RiJ has been working back through the history of Japan tests and this week looks at the test against the visiting British Columbia in 1970. RiJ has been burning the midnight oil this week with a preview of the 2012-12 Top League season and introductions of all 14 teams.
Enjoy the read.
Ian McDonnell lives and works in Japan. He can be contacted at ianmcdo@apost.plala.or.jp
CONTENTS
- Japan Test Match & Player History Project: 1970 British Columbia
- Japan Rugby Top League 2012-13: Season Preview & Team Introductions
- Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival Fukuoka 2012
The Japan Test Match & Player
History Project
For nine years now RiJ has been documenting Japanese rugby across various levels of the game. More recently, however, RiJ has recognised the need to accurately document the history of Japanese test match rugby and the players that have represented Japan down through the years. With this in mind, RiJ has embarked on a project to write the history of Japanese international rugby, detail every test that Japan has played and profile every player that has represented Japan.
New Zealand Universities and British Columbia Tours to Japan 1970: British Columbia Test
In March 1970 New Zealand Universities and also the British Colombia Bears toured Japan in what was an overlapping triangular series involving the two touring teams and Japan.
BC played five games on tour, losing the test against Japan and also the game against NZU but winning the three other games against provincial and university sides. BC had previously toured Japan in 1959, losing the first test in Osaka and then drawing the second test in Tokyo making this their second tour of Japan. However, Japan played their inaugural test against BC in Vancouver in 1930 which played out to a 3-all draw while the second overseas tour for Japan was also to the same Canadian province in 1963 with Japan winning 33-6. Furthermore, the full Canadian national side toured Japan in 1932, losing the two test played on that tour meaning the record for British Columbia and Canada against Japan stood at two draws and five losses at the completion of this 1970 tour.
While Japan and NZU were playing the second test in Osaka on Sunday, 15 March 1970, British Columbia played their first game on tour with a 57-6 over All-Keio University in Tokyo on the same day. Both NZU and BC had further mid-week games on 18 March against regional sides in different parts of the country in the lead up to the test for BC against Japan at Chichibu in Tokyo on Sunday, 22 March 1970. This was Japan test number 31 and Japan game number 70 and for head coach Tetsunosuke Onishi this was his ninth test in charge for 4 wins and 5 losses. Hooker Tadahiko Omata from the Mitsubishi Motors Kyoto club was captain on his test debut in the first test against NZU and although he missed the second test he was back in the starting line-up again as captain for this clash with BC.
Japan kept their unbeaten record intact against the Canadian provincial side with an emphatic eight tries to one 32-3 hammering of the tourists. Japan played an open free spirited brand of rugby with the backs scoring seven of the eight tries. Tadamasa Fujimoto started at five-eighth in this test and he bagged a double but not to be outdone mercurial left wing Yoshihiro Sakata also crossed for two tries making it 12 tries in 9 tests at that point in his career. Right wing Tadayuki Ito picked up another try making it 12 tries in 9 tests for him too. Outside centre Fumiharu Shimazaki, fullback Katsuji Mantani and flanker Yoshiharu Yamaguchi were the other try scorers with Yamaguchi adding four conversions.
After making their debuts from the bench the previous week, prop Toshio Kurosaka and No8 Susumu Hara both had their first run-on starts in this test and although there were no further test debutants this week there were also no Japanese players who were playing their last tests.
New Zealand Universities 36 d All-Waseda University 3, 01 March 1970, Chichibu, Tokyo.
New Zealand Universities 29 d All-Hosei University 14, 04 March 1970, Chichibu, Tokyo.
Japan 6 – New Zealand Universities 16. Sunday, 08 March 1970, Chichibu, Tokyo. (Test No.29, Japan Game No.68)
New Zealand Universities 46 d All-Doshisha University 12, 11 March 1970, Nishi-Kyogoku Stadium, Kyoto.
Japan 14 – New Zealand Universities 28. Sunday, 15 March 1970, Hanazono, Osaka. (Test No.30, Japan Game No.69)
British Columbia 57 d All-Keio University 6, 15 March 1970, Chichibu, Tokyo.
New Zealand Universities 79 d Toyota 8, 18 March 1970, Mizuho Stadium, Nagoya.
British Columbia 24 d All-Hiroshima 9, 18 March 1970, Hiroshima.
New Zealand Universities 35 d Kyushu 11, 21 March 1970, Heiwadai Stadium, Fukuoka.
Japan 32 – British Columbia 3. Sunday, 22 March 1970, Chichibu, Tokyo. (Test No.31, Japan Game No.70)
Japan Rugby Top League 2012-13
Season Preview
In a night game at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo on Friday 29 August 2012, reigning champions Suntory Sungoliath play NEC Green Rockets to kick off the tenth season of Japan Rugby Top League.
In looking at the season to come, it would be fair to say that the big three from last season in Suntory, Panasonic Wild Knights and Toshiba Brave Lupus will again be there or there abouts come the business end of the season next January. However, there are a lot of mid table teams from last season that will also be seriously vying for a place in the play-offs. NEC finished fourth in 2011-12 to clinch the final berth in the semi-finals, but Kintetsu Liners, Kobelco Steelers, Ricoh Black Rams and Yamaha Jubilo will all be desperate to make the semis. Traditionally strong Toyota Verblitz had a poor season last year on their standards when they finished in tenth place and they can be expected to bounce back in a big way this year. NTT Communications Shining Arcs finished ninth last year and in their third season in Top League they are another side looking to climb the table. Fukuoka Sanix Blues were another team that did not produce their best the previous season with an eleventh placed finish and they will be highly motivated to improve their lot. Meanwhile, NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes ended the season in twelfth place in what was their first year in Top League and they will be all the better for it in the new season. Finally Canon Eagles won promotion to Top League for the first time this season and they will have to hit the ground running as will Kyuden Voltex who also gained promotion after two seasons playing in regional Kyushu.
There is also a lot of interest in the big name foreign players coming to Japan this year. Perhaps the greatest excitement is over All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams who will be playing with Panasonic. At 193cm and 108kg SBW can be expected to weave his considerable magic and entertain the fans throughout the season. Other All Blacks shifting from the land of the long white cloud to the land of the rising sun this season include centre Isaia Toeava at Canon and backrower Jerome Kaino at Toyota. Other well known players on the world stage linking up with Japanese clubs also include former Wallabies backrower and captain Rocky Elsom at Kobe, Springboks centre Wynand Olivier at Ricoh, blockbusting Samoan centre Alesana Tuilagi who joins NTT Com from Leicester Tigers. Furthermore, Wales wing sensation Shane Williams will play with Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars and Tongan goal kicking ace Kurt Morath with be at Kubota Spears in Top East Division One. These players will join a host of other household names here in Japan for the new season.
