View source for Top League Champions Cup

{{redirect-multi|2|Lixil Cup|Microsoft Cup|the Soviet Union association football championship|Soviet Top League}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox rugby league cup
|name=Top League Champions
|logo=
|pixels=
|sport= [[Rugby union|Rugby union football]]
|inaugural= [[2003–04 Top League#Cup|2004]]
|country= [[Japan]]
|most_champs= <span style="font-size:95%;">[[Toshiba Brave Lupus]] & <br />[[Suntory Sungoliath]] (5 titles each)</span>
|champion= <span style="font-size:95%;">[[Suntory Sungoliath]] (5th title) </span><br/><span style="font-size:95%;">([[2017–18 Top League#Cup|2018]])</span>
|season= <!-- do not use -->
|website = [http://www.top-league.jp www.top-league.jp]
}}
[[File:Lixil Cup presentation 2016.jpg|right|thumb|263px|[[Yoshiaki Fujimori]] presents the 2016 Lixil Cup trophy to Panasonic captain [[Shota Horie]].]]

The '''Top League Championship''' is Japan's highest-level knockout tournament for [[rugby union]] clubs. Held annually, the leading teams from the [[Top League]] regular season qualify for the playoffs to decide the Cup title. From 2018 onward, the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship has doubled as the Top League Championship Cup. Previously, teams competed for the Lixil Cup, from 2014 to 2016,<ref name= jt-2014/> and Microsoft Cup (prior to 2009).

The Top League competition is a Japanese industrial league that presently consists of sixteen teams, all owned by major companies.

{{toc level|3}}

Initially sponsored by [[Microsoft Japan]], the knockout tournament was first contested by the top eight teams from the Top League in 2004. It was considered a separate competition to the Top League for the first three seasons but was officially integrated for the 2006–07 season. The number of teams was also cut to four to give a format of two semi-finals and a final, and from that time onward until the 2016–17 season the winner of the knockout cup was recognised as the Top League champion.

There were no title-play-offs in 2016–17, and the team on top of the league after the round-robin stage won the Top League title.

==Overall==
Summary totals for all Top League championships up to and including 2025:

{{Aligned table | class = wikitable sortable nowrap |style=border:1; cellpadding:4; <!--margin:0.5em;--> |row1header = y
| cols = 5 | colstyle= text-align:center; |colwidth= 9.5em 
| col1style= text-align:left; |col1width= 8.5em 
| row1style=font-size:95%; 
| '''Team'''
| '''Championships'''
| '''Runners-up'''
| '''Semi-final losses'''
| '''Premierships'''
| [[File:Toshibabravelupus.png|18px]]
  [[Toshiba Brave Lupus]]                       |6 |3|4                         |5
| [[File:Suntorycolours.png|18px]]
  [[Suntory Sungoliath]]                        |5 |3|{{pad|0.1em}}2<sup>+</sup>|3
| [[File:PanasonicWildKnights.png|18px]]
  [[Panasonic Wild Knights]]<sup>1</sup>        |6 |5|{{pad|0.1em}}3<sup>^</sup>|5
| [[File:Kobesteelers.png|18px]]
  [[Kobelco Steelers]] | {{pad|0.1em}}2*|0|{{pad|0.1em}}5<sup>^</sup>|3
| [[File:Yamahajubilo.png|18px]]
  [[Yamaha Júbilo]]                             |0 |3|{{pad|0.1em}}2<sup>+</sup>|0
| [[File:Kubotaspears.png|18px]]
  [[Kubota Spears]]                             |1 |1|1                         |0
| [[File:Toyotaverblitz.png|18px]]
  [[Toyota Verblitz]]                           |0 |0|6                         |0
| [[File:NECgreenrockets.png|18px]]
  [[NEC Green Rockets]]           | {{pad|0.1em}}0*|0|2                         |0  
}}
'''Notes:'''

