2020 Top League
{{ref-improve|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox rugby union season
| name = 2020 Top League
| image =
| Caption = Current logo
| countries = {{flag|Japan}}
| date = 12 January 2020 – 23 February 2020
| champions =
| runnersup =
| relegated =
| matches = 48
| attendance = 541078
| highest attendance = 37,050
Toyota Verblitz v Panasonic Wild Knights
18 January 2020
| lowest attendance = 2,610
Kubota Spears v Hino Red Dolphins
16 February 2020
| website = https://www.top-league.jp/
| prevseason = 2018–19
| nextseason = 2021
}}
The 2020 Top League was the 17th season of Japan's top tier domestic rugby union competition. The season was initially suspended after round six and later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.{{cite web |title=Japan cancels entire Top League season due to COVID-19 |url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/japan-cancels-entire-top-league-season-due-to-covid-19/ |website=Rugby Pass |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324150140/https://www.rugbypass.com/news/japan-cancels-entire-top-league-season-due-to-covid-19/ |archive-date=24 March 2020 |date=23 March 2020}}
{{toclimit|2}}
Teams
| class="wikitable sortable" style="min-width=60%;" | ||
| Club | Region | Previous season |
|---|---|---|
| Canon Eagles
| 12th | ||
| Hino Red Dolphins
| 14th | ||
| Honda Heat
| 9th | ||
| Kobelco Steelers
| Kobe | 1st | ||
| Kubota Spears
| 7th | ||
| Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars
| Promoted from 2018 Top Challenge League | ||
| Munakata Sanix Blues
| 13th | ||
| NEC Green Rockets
| 10th | ||
| NTT Communications Shining Arcs
| 5th | ||
| NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
| Osaka | Promoted from 2018 Top Challenge League | ||
| Panasonic Wild Knights
| 6th | ||
| Ricoh Black Rams
| Setagaya | 8th | ||
| Suntory Sungoliath
| 2nd | ||
| Toshiba Brave Lupus
| 11th | ||
| Toyota Verblitz
| 4th | ||
| Yamaha Jubilo
| 3rd |
Standings
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:100%; width:60%;" | |||||||||||
| colspan="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" | 2020 Top League Standings | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="width:6%;" | Pos
! style="width:34%;" | Team ! style="width:6%;" | P ! style="width:6%;" | W ! style="width:6%;" | D ! style="width:6%;" | L ! style="width:6%;" | PF ! style="width:6%;" | PA ! style="width:6%;" | PD ! style="width:6%;" | TB ! style="width:6%;" | LB ! style="width:6%;" | Pts | |||||||||||
| style="background:#DDFFDD;"
| 1 | style="text-align:left;" | Panasonic Wild Knights | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 273 | 88 | +185 | 6 | 0 | 30 |
| style="background:#DDFFDD;"
| 2 | style="text-align:left;" | Kobelco Steelers | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 318 | 75 | +243 | 4 | 0 | 28 |
| style="background:#DDFFDD;"
| 3 | style="text-align:left;" | Yamaha Jubilo | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 292 | 98 | +194 | 4 | 0 | 26 |
| style="background:#DDFFDD;"
| 4 | style="text-align:left;" | Suntory Sungoliath | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 239 | 113 | +126 | 3 | 2 | 19 |
| style="background:#DDFFDD;"
| 5 | style="text-align:left;" | NTT Communications Shining Arcs | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 187 | 111 | +76 | 2 | 1 | 19 |
| style="background:#DDFFDD;"
| 6 | style="text-align:left;" | Kubota Spears | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 163 | 114 | +49 | 2 | 1 | 19 |
| style="background:#DDFFDD;"
| 7 | style="text-align:left;" | Toshiba Brave Lupus | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 169 | 192 | −23 | 2 | 1 | 18 |
| style="background:#DDFFDD;"
| 8 | style="text-align:left;" | Toyota Verblitz | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 202 | 209 | −7 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| 9 | style="text-align:left;" | Canon Eagles | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 140 | 177 | −37 | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| 10 | style="text-align:left;" | Honda Heat | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 153 | 156 | −3 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| 11 | style="text-align:left;" | Munakata Sanix Blues | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 110 | 185 | −75 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 12 | style="text-align:left;" | Ricoh Black Rams | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 72 | 170 | −98 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 13 | style="text-align:left;" | Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 103 | 244 | −141 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 14 | style="text-align:left;" | Hino Red Dolphins | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 123 | 273 | −150 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 15 | style="text-align:left;" | NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 81 | 331 | −250 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 16 | style="text-align:left;" | NEC Green Rockets | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 87 | 176 | −89 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| colspan="100%" style="height:10px; | | |||||||||||
| colspan="100%" | Legend: P = Games played, W = Games won, D = Games drawn, L = Games lost, PF = Points for, PA = Points against, PD = Points difference, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Log points. The top eight teams qualified for the finals. |
Fixtures & Results
=Round 1=
{{rugbybox
|date = 12 January 2020
|time = 11:30
|home = Hino Red Dolphins
|score = 20–29
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19541/ Report]
|away = NTT Communications Shining Arcs
|stadium = Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
|attendance = 17,072
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 12 January 2020
|time = 11:45
|home = Ricoh Black Rams
|score = 5–28
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19543/ Report]
|away = Honda Heat
|stadium = Hanazono Rugby Stadium
|attendance = 7,318
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 12 January 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Panasonic Wild Knights
|score = 34–11
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19551/ Report]
|away = Kubota Spears
|stadium = Kumagaya Rugby Ground
|attendance = 17,722
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 12 January 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Yamaha Jubilo
|score = 31–29
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19552/ Report]
|away = Toyota Verblitz
|stadium = Yamaha Stadium