Although the number of foreign players allowed on the field at any one time for each club will be brought back to two players there are few other changes in the format of Top League this year. However, there are big changes set to take place for the 2013-14 season with the league being expanded from 14 to 16 teams over two stages with both stages including pools and groups of eight teams.
Now that Top League is entering its tenth season the records are also starting to pile up. At the completion of the 2011-12 season there are eight players that have played one hundred or more Top League games including Toshiba lock Hitoshi Ono, Suntory wing Hirotoki Onozawa and lock Hajime Kiso who started his career with Yamaha but currently plays with NTT Com. There is also a growing list of players who look set to join the century club at some point this season with the likes of Yamaha prop Ryo Yamamura on 99 caps and Toyota backrower Takashi Kikutani on 93 caps. If his form continues, and every indication is that it will, Onozawa may well be the first person to score 100 Top League tries. Onozawa sits on 91 tries coming into the new season and only needs another nine tries to create another kind of century club. Suntory team mate Ryan Nicholas is another player who could create his own piece of history this season as another 106 points will see him become the first person to achieve the milestone of one thousand Top League points.
Japan Rugby Top League Teams for Season 2012-13
The 2012-13 season will be the tenth year of Japan Rugby Top League. The teams to compete in Japan Rugby Top League 2012-13 are listed in the following table with the number in brackets indicating the number of seasons that particular team has participated in Top League, including the 2012-13 season.
| 1 | Suntory Sungoliath (10) |
| 2 | Toshiba Brave Lupus (10) |
| 3 | Panasonic Wild Knights (10) |
| 4 | NEC Green Rockets (10) |
| 5 | Kintetsu Liners (7) |
| 6 | Kobe Steelers (10) |
| 7 | Ricoh Black Rams (9) |
| 8 | Yamaha Jubilo (10) |
| 9 | NTT Communications Shining Arcs (3) |
| 10 | Toyota Verblitz (9) |
| 11 | Fukuoka Sanix Blues (9) |
| 12 | NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes (2) |
| 13 | Canon Eagles (1) |
| 14 | Kyuden Voltex (4) |
Honda Heat and Coca-Cola West Red Sparks were automatically relegated at the completion of the 2011-12 season after finishing 13th and 14th.
Canon Eagles and Kyuden Voltex won promotion through the Top Challenge series.
Fukuoka Sanix Blues and NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes retained their places in Top League when they won their respective promotion and relegation play-offs.
Team Introductions
(1) Suntory Sungoliath
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) Under the guise of Eddie Jones Suntory swept all before them collecting the Top League and National Championship double. However, Jones has since moved on to become the head coach of the Japan national side with Suntory stalwarts Naoya Okubo as manager and Keisuke Sawaki as head coach taking over where Jones left off.
Nevertheless, Suntory as the reigning champions will come into the new season as favourites to defend their title. The Sungoliath have some of the cream of local rugby talent in their ranks such as tighthead prop Kensuke Hatakeyama, flanker Takamichi Sasaki, halfback Atsushi Hiwasa, centre Koji Taira and wing Hirotoki Onozawa. Meanwhile, the overseas talent is just as impressive with the likes of lock Dannie Rossouw, flanker George Smith, halfback Fourie de Preez, five-eighth Tusi Pisi and fullback Peter Hewat in the squad. Suntory lost Todd Clever to NTT Communications in the off-season but New Zealand born lock Timothy Bond is a new acquisition from Teikyo University. Five-eighth Kosei Ono who played in the Japan team this spring also links up with Suntory from Sanix.
Established: Suntory were established in 1980. Suntory are based in the western Tokyo area of Fuchu. The team mascot is a gorilla. For the moniker Sungoliath, “Sun” refers to the sun in the sky and “Goliath” refers to the David and Goliath story.
The Company: Beverage maker of such consumables as beer, whiskey and a variety of waters, soft drinks and coffees.
Recent Season Results:
Top League – twice (2007-8 and 2011-12); runners-up twice (2010-11 and 2006-7).
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
2011-12 (14 teams): Champions. 1st on table on 57 points with 12 wins and 1 loss. Beat NEC 56-8 in Play-off semi-final and Panasonic 47-28 in final.
2010-11 (14 teams): Runners-up. 4th on table on 50 points with 10 wins and 3 losses. Beat Toshiba 17-12 in Play-off semi-final then lost to Sanyo 28-23 in final.
2009-10 (14 teams): 2nd on table on 58 points with 11 wins and 2 draws. Lost to Toshiba 35-24 in Play-off semi-final.
2008-9 (14 teams): 3rd on table on 51 points with 10 wins and 3 losses. (See 2009 Microsoft Cup below for further details)
2007-8 (14 teams): Champions. Finished 2nd on table on 53 points with 10 wins, a draw and 2 losses. (See 2008 Microsoft Cup below for further details)
National Championship – 5 times (2012, 2011, 2002, 2001 (joint champions with Kobe after final drawn 27-all) and 1996); runners-up 3 times (2009, 2008 and 2003).
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): Champions. As champion in TL Play-off, entered NC at SF stage. Beat Toshiba 23-8 in SF and Panasonic 21-9 in final.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): Champions. As runners-up in TL Play-off, entered NC at SF stage. Beat Kobe 37-33 in SF and Sanyo 37-20 in final.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): drew with NEC 10-all in the first round but lost on lottery ballot.
2009 (46th NC - 10 teams): Runners-up. Beat Kubota 62-17 in first round, beat Waseda University 59-20 in second round and then won by default in the semi-final after Toshiba withdrew from the Championship over a doping scandal involving wing Christian Loamanu. Lost to Sanyo 24-16 in final.
2008 (45th NC - 8 teams): Runners-up. Beat Toshiba 25-14 in SF. Lost to Sanyo 40-18 in final.
(2) Panasonic Wild Knights
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) Panasonic lost to Suntory in both the Top League and National Championship finals but form over recent seasons firmly suggests that Panasonic will again be right up there at the business end of the season again this year.
