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Super Rugby Pacific

Top League to continue clashing with Super Rugby in 2021

(Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

Until this season, the Top League and the Super Rugby operated in harmony.

The SANZAAR competition typically ran from early February until July while Japan’s premier rugby league kicked off in August and would typically finish by the end of the year.

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The Top League has completed the bulk of their player drug testing for the year:

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That all changed this year, primarily due to Japan’s hosting of the Rugby World Cup.

With Japan’s major stadiums all in use from September until early November, the 2019-2020 Top League competition was pushed out until early January – which created a significant overlap with Super Rugby.

The relatively late decision to move the Top League caused a few headaches around the world.

Brodie Retallick, for example, is spending two seasons in Japan on a sabbatical of sorts. While in the past Retallick would have been able to feature in both the Top League and for his Chiefs in Super Rugby, that hasn’t been the case this year.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fotcQgEJb/

While the current rugby season has effectively been indefinitely suspended due to coronavirus, there may have still been some hope that men like Retallick could feature in next year’s Super Rugby competition. That hope has now been extinguished, however.

Top League boss Osamu Ota today confirmed that next year’s competition will again start in January which will again create an overlap with Super Rugby.

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In related news, while the regular season of  Top League was cancelled, there was hope that the All-Japan Championship – a play-off between the top four teams in the Top League – would still take place. It’s now been confirmed that set of matches won’t take place in 2020 which effectively means there’s no more club rugby on the calendar in Japan for the year.

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Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 12 minutes ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

He doesn't generally do it at all, for anybody, so don't say too much the next one could be just as positive about the Springboks if you don't get carried away!


He also pointed out the "no killer instinct" narrative that they simply weren't good enough. Do yo disagree that SA were that great against NZ?


Readying the article I didn't even see that as a dig towards SA SF, simply an exciting take on how close the ABs really are again to those at the top. I feel it is more you that is taking away from this enjoyment with you replay that is largely based on a lot of old resentment.


Just enjoy how good the rugby is and that NZ is back baby!

41 Go to comments
S
SadersMan 13 minutes ago
Black Ferns assistant coach makes ‘tough call’ before World Cup year

Attack coach? What "attack"? All I saw was headless chooks pinballing around the paddock. This whole coaching group needs a shake-down. The BFs have regressed at pace since the Prof & Cronnie days.


We have immense talent, some of the best in world rugby, but it's wasted on this coaching group. I put Bunting in the same loser category as Penney & Foster. At this point in time, success at RWC2025 seems a longshot!?!

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B
Bull Shark 22 minutes ago
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner

Yeah me too. I think the Welsh have it in them to make it a contest in the first half. Give the boks' second stringers a headache. Disrupting lineouts is one area the welsh could cause problems. Bok lineouts have been subpar.


And then fronting up in the collisions and at the rucks. If the boks get the ascendancy there too early, it could be a hiding. Jaden hendrikse had a tough game against the Scots - who were very good at disrupting the boks flow. The welsh would have taken note of this i'm sure.


But the bok bench will finish the welsh off i'm afraid.

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J
JW 23 minutes ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

Yes, certainly. As an AB fan happy to be included in that top 3 of "matches that are routinely decided by one score" now, we were well outside that for a few years.

They have not closed out enough close games to claim the number 1 spot.

They have not had enough games yet. You can't undo so many poor years just like that. Asking for miracles like SA losing is not the way to get back to number 1.


They might get there as those bad years filter out of the rankings but it's guarenteed to be great fun going back and forth with SA once that happens.


Admittedly Foster only really had one bad year (21/22 season), but that's more likely because COVID stopped a lot of tough games from being played, and effected the other countries they did play far more than themselves.


A real shame we both don't get to see it unfold first with our regions teams in SR!

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AF 25 minutes ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

Completely agree. England 'should have' picked up a result against the ABs, under Ben Smith's logic throughout this article. He wouldn't dream of saying that though. To say the ABs 'should have had' a perfect season is ludicrous. Those springbok tries being 'jammy' really does smack of the same hyperbole and bias he claims to detest about SA.


As an Englishman, one thing that excites me despite my team consistently losing currently (lol) is that there ARE a number of top teams that ALL challenge each other to the end. Instead of everyone whining and complaining and rueing their team's narrow loss, can't we just do what Eggchasers does and just enjoy how competitive it is right now!? Can we not respect the opposition instead of either rubbing it in (online, rarely done face to face surprise surprise) or trying to save our ego's blushes by slamming the opposing team because they beat us!?

