2003–04 Top League

The 2003–04 Top League was the first season of Japan's domestic rugby union competition, the Top League. Toshiba Brave Lupus won the league by finishing on top of the round-robin competition.

2003–04 Top League
Countries Japan
Date
ChampionsKobelco Steelers
Runners-upToshiba Brave Lupus

Toshiba Brave Lupus lost the final of Microsoft Cup to NEC Green Rockets, but the cup was considered a separate competition to the Top League prior to 2007.

Teams
Team Region
Fukuoka Sanix Bombs Fukuoka, Kyushu
Kintetsu Liners Osaka, Kansai
Kobelco Steelers Hyogo, Kansai
Kubota Spears Chiba, Kanto
NEC Green Rockets Chiba, Kanto
Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo, Kanto
Sanyo Wild Knights Gunma, Kanto
Secom Rugguts Sayama, Saitama
Suntory Sungoliath Tokyo, Kanto
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, Kanto
World Fighting Bull Kobe, Kansai
Yamaha Jubilo Shizuoka, Tokai

Top League season

Final standings
Top League Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1Kobelco Steelers 1190243928615311047
2Toshiba Brave Lupus 118125032832209144
3Yamaha Jubilo 118213342231116042
4Suntory Sungoliath 118034082651439142
5World Fighting Bull 11605349285647132
6NEC Green Rockets 115244112741376030
7Sanyo Wild Knights 11416319331-126024
8Kubota Spears 11409262362-1004222
9Ricoh Black Rams 11309273402-1295219
10Kintetsu Liners 11309292510-2186018
11Secom Rugguts 11309260405-1453015
12Fukuoka Sanix Bombs 11209230454-2244214

 • The top 8 teams qualified to the Microsoft Cup play-offs.
 • The top 4 teams also qualified to for entry into the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship.
 • Teams 9 and 10 went through to the promotion and relegation play-offs against regional challengers.
 • Teams 11 and 12 were automatically relegated.

Source: The Rugby Archive[1]

Four points for a win, two for a draw, one bonus point for four tries or more (BP1) and one bonus point for losing by seven or less (BP2).
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
 • Difference between points for and against
 • Total number of points for
 • Number of matches won
 • Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
 • Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

Fixtures and results

Microsoft Cup play-offs

The top eight teams in the league played off for the Microsoft Cup (2004) knock out tournament, which was won by NEC Green Rockets.

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

Top League Challenge Series
Main article: 2004 Top League Challenge Series

IBM Big Blue and Toyota Verblitz won promotion to the 2004–05 Top League via the 2004 Top League Challenge Series, while Kyuden Voltex and Toyota Industries Shuttles progressed to the promotion play-offs.

Promotion and relegation play-offs

Two promotion/relegation matches (Irekaesen) were played with the winners qualifying for the 2004–05 Top League. The 10th-placed team from the Top League against the 3rd-placed team from Challenge 1. The 9th-placed team from the Top League against the 1st-placed team from Challenge 2.

So Kinetsu and Ricoh stayed in the Top League for the 2004–05 season.

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References
  1. "2003/04 Top League". The Rugby Archive.
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