2011–12 Top League

{{Infobox rugby union season

| image = Yatomi and Goromaru 20141129 cropped.jpg

| imagesize = 315px

| caption = {{nowrap|2011–12 top scorer, Yamaha's Ayumu Goromaru (right).}}

| countries = {{flagicon|Japan}} Japan

| date = {{nowrap|29 October 2011 – 26 February 2012}}

| champions = Suntory Sungoliath (2nd title)

| runnersup = Sanyo Wild Knights

| relegated =

| matches =

| attendance =

| top point scorer = {{flagicon|JPN}} Ayumu Goromaru (182 points)

| top try scorer = {{flagicon|FIJ}} Nemani Nadolo (19 tries)

| prevseason = 2010–11

| nextseason = 2012–13

}}

The 2011–12 Top League was the ninth season of Japan's domestic rugby union competition, the Top League. The Suntory Sungoliath team defeated Sanyo Wild Knights by 47–28 in the final of the Microsoft Cup to claim their second 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.

Teams

class = "wikitable"
Team !Region
Coca-Cola West Red Sparks \|Fukuoka, Kyushu
Fukuoka Sanix Blues \|Fukuoka, Kyushu
Kintetsu Liners \|Osaka, Kansai
Kobelco Steelers \|Hyogo, Kansai
NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes \|, Osaka
NEC Green Rockets \|Chiba, Kanto
NTT Com Shining Arcs \|Chiba, Chiba
Ricoh Black Rams \|Tokyo, Kanto
Sanyo Wild Knights \|Gunma, Kanto
Suntory Sungoliath \|Tokyo, Kanto
Toshiba Brave Lupus \|Tokyo, Kanto
Toyota Verblitz \|Aichi, Tokai
Honda Heat \|Suzuka, Mie
Yamaha Jubilo \|Shizuoka, Tokai

class = "wikitable"