|attendance = 13,985
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 12 January 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Kobelco Steelers
|score = 50–16
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19544/ Report]
|away = Canon Eagles
|stadium = Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium
|attendance = 23,004
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 12 January 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = Toshiba Brave Lupus
|score = 26–19
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19542/ Report]
|away = Suntory Sungoliath
|stadium = Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium
|attendance = 21,564
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 12 January 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
|score = 31–24
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19553/ Report]
|away = Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars
|stadium = Hanazono Rugby Stadium
|attendance = 8,856
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 12 January 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = Munakata Sanix Blues
|score = 24–18
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19554/ Report]
|away = NEC Green Rockets
|stadium = Best Denki Stadium
|attendance = 7,216
}}
=Round 2=
{{rugbybox
|date = 18 January 2020
|time = 11:30
|home = Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars
|score = 15–23
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19545/ Report]
|away = Canon Eagles
|stadium = Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
|attendance = 12,913
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 18 January 2020
|time = 11:45
|home = NEC Green Rockets
|score = 17–27
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19556/ Report]
|away = Hino Red Dolphins
|stadium = Hanazono Rugby Stadium
|attendance = 7,603
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 18 January 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Yamaha Jubilo
|score = 24–36
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19555/ Report]
|away = Kobelco Steelers
|stadium = Yamaha Stadium
|attendance = 10,163
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 18 January 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Toyota Verblitz
|score = 20–40
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19547/ Report]
|away = Panasonic Wild Knights
|stadium = Toyota Stadium
|attendance = 37,050
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 18 January 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = Suntory Sungoliath
|score = 22–10
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19546/ Report]
|away = NTT Communications Shining Arcs
|stadium = Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
|attendance = 15,826
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 18 January 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = Toshiba Brave Lupus
|score = 39–21
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19548/ Report]
|away = NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
|stadium = Hanazono Rugby Stadium
|attendance = 10,280
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 19 January 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Honda Heat
|score = 21–23
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19550/ Report]
|away = Kubota Spears
|stadium = Mie Sports Garden
|attendance = 6,778
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 19 January 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = Munakata Sanix Blues
|score = 16–18
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19549/ Report]
|away = Ricoh Black Rams
|stadium = Best Denki Stadium
|attendance = 4,508
}}
=Round 3=
{{rugbybox
|date = 25 January 2020
|time = 11:30
|home = Honda Heat
|score = 23–32
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19557/ Report]
|away = Toshiba Brave Lupus
|stadium = Paloma Mizuho Stadium
|attendance = 6,548
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 25 January 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars
|score = 10–62
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19561/ Report]
|away = Panasonic Wild Knights
|stadium = Sagamihara Gion Stadium
|attendance = 7,724
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 25 January 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Ricoh Black Rams
|score = 0–38
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19558/ Report]
|away = Yamaha Jubilo
|stadium = Takebishi Stadium Kyoto
|attendance = 4,360
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 25 January 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Kubota Spears
|score = 28–27
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19563/ Report]
|away = NTT Communications Shining Arcs
|stadium = Expo '70 Commemorative Stadium
|attendance = 4,794
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 25 January 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Munakata Sanix Blues
|score = 49–19
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19564/ Report]
|away = NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
|stadium = Best Denki Stadium
|attendance = 4,231
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 25 January 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = Toyota Verblitz
|score = 61–31
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19562/ Report]
|away = Hino Red Dolphins
|stadium = Paloma Mizuho Stadium
|attendance = 8,888
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 26 January 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Canon Eagles
|score = 38–12
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19559/ Report]
|away = NEC Green Rockets
|stadium = NHK Spring Mitsuzawa Football Stadium
|attendance = 10,617
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 26 January 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Kobelco Steelers
|score = 35–29
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19560/ Report]
|away = Suntory Sungoliath
|stadium = Noevir Stadium Kobe
|attendance = 26,312
}}
=Round 4=
{{rugbybox
|date = 1 February 2020
|time = 11:30
|home = Hino Red Dolphins
|score = 19–48
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19566/ Report]
|away = Yamaha Jubilo
|stadium = Paloma Mizuho Stadium
|attendance = 3,682
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 1 February 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars
|score = 26–45
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19565/ Report]
|away = Toshiba Brave Lupus
|stadium = NHK Spring Mitsuzawa Football Stadium
|attendance = 9,948