{{pad|1em}}<sup>1</sup>{{pad|0.1em}}<span style="font-size:90%; line-height: 0.8em;">The Panasonic Wild Knights summary includes results for the Sanyo Wild Knights from 2003 to 2012.</span><br/>
{{pad|1em}}<nowiki>*</nowiki>{{pad|0.1em}}<span style="font-size:90%; line-height: 0.8em;">NEC won the 2004 Microsoft Cup but Kobe Steel was the Top League champion. These were separate competitions prior to 2007.</span><br/>
{{pad|1em}}<sup>^</sup>{{pad|0.1em}}<span style="font-size:90%; line-height: 0.8em;">The 2004 Kobe Steel and Sanyo (Panasonic) semi-final appearances are included, although that cup was not part of the championship.</span><br/>
{{pad|1em}}<sup>+</sup>{{pad|0.01em}}<span style="font-size:90%; line-height: 0.8em;">Yamaha was 3rd and Suntory 4th in the 2003–04 Top League championship, but these results are not counted as semi-final appearances.</span>

==Tournaments==
Teams listed are those that qualified from the Top League for the title play-offs in each season, or the top four teams where there were no play-offs. Results of the play-offs are written so that the score of the team in each row is mentioned first. 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; line-height:100%; font-size:100%; width:60%;"
|-
! colspan="4" style="border:0px" | Legend
|-
| style="height:10px; width:5%; background:#d0ffd0;" | 
| style="width:30%;" | Cup winner<br />(knockout play-offs).
| rowspan="2" style="width:5%; |
| rowspan="2" style="width:60%; | Pos = Log Position, P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Diff = Points Difference, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, SP = Starting Points for Group Stage, Pts = Log Points, Semi = Semi-final, Refs = References
|-
| style="height:10px;"| {{dagger}}|| Top League title winner.
|}
Suntory Sungoliath	12–8	Panasonic Wild Knights

===Top League and All-Japan titles: 2017 onward===
There were no title-play-offs in 2018, and the team on top of the league after the round-robin stage was crowned the Top League title winner. However, the top three teams progressed to the [[All-Japan Rugby Football Championship|All-Japan Championship]].

The All-Japan Championship doubled as the Top League Champions Cup title from 2018 onward, with university teams excluded.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Top League and All-Japan title (2017&ndash;present)
!rowspan=2 style="padding:1px;"| Year
!rowspan=2 style="padding:2px;"| {{nowrap|Cup period}}
!rowspan=2 style="width:3.2em;"|{{Tooltip|Pos|Position in regular season standings}}
!rowspan=2 style="width:12.5em;"|Team
!colspan=9|Top League regular season
!colspan=2|Play-offs
!rowspan=2 style="padding:1px;"|{{Tooltip|Ref|References}}
|-
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points total in regular season standings}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|W|Won}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|D|Drew}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|L|Lost}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|PF|Points scored for}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|PA|Points scored against}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|Diff|Difference of points scored for and against}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|TB|Try bonus points for 4 tries or more in a match}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|LB|Losing bonus points a loss by 7 or less}}
!style="width:3.3em"|{{Tooltip|Semi|Semi-final}}
!style="width:3.3em"|{{Tooltip|Final|Grand final}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=4|[[2017–18 Top League|2018]]
|rowspan=4|6 January<br/>to<br/>13 January
<!-- Team                                          
| Pts|| W || D || L || PF  || PA  || PD  || TB|| LB-->
| 1 White ||align=left style="padding-right:0px;"| [[Panasonic Wild Knights]]  
| 63 || 13|| 0||  0 || 580 || 142 || +438 || 11 || 0
| 17–11||8–12
|rowspan=4|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2017/18 |title=2017/18 Top League |publisher= The Rugby Archive}}</ref>
|-
| 1 Red ||bgcolor="#d0ffd0" align=left| [[Suntory Sungoliath]] {{dagger}}
| 55 || 12|| 0 || 1 || 450 || 180 || +270 ||  7 || 0
| 49–7||12–8
|-
| 2 White ||align=left| [[Yamaha Júbilo]]
| 46 ||  9|| 0 || 4 || 440 || 232 || +208 ||  8 || 2
| 7–49||—
|-
| 2 Red ||align=left| [[Toyota Verblitz]]
| 46 || 10|| 0 || 3 || 394 || 288 || +106 ||  4 || 2
| 11–17||—
|-
| style="height:1px" |
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=4|[[2016–17 Top League|2017]]
|rowspan=4|21 January<br/>to<br/>29&nbsp;January
<!-- Team                                          
| Pts|| W || D || L || PF  || PA  || PD  || TB|| LB-->
|  1 ||align=left bgcolor="#d0ffd0" | [[Suntory Sungoliath]] {{dagger}}
| 71 || 15|| 0 || 0 || 563 || 184 || +379 || 11 || 0
| 52–29||15–10
|rowspan=4|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2016/17 |title=2016/17 Top League |publisher= The Rugby Archive}}</ref>
|-
|  2 ||align=left| [[Yamaha Júbilo]]
| 67 || 14|| 0||  1 || 580 || 208 || +372 || 11 || 0
| 24–36||—
|-
|  3 ||align=left| [[Panasonic Wild Knights]]
| 62 || 13|| 0 || 2 || 579 || 268 || +311 ||  9 || 1
| 36–24||10–15
|-
|  4 ||align=left| [[Kobelco Steelers]]
|48  || 10|| 0 || 5 || 473 || 328 || +145 ||  7 || 1
| —||—
|}

