2005–06 Top League

The 2005–06 Top League was the third season of Japan's domestic rugby union competition, the Top League.

2005–06 Top League
Countries Japan
DateOctober 2005 – February 2006
ChampionsToshiba Brave Lupus
Runners-upSanyo Wild Knights

Toshiba Brave Lupus won both the league round-robin and the Microsoft Cup knockout competitions.

Teams
Team Region
Fukuoka Sanix Blues Fukuoka, Kyushu
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
Toyota Verblitz Aichi, Tokai
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
1Toshiba Brave Lupus 1190240619321310046
2Sanyo Wild Knights 119024162761406042
3NEC Green Rockets 119022701361344141
4Toyota Verblitz 117044312631686337
5Kobelco Steelers 11704284225594133
6Suntory Sungoliath 11605308241676232
7Yamaha Jubilo 115063282111174428
8Kubota Spears 11416324297275023
9World Fighting Bull 11515166200-340123
10Secom Rugguts 11209260481-2216115
11Ricoh Black Rams 11209137398-2612010
12Fukuoka Sanix Blues 110011134543-409112

 • The top 8 teams qualified for the Microsoft Cup play-offs.
 • The top 4 teams also qualified for entry into the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship.
 • The bottom 4 teams went through to the promotion and relegation play-offs against regional challengers.

[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

    Microsoft Cup play-offs

    The top eight teams in the league played off for the Microsoft Cup (2006) knock out tournament, which was won by Toshiba Brave Lupus.

    Quarter-finals

    Semi-finals

    Final

    Top League Challenge Series
    Main article: 2006 Top League Challenge Series

    Coca-Cola West Red Sparks and IBM Big Blue won promotion to the 2006–07 Top League via the 2006 Top League Challenge Series, while Honda Heat, Kintetsu Liners, Kyuden Voltex and NTT Communications Shining Arcs progressed to the promotion play-offs.

    Promotion and relegation play-offs

    Four promotion/relegation matches (Irekaesen) were played with the winner of each qualifying for the 2006–07 Top League. The 9th, 10th, and 11th placed team from the Top League played against the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st placed teams, respectively, from Challenge 2. The 12th placed team from the Top League played against the 3rd placed team from Challenge 1.

    So Fukuoka, Ricoh, Secom, and World all remained in the Top League for 2006–07.

    References
    1. "2005/06 Top League". The Rugby Archive.
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