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 1 February 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Suntory Sungoliath
|score = 40–14
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19567/ Report]
|away = NEC Green Rockets
|stadium = Expo '70 Commemorative Stadium
|attendance = 6,243
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 1 February 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = Toyota Verblitz
|score = 58–29
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19571/ Report]
|away = Honda Heat
|stadium = Paloma Mizuho Stadium
|attendance = 8,734
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 2 February 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Canon Eagles
|score = 17–51
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19572/ Report]
|away = Panasonic Wild Knights
|stadium = Machida Stadium
|attendance = 9,120
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 2 February 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Ricoh Black Rams
|score = 17–33
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19568/ Report]
|away = NTT Communications Shining Arcs
|stadium = NHK Spring Mitsuzawa Football Stadium
|attendance = 7,027
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 2 February 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Kobelco Steelers
|score = 97–0
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19569/ Report]
|away = NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
|stadium = Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium
|attendance = 9,446
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 2 February 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Munakata Sanix Blues
|score = 0–34
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19570/ Report]
|away = Kubota Spears
|stadium = Ekimae Real Estate Stadium
|attendance = 6,054
}}
=Round 5=
{{rugbybox
|date = 15 February 2020
|time = 11:30
|home = Canon Eagles
|score = 24–39
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19581/ Report]
|away = Honda Heat
|stadium = Kumagaya Rugby Ground
|attendance = 20,138
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 15 February 2020
|time = 11:30
|home = NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
|score = 7–82
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19582/ Report]
|away = Yamaha Jubilo
|stadium = Yanmar Stadium Nagai
|attendance = 16,483
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 15 February 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = NTT Communications Shining Arcs
|score = 74–11
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19574/ Report]
|away = Munakata Sanix Blues
|stadium = Yumenoshima Stadium
|attendance = 2,738
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 15 February 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Kobelco Steelers
|score = 43–6
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19576/ Report]
|away = Ricoh Black Rams
|stadium = Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium
|attendance = 4,910
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 15 February 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = Panasonic Wild Knights
|score = 46–27
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19573/ Report]
|away = Toshiba Brave Lupus
|stadium = Kumagaya Rugby Ground
|attendance = 22,705
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 15 February 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = Suntory Sungoliath
|score = 60–14
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19575/ Report]
|away = Toyota Verblitz
|stadium = Yanmar Stadium Nagai
|attendance = 19,584
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 16 February 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Kubota Spears
|score = 49–12
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19578/ Report]
|away = Hino Red Dolphins
|stadium = Yumenoshima Stadium
|attendance = 2,610
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 16 February 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars
|score = 21–14
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19577/ Report]
|away = NEC Green Rockets
|stadium = Sagamihara Gion Stadium
|attendance = 3,536
}}
=Round 6=
{{rugbybox
|date = 22 February 2020
|time = 11:30
|home = NEC Green Rockets
|score = 12–26
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19579/ Report]
|away = Ricoh Black Rams
|stadium = Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
|attendance = 10,687
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 22 February 2020
|time = 11:30
|home = Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars
|score = 7–69
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19591/ Report]
|away = Yamaha Jubilo
|stadium = Paloma Mizuho Stadium
|attendance = 3,463
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 22 February 2020
|time = 11:45
|home = Canon Eagles
|score = 22–10
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19584/ Report]
|away = Munakata Sanix Blues
|stadium = Hanazono Rugby Stadium
|attendance = 14,625
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 22 February 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Honda Heat
|score = 13–14
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19585/ Report]
|away = NTT Communications Shining Arcs
|stadium = Mie Sports Garden
|attendance = 3,111
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 22 February 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = Hino Red Dolphins
|score = 14–69
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19583/ Report]
|away = Suntory Sungoliath
|stadium = Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
|attendance = 13,856
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 22 February 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = Toyota Verblitz
|score = 20–18
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19586/ Report]
|away = Kubota Spears
|stadium = Paloma Mizuho Stadium
|attendance = 5,343
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 22 February 2020
|time = 14:00
|home = NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
|score = 3–40
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19580/ Report]
|away = Panasonic Wild Knights
|stadium = Hanazono Rugby Stadium
|attendance = 18,056
}}
{{rugbybox
|date = 23 February 2020
|time = 13:00
|home = Kobelco Steelers
|score = 57–0
|report = [https://www.top-league.jp/schedule/detail/19592/ Report]
|away = Toshiba Brave Lupus
|stadium = Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium
|attendance = 23,647
}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Japan Rugby Top League}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2019-20 Top League}}