2019 Top League Cup Explained
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.[1]
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 |
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Canon Eagles | C | 12th (Top League) | Machida, Tokyo, Kanto |
| C | 16th (Top League) | Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| A | 14th (Top League) | Hino, Tokyo Metropolis |
Honda Heat | A | 9th (Top League) | Suzuka, Mie Prefecture |
| 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 |
| A | 4th (Top Challenge League) | Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture |
Kyuden Voltex | B | 5th (Top Challenge League) | Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| D | 6th (Top Challenge League) | Fuchu, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| C | 2nd (Top Challenge League) | Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| B | 14th (Top League) | Munakata, Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| D | 10th (Top League) | Abiko, Chiba, Kanto |
| B | 1st (Top Challenge League) | Osaka, Kansai |
| B | 5th (Top League) | Chiba, Chiba, Kanto |
| A | 6th (Top League) | Ota, Gunma, Kanto |
Ricoh Black Rams | D | 8th (Top League) | Tokyo, Kanto |
| A | Promoted to Top Challenge League | Chūō, Tokyo Metropolis |
| A | 2nd (Top League) | Fuchu, Tokyo, Kanto |
| B | 11th (Top League) | Fuchu, Tokyo, Kanto |
| 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
Pool B
Pool C
Pool D
Cup playoffs
Final
Notes and References
- 「ジャパンラグビー トップリーグカップ2019(仮称)」大会概要/プール組分け . Top League . 7 February 2019 . 8 February 2019 . Japanese . Japan Rugby Top League Cup 2019 Competition overview / pool grouping.