Injuries to key personnel last season, particularly after the 2011 Rugby World Cup tested the depth of the squad but if Panasonic can consistently field their strongest line-up week in week out this season they will be a force to be reckoned with. Central figures in recent Panasonic success include hooker Shota Horie, lock Daniel Heenan, No8 Koliniasi Ryu Holani, halfback Fumiaki Tanaka, centre and captain Seiichi Shimomura, and ace goal kicking fullback Atsushi Tanabe. Late in the pre-season, the news that Sonny Bill Williams was to join the Knights stirred up a lot of interest and his presence should be strongly felt this season. Norifumi Nakajima continues in the coaching role this season and he is in charge of a solid and stable squad that prides itself on its resolute defence while the attack is also one of the best in the league.
Established: Sanyo Rugby was established in 1960 and they entered the Kanto Company League in 1963 in Division 4. Throughout the 1960s Sanyo worked their way up through the divisions to Division 1 in 1968. Over the subsequent few decades Sanyo were runners-up in the Corporate Championship a remarkable 8 times, while only taking the title once, in 1996 (Albeit shared with Suntory when the final was a 27-all draw). Higher success eluded the club until they won National Championship titles in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Sanyo jumped from seventh on the table in the first two years of TL to second in 2005-6 and were unlucky not to take the title. In 2006-7, Sanyo fell off the pace to finish just outside the final four in fifth place. In 2007-8 Sanyo topped the TL table undefeated but lost to Suntory in the Microsoft Cup final before winning the 2008 National Championship. 2008-9 was a similar story with Sanyo finishing second on the table before losing the Microsoft Cup final to Toshiba and then winning the 2009 National Championship. It was more of the same in 2009-10 when Sanyo topped the table but lost to Toshiba in the play-off final before winning the 2010 National Championship final for the third year in a row. It finally happened for Sanyo in the 2010-11 season when they took the Top League title for the first time.
Sanyo rugby are based in Ota city in Gunma prefecture with the superb ground, clubhouse and facilities developed over the late nineties. In 2009 the Sanyo company was acquired by Panasonic and from the 2011-12 season the team became known as the Panasonic Wild Knights.
The Company: Electrical and electronics maker.
Recent Season Results:
Top League – once (2010-11); runners-up 5 times (2011-12, 2009-10, 2008-9, 2007-8 and 2005-6).
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
2011-12 (14 teams): Runners-up. 3rd on table on 53 points with 11 wins and 2 losses. Beat Toshiba 37-25 in Play-off semi-final and lost to Suntory 47-28 in final.
2010-11 (14 teams): Champions. second on table on 55 points with 11 wins & 2 losses. Defeated Toyota 32-10 in Play-off SF and Suntory 28-23 in the final.
2009-10 (14 teams): Runners-up. first on table on 59 points with 12 wins & 1 draw. Defeated Toyota 25-21 in Play-off SF and lost to Toshiba 6-0 in the final.
2008-9 (14 teams): Runners-up. 2nd on table on 58 points with 12 wins & 1 loss. (See 2009 Microsoft Cup below for further details)
2007-8 (14 teams): Runners-up. 1st on table on 64 points with 13 straight wins. (See 2008 Microsoft Cup below for further details)
National Championship – three times (2010, 2009 and 2008); runners-up twice (2012 and 2011).
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): Runners-up. As runners-up in TL Play-off, entered NC at SF stage. Beat NEC 41-3 in SF and lost to Suntory 21-9 in final.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): Runners-up. As Champion in TL Play-off, entered NC at SF stage. Beat Toshiba 33-21 in SF, lost to Suntory 37-20 in final.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): Champions. Beat NEC 25-16 in semi-finals then beat Toyota 22-17 in the final.
2009 (46th NC - 10 teams): Champions. Beat Ricoh 59-3 in semi-finals then beat Suntory 24-16 in the final.
2008 (45th NC - 8 teams): Champions. Beat Toyota 25-24 in semi-finals then beat Suntory 40-18 in the final.
(3) Toshiba Brave Lupus
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) Toshiba finished second on the final table and consequently made it to the semi-final stages at both the Top League Play-offs and the National Championship but failed to make the final on both occasions. Toshiba were the team to beat in the early years of Top League but have been usurped somewhat by Suntory and Panasonic over recent seasons. Nevertheless, Toshiba have won the Top League title five times and that lack of silverware over the past few years will surely act as a strong source of motivation this year. Suntory, Panasonic and Toshiba were head and shoulders above the rest of the league last season and it remains to be seen if the rest of the field can close the gap on these three front runners in 2012-13.
Instrumental in how Toshiba will fare this year will be the likes of veteran locks Hitoshi Ono and Yuta Mochizuki while backrowers Michael Leitch, Steven Bates and captain Masato Toyoda will also be important figures in the pack. Meanwhile, in the backs halfback Jun Fujii made his international debut this past spring while goal kicking five-eighth David Hill has kicked the Brave Lupus to many a win over recent years. Centre Tomohiro Semba also represented his country in the spring along with wing Toshiaki Hirose who became national captain under Eddie Jones. The wily Kenichi Wada is again the head coach this season and he will be striving to get Toshiba back to the glory days of the recent past.
Established: Toshiba Rugby was set up in 1948 and is located in the western Tokyo area of Fuchu. Originally, the official name for the club was Toshiba Fuchu Brave Lupus. However, from the 2006-7 season the “Fuchu” part of the name was dropped as a mark of representing the Toshiba Corporation as a whole rather than just the Fuchu based component of the company. Toshiba use the emblem of the wolf and thus the name Brave Lupus.
The Company: Electronics, electrical, IT and power systems maker, including industrial, office and household products. Toshiba was one of the major sponsors for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.
Recent Season Results:
Top League – 5 times (2009-10, 2008-9, 2006-7, 2005-6 and 2004-5); runners-up once (2003-4).
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
2011-12 (14 teams): second on table on 55 points with 11 wins & 2 losses. Lost 37-25 to Panasonic in Play-off semi-final.
2010-11 (14 teams): first on table on 57 points with 11 wins & 2 losses. Lost 17-12 to Suntory in Play-off semi-final.
2009-10 (14 teams): Champions. third on table on 52 points with 10 wins & 3 losses. Defeated Suntory 35-24 in Play-off SF and then Sanyo 6-0 in the final.
2008-9 (14 teams): Champions. topped table on 59 points with 12 wins & 1 loss. Defeated Kobe 26-7 in Microsoft Cup semi-final and then Sanyo 17-6 in the final.