[[File:Lixil Cup logo.png|128px|thumb|Logo 2014–2016]]

{{anchor|Lixil}}

===Lixil Cup and Top League title: 2014 to 2016===
From the 2013–14 season, the Top League tournament was contested by sixteen teams. The top four teams from the league competition (or the top eight in 2016) advanced to the play-offs to compete for the Lixil Trophy and Top League Championship.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Lixil Trophy and Top League Championship play-offs (2014–2016)
!rowspan=2 style="padding:1px;"| Year
!rowspan=2 style="padding:2px;"| {{nowrap|Cup period}}
!rowspan=2|{{Tooltip|Pos|Position in regular season standings}}
!rowspan=2 style="width:13em;"|Team
!colspan=10|Top League regular season
!colspan=3|Cup play-off results
!rowspan=2 style="padding:1px;"|{{Tooltip|Ref|References}}
|-
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points total in regular season standings}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|W|Won}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|D|Drew}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|L|Lost}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|PF|Points scored for}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|PA|Points scored against}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|Diff|Difference of points scored for and against}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|TB|Try bonus points for 4 tries or more in a match}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|LB|Losing bonus points a loss by 7 or less}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|SP|Start points in Group 1 regular season standings}}
!style="width:3.8em"|{{Tooltip|Qtr|Quarter final}}
!style="width:3.8em"|{{Tooltip|Semi|Semi-final}}
!style="width:3.8em"|{{Tooltip|Final|Grand final}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=8|[[2015–16 Top League#Cup|2016]]
|rowspan=8|9 January<br/>to<br/>24 January
<!-- Team
| Pts|| W || D ||  L ||  PF ||  PA ||  PD  || TB || LB || SP -->
|1A||bgcolor="#d0ffd0" style="text-align:left;"|[[Panasonic Wild Knights]] {{dagger}}
| 31 || 6 || 1 || 0 || 290 || 137 || 153 || 5 || 0 || &ndash;
| 48–6 || 42–10 || 27–26
|rowspan=8|<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2015/16 |title=2015/16 Top League |publisher= The Rugby Archive}}</ref>
|-
|1B ||style="text-align:left;"| [[Yamaha Jubilo]]
| 29|| 6 || 0 || 1 || 226 || 140 || 86 || 5 || 0 || &ndash;
| 27–6 || 22–34 || —
|-
|2A ||style="text-align:left;"| [[Toshiba Brave Lupus]]
| 26 || 5 || 1 || 1 || 253 || 100 || 153 || 4 || 0 || &ndash;
| 29–17 || 34–22 || 26–27
|-
|2B ||style="text-align:left;"| [[Kobelco Steelers]]
| 27 || 5 || 0 || 2 || 235 || 137 || 98 || 5 || 2 || &ndash;
| 42–10 || 10–42 || —
|-
|3A ||style="text-align:left;"| [[Kintetsu Liners]]
| 23 || 5 || 0 || 2 || 189 || 193 || -4 || 3 || 0 || &ndash;
| 10–42 || — || —
|-
|3B ||style="text-align:left;"| [[Toyota Verblitz]]
| 26 || 5 || 0 || 2 || 203 || 125 || 78 || 5 || 1 || &ndash;
| 17–29 || — || —
|-
|4A ||style="text-align:left;"| [[NTT Communications Shining Arcs|NTT Com Shining Arcs]]
| 22 || 4 || 0 || 3 || 190 || 142 || 48 || 4 || 2 || &ndash;
| 6–27 || — || —
|-
|4B ||style="text-align:left;"| [[Canon Eagles]]
| 25 || 5 || 0 || 2 || 196 || 142 || 54 || 4 || 1 || &ndash;
| 6-48 || — || —
