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View Full Version : Top League end of season award winners



psychic duck
05-03-12, 08:44 PM
http://www.top-league.jp/news/images/2011/02/award/report/champ.jpg
Champions: Suntory Sungoliath
Coached by former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones and captained by Juntaro Takemoto they topped the table in regular season losing just one match all season and easily defeated Panasonic Wild Knights 47-28 in the final. by a long way the best team

http://www.top-league.jp/news/images/2011/02/award/report/mvp.jpg
Player of the season: George Smith (Suntory Sungoliath)
Played in every match for Suntory during their victorious and scored a hat trick in the final and 7 tries and a conversion in total during the season, still a world class player and could have continued international rugby for much longer had he chosen

Revelation of the season: Michael Leitch (Toshiba Brave Lupus
The best Japanese player, the half Kiwi half Japanese flanker played every match for his side who finished second and continued his impressive form from the World Cup scoring 8 tires

Leading try scorer: Nemani Nadolo (NEC Green Rockets)
Didn't have the greatest season last season in Europe with Bourgoin and Exeter, but the Fijian was too powerful for many Top League defences, scoring an incredible 21 tries in 14 matches, 10 more than anybody else including 6 in a match against struggling side Honda Heat, also scored 2 conversions

Best kicking success rate: Ayumu Goromaru (Yamaha Júbilo)
32 successful penalties, and 38 conversions and a total of 182 points for Yamaha Júbilo who finished eigth

Best referee: Taizo Hirabayashi
Has been the best Japanese referee for the past few years

Fair play award: Toshiba Brave Lupus
Least discipline problems

Special Award: Tomoaki Nakai (Toshiba Brave Lupus)
Awarded prize for being the first player in the Top League to play 100 matches

Top League Dream Team 2011/12
1. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/JPN.gif Hisateru Hirashima (Kobelco Steelers)
2. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/JPN.gif Shota Horie (Sanyo Wild Knights)
3. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/JPN.gif Kensuke Hatakeyama (Suntory Sungoliath)
4. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/AUS.gif Daniel Heenan (Panasonic Wild Knights)
5. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/JPN.gif Hitoshi Ono (Toshiba Brave Lupus)
6. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/AUS.gif George Smith (Suntory Sungoliath)
7. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/JPN.gif Michael Leitch (Toshiba Brave Lupus)
8. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/JPN.gif Masato Toyoda (Toshiba Brave Lupus)
9. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/JPN.gif Atsushi Hiwasa (Suntory Sungoliath)
10. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/JPN.gif Yasumasa Shigemitsu (Kinetsu Liners)
11. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/FJI.gif Nemani Nadolo (NEC Green Rockets)
12. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/JPN.gif Kousei Ono (Fukuoka Sanix Blues)
13. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/RSA.gif Jaque Fourie (Panasonic Wild Knights)
14. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/JPN.gif Tomoki Kitagawa (Panasonic Wild Knights)
15. http://www.irb.com/imgml/IRB/flags/s/JPN.gif Ayumu Goromaru (Yamaha Júbilo)

http://www.top-league.jp/news/images/2011/02/award/report/best15.jpg