2007-8 (14 teams): 4th on table on 47 points with 9 wins & 4 losses. Lost 25-21 to Sanyo in Microsoft Cup semi-final.
National Championship - 6 times (2007, 2006 – joint champions with NEC, 2004, 1999, 1998 and 1997) and runners-up once (1988).
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): Beat Yamaha 56-15 in 1st round, Teikyo Uni 86-19 in 2nd round, lost to Suntory 23-8 in semi-finals.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): Beat NEC 21-10 in 1st round, Teikyo Uni 43-10 in 2nd round, lost to Sanyo 33-21 in semi-finals.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): Lost to Toyota 23-10 in the semis.
2009 (46th NC - 10 teams): Toshiba withdrew from the 2009 NC after wing Christian Loamanu failed a doping test conducted by the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA).
2008 (45th NC - 8 teams): Beat Waseda 47-24 in quarterfinal then lost to Suntory 25-14 in semis.
(4) NEC Green Rockets
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) NEC finished fourth on the final table to make the play-off semi-finals for the first time. However, Suntory, Panasonic and Toshiba were head and shoulders above the rest of the league last season and NEC were well beaten Suntory in the play-off semi-finals and then by Panasonic in the National Championship semi-finals.
However, NEC had their best season in many years and a lot of that success could be put down to one man: giant Fijian winger Nemani Nadolo. The larger than life Fijian international at 195cm and 129kg run in an impressive seven of the ten tries scored by NEC in their win over Canon in the National Championship bettering his six try performance against Honda in the Top League rounds. Not surprisingly, Nadolo was the leading try scorer in Top League last season and he will again be almost impossible to stop this year. Nevertheless, NEC are far from a one man show and the club is gradually rebuilding with a lot of young talent coming through after some lean years over recent times. One of the up and coming stars in his debut season in the senior ranks last year was five-eighth Yu Tamura. His potential did not go unnoticed either as he went on to national honours under Eddie Jones in the spring. Other rising players include flanker Tsuyoshi Murata and No8 Makoto Tosa. Other established players at NEC include Ryota Asano and Nili Latu in the forwards and Anthony Tuitavake and wing Koichiro Kubota in the backs.
Established: NEC (Nippon Denki Kabushiki geisha) are another of the relatively newer clubs in Top League having only been established in 1985 with the team based in the NEC factory complex in Abiko city in north-western Chiba prefecture. The green in Green Rockets refers to the grass of the playing fields upon which NEC battles. While the rocket is the image of a fast and powerful NEC leading the way in the 21st century. NEC also have in their sports stable the Blue Rockets (men’s volleyball team) and the Red Rockets (women’s volleyball team).
The Company: The company itself was founded in 1899 and was known in English as Nippon Electric Company, Limited until it was re-branded as NEC Corporation in 1983. NEC is an electrical, electronics and IT company.
Recent Season Results:
Top League – none.
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
2011-12 (14 teams): 4th on table on 41 points with 8 wins and 5 losses. Lost to Suntory 56-8 in play-off semi-finals.
2010-11 (14 teams): 6th on table on 34 points with 7 wins and 6 losses.
2009-10 (14 teams): 10th on table on 25 points with 4 wins and 9 losses.
2008-9 (14 teams): 5th on table on 37 points with 8 wins and 5 losses.
2007-8 (14 teams): 6th on table on 42 points with 9 wins and 4 losses.
National Championship –3 times (2006 (joint champions with Toshiba after final drawn at 6-all), 2005 and 2002).
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): Beat Kobe 17-10 in 1st round, Canon 62-19 in 2nd round and lost to Panasonic 41-3 in semi-finals.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): Beat Ricoh 38-33 in Wildcard Tournament to qualify. Lost to Toshiba 21-10 in first round.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): Beat Sanix 33-5 and Kubota 22-21 in Wildcard Tournament to qualify for NC. Drew with Suntory 10-all in first round but won on lottery ballot, beat Teikyo Uni. 38-5 in QFs then lost to Sanyo 25-16 in SFs.
2009 (46th NC - 10 teams): Beat Kobe 30-29 in first round, then lost to Ricoh 24-23 in second round.
2008 (45th NC - 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.
(5) Kintetsu Liners
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) Kintetsu finished fifth on the final table in their best ever season in Top League. However, the Liners could not maintain the momentum in the Wildcard Tournament and were eliminated in the first round.
Kintetsu are one of the oldest company clubs in Japanese rugby with a long and proud tradition and although the competition looks fierce this year the Liners will be hoping to go one better and make the play-offs in the 2012-13 season. In the forwards, former captain in lock Luke Thompson and backrower Toetu’u Taufa will be looking for big domestic seasons as they try to revive their Japan representative hopes. Meanwhile, in the backs a number of veteran players at the club such as goal-kicking playmaker Mr Dependable Yasumasa Shigemitsu who has consistently finished high on the point scorers lists over a number of years, midfield line breaker Jeffrey Ierome, former All Black Rico Gear, former Japan international centre Shotaro Onishi and versatile fullback Tadanobu Ko all must step up again this year. Ryusuke Maeda will be in his second year as head coach and he will be looking to get the best out of this Osaka based squad.
Established: Kintetsu are one of the oldest company teams in Japan having been established in 1929.The full name for the club is Kintetsu Liners. The Liners refers to the nature of the company as a railway and transport concern in and around the Osaka area. The name ‘Liner’ comes from the name of a popular company express train known as the Urban Liner. In rugby terms, it is used to reflect the speed and power of Kintetsu rugby. Kintetsu are also the owner of the Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Ground in Osaka, one of the two main rugby grounds in Japan. (The other is the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo). Hanazono too was established in 1929 and so both Kintetsu rugby and the Hanazono ground celebrated 80 years in 2009.
The Company: The Kintetsu Corporation has a railway network in western Japan that covers Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Yoshino, Ise-shima and Nagoya.
Recent Season Results:
Top League – none.
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
2011-12 (14 teams): 5th on table on 39 points with 8 wins and 5 losses.
2010-11 (14 teams): 9th on table on 31 points with 6 wins and 7 losses.
2009-10 (14 teams): 11th on table on 23 points with 4 wins, a draw and 8 losses.
2008-9 (14 teams): 9th on table on 28 points with 5 wins and 8 losses.
2007-8: DNP. Played in Top West competition.
National Championship – 3 times (1975, 1968 and 1967); runners-up once (1964).