|-
| style="height:2px" |
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=4|[[2014–15 Top League#Cup|2015]]
|rowspan=4|24 January<br/>to<br/>1 February
<!-- Team
| Pts || W || D || L || PF  || PA  || PD  || TB|| LB|| SP-->
|  1 ||align=left |[[Kobelco Steelers]]
| 29 || 5 || 0 || 2 || 242 || 113 ||  +129 || 4 || 1 || 4
| — || 12–41 ||—
|rowspan=4|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2014/15 |title=2014/15 Top League |publisher= The Rugby Archive}}</ref>
|- 
|  2 ||bgcolor="#d0ffd0" align=left| [[Panasonic Wild Knights]]{{dagger}}
| 29 || 5 || 0 || 2 ||  218  ||  131  ||  +87 || 5 || 0 || 4
| — || 50–15 ||30–12
|- 
|  3 ||align=left| [[Toshiba Brave Lupus]]
| 28  || 5 || 0 || 2 ||  213  ||  147  ||  +66  || 4 || 1 || 3
| — || 15–50 ||—
|- 
|  4 ||align=left| [[Yamaha Júbilo]]
| 27  || 5 || 0 || 2 ||  165  ||  134  ||  +31  || 4 || 1 || 2
| — || 41–12 ||12–30
|-
| style="height:2px" |
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=4|[[2013–14 Top League#Cup|2014]]
|rowspan=4|1 February<br/>to<br/>9 February
<!-- Team
| Pts || W || D || L || PF  || PA  || PD  || TB|| LB|| SP-->
|  1 ||bgcolor="#d0ffd0" style="text-align:left;"| [[Panasonic Wild Knights]]{{dagger}}
| 36  || 7 || 0 || 0 || 224 || 105 || 119 || 4 || 0 || 4
| — ||55–15||45–22 
|rowspan=4|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2013/14 |title=2013/14 Top League |publisher= The Rugby Archive}}</ref>
|-
|  2 ||align=left| [[Suntory Sungoliath]]
| 32 || 6 || 0 || 1 || 261 || 169 ||  92 || 4 || 0 || 4 
| — ||27–19||22–45 
|-
|  3 ||align=left| [[Kobelco Steelers]]
| 24  || 4 || 0 || 3 || 223 || 194 ||  29 || 5 || 1 || 2
| — || 19–27||—
|-
|  4 ||align=left| [[Toshiba Brave Lupus]]
| 23 || 4 || 0 || 3 || 181 || 151 ||  30 || 2 || 3 || 2
| — ||15–55||—
|}
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="text-align:center; line-height:100%; font-size:100%; width:75%;"
|-
! colspan="4" style="border:0px" |{{pad|2.2em}}Competition rules
|-
| colspan="4" | '''Points breakdown:'''<br/>* 4 points for a win<br/>* 2 points for a draw<br/>* 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less<br/>* 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match<br/>* 4, 3, 2, or 1 starting points in the group stage for 1st through 4th respectively in the pool stage (seasons 2014–15 and 2015–16 only)<br/>
'''Classification:'''<br/>Teams standings are calculated as follows:<br/>* Log points<br/>* Difference between points for and against<br/>* Total number of points for<br/>* Number of matches won<br/> * Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
|}

===Play-offs and Top League title: 2010 to 2013===
{{expand section|results for 2010 to 2013|date=January 2015}}

{{Football kit and logo |logo=Microsoft Cup logo.png |title=Microsoft Cup banner 2005–2009.|logo_size=260px |nokit=true |align=right |margin_left=1em |margin_top=0.9em |margin_right=0 |margin_bottom=0.36em}}

===Microsoft Cup and Top League title: 2007 to 2009===
For the 2006–07 season the tournament was expanded to fourteen teams and the Top League and Microsoft Cup competitions were combined. Only the top four teams on the regular season table progressed to title play-offs and the winner of the knockout competition was awarded both the Microsoft Cup and the Top League title.

