Top League General Discussion

[Getofmeland]

As we reach Round 11 of Top League The Rugby Forum is launching its Top League Forum to start discussions on the Japanese League.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Does anyone know how well televised it is in Japan?

It seems surprising, to me, that it's not televised in any way whatsoever over here (even a highlights package, or even just highlights of the final or something) - seems that with all the money in the game (or at least: being thrown at players) they'd be pressing for wider coverage of the league in other countries to increase sponsorship etc.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Does anyone know how well televised it is in Japan?

It seems surprising, to me, that it's not televised in any way whatsoever over here (even a highlights package, or even just highlights of the final or something) - seems that with all the money in the game (or at least: being thrown at players) they'd be pressing for wider coverage of the league in other countries to increase sponsorship etc.

I think Charles ages ago, explained some reason behind it. I'll see if I can come across it again.

 

[Me 1]

Jonny Fa'amatuainu (6 in 8 starts) are also scoring quite a few tries

Wondered what happened to him, he was a quality player for us at the Scarlets, just not what we needed in NWQ player. What teams he playing for?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Good spot! I'll move it across now.

 

[Deleted member 59246]

Does anyone know how well televised it is in Japan?

It seems surprising, to me, that it's not televised in any way whatsoever over here (even a highlights package, or even just highlights of the final or something) - seems that with all the money in the game (or at least: being thrown at players) they'd be pressing for wider coverage of the league in other countries to increase sponsorship etc.

Well, the Rugby union in Japan Wikipedia page says:
At present rugby union is rarely seen on the terrestrial TV channels, and is mainly restricted to CS and cable subscription channels, which hinders its growth. (Sometimes the bigger games are shown on NHK TV - e.g. the University championship rugby final and the Microsoft Cup.)

As you can see, nothing about the Top League there. They probably do show the odd game on this 'NHK TV'. It's obviously a Japanese channel though so you would struggle to find any live streams on the web for it even if they did show Top League on it.

 

[BRSTLDRGN]

David Hill - Fly Half - New Zealand - 1 cap

I was due to interview Hill for a University assignment but he had to cancel as around the time his move to Japan was announced

 

[Hinato]

The NEC Green Rockets' Nemani Nadolo is making a big impact in Japan scoring 19 tries in 8 starts, including 6 in 1 match against Honda Heat! Are the Japanese scared of him or something?

some familiar names such as Nili Latu (7 in 10 starts), Ma'a Nonu (6 in 8 starts), Jaque Fourie (6 in 6 starts), Jonny Fa'amatuainu (6 in 8 starts) are also scoring quite a few tries


the league seems like it has some poor defences and some high scoring matches, for example the Fukuoka Sanix Blues have only won 3 matches yet have 5 try scoring bonus points, the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes have only won one match yet have 3 try scoring bonus points

the averagr amount of tries per match is 7

compared to 3 in the Top 14 and the Pro12, 4 in the Premiership, and 5 in Super Rugby

Nemani Nadolo is the big revelation of the season.Already 19 trials(TopLeague recordtied).Thereis muchin the fourth place of the current NEC Green Rocket sin Top League.For me, the best player in theTop League season, with of course the best player on the team I support, I meanobviously Michael Leitch of Toshiba Fuchu Brave Lupus.Webeat the Suntory at the Fuchu derby last week.It's good!

 

[Hinato]

Well, the Rugby union in Japan Wikipedia page says:
At present rugby union is rarely seen on the terrestrial TV channels, and is mainly restricted to CS and cable subscription channels, which hinders its growth. (Sometimes the bigger games are shown on NHK TV - e.g. the University championship rugby final and the Microsoft Cup.)

As you can see, nothing about the Top League there. They probably do show the odd game on this 'NHK TV'. It's obviously a Japanese channel though so you would struggle to find any live streams on the web for it even if they did show Top League on it.

The Rugy Japan(either Top League,university or national teams)is broadcast on a group of Japanese private channels, J-Sports,which is part of the famous ESPN.Japanese rugby is suffering a lot from that.They find it difficult to advance the popularity of rugby in their country (now less than the football World Cup since 2002)in part over here.At the last World Cup, only the first match against France was broadcast on public television.This is to give you an idea ...

have you ever noticed how when somebody signs for a team in Japan, the media (at least in the Uk) always says for example "Tuilagi going to Japan" they rarely actually say the team they've signed for or going to sign for

In general,it's just that journalists are ignorant of Japanese and Asian rugby as a whole.

 

[Jayatron]

What I find interesting is how short the league is. It was only a few months ago that I saw on Todd Clever's facebook page he was flying out to Japan for the start of the season. 14 teams with a round robin is 26 games. Is there no knock out national cup?