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): Lost to Yamaha 17-15 in Wildcard Tournament and thus DNQ.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): Lost to Sanix 30-22 in Wildcard Tournament and thus DNQ.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.
2009 (46th NC - 10 teams): DNQ as only top 6 TL teams qualified.
2008 (45th NC - 8 teams): Qualified as Top Challenger. Defeated Keio University 45-14 before losing to Toyota 53-43.
(6) Kobelco Steelers
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) Kobe finished sixth on the final table after promising so much more earlier in the season. Although Kobe then won their way through the Wildcard Tournament to the National Championship they were eliminated in the first round.
Kobe as the inaugural Top League champions way back in 2003-4 have consistently finished fourth, fifth or sixth every season since but 2012-13 looks like being one full of hope and expectation. A number of prominent names have joined the Steelers for this season including South African Jaques Fourie who spent one season with Panasonic last season and former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom. Kobe have also been building up a solid stock of home grown talent over recent years with the likes of hooker Takeshi Kizu and flanker Shoji Ito representing Japan this spring. Other mainstays in the forwards include prop Hisateru Hirashima, backrowers Itaru Taniguchi and Josh Blackie and hookers Yuji Matsubara and Yoshimitsu Yasue. In the backs, Springbok Peter Grant is the key player for the club in his third year along with Yuta Imamura halfback Takashi Sato and New Zealand born centre or wing Fraser Anderson.
Established: Kobe Steel as the team is commonly known were formed in 1928 in the port city of Kobe in western Japan. Kobe are one of the oldest and most successful corporate rugby teams in Japan and they have been at the heart and soul of rugby and its development in this country. Kobe now officially calls themselves the Kobe Kobelco Steelers and have also adopted the catchphrase Bodies of Steel, Hearts of Gold.
The Company: Kobelco and the Kobe Steel Company Group are, as the name suggests, an iron and steel manufacturing concern. In addition, Kobe manufacture other metal products from titanium, aluminium and copper, as well as being a major manufacturer of welding products. Further, Kobelco is well known for its cranes, excavators and construction machinery, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Have a look at the company English homepage here.
Recent Season Results:
Top League – once (2003-4).
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
2011-12 (14 teams): 6th on table on 38 points with 6 wins, a draw and 6 losses.
2010-11 (14 teams): 5th on table on 36 points with 7 wins and 6 losses.
2009-10 (14 teams): 5th on table on 38 points with 7 wins, a draw and 5 losses.
2008-9 (14 teams): 4th on table on 43 points with 9 wins and 4 losses. (See 2009 Microsoft Cup below for further details)
2007-8 (14 teams): 5th on table on 46 points with 9 wins and 4 losses.
National Championship - 9 times (2001, 2000, 1989 to 1995); runners-up 3 times (2004, 2002 and 1999).
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): Beat Ricoh 32-19 in Wildcard Tournament to qualify. Lost to NEC 17-10 in 1st round.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): Beat Sanix 55-40 in Wildcard Tournament to qualify. Beat Toyota 27-17 in 1st round, NTT Docomo 38-0 in 2nd round, lost to Suntory 37-33 in SF.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): Beat Coca-Cola 40-28 in Wildcard Tournament to qualify. Lost to Toyota 36-19 in first round.
2009 (46th NC - 10 teams): Lost 30-29 to NEC in first round.
2008 (45th NC - 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.
(7) Ricoh Black Rams
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) Ricoh finished seventh on the final table and if a few results had gone their way throughout the season could well have finished higher. Ma’a Nonu and James Haskell had a big influence on Ricoh last year and although both these players will not be at the club this year there is still a lot of promise of good things to come.
Although there has been some turnover of players at the club in the off-season there is still a very solid base for head coach Leon Holden to work with along with new names like Riki Flutey. Ricoh is very much a club heading in the right direction but it is important that they keep improving as all the mid table teams are making progress. Veteran hooker Yoshiyuki Takizawa, lock Michael Broadhurst, Sevens specialist Yusuke Kobuki, centre Ryo Kanazawa and goal kicking five-eighth Yoshimitsu Kawano are other important figures in the team.
Established: Ricoh, one of the relatively older company teams running around in Top League, were established in 1953. The company address is listed as downtown Tokyo and the training ground is also located at Kinuta in Setagaya ward in Tokyo. The symbol Ricoh adopted is the Black Ram, noted for its fighting spirit.
The golden age for Ricoh was the early to mid 1970s when they dominated Japanese corporate rugby over this period. However, it has been a long time between drinks and Ricoh are a long way off the pace of the top teams in the modern era. Common to the woes of all teams outside the top 8, they lack the pulling power for the high profile local players coming through the university system. Their fortunes are thus on something of a vicious cycle. Ricoh had to battle through the promotion and relegation play-offs every year in the first 4 years of Top League and their luck finally ran out when they finished 13th at the end of the 2007-8 season and were automatically relegated. However, Ricoh re-organised their operations, topped the Top East 11 competition undefeated and then beat Honda and Mazda in the Top Challenge Series to regain their place in Top League for the 2009-10 season.
The Company: Cameras, business machines such as photocopiers, printers, fax machines and other electronic devices.
Recent Season Results:
Top League – none.
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Microsoft Cup, the play-off series to determine the overall Top League champion. From the 2009-10 season, the Microsoft company did not renew their naming rights sponsorship and so the finals series became known as the Top League Play-off Tournament.
2011-12 (14 teams): 7th on table on 38 points with 7 wins, a draw and 5 losses.
2010-11 (14 teams): 7th on table on 32 points with 6 wins and 7 losses.
2009-10 (14 teams): 12th on table on 19 points with 4 wins and 9 losses. (Beat Mazda 59-12 in promotion and relegation play-off.)
2008-9: DNP. Ricoh played in the Top East 11 competition.
2007-8 (14 teams): 13th on table on 17 points with 3 wins and 10 losses. Relegated to Top East 11.
National Championship – twice (1974 and 1973).
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): Lost to Kobe 32-19 in Wildcard Tournament and thus DNQ.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): Beat Coca-Cola 31-29 then lost to NEC 38-33 in Wildcard Tournament and thus DNQ.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.
2009 (46th NC - 10 teams): Qualified as the Top Challenger. Drew with Teikyo University 25-all in first round but progressed to next round due to the fact they scored more tries. Beat NEC 24-23 in second round. Lost to Sanyo 59-3 in semi-finals.