Video referee (TMO) decisions were introduced for the 2009 Cup series. The naming rights partnership with Microsoft for the knockout competition ended after the 2009 Cup final.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Top League Championship play-off tournament (2007&ndash;2013)
!rowspan=2 style="padding:1px;"| Year
!rowspan=2 style="padding:2px;"| {{nowrap|Cup period}}
!rowspan=2|{{Tooltip|Pos|Position in regular season standings}}
!rowspan=2 style="width:13em;"|Team
!colspan=9|Top League regular season
!colspan=2|Play-off results
!rowspan=2 style="padding:1px;"|{{Tooltip|Ref|References}}
|-
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points total in regular season standings}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|W|Won}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|D|Drew}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|L|Lost}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|PF|Points scored for}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|PA|Points scored against}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|Diff|Difference of points scored for and against}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|TB|Try bonus points for 4 tries or more in a match}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|LB|Losing bonus points a loss by 7 or less}}
!style="width:3.8em"|{{Tooltip|Semi|Semi-final}}
!style="width:3.8em"|{{Tooltip|Final|Grand final}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=4|[[2008–09 Top League#Cup|2009]]
|rowspan=4|17 February<br/>to<br/>24 February
<!-- Team                                          
| Pts|| W || D || L || PF  || PA  || PD  || TB|| LB-->
|1||bgcolor="#d0ffd0" style="text-align:left;"| [[Toshiba Brave Lupus]]{{dagger}}
| 59 ||12||0||1||563||211||+352||11||0
|26–7||17–6 
|rowspan=4|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2008/09 |title=2008/09 Top League |publisher= The Rugby Archive}}</ref>
|-
|2||style="text-align:left;"| [[Sanyo Wild Knights]]
| 58 ||12||0||1||584||197||+387||10||0
|32–22||6–17 
|-
|3||style="text-align:left;"| [[Suntory Sungoliath]]
| 51 ||10||0||3||482||298||+184||10||1
|22–32||—
|-
|4||style="text-align:left;"| [[Kobelco Steelers]]
| 43 ||9||0||4||358||300||+58||5||2
|6–27||—
|-
| colspan="4" style="height: 2px;" | 
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=4|[[2007–08 Top League#Cup|2008]]
|rowspan=4|17 February<br/>to<br/>24 February
<!-- Team                                          
| Pts|| W || D || L || PF  || PA  || PD  || TB|| LB-->
|1||style="text-align:left;"| [[Sanyo Wild Knights]]
| 63 ||13||0||0||593||170||+423||11||0
|25–21||10–14
|rowspan=4|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2007/08 |title=2007/08 Top League |publisher= The Rugby Archive}}</ref>
|- 
|2||bgcolor="#d0ffd0" style="text-align:left;"| [[Suntory Sungoliath]]{{dagger}}
| 53 ||10||1||2||453||229||+224||10||1
|33–10||14–10 
|- 
|3||style="text-align:left;"| [[Toyota Verblitz]]
| 50 ||9||1||3||452||269||+183||9||3
|10–33||—
|- 
|4||style="text-align:left;"| [[Toshiba Brave Lupus]]
| 47 ||10||1||2||398||263||+135||5||2
|21–25||—
|-
| colspan="4" style="height: 2px;" | 
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=4|[[2006–07 Top League#Cup|2007]]
|rowspan=4|28 January<br/>to<br/>4 February
<!-- Team                                          
| Pts|| W || D || L || PF  || PA  || PD  || TB|| LB-->
|1||bgcolor="#d0ffd0" style="text-align:left;"|[[Toshiba Brave Lupus]]{{dagger}}
| 60 || 12|| 0 || 1 || 502 || 234 || 268 || 11 || 1 
|38–35||14–13 
|rowspan=4|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2006/07 |title=2006/07 Top League |publisher= The Rugby Archive}}</ref>
|-
|2||style="text-align:left;"|[[Suntory Sungoliath]]
| 56 || 11|| 0 || 2 || 545 || 161 || 384  || 10 || 2
|40–39||13–14 
|-
|3||style="text-align:left;"|[[Yamaha Jubilo]]
| 48 || 10|| 1 || 2 || 379 || 306 || 73   || 5 || 1
|39–40||—
|-
|4||style="text-align:left;"|[[Toyota Verblitz]]
| 47 || 9 || 0 || 4 || 448 || 267 || 181  || 8 || 3
|35–38||—
|}
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="text-align:center; line-height:100%; font-size:100%; width:60%;"
|-
! colspan="4" style="border:0px" |{{pad|2.2em}}Competition rules
|-
| colspan="4" | '''Points breakdown:'''<br/>* 4 points for a win<br/>* 2 points for a draw<br/>* 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less<br/>* 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match<br/>
'''Classification:'''<br/>Teams standings are calculated as follows:<br/>* Log points<br/>* Difference between points for and against<br/>* Total number of points for<br/>* Number of matches won<br/> * Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
|}