Team

!Region

Coca-Cola West Red Sparks

|Fukuoka, Kyushu

Fukuoka Sanix Blues

|Fukuoka, Kyushu

Kintetsu Liners

|Osaka, Kansai

Kobelco Steelers

|Hyogo, Kansai

NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes

|, Osaka

|Chiba, Kanto

|Chiba, Chiba

|Tokyo, Kanto

|Gunma, Kanto

|Tokyo, Kanto

|Tokyo, Kanto

|Aichi, Tokai

|Suzuka, Mie

|Shizuoka, Tokai

Regular season

=Table=

bgcolor="#efefef" width="20"\| !bgcolor="#efefef" width="195"\|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
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
colspan="15" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"\|Top League Table
bgcolor=#d8ffeb align=center \|1	style="text-align:left;"\|Suntory Sungoliath \|13	12	0	1	512	278	+234	8	1	57
bgcolor=#d8ffeb align=center \|2	style="text-align:left;"\|Toshiba Brave Lupus \|13	11	0	2	475	173	+302	9	2	55
bgcolor=#d8ffeb align=center \|3	style="text-align:left;"\|Sanyo Wild Knights \|13	11	0	2	480	324	+156	8	1	53
bgcolor=#d8ffeb align=center \|4	style="text-align:left;"\|NEC Green Rockets \|13	8	0	5	349	314	+35	8	1	41
bgcolor=#ccccff align=center \|5	style="text-align:left;"\|Kintetsu Liners \|13	8	0	5	341	311	+30	5	2	39
bgcolor=#ccccff align=center \|6	style="text-align:left;"\|Kobelco Steelers \|13	6	1	6	349	288	+61	7	5	38
bgcolor=#ccccff align=center \|7	style="text-align:left;"\|Ricoh Black Rams \|13	7	1	5	386	333	+53	7	1	38
bgcolor=#ccccff align=center \|8	style="text-align:left;"\|Yamaha Jubilo \|13	6	1	6	407	274	+133	6	3	35
bgcolor=#ffffff align=center \|9	style="text-align:left;"\|NTT Com Shining Arcs \|13	5	1	7	322	414	−92	6	2	30
bgcolor=#ffffff align=center \|10	style="text-align:left;"\|Toyota Verblitz \|13	5	0	8	341	323	+18	5	4	29
bgcolor=#fffccc align=center \|11	style="text-align:left;"\|Fukuoka Sanix Blues \|13	4	0	9	254	458	−204	7	2	25
bgcolor=#fffccc align=center \|12	style="text-align:left;"\|NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes \|13	2	1	10	291	555	−264	5	0	15
bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center \|13	style="text-align:left;"\|Honda Heat \|13	2	1	10	226	479	−253	2	1	13
bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center \|14	style="text-align:left;"\|Coca-Cola West Red Sparks \|13	1	0	12	285	494	−209	3	5	12
align=center \|colspan="15" style="border:0px"\| {{bull}} The top 4 teams qualified to the title play-offs. {{bull}}The top 4 teams also qualified for entry into the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship. {{bull}} Teams 5 to 8 qualified for the wildcard play-offs for entry into the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship. {{bull}} Teams 11 and 12 went through to the promotion and relegation play-offs against regional challengers. {{bull}} Teams 13 and 14 were automatically relegated to regional leagues for 2012–13.
bgcolor=#ffffff align=center \|colspan="15"\| Source:[http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2011/12 The Rugby Archive]{{cite web\|url=http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2011/12 \|title=2011/12 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 2-13 (source [http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/PaginaCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2011/125# rugbyarchive.net]) |date=November 2013}}

==Round 1==

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 29 October 2011

| time = 12:00

| home = Ricoh Black Rams

| score = 36–26

| report =

| away = Fukuoka Sanix Blues

| stadium = Chichibu, Tokyo

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 29 October 2011

| time = 13:00

| home = Yamaha Júbilo

| score = 55–18

| report =

| away = NTT Communications Shining Arcs

| stadium = Yamaha Stadium, Shizuoka

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 29 October 2011

| time = 14:00

| home = Kobelco Steelers

| score = 38–17

| report =

| away = NEC Green Rockets

| stadium = Kincho Stadium, Osaka

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 29 October 2011

| time = 14:00

| home = Sanyo Wild Knights

| score = 26–31

| report =

| away = Suntory Sungoliath

| stadium = Chichibu, Tokyo

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 30 October 2011

| time = 14:00

| home = Honda Heat

| score = 19–19

| report =

| away = NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes

| stadium = Hanazono, Osaka

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 30 October 2011

| time = 14:00

| home = Toyota Verblitz

| score = 15–36

| report =

| away = Toshiba Brave Lupus

| stadium = Mizuho Stadium, Aichi

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 30 October 2011

| time = 14:00

| home = Kintetsu Liners

| score = 32–16

| report =

| away = Coca-Cola West Red Sparks

| stadium = Hanazono, Osaka

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

{{anchor|Cup}} Title play-offs

Top 4 sides of the regular season competed in the Microsoft Cup (2012) knock-out tournament to fight for the Top League title. The top 4 teams of 2011–12 were Suntory Sungoliath, Toshiba Brave Lupus, Sanyo Wild Knights, and NEC Green Rockets.

=Semi-finals=

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 19 February 2012

| time = 12:00

| home = Suntory Sungoliath

| score = 56–8

| report =

| away = NEC Green Rockets

| try1 =

| con1 =

| pen1 =

| try2 =

| con2 =

| pen2 =

| stadium = Chichibu, Tokyo

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

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{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 19 February 2012

| time = 14:00

| home = Sanyo Wild Knights

| score = 37–25

| report =

| away = Toshiba Brave Lupus

| try1 =

| con1 =

| pen1 =

| try2 =

| con2 =

| pen2 =

| stadium = Chichibu, Tokyo

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

=Final=

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 26 February 2012

| time = 14:00

| home = Suntory Sungoliath

| score = 47–28

| report =

| away = Sanyo Wild Knights

| stadium = Chichibu, Tokyo

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

Wildcard play-offs

The Top League teams ranked 5th and 8th played-off, and the teams ranked 6th and 7th played-off, with the winners qualifying for the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship.

