2018–19 Top League


The 2018–19 Top League was the 16th season of Japan's top-tier domestic rugby union competition, the Top League.

Competition rules

The sixteen Top League teams were divided into two conferences for the [|first stage] of the competition; each team played the seven other teams in their conferences once.
All sixteen teams then progressed to a play-off stage; the top four teams in each conference advanced to the [|title play-offs] and the bottom four teams in each conference to the [|9th-place play-offs], which determined the final positions for the season. The title play-offs doubled up as the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship, which would no longer include university teams. The bottom four teams in the 9th-place play-off all played in relegation play-off matches.

Teams

The following teams took part in the 2018 Top League competition:

Standings

The current standings for the 2018 Top League First Stage Red Conference are:

Matches

The 2018 Top League First Stage Red Conference fixtures are:

Round 1

Round 2

Round 4

Round 2 (rescheduled)

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

First Stage : White Conference

Standings

The current standings for the 2018 Top League First Stage White Conference are:

Matches

The 2018 Top League First Stage White Conference fixtures are:

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Second Stage

Standings

The final standings for the 2018 Top League were:

Title play-offs

The four quarter final winners qualified for the semi-finals, while the losers qualified for the 5th-place semi-finals.
The two semi-final winners qualified for the final, while the losers qualified for the 3rd-place match. The two 5th-place semi-final winners qualified for the 5th-place match, while the losers qualified for the 7th-place match.
The final matches determined the final standings.

9th-place play-offs

The four 9th-place quarter final winners qualified for the 9th-place semi-finals, while the losers qualified for the 13th-place semi-finals and the [|relegation play-offs].
The two 9th-place semi-final winners qualified for the 9th-place final, while the losers qualified for the 11th-place match. The two 13th-place semi-final winners qualified for the 13th-place match, while the losers qualified for the 15th-place match.
The final matches will determine the final standings.