Preview: The Fifty-fourth Japan Rugby Championship 2017
In 2017, the Fifty-fourth Japan Rugby Championship pits the top three finishing Top League sides and the university champion against each other. Suntory Sungoliath, Yamaha Jubilo and Panasonic Wild Knights finished first, second and third respectively while Teikyo University are the university champions. The condensed Top League season, along with the presence of the Japan Sunwolves in Super Rugby contributed to the abbreviation of the Japan Rugby Championship.
In the semi-finals, second-placed Top League side Yamaha Jubilo play Panasonic Wild Knights who finished third, while Suntory Sungoliath as the Top League champions take on Teikyo University, university champions.
Recent Japan Rugby Championship Finals
2016 (53rd): Panasonic 49 d Teikyo University 15
2015 (52nd): Yamaha 15 d Suntory 3
2014 (51st): Panasonic 30 d Toshiba 21
2013 (50th): Suntory 36 d Kobe 29
2012 (49th): Suntory 21 d Panasonic 9
2011 (48th): Suntory 37 d Sanyo 20
2010 (47th): Sanyo 22 d Toyota 17
2009 (46th): Sanyo 24 d Suntory 16
2008 (45th): Sanyo 40 d Suntory 18
2007 (44th): Toshiba 19 d Toyota 10
2006 (43rd): Toshiba 6 drew with NEC 6 (Joint champions)
2005 (42nd): NEC 17 d Toyota 13
2004 (41st): Toshiba 22 d Kobe 10
Panasonic Wild Knights (Top League 3) v Yamaha Jubilo (Top League 2)
Date: Sunday, 21 January 2017
Venue: Hanazono Rugby Ground, Osaka
Kick-off: 12:05
Preview
Panasonic Wild Knights finished third on the final Japan Rugby Top League 2016-17 table to earn their place in the 54th Japan Rugby Championship 2017. On the other hand, Yamaha Jubilo finished second to set up this semi-final against Panasonic. Panasonic finished with 61 points from 13 wins and two loses, while Yamaha finished with 67 points from 14 wins and one loss. Panasonic lost to both Yamaha and Suntory, while Yamaha lost to Suntory.
Panasonic are the reigning National Champions after they beat Teikyo University in the final last January, while Yamaha beat Suntory in the 2015 final for their first piece of major silverware.
Yamaha beat Panasonic 24-21 in the opening game of the Top League season at Chichibu last August in the only meeting between these two sides this season. Now, at the end of the domestic rugby season, there is still very little separating the two sides with either oufit more than capable of making it through to the final.
Suntory Sungoliath (Top League Champion) v Teikyo University (University Champion)
Date: Sunday, 21 January 2017
Venue: Hanazono Rugby Ground, Osaka
Kick-off: 14:05
Preview
Suntory Sungoliath won their fourth Top League title in 2016-17 to earn their place in the Japan Rugby Championship. On the other hand, Teikyo University won an unprecedented eighth National University Championship title in a row when they beat Tokai University in the university final to set up this match against Suntory.
After a poor year last season, Suntory bounced back in style this year to win all fifteen games in the Japan Rugby Top League 2016-17 season to take the Top League title undefeated. The Sungoliath will now be attempting to win their next two games and take the Top League and Japan Rugby Championship double without incurring a loss.
Teikyo University is the powerhouse of university rugby now and they will go all out to match it with Suntory. History is against the students, however, as Meiji University was the last university side to play in a Japan Rugby Championship final when they lost 69-8 to Toshiba in 1997, while Waseda University was the last university to claim the national title when they defeated Toshiba 22-16 back in 1988.