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 18 February 2012

| time = 12:00

| home = Kobelco Steelers

| score = 32–19

| report =

| away = Ricoh Black Rams

| stadium = Hanazono, Osaka

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 18 February 2012

| time = 14:00

| home = Kintetsu Liners

| score = 15–17

| report =

| away = Yamaha Jubilo

| stadium = Hanazono, Osaka

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

So Kobe and Yamaha progressed to the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship.

Top League Challenge Series

Canon Eagles and Kyuden Voltex won promotion to the 2012–13 Top League via the 2011–12 Top League Challenge Series, while Kubota Spears and Toyota Industries Shuttles progressed to the promotion play-offs.

Promotion and relegation play-offs

Two promotion/relegation matches (Irekaesen) were played. The Top League teams ranked 12th and 11th played-off against the Challenge 1 teams ranked 3rd and 4th respectively, for the right to be included in the Top League for the following season.

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 3 March 2012

| time = 14:00

| home = Fukuoka Sanix Blues

| score = 39–17

| report =

| away = Toyota Industries Shuttles

| stadium =

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

{{rugbybox collapsible

| date = 3 March 2012

| time = 14:00

| home = NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes

| score = 29–27

| report =

| away = Kubota Spears

| stadium =

| attendance =

| referee =

}}

----

So Sanix and NTT Docomo remained in the Top League for the following season.

End-of-season awards

style="width:215px;"\|Award ! style="width:300px;"\|Winner
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center;"
Tournament winner:	Suntory Sungoliath
Fair Play award:	Toshiba Brave Lupus
Best player of the season:	{{flagicon\|AUS}} George Smith (Suntory Sungoliath)
Revelation of the season:	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Michael Leitch (Toshiba Brave Lupus)
— \| Most tries:	{{flagicon\|FJI}} Nemani Nadolo (NEC Green Rockets)
Most kicks:	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Ayumu Goromaru (Yamaha Jubilo)
Best referee of the season:	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Taizo Hirabayashi
Special prize:	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Tomoaki Nakai (Toshiba Brave Lupus) First player to 100 Top League appearances

2012/2013 Team of the Season

width="30"\| Pos !width="30"\| !width="200"\| Player !width="150"\| Team
style="font-size: 95%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
FB	15	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Ayumu Goromaru	Yamaha Jubilo
RW	14	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Tomoki Kitagawa	Sanyo Wild Knights
OC	13	{{flagicon\|RSA}} Jaque Fourie	Sanyo Wild Knights
IC	12	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Kosei Ono	Fukuoka Sanix Blues
LW	11	{{flagicon\|FJI}} Nemani Nadolo	Sanyo Wild Knights
FH	10	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Yasumasa Shigemitsu	Kintetsu Liners
SH	9	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Atsushi Hiwasa	Suntory Sungoliath
N8	8	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Masato Toyoda	Toshiba Brave Lupus
OF	7	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Michael Leitch	Toshiba Brave Lupus
BF	6	{{flagicon\|AUS}} George Smith	Suntory Sungoliath
RL	5	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Hitoshi Ono	Toshiba Brave Lupus
LL	4	{{flagicon\|AUS}} Daniel Heenan	Sanyo Wild Knights
TP	3	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Kensuke Hatakeyama	Suntory Sungoliath
HK	2	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Shota Horie	Sanyo Wild Knights
LP	1	{{flagicon\|JPN}} Hisateru Hirashima	Kobelco Steelers

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20120511221033/http://top-league.jp/game/2011/schedule_1.html 2011–12 Top League Fixtures]

Japan top league

TOp

2011-12