===Top League, separate Microsoft Cup: 2004 to 2006===
For the first three seasons the competition format was a single round-robin tournament contested by twelve teams, with the team finishing top of the table winning the Top League title. The Microsoft Cup was a separate knockout competition for the top eight teams in the league.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Microsoft Cup play-off tournament (2004&ndash;2006)
!rowspan=2 style="padding:1px;"| Year
!rowspan=2 style="padding:2px;"| {{nowrap|Cup period}}
!rowspan=2|{{Tooltip|Pos|Position in regular season standings}}
!rowspan=2|Team
!colspan=9|Top League regular season
!colspan=3|Play-off results
!rowspan=2 style="padding:1px;"|{{Tooltip|Ref|References}}
|-
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points total in regular season standings}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|W|Won}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|D|Drew}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|L|Lost}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|PF|Points scored for}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|PA|Points scored against}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|Diff|Difference of points scored for and against}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|TB|Try bonus points for 4 tries or more in a match}}
!style="width:2em"|{{Tooltip|LB|Losing bonus points a loss by 7 or less}}
!style="width:3.8em"|{{Tooltip|Qtr|Quarter final}}
!style="width:3.8em"|{{Tooltip|Semi|Semi-final}}
!style="width:3.8em"|{{Tooltip|Final|Grand final}}
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=8|[[2005–06 Top League#Cup|2006]]
|rowspan=8|22 January<br/>to<br/>5 February
<!-- Team
| Pts|| W || D || L ||  PF ||  PA || PD  || TB || LB-->
|1||bgcolor="#d0ffd0" style="text-align:left;"|[[Toshiba Brave Lupus]]{{dagger}}
| 46 || 9 || 0 || 2 || 406 || 193 || 213 || 10 || 0
|38–7||23–10||33–18 
|rowspan=8|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2005/06 |title=2005/06 Top League |publisher= The Rugby Archive}}</ref>
|- 
|2||style="text-align:left;"|[[Sanyo Wild Knights]]
| 42 || 9 || 0 || 2 || 416 || 276 || 140 || 6 || 0
|24–40||—||—
|-
|3||style="text-align:left;"|[[NEC Green Rockets]]
| 41 || 9 || 0 || 2 || 270 || 136 || 134 || 4 || 1
|17–12||10–23||—
|-
|4||style="text-align:left;"|[[Toyota Verblitz]]
| 37 || 7 || 0 || 4 || 431 || 263 || 168 || 6 || 3
|12–17||—||—
|-
|5||style="text-align:left;"|[[Kobelco Steelers]]
| 33 || 7 || 0 || 4 || 284 || 225 || 59 || 4 || 1
|7–38||—||—
|-
|6||style="text-align:left;"|[[Suntory Sungoliath]]
| 32 || 6 || 0 || 5 || 308 || 241 || 67 || 6 || 2
|35–17||44–25||18–33
|-
|7||style="text-align:left;"|[[Yamaha Jubilo]]
| 28 || 5 || 0 || 6 || 328 || 211 || 117 || 4 || 4
|17–35||—||—
|-
|8||style="text-align:left;"|[[Kubota Spears]]
| 23 || 4 || 1 || 6 || 324 || 297 || 27 || 5 || 0
|40–24||25–44||—
|-
| style="height:1px" |