41 Go to comments
S
SadersMan 25 minutes ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

Blah blah blah. Bring on Italy. And then 2025. Exciting times ahead.

41 Go to comments
S
SteveD 27 minutes ago
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner

In many ways - much like the Portuguese game earlier in the year - and admittedly having Wales as my '6 Nations' team, I actually hope they don't get thrashed and have their confidence damaged even more. Maybe someone can get sent off early like Esterhuizen and reduce the numbers. Rugby needs the Welsh! 😊

7 Go to comments
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Ed the Duck 27 minutes ago
Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

Didn’t know that but makes sense now on the choice. Still, it’s come to something when England are forced to ‘grow their own’ talent in the front line with rookies…

41 Go to comments
E
Ed the Duck 29 minutes ago
Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

🐥😉😂

41 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 31 minutes ago
Andy Farrell faces up to concerning Irish 'trends' ahead of Fiji

The number of Irish body parts and limbs offside and/or laying about the rucks, or slowing rucks is definitely strategy. Andy Farrell is definitely coaching them to hug the line - despite what he says.


I hope that this area of the game is monitored carefully by Hollie Davidson so that Fiji gets a fair shake and ability to play to their strengths.


Which is fast and wide.


Fiji. 1 solitary point. That's all it takes. Take all the kickable penalties. Punish them out wide.

1 Go to comments
J
JW 32 minutes ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

If you want to be objective though you have to look at it. Going too far the other way is looking for excuses. Finding the right balance is the way.

41 Go to comments
S
SteveD 32 minutes ago
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner

In many ways it doesn't really matter, much like the daft team rankings that they keep going on about. The very fact that 3 out of the 4 are Boks is great (and fully justified) and a bit like the Academy Awards - being nominated is the important thing.

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OJohn 38 minutes ago
Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

A Welshman whose team has no Welsh heart would say that

41 Go to comments
J
JW 39 minutes ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

SA has a much tougher task in learning how to play with Tony Brown's influence IMO but in the same respect they can raise their game so much more if their attack becomes as influential as their defence/control. That will certainly shut.. everyone up!


I'd be happy with 50/50 so hopefully you don't get everything right! 😅

41 Go to comments
N
NB 43 minutes ago
How leviathan Will Skelton and the Wallabies reversed the World Cup fiasco

Which people exactly?

200 Go to comments
N
NB 45 minutes ago
How leviathan Will Skelton and the Wallabies reversed the World Cup fiasco

No he was on his uppers and out of contract when Saracens came calling, and he was the fourth ranked second row when he joined them. It was his last chance saloon as a pro player. and he had to fight for his place for the first time in his career. Nothing to do with money.

200 Go to comments
J
JW 46 minutes ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

The opening loss to Argentina by 38-30..

Was anything but fine margins, the scoreline was flattering for that game. They were beat in every margin but most emphatically be effort of Argentina. They were slow and likely arrogant in their prep following the England series. You can see the effect on the selection and poor messaging all the playmakers started receiving from the coaching setup there after.


Otherwise though there was also a lot of really good stuff that can too easily be labelled as lucky by people intent on making a point. The team was far from certain and clinical though and the best that can be said of their losses was that they were largely due to some atrocious decisions with cards twice against SA and the neckroll last weekend (you can't take away the 14 point try, that is typical French rugby and to be expected).


This team is good enough to be able to cope with those sorts of difficulties if they could just execute a bit better (but only as well as they have traditionally mind you). Sound selections aside. Some good positivity in this article but we know it's not going to be easy as the ABs have just been trying to return to their DNA after Fosters control but countries like Aussie have a much bigger task in that respect and SA is even trying to change their DNA (again). Those two opponents (along with France obviously) are going to provide some tough competition in seeing who can lead into the 2027 RWC with the best prospects and form behind them.

41 Go to comments
N
NB 49 minutes ago
How leviathan Will Skelton and the Wallabies reversed the World Cup fiasco

Well he's had four this season, mostly they can be numbered on the fingers of one hand per season. Rare birds.

200 Go to comments
N
NB 52 minutes ago
Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

Gustard got promoted to head coach at Stade Francais so maybe he wanted to stay in France?

41 Go to comments
N
NB 54 minutes ago
Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

I'll leave it to the 'diggers' and 'exclusive-hunters' Ed!

41 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones
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