2008 (45th NC - 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.
(8) Yamaha Jubilo
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) Yamaha finished eighth on the final table, an improvement on results from recent seasons. Yamaha were a major force in the early years of Top League but have finished mid table for most years since. Yamaha were also one of a number of company teams in Japan significantly affected by the Lehman Brothers Shock and cut back on their commitment to rugby by not renewing professional contracts. This was reflected in an eleventh place finish in the 2010-11 season that forced the team to play through the promotion and relegation play-offs for the first time to retain their place in Top League.
However, Jubilo have been slowly rebuilding and with Katsuyuki Kiyomiya coming on board as head coach last season, the confidence is coming back under his guidance. Another factor in the improved results last season was the maturing of fullback Ayumu Goromaru as a player and a goal-kicker. Goromaru was the leading point scorer in 2011-12 and his form virtually forced Eddie Jones to pick him as his leading fullback and goal-kicker in the national side in the spring. The influence of both Kiyomiya and Goromaru cannot be under-estimated in the 2012-13 season. Yamaha have recruited a number of promising university players over the past few seasons and with an emphasis on youth the team is building for the future. Former All Black backrowers Mose Tuiali’i and Jerry Collins are other important figures in the squad.
Established: Yamaha are relatively new on the corporate rugby scene in Japan having only been set up in 1984 and they are yet to win a major title. Yamaha are based in Iwata city, Shizuoka prefecture a few hours west of Tokyo.
Yamaha also support a more high profile soccer team with the same name of Jubilo with a lot of facilities, including the Iwata ground shared. The Jubilo part of the name comes from Spanish/Portuguese, meaning ‘jubilation’ and is intended to convey the meaning of bringing joy to the Yamaha fans and leaving a lasting impression of jubilation.
The Company: motor vehicles, in particular motorbikes. Furthermore, Yamaha is a major manufacturer of marine craft and products such as fishing and cruising boats, yachts, outboard motors, diesel motors for boats and jet skis.
Recent Season Results:
Top League – none; runners-up once (2004-5).
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
2011-12 (14 teams): 8th on table on 35 points with 6 wins, a draw and 6 losses.
2010-11 (14 teams): 11th on table on 27 points with 5 wins and 8 losses. Beat Kyuden 12-10 in P&R Play-off.
2009-10 (14 teams): 9th on table on 30 points with 5 wins, 2 draws and 6 losses.
2008-9 (14 teams): 7th on table on 35 points with 7 wins and 6 losses.
2007-8 (14 teams): 7th on table on 37 points with 7 wins and 6 losses.
National Championship – none.
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): Beat Kintetsu 17-15 in Wildcard to qualify. Lost to Toshiba 56-15 in first round.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): Lost to Coca-Cola 31-17 in Wildcard Tournament and thus DNQ.
2009 (46th NC - 10 teams): DNQ as only top 6 TL teams qualified.
2008 (45th NC - 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.
(9) NTT Com
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) NTT Com finished ninth on the final table, improving form twelfth place the previous year in what was their first season in Top League. There has been a considerable turnover of players during the off-season with a number of overseas players such as Craig Wing and JP Nel moving on but Todd Clever along with Oliver and Matt Sanders from the Philippines are new at the club this year. Former Keio University head coach Masato Hayashi is again in charge this season and after an impressive finish last year he will be hoping to maintain the momentum as the new season gets underway. Wing Hiraku Tomoigawa is again the captain for 2012-13 and he will have to lead from the front as the mid table battles promise to be fiercely contested this year. The experienced players in the squad such as former All Blacks lock Isaac Ross, former Japan and Yamaha lock Hajime Kiso and fullback Toru Kurihara will have to get the best out of the younger players at NTT Com.
Established: NTT Communications Shining Arcs were formed in 1976 and they have their home ground at the NTT Chiba General Sports Ground in Ichikawa city near Futamata Shinmachi station on the JR Keiyo line. The nickname Shining Arcs is a bright and shining image just like the sun reaching out to the world and into the future with the logo motif in the shape of a rugby ball.
The Company: NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com) is a subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT), one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies. NTT Com provides network management, security and solution services to consumers, corporations and governments in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the Americas.
Recent Season Results:
Top League – none.
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
2011-12 (14 teams): 9th on table on 30 points with 5 wins, a draw and 7 losses.
2010-11 (14 teams): 12th on table on 24 points with 4 wins and 9 losses. Beat Canon 31-19 in P&R Play-off.
2009-10: (14 teams): DNP.
National Championship – none.
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): qualified as Top Challenger, beat Tokai Uni. 11-7 in first round, lost to Toyota 50-17 in second round.
(10) Toyota Verblitz
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) Toyota finished tenth on the final table in what proved to be an Annus Horribillis for one of the strongest teams in the league. To put things in perspective, Toyota finished third on the table the previous year and for a team that normally finishes in the top four 2011-12 was their worst ever year in Top League.
Having said that, it would be wise to presume that Toyota will rebound in a big way in 2012-13. Many things just did not go their way last season and to finish so far down the table should be the strongest source of motivation to set things right. Former Japan and Toyota five-eighth Keiji Hirose as manager and Filo Tiatia as head coach have taken over as the coaching brains trust with hooker Ryuta Ueno retaining the captaincy responsibilities. All Black Jerome Kaino is a new addition to the squad this year and he will be charged with helping to put the grunt back in the Verblitz pack. Another New Zealander in the form of Stephen Brett will shoulder a lot of responsibility for the success or otherwise of Toyota from five-eighth while many of the big name Japan representatives in the squad such as backrower Takashi Kikutani, lock Toshizumi Kitagawa and wing Kosuke Endo will have to work hard this year.
Established: Toyota, one of the major corporate rugby identities in Japan, were not included in the inaugural Top League (TL) season of 2003-4. The club answered their critics the best way a great team can and that is by winning rugby games when they gained promotion to the top competition for 2004-5. Toyota finished fourth on the table in their first year in TL in 2004-5 and then backed that up by finishing fourth again the following two seasons in a row, before going one better to finish third in the 2007-8 season. In 2008-9, however, Toyota dropped to eighth on the Top League table but bounced back in 2009-10 to once again finish fourth, while in 2010-11 they finished third on the table.
Toyota Rugby was established during World War Two in August 1941, though it was not really until after the war in 1949 that rugby at Toyota really started to become better organised. They are based in the Toyota company heartland in the Toyota district near Nagoya in Aichi prefecture. Toyota Rugby celebrated their 70th anniversary in 2011.
