven Batesstyle="text-align:left;"|18px Toshiba Brave Lupus
7FLstyle="text-align:left;"|Reuben Thornestyle="text-align:left;"|18px Yamaha Jubilo
8No.8style="text-align:left;"|Ryukoliniasi Holanistyle="text-align:left;"|18px Sanyo Wild Knights
9SHstyle="text-align:left;"|Fumiaki Tanakastyle="text-align:left;"|18px Sanyo Wild Knights
10SOstyle="text-align:left;"|David Hillstyle="text-align:left;"|18px Toshiba Brave Lupus
11WTBstyle="text-align:left;"|Hirotoki Onozawastyle="text-align:left;"|18px Suntory Sungoliath
12CTBstyle="text-align:left;"|Ryan Nicholasstyle="text-align:left;"|18px Suntory Sungoliath
13CTBstyle="text-align:left;"|Seiichi Shimonurastyle="text-align:left;"|18px Sanyo Wild Knights
14WTBstyle="text-align:left;"|Tomoki Kitagawastyle="text-align:left;"|18px Sanyo Wild Knights
15FBstyle="text-align:left;"|Hiroki Yoshidastyle="text-align:left;"|18px Toshiba Brave Lupus

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

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20100607100644/http://www.top-league.jp/team/index.jsp Team Profiles] (Japanese)
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20071031053455/http://www.top-league.jp/index.html Top League official site] (Japanese)
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20100429221018/http://www.top-league.jp/ranking/index901.html Final Table] (Japanese)

{{Japan Rugby Top League}}

{{Rugby union in Japan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2008-09 Top League}}

Category:Japan Rugby League One

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