|-
!scope="row" rowspan=8|[[2004–05 Top League#Cup|2005]]
|rowspan=8|8 February<br/>to<br/>28 February
<!-- Team
| Pts|| W || D || L ||  PF ||  PA || PD  || TB || LB-->
|1||bgcolor="#d0ffd0" style="text-align:left;"|{{nowrap|[[Toshiba Brave Lupus]]{{dagger}}}}
| 50 || 10|| 0 || 1 || 463 || 166 || 297 || 9 || 1
|33–13||41–0||{{pad|0.15em}}20–6{{ref|tl-2005a|α}}
|rowspan=8|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2004/05 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150117173116/http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2004/05 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 January 2015 |title=2004/05 Top League |publisher=The Rugby Archive }}</ref>
|- 
|2||style="text-align:left;"|[[Yamaha Jubilo]]
| 45 || 9 || 0 || 2 || 380 || 218 || 162 || 8 || 1
|38–33||{{nowrap|{{pad|0.1em}}33–33{{ref|tl-2005b|β}}}}||{{pad|0.45em}}6–20{{ref|tl-2005a|α}}
|-
|3||style="text-align:left;"|[[NEC Green Rockets]]
| 44 || 9 || 0 || 2 || 407 || 253 || 154 || 7 || 1
|{{pad|0.15m}}16–51{{ref|tl-2005c|γ}}||—||—
|-
|4||style="text-align:left;"|[[Toyota Verblitz]]
| 43 || 8 || 0 || 3 || 427 || 224 || 203 || 9 || 2
|42–21||{{pad|0.15em}}33–33{{ref|tl-2005b|β}}||—
|-
|5||style="text-align:left;"|[[Kobelco Steelers]]
| 34 || 6 || 0 || 5 || 326 || 356 || -30 || 8 || 2
|{{pad|0.15em}}51–16{{ref|tl-2005c|γ}}||0–41||—
|-
|6||style="text-align:left;"|[[Kubota Spears]]
| 27 || 5 || 0 || 6 || 277 || 334 || -57 || 6 || 1
|33–38||—||—
|-
|7||style="text-align:left;"|[[Sanyo Wild Knights]]
| 24 || 4 || 0 || 7 || 346 || 296 || 50 || 4 || 4
|21–41||—||—
|- 
|8||style="text-align:left;"|[[Suntory Sungoliath]]
| 24 || 4 || 0 || 7 || 307 || 282 || 25 || 4 || 4
|13–33||—||—
|-
| style="height:1px" |
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=8|[[2003–04 Top League#Cup|2004]]
|rowspan=8|8 February<br/>to<br/>22 February
<!-- Team
| Pts|| W || D || L ||  PF ||  PA || PD  || TB || LB-->
|1||style="text-align:left;"|[[Kobelco Steelers]]{{ref|tl-2004d|δ}}{{dagger}}
| 47 || 9 || 0 || 2 || 439 || 286 || 153 || 11 || 0
|35–27||10–34||—
|rowspan=8|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2003/04 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150117173120/http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=96&Stagione=2003/04 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 January 2015 |title=2003/04 Top League |publisher=The Rugby Archive }}</ref>
|-
|2||style="text-align:left;"|[[Toshiba Brave Lupus]]
| 44 || 8 || 1 || 2 || 503 || 283 || 220 || 9 || 1
|39–10||36–34||19–24
|-
|3||style="text-align:left;"|[[Yamaha Jubilo]]
| 42 || 8 || 2 || 1 || 334 || 223 || 111 || 6 || 0
|10–39||—||—
|-
|4||style="text-align:left;"|[[Suntory Sungoliath]]
| 42 || 8 || 0 || 3 || 408 || 265 || 143 || 9 || 1
|5–32||—||—
|-
|5||style="text-align:left;"|{{nowrap|[[World Fighting Bull]]}}
| 32 || 6 || 0 || 5 || 349 || 285 || 64  || 7 || 1
|27–35||—||—
|-
|6||bgcolor="#d0ffd0" style="text-align:left;"|[[NEC Green Rockets]]{{ref|tl-2004d|δ}}
| 30 || 5 || 2 || 4 || 411 || 274 || 137 || 6 || 0
|32–5||34–10||24–19
|-
|7||style="text-align:left;"|[[Sanyo Wild Knights]]
| 24 || 4 || 1 || 6 || 319 || 331 || -12 || 6 || 0
|39–32||34–36||—
|-
|8||style="text-align:left;"|[[Kubota Spears]]
| 22 || 4 || 0 || 9 || 262 || 362 || -100 || 4 || 2
|32–39||—||—
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="text-align:center; line-height:100%; font-size:100%; width:60%;"
|-
! colspan="4" style="border:0px" |{{pad|2.2em}}Competition rules
|-
| colspan="4" | '''Points breakdown:'''<br/>* 4 points for a win<br/>* 2 points for a draw<br/>* 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less<br/>* 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match<br/>
'''Classification:'''<br/>Teams standings are calculated as follows:<br/>* Log points<br/>* Difference between points for and against<br/>* Total number of points for<br/>* Number of matches won<br/> * Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
|}

