2019 Top League Cup
# 2019 Top League Cup

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.

## 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 |
| - | - | - | - |
| Canon Eagles | C | 12th (Top League) | Machida, Tokyo, Kanto |
| Coca-Cola Red Sparks | C | 16th (Top League) | Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| Hino Red Dolphins | A | 14th (Top League) | Hino, Tokyo Metropolis |
| Honda Heat | A | 9th (Top League) | Suzuka, Mie Prefecture |
| Kamaishi Seawaves | 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 |
| Kurita Water Gush | A | 4th (Top Challenge League) | Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| Kyuden Voltex | B | 5th (Top Challenge League) | Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| Mazda Blue Zoomers | D | 6th (Top Challenge League) | Fuchu, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Mitsubishi DynaBoars | C | 2nd (Top Challenge League) | Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| Munakata Sanix Blues | B | 14th (Top League) | Munakata, Fukuoka, Kyushu |
| NEC Green Rockets | D | 10th (Top League) | Abiko, Chiba, Kanto |
| NTT Red Hurricanes | B | 1st (Top Challenge League) | Osaka, Kansai |
| NTT Shining Arcs | B | 5th (Top League) | Chiba, Chiba, Kanto |
| Panasonic Wild Knights | A | 6th (Top League) | Ota, Gunma, Kanto |
| Ricoh Black Rams | D | 8th (Top League) | Tokyo, Kanto |
| Shimizu Blue Sharks | A | Promoted to Top Challenge League | Chūō, Tokyo Metropolis |
| Suntory Sungoliath | A | 2nd (Top League) | Fuchu, Tokyo, Kanto |
| Toshiba Brave Lupus | B | 11th (Top League) | Fuchu, Tokyo, Kanto |
| Toyota Industries Shuttles | 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

| 2019–20 Top League Cup Pool A |
| - |
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Notes |
| 1 | Suntory Sungoliath | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 245 | 37 | 208 | | | 24 | Advance to final tournament |
| 2 | Panasonic Wild Knights | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 184 | 83 | 101 | | | 20 | |
| 3 | Honda Heat | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 109 | 116 | −7 | | | 14 | |
| 4 | Hino Red Dolphins | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 167 | 118 | 49 | | | 12 | |
| 5 | Kurita Water Gush | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 53 | 177 | −124 | | | 4 | |
| 6 | Shimizu Blue Sharks | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 55 | 282 | −227 | | | 0 | |

### Pool B

| 2019–20 Top League Cup Pool B |
| - |
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Notes |
| 1 | Toshiba Brave Lupus | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 194 | 82 | 112 | | | 23 | Advance to final tournament |
| 2 | NTT Com Shining Arcs | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 215 | 76 | 139 | | | 20 | |
| 3 | Yamaha Jubilo | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 190 | 86 | 104 | | | 16 | |
| 4 | NTT Red Hurricanes | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 111 | 117 | −6 | | | 10 | |
| 5 | Munakata Sanix Blues | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 50 | 206 | −156 | | | 4 | |
| 6 | Kyuden Voltex | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 70 | 263 | −193 | | | 1 | |

### Pool C

| 2019–20 Top League Cup Pool C |
| - |
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Notes |
| 1 | Kubota Spears | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 121 | 42 | 79 | | | 23 | Advance to final tournament |
| 2 | Canon Eagles | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 131 | 59 | 72 | | | 20 | |
| 3 | Coca-Cola Red Sparks | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 101 | 112 | −11 | | | 14 | |
| 4 | Kamaishi Seawaves | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 54 | 160 | −106 | | | 9 | |
| 5 | Mitsubishi DynaBoars | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 53 | 87 | −34 | | | 7 | |
| 6 | Toyota Verblitz | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | 0 | Withdrew from competition |

### Pool D

| 2019–20 Top League Cup Pool D |
| - |
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Notes |
| 1 | Kobelco Steelers | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 211 | 77 | 134 | | | 23 | Advance to final tournament |
| 2 | Kintetsu Liners | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 210 | 89 | 121 | | | 19 | |
| 3 | NEC Green Rockets | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 119 | 125 | −6 | | | 14 | |
| 4 | Ricoh Black Rams | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 162 | 78 | 84 | | | 12 | |
| 5 | Toyota Industries Shuttles | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 69 | 174 | −105 | | | 4 | |
| 6 | Mazda Blue Zoomers | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 58 | 286 | −228 | | | 1 | |
