The Microsoft Cup is a knock-out Japanese rugby union tournament sponsored by Microsoft Japan, first played in February 2004. For the first three seasons the top eight teams of the Top League participated and it was a separate competition to the Top League, but in 2007 this was cut to the top four teams, making two semi-finals and the final. Since that time the cup tournament has been officially integrated into the Top League as the Top League Play-off Tournament Microsoft Cup and the winner of the cup is now the league champion.
Video referee (TMO) decisions will be introduced in the 2009 Cup series.
Read more about Microsoft Cup: The Fourth Microsoft Cup (2007)
Famous quotes containing the word cup:
“If you desire to drain to the dregs the fullest cup of scorn and hatred that a fellow human being can pour out for you, let a young mother hear you call dear baby “it.””
—Jerome K. Jerome (1859–1927)