'''Notes:'''
<div style="line-height:1.2em; margin-left:1.7em; font-size:92%;">

{{note|tl-2005a|α}} Toshiba Brave Lupus won the Top League and Microsoft Cup double.<ref name= jt-2005b/>

{{note|tl-2005b|β}} The number of tries and goals being equal, the result was decided in favour of Yamaha over Toyota by a lottery at Hanazono after the game.

{{note|tl-2005c|γ}} Reigning Microsoft Cup holders the NEC Green Rockets were knocked out at the quarter-final stage.<ref name= jt-2005a/><ref name= jrfu-2005/>

{{note|tl-2004d|δ}} In 2003–04, Kobe Steel won the Top League but NEC won the Microsoft Cup. The League and Cup were separate competitions prior to 2007.
</div>

== See also ==
*[[Top League]]
*[[All-Japan Rugby Football Championship]]
*[[Japan Rugby Football Union]]
*[[Japan national rugby union team]]

==References==
{{reflist|refs=

<ref name= jt-2014>{{cite web 
 |date= 21 August 2014
 |title=Top League to introduce new officiating system this season
 |publisher=The Japan Times
 |url= http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2014/08/21/more-sports/rugby/top-league-to-introduce-new-officiating-system-this-season/#.VLUjflcsFFs
 |url-status=live
 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20150113135800/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2014/08/21/more-sports/rugby/top-league-to-introduce-new-officiating-system-this-season/
 |archivedate=13 January 2015 }}
</ref>

<ref name= jrfu-2005>{{cite web 
 |title=Official report of the 2005 final
 |publisher=JRFU
 |url= http://www.rugbyjapan.com/microsoftcup/microsoftcup2005.htm 
 |url-status=dead
 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050405035431/http://www.rugbyjapan.com/microsoftcup/microsoftcup2005.htm
 |archivedate= 5 April 2005}}
</ref>

<ref name= jt-2005a>{{cite web 
 |date= 7 February 2005
 |title=Brave Lupus add name to rugby Cup
 |publisher=The Japan Times
 |url= http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?sr20050207a1.htm
 |url-status=dead
 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20050301103653/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?sr20050207a1.htm
 |archivedate= 1 March 2005}}
</ref>

<ref name= jt-2005b>{{cite web 
 |date= 24 January 2004
 |title= Steelers upset Green Rockets in Microsoft Cup quarter final
 |publisher=The Japan Times
 |url= http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?sr20050124a1.htm
 |url-status=dead
 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20050301103646/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?sr20050124a1.htm
 |archivedate= 1 March 2005}}
</ref>
}}

==External links==
*[http://jrfu.org/jrfu/index.php JRFU Official Site] (in English)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071031053455/http://www.top-league.jp/index.html Top League Official Site] (in Japanese)
*{{cite web 
 |date=2007
 |title=Microsoft Cup
 |language=Japanese
 |publisher= MSN
 |url= http://inews.sports.msn.co.jp/rugby/topleague/
 |url-status= dead
 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070306130115/http://inews.sports.msn.co.jp/rugby/topleague/
 |archivedate= 6 March 2007}}

{{Japan Rugby Top League}}
{{Rugby union in Japan}}
{{Lixil Group|state=autocollapse}}

[[Category:Japan Rugby League One|*]]
[[Category:Microsoft events]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 2004]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:Lixil Group]]
[[Category:Rugby union competitions in Japan]]