Kubota Spears Top League Profile 2013-14
Top League Profiles 2013-14
(15) Kubota Spears
2013-14 Introduction : In the 2010-11 season, after having played in every previous Top League season, Kubota finished second to last on the final Top League table and were automatically relegated back to the Top East regional division for the following season. In the 2011-12 season, Kubota made it through to the Top Challenge One series only to see Canon and Kyuden win promotion to Top League leaving the Spears in the regions for another year. Last season (2012-13), Kubota again made it through to the Top Challenge One series and although they were beaten 37-31 by Coca-Cola in the opening round, they went on to beat Toyota Industries 32-30 and Mitsubishi Dynaboars 40-17 to claim second place on the table and win promotion back to Top League for the expanded 2013-14 season. It is going to be anything but an easy ride for Kubota after two seasons out of Top League but with Toutai Kefu in his second year as head coach and a good balance in the squad that includes young Japan international playmaker Harumichi Tatekawa, Tongan international Kurt Morath and the former Highlanders pair of Alando Soakai and Kade Poki not to mention the blockbusting Seilala Mapusua and Sam Norton-Knight in the backline the Spears are not going to be pushovers.
Established : The Kubota rugby team was established in 1978 with its company address in central Tokyo and training facilities in nearby Funabashi city in Chiba prefecture. Kubota went through the ranks of local Kanto Company Rugby from Division 4 in 1984 before finally gaining admission to theEast Japan Company League in 1998. They finished 5th that year and followed that up with 3rd, 3rd and 4 th over subsequent years. In 1990, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the company, Kubota made rugby the official company sport. The full name for the team is Kubota Spears, with the image of the spear slashing through opposition defences.
The Company : Kubota is mainly known as an agricultural machinery manufacturer, producing such things as tractors, rice planters and harvesters etc. However, they are also involved in construction machinery, vending machines, pumps, water and sewage treatment equipment and cast metals. Have a look at www.kubota.co.jp and go to the English page.
Titles :
Top League – none.
From the 2003-4 season to the 2005-6 season, Top League consisted of 12 teams and the team that finished on top of the table claimed the title. In the 2006-7 season, Top League was increased to 14 teams with the top four finishers on the ladder progressing to the Microsoft Cup, the play-off series to determine the overall Top League champion. From the 2009-10 season, the Microsoft company did not renew their naming rights sponsorship and so the finals series became known as the Top League Play-off Tournament.
2012-13 (14 teams): DNP. Played in Top East.
2011-12 (14 teams): DNP. Played in Top East.
2010-11 (14 teams): 13th on table on 11 points with 1 win, 1 draw and 11 losses. Automatically relegated to Top East.
2009-10 (14 teams): 6th on table on 31 points with 6 wins and 7 losses.
2008-9 (14 teams): 6th on table on 37 points with 8 wins and 5 losses.
2007-8 (14 teams): 8th on table on 26 points with 5 wins and 8 losses.
2006-7 (14 teams): 8th on table on 30 points with 5 wins, 2 draws and 6 losses.
2005-6 (12 teams): 8th on table on 23 points with 4 wins, 1 draw and 6 losses.
2004-5 (12 teams): 6th on table on 27 points with 5 wins and 6 losses.
2003-4 (12 teams): 8th on table on 22 points with 4 wins and 7 losses.
Microsoft Cup – (as a standalone Cup 2004-2006) none.
From 2004 to 2006 the Microsoft Cup was a separate knock-out tournament for the top 8 finishers in Top League. From 2007 the Microsoft Cup acted as the play-off finals series to determine the overall Top League champion with the top four finishers on the Top League ladder progressing to the Microsoft Cup. The Microsoft company did not renew their naming rights sponsorship for the 2009-10 Top League season and so the 2010 finals series became known as the Top League Play-off Tournament.
2009 : DNQ.
2008 : DNQ.
2007 : DNQ.
2006 : Beat Sanyo 40-24 in first round. Knocked out by Suntory 44-25 in SFs.
2005 : Knocked out in first round by Yamaha 38-33.
2004 : Knocked out by Sanyo 32-39 in first round.
National Championship – none.
After 22 teams participated in the 2004 National Championship it was reduced to 8 teams for 2005 consisting of the top four Top League sides, the top two universities, the top challenger from lower divisions and the top club side. In 2009 the number of teams was increased to ten with two additional Top League sides.
For 2010 the Wildcard Tournament was introduced to the National Championship for the Top League sides that finished fifth to tenth on the final table. In 2011 these six sides were: Kobe (fifth on 36 points), NEC (sixth on 34 points), Ricoh (seventh on 32 points), Sanix (eighth on 32 points), Kintetsu (ninth on 31 points) and Coca-Cola (tenth on 28 points). The teams played off over two weekends with Kobe and Ricoh winning the right to participate in the NC as the final two Top League participants. In 2012 the Wildcard Tournament was abbreviated to the four teams that finished fifth to eighth with fifth placed Kintetsu Liners playing eighth placed Yamaha Jubilo and sixth placed Kobe Steelers playing seventh placed Ricoh Black Rams. Kobe beat Ricoh 32-19 and Yamaha beat Kintetsu 17-15 with the winners thus qualifying for the up-coming 49 th National Championship.
For 2013, the Wildcard Tournament again featured six teams, that is, the six teams that finished fifth to tenth on the final Top League table for the 2012-13 season. In the first round, eighth placed NEC Green Rockets beat ninth placed NTT Communications Shining Arcs 38-14 and seventh placed Kintetsu Liners beat tenth placed Ricoh Black Rams 43-21. In the second round the following weekend, sixth placed Yamaha Jubilo beat Kintetsu 70-12 and fifth placed Toyota Verblitz beat NEC 41-23. The two winners from the second round in Yamaha and Toyota qualified for the National Championship as the Wildcard Qualifiers.
2013 (50th NC – 10 teams): DNQ.
2012 (49th NC – 10 teams): DNQ.
2011 (48th NC – 10 teams): DNQ.
2010 (47th NC – 10 teams): Lost to NEC 22-21 in Wildcard Tournament and thus DNQ.
2009 (46th NC – 10 teams): Knocked out in first round by Suntory 62-17.
2008 (45th NC – 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.
2007 (44th NC – 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.
2006 (43rd NC – 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.
2005 (42nd NC – 8 teams): DNQ as only top 4 TL teams qualified.
2004 (41st NC – 22 teams): Beat IBM 32-14, but then lost to Kobe 52-12.
Corporate Championship – none. The Corporate Championship started in 1949 and ended with the 55th Corporate Championship in 2003 as a consequence of the introduction of Top League as the national corporate league in the 2003-4 season.