The Company: Automobiles.
Recent Season Results:
Top League – none.
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
2011-12 (14 teams): 10th on table on 29 points with 5 wins and 8 losses.
2010-11 (14 teams): 3rd on table on 55 points with 11 wins and 2 losses. Lost to Sanyo 32-10 in Play-off semi-final.
2009-10 (14 teams): 4th on table on 48 points with 10 wins, a draw and 2 losses. Lost to Sanyo 25-21 in Play-off semi-final.
2008-9 (14 teams): 8th on table on 31 points with 6 wins and 7 losses.
2007-8 (14 teams): 3rd on table on 50 points with 9 wins, 3 losses and a draw. Lost to Suntory 33-10 in Microsoft Cup semi-final.
National Championship – 3 times (1987, 1978 and 1969). Runners-up 6 times (2010, 2007, 2005, 2000, 1998 and 1986).
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): Lost to Kobe 27-17 in first round.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): Runners-up. Beat Kobe 36-19 in first round, NTT 50-17 in quarterfinals, Toshiba 23-10 in semi-finals then lost to Sanyo 22-17 in final.
2009 (46th NC - 10 teams): DNQ .
2008 (45th NC - 8 teams): Beat Kintetsu 53-43 in the quarterfinals then lost to Sanyo 25-24 in semi-finals.
(11) Fukuoka Sanix Blues
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) Sanix finished eleventh after failing to really find their rhythm throughout the season. Consequently, the Blues had to run the gauntlet of the promotion and relegation play-offs where they beat Toyota Industries to retain their place in Top League for this season. Sanix had solid mid tables finishes the two previous seasons and so this Fukuoka based outfit will be looking to make up ground this year. The Blues are a team with a lot of potential but just have not been able to realise this talent over the years in Top League. Veteran Brad Thorn is back for another season with the Blues and with lock Jake Paringatai in good form over the past few seasons the Blues will give it their all up front. Sanix can also boast that they have three brothers playing in their ranks with halfback Kohei Hamazato, centre Shusaku and flanker Yusuke brothers-in-arms at the Blues. Meanwhile, wing Karn Hesketh is an impact player from the bench par excellence.
Established: Sanix rugby was only established in 1994 and they are one of two current Top League teams based on the island of Kyushu (The other being Kyuden). The full name for the club has been known as Fukuoka Sanix Blues since the 2005-6 season while they were called the Fukuoka Sanix Bombs in the first two seasons of Top League. The blue refers to the sky and sea that surrounds their hometown of Munakata city in Fukuoka prefecture, as well as a more obscure reference to the musical variety of Blues. The team mascot is known as Kaito, taken from the English for Kite, a kind of hawk.
The Company: The company has three main divisions: Home Sanitation, that includes protecting homes from humidity and pests, as well as developing better earthquake resistant homes; Establishment Sanitation, including the sanitation needs of hospitals, hotels office buildings and the like and Environmental Resources Development, including the development of technologies to reprocess waste resources.
Recent Season Results:
Top League – none.
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
2011-12 (14 teams): 11th on table on 25 points with 4 wins and 9 losses. Beat Toyota Industries 39-17 in P&R Play-off.
2010-11 (14 teams): 8th on table on 32 points with 5 wins, a draw and 7 losses.
2009-10 (14 teams): 7th on table on 31 points with 6 wins and 7 losses.
2008-9 (14 teams): 11th on table on 21 points with 3 wins and 10 losses.
2007-8 (14 teams): 12th on table on 19 points with 4 wins and 9 losses.
National Championship – none.
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): Beat Kintetsu 30-22 then lost to Kobe 55-40 in Wildcard Tournament and thus DNQ.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): Lost to NEC 33-5 in Wildcard Tournament and thus DNQ.
2009 (46th NC - 10 teams): DNQ as only top 6 TL teams qualified.
2008 (45th NC - 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.
(12) NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) NTT Docomo finished twelfth in what was their first season in Top League. First and foremost, NTT Docomo achieved their primary objective of retaining their place in Top League when they beat Kubota 29-27 in the promotion and relegation play-offs and the club and the players will be all the better for its as they enter their second year in the major league. It was the experienced players in the squad that set the standard last season and they have to front up again this year if NTT Docomo are to improve. The old heads including former Japan representatives in No8 Takuro Miuchi, prop Yuichi Hisadomi, hooker Naonori Mizuyama, five-eighth Hiroaki Ito and wing Koji Tomioka along with the overseas players such as All Blacks centurion fullback Mils Muliaina and Australian lock Mitch Chapman are important personnel in this Osaka based squad.
Established: NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes were established in 1994. The team was under the umbrella of NTT Docomo Kansai until 2008 but since then has been under the guise of NTT Docomo. Rugby is the company sport for the NTT Docomo Kansai telecommunications group and they have the team slogan ‘Team of Dreams for the Dream.’ Red is the colour of heat and passion and this has been adopted as the team colour while the team has also taken on the symbol of the Hurricane representing force and strength. The team was formed in 1994 and started playing in Division D of the Kansai Rugby Company Leagues. They gradually progressed through the divisions to Division A in 2003. After mid table finishes for a number of years in Top West A they were runners-up in the 2009-10 but were knocked out of the Top Challenge season keeping them in the regional league for another year. However they won the league in the 2010-11 season and then went on to top the Top Challenge One series to qualify for Top League for the first time for the 2011-12 season. The team is based in Umeda in Kita ward, Osaka city and use the Docomo Osaka Nanko ground for training.
The Company: NTT Docomo, Inc. is the predominant mobile phone operator in Japan, accounting for about half the market in the country. Docomo provides phone, video phone, internet and mail services and has its headquarters in Chiyoda ward in Tokyo. NTT Docomo is a subsidiary of Japan’s incumbent telephone operator NTT (Nippon, Telegraph and Telephone). NTT Docomo Kansai services Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto, Shiga, Nara and Wakayama prefectures.
Recent Season Results:
Top League – none.
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
2011-12 (14 teams): 12th on table on 15 points with 2 wins, a draw and 10 losses. Beat Kubota 29-27 in P&R Play-off.
2010-11 (14 teams): DNP. Played in Top West.
2009-10 (14 teams): DNP.
National Championship – none.
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): Qualified as Top Challenger. Beat Waseda 66-43 in first round then lost to Kobe 38-0 in second round.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): DNP.