 

[Me 1]

[TABLE="width: 500, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Equipes[/TD]
[TD]Pts[/TD]
[TD]J[/TD]
[TD]G[/TD]
[TD]N[/TD]
[TD]P[/TD]
[TD]P.[/TD]
[TD]C.[/TD]
[TD]+/-[/TD]
[TD]BO[/TD]
[TD]BD[/TD]
[TD]CB[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]

Suntory Sungoliath[/TD]
[TD]57[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]00[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]512[/TD]
[TD]278[/TD]
[TD]234[/TD]
[TD]08[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]29[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]

Toshiba Fuchu Brave Lupus[/TD]
[TD]55[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]00[/TD]
[TD]02[/TD]
[TD]475[/TD]
[TD]173[/TD]
[TD]302[/TD]
[TD]09[/TD]
[TD]02[/TD]
[TD]31[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]

Sanyo WildKgnihts[/TD]
[TD]53[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]00[/TD]
[TD]02[/TD]
[TD]480[/TD]
[TD]324[/TD]
[TD]156[/TD]
[TD]08[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]25[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]

NEC Green Rockets[/TD]
[TD]41[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]08[/TD]
[TD]00[/TD]
[TD]05[/TD]
[TD]349[/TD]
[TD]314[/TD]
[TD]35[/TD]
[TD]08[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]

Kintetsu Liners[/TD]
[TD]39[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]08[/TD]
[TD]00[/TD]
[TD]05[/TD]
[TD]341[/TD]
[TD]311[/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]05[/TD]
[TD]02[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]

Kobelco Steelers[/TD]
[TD]38[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]06[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]06[/TD]
[TD]349[/TD]
[TD]288[/TD]
[TD]61[/TD]
[TD]07[/TD]
[TD]05[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]

Ricoh Black Rams[/TD]
[TD]38[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]07[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]05[/TD]
[TD]386[/TD]
[TD]333[/TD]
[TD]53[/TD]
[TD]07[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]

Yamaha Jubilo[/TD]
[TD]35[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]06[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]06[/TD]
[TD]407[/TD]
[TD]274[/TD]
[TD]133[/TD]
[TD]06[/TD]
[TD]03[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]

NTT Shining Arcs[/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]05[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]07[/TD]
[TD]322[/TD]
[TD]414[/TD]
[TD]-92[/TD]
[TD]06[/TD]
[TD]02[/TD]
[TD]06[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]

Toyota Verblitz[/TD]
[TD]29[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]05[/TD]
[TD]00[/TD]
[TD]08[/TD]
[TD]341[/TD]
[TD]323[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]05[/TD]
[TD]04[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]

Fukuoka Sanix Blues[/TD]
[TD]25[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]04[/TD]
[TD]00[/TD]
[TD]09[/TD]
[TD]254[/TD]
[TD]458[/TD]
[TD]-204[/TD]
[TD]07[/TD]
[TD]02[/TD]
[TD]-03[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]

NTT-Docomo Red Hurricanes[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]02[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]291[/TD]
[TD]555[/TD]
[TD]-264[/TD]
[TD]05[/TD]
[TD]00[/TD]
[TD]-09[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]

Honda Heat[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]02[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]226[/TD]
[TD]479[/TD]
[TD]-253[/TD]
[TD]02[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]-11[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]

Coca-Cola West Red Sparks[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]01[/TD]
[TD]00[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]285[/TD]
[TD]494[/TD]
[TD]-209[/TD]
[TD]03[/TD]
[TD]05[/TD]
[TD]-16

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Damn, my "beloved" Verblitz ended in tenth, why do I always pick frustrating teams:lol:

 

[Hinato]

What I find interesting is how short the league is. It was only a few months ago that I saw on Todd Clever's facebook page he was flying out to Japan for the start of the season. 14 teams with a round robin is 26 games. Is there no knock out national cup?

Yes=> All Japan Rugby Football Championship

there are 8 teams who play it.The two finalists for the university championship(Tenri and Teikyo),the four semi finalists of the two top league and tournament winners Wild Card.
=>http://www.japonrugby.net/tournoi-wildcard-2012.php
=>http://www.japonrugby.net/teikyo-champion.php

Assessment of Red Sparks: http://www.japonrugby.net/bilan-de-fin-de-saison-20112012-coca-cola-west-red-sparks-.php

 

[Hinato]

Yes he had a good season.He played all the games.9 times holders,six tries scored.It was very good.

 

[BRSTLDRGN]

Cant stop laughing at the team name of Brave Lupus. Obviously makes more sense in Japanese than English

 

[Peat]

Cant stop laughing at the team name of Brave Lupus. Obviously makes more sense in Japanese than English

Makes perfect sense to me in a mix of English and Latin. And sounds awesome.

The Verblitz team logo is freakin' awesome.

 

[BRSTLDRGN]

Makes perfect sense to me in a mix of English and Latin. And sounds awesome.

The Verblitz team logo is freakin' awesome.

I assume you know Lupus is a pretty serious illness but happens to mean Wolf in Japanese

 

[Darwin]

I assume you know Lupus is a pretty serious illness but happens to mean Wolf in Japanese

Canis lupus is the scientific name (Latin) for the gray wolf. The Japanese word for wolf is Ookami.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[Me 1]

Makes perfect sense to me in a mix of English and Latin. And sounds awesome.

The Verblitz team logo is freakin' awesome.

Just like the Verblitz did a mixture of Italian(Verde-green) and German(Blitz-lightning). The logo is of Raijin Fujin, the Shinto God of thunder.

You see I'm really trying to get the forum behind the Verblitz for some reason

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Would be nice if the site was in English ...