TOP LEAGUE SPECIAL: Clash of the titans / New season gets under way with Toshiba up against Sanyo

Rich Freeman / Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter

One could call it a difference in cultures.

Or one could call it a difference between a man who knows what it takes to win at the highest level and men still struggling to find their feet in domestic rugby.

Either way, Suntory Sungoliath coach Eddie Jones caused quite a stir at the launch of this year's Top League season, which kicks off tonight at 7.30 p.m. at Tokyo's Chichibunomiya Stadium when defending champion Toshiba Brave Lupus takes on last year's runnerup Sanyo Wild Knights.

While the other coaches--with the notable exception of Toshiba's Tomohiro Segawa and Sanyo's Hitoshi Iijima, and Peter Sloane and Todd Louden, who both sent colleagues along to the event--were talking (as ever) about simply doing their best, Jones wasn't afraid to call it as he saw it.

"Over the last four years we have clearly been the third-best team in Japan," said the former head coach of the Wallabies and technical adviser to the World Cup winning Springboks. "I am not happy about that so it needs to change. Championships are won by the best team and that's what we want to be."

To be fair to the other coaches, it may have been shyness or a reluctance to upset the applecart in public that prevented them from saying such a thing.

On the other hand, it could just be they have accepted their lot and know they have no chance of overtaking the big boys.

One other coach told The Daily Yomiuri he wanted his side to finish No. 1. But given the problems his club had last season, and the potential problems it faces, that could almost have been said tongue-in-cheek.

Fukuoka Sanix Blues coach Yuichiro Fujii, meanwhile, said simply: "My aim this season is to beat one of the top four sides."

As Jones pointed out, Segawa's Brave Lupus have won four of the last eight trophies on offer, Iijima's Wild Knights have claimed three and the Sungoliath one.

And there is little evidence to suggest things are going to change this year, particularly as the recent law changes seem to play into the hands of last year's top three.

With the onus on the defending side to clear the tackle area and allow the team in possession to make use of the ball, the law changes should help Japanese rugby at both international level (as was seen in the win over Samoa in June) and in the domestic game (in attracting new fans to the game ahead of the Rugby World Cup in 2019).

"The Japanese love running rugby so the new laws will help a lot," said NEC Green Rockets captain Nili Latu. "Us old guys will have to just try and keep up with the pace."

It was a view shared by Jones, who like many other coaches will be keeping an eye on the action tonight at Chichibunomiya.

Iijima, who said his side had been working hard on their fitness in the offseason and that Tony Brown was fit and raring to go, is able to pick his best available side for the season opener.

Tomoki Kitagawa and Takashi Miyake start on the wings, but both players know they will need to be at their best week in, week out to keep offseason acquisition Akihito Yamada out of the starting lineup.

Segawa, meanwhile, is missing Japan scrumhalf Tomoki Yoshida. However, Warren Smith is named for his first start in the second row in a move that sees Yuta Mochizuki shunted to No. 8 and Masato Toyoda forced to start the game on the bench.

The other fixtures on the opening weekend once again see teams play sides that finished immediately below them in last year's rankings.

Third-placed Suntory tackles Toyota Verblitz (fourth) on Saturday at Toyota Stadium, with Toyota expected to give a start to fullback Kaoru Matsushita, who left Yamaha Jubilo in the offseason.

Kobe Kobelco Steelers (league champions in 2003-04) take on Kubota Spears (sixth) at Osaka's Nagai Stadium, knowing this is Daisuke Ohata's last season.

New coach Yuji Sonoda said this week Ohata would likely be playing center this year as it gives the team more balance.

Fukuoka Sanix Blues take on Coca-Cola West Red Sparks in the Kyushu derby as both sides look to improve on last year's impressive showing.

Coca-Cola coach Shogo Mukai went one better than his Sanix counterpart, Fujii, saying his aim this season was "to finish in the top four."

Impressive was not a word one could have used last season for either Yamaha or NEC, given the big names among their playing staff.

NEC finally came good at the end of the season, but only time will tell if Yamaha can compete with a small squad that--the foreigners aside--needs to put in a day at the office before it starts training.

"It has been difficult creating a training menu when the players also have a desk job," said coach Takanobu Horikawa on Yamaha's decision to make all of its players full-time company employees.

The weekend's other games see Kintetsu Liners take on Ricoh Black Rams in Osaka, while the two new boys--NTT Communications Shining Arcs and Toyota Shoki Shuttles--do battle at Toyota Stadium.

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