2003–04 Top League
# 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.

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 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Kobelco Steelers | 11 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 439 | 286 | 153 | 11 | 0 | 47 |
| 2 | Toshiba Brave Lupus | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 503 | 283 | 220 | 9 | 1 | 44 |
| 3 | Yamaha Jubilo | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 334 | 223 | 111 | 6 | 0 | 42 |
| 4 | Suntory Sungoliath | 11 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 408 | 265 | 143 | 9 | 1 | 42 |
| 5 | World Fighting Bull | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 349 | 285 | 64 | 7 | 1 | 32 |
| 6 | NEC Green Rockets | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 411 | 274 | 137 | 6 | 0 | 30 |
| 7 | Sanyo Wild Knights | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 319 | 331 | −12 | 6 | 0 | 24 |
| 8 | Kubota Spears | 11 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 262 | 362 | −100 | 4 | 2 | 22 |
| 9 | Ricoh Black Rams | 11 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 273 | 402 | −129 | 5 | 2 | 19 |
| 10 | Kintetsu Liners | 11 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 292 | 510 | −218 | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| 11 | Secom Rugguts | 11 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 260 | 405 | −145 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| 12 | Fukuoka Sanix Bombs | 11 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 230 | 454 | −224 | 4 | 2 | 14 |
| • 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 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 (2004) knock out tournament, which was won by NEC Green Rockets.

## 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.