(13) Canon Eagles
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) Canon topped the Top Challenge Series to win promotion to Top League for the very first time in the 2012-13 season. With Top League now in its tenth year, it is going to be a quantum leap for Canon both on and off the field but the team has been slowly but surely building over the past few years and a place in Top League is just rewards for these efforts. The Canon coaching staff includes former Suntory halfback Yoji Nagatomo as manager who earned eight caps for Japan and coached Suntory in the early years of Top League along with former Brumbies coach Andy Friend as head coach. This very experienced coaching combination will have to rely on the experienced players in the squad who have previously played in Top League with other teams including a number of former Sanyo players such as hooker Mitsugu Yamamoto and fullback Hiroaki Tainaka as well as journeyman in centre Atsushi Moriya who has seven caps for Japan. Furthermore, backrower Aston Crawford and centre Rocky Havili also have Top League experience. It also goes without saying that the foreign players in the squad are going to have an important role to play as the season rolls on including centre Callum Bruce, locks Albert van den Berg and Kane Thompson and new signing in former All Black centre Isaia Toeava.
Established: Canon Eagles were established in 1980 and has its training ground in Machida city in Tokyo.
The team slogan for 2012-13 is “Level Up”.
The Company: Canon Inc., as the mother company of Canon Eagles is a multinational Japanese corporation that specialises in imaging and optical products such as cameras and printers. Canon has its headquarters in Ota ward, Tokyo.
Titles:
Top League – none.
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
In the 2012-13 season, Canon Eagles topped the Top East regional league and thereby qualified directly for the four-team Top Challenge One series. The Eagles beat Toyota Industries Shuttles 46-24 in their first round game, then beat Kubota 37-24 on their next game before losing 68-17 to Kyuden in their final game. However, Canon topped the Top Challenge table to qualify for the 2012 National Championship as the Top Challenger and also won promotion to Top League for the 2012-13 season.
2011-12 (14 teams): DNP.
2010-11 (14 teams): DNP.
2009-10 (14 teams): DNP.
2008-9 (14 teams): DNP.
2007-8 (14 teams): DNP.
National Championship – none.
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): Qualified as Top Challenger. Beat Tenri Uni 37-13 in first round then lost to NEC 62-19 in second round.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): DNP.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): DNP.
2009 (46th NC - 10 teams): DNP.
2008 (45th NC - 8 teams): DNP.
(14) Kyuden Voltex
2012-13 Introduction: Last season (2011-12) Kyuden came second in the Top Challenge Series to win promotion back to Top League for the first time since the 2009-10 season. With Top League now in its tenth year, it is going to be a challenge for Kyuden both on and off the field to compete with the established sides but after playing the previous two seasons in the Kyushu league the Voltex should feel they have paid their dues. The squad contains a lot of players who were there when Kyuden last played in Top League three seasons ago and this experience will be valuable as the long season wears on. Furthermore, the foreign players in the camp will have to set the standard high in order to act as role models for their younger and less experienced team mates. In the forwards, former All Blacks and Crusaders lock Chris Jack is an important figure while in the backs former Chiefs centre Dwayne Sweeney will be just as important.
Established: Kyuden was formed in 1951 and worked their way through the seasons in Kyushu to win their place in Top League for the first time in the 2007-8 season. The full name of the team is Kyushu Electric Power Company Inc. Rugby Football Club, or put more simply just Kyuden. The team has its ground in Higashi ward, in Fukuoka city, Fukuoka prefecture in northern Kyushu. When Kyuden gained admission to Top League for the 2007-8 season they adopted the moniker Kyuden Voltex. Voltex is coined from a combination of Voltage and Technique with voltage referring to the nature of the company as a power generating concern and technique referring to the skills developed in their rugby team.
The Company: As the full name of the company suggests, Kyuden is an electric power generating company based on the island of Kyushu. Kyuden also has overseas energy related projects, particularly in Asia in areas like Taiwan.
Titles:
Top League – none.
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Top League Play-off Tournament to determine the overall Top League champion.
In the 2011-12 season, Kyuden topped the seven-team Top Kyushu A regional league undefeated and thereby qualified directly for the four-team Top Challenge One series. In their opening game Kyuden went down to Kubota 28-15 but then backed up to beat Toyota Industries Shuttles 22-13 in their next game in Fukuoka. In their third and final game the Voltex came out and beat Canon 68-17. This meant Kyuden finished the series on nine points with two wins and one loss, the same as Kubota, but the big win in their final game saw Kyuden claim second spot on points difference and thus win promotion back to Top League for the 2012-13 season.
2011-12: DNP. Kyuden played in the Top Kyushu competition.
2010-11: DNP. Kyuden played in the Top Kyushu competition.
2009-10: 14th on table on 4 points with 13 losses. (Automatically relegated)
2008-9: 12th on 18 points with 3 wins & 10 losses.
2007-8: 10th on 21 points with 4 wins & 9 losses.
National Championship – none.
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49th National Championship.
2012 (49th NC - 10 teams): DNP.
2011 (48th NC - 10 teams): DNP.
2010 (47th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.
2009 (46th NC - 10 teams): DNQ.
2008 (45th NC - 8 teams): DNQ.
Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival Fukuoka 2012
The 19th Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival, held every two years, will be held in Japan and also Asia for the first time this year at Fukuoka from 28 October 2012 to 4 November 2012.
The first Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival was held in Auckland, New Zealand in 1979 and has since been held in such countries as the USA, England, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, France, Scotland and Australia.
Golden Oldies is open to any rugby player of any standard over the age of 35 years of age across various levels of play. Scores are not kept and there is no overall winner of the tournament.
Fukuoka is a harbour city and commercial and trading centre of 1.5 million people located on the island of Kyushu. The city has a long and vibrant rugby tradition and is home to the Fukuoka Sanix Blues and Kyuden Voltex teams that will participate in the 2012-13 Japan Rugby Top League season. The venue for the festival will be the National Uminonakamichi Seaside Park with fifteen grounds available for games.
Festival Format
Day 1 – Opening Ceremony and Welcome Party.
Day 2 – First day of games.
Day 3 – Mid week picnic day.
Day 4 – Second day of games.
Day 5 – Free to explore Fukuoka.
Day 6 – Third Day of games.
Day 7 – Grande Finale Dinner and Air New Zealand Awards Ceremony.
More details coming soon.
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