The T-shirts worn by the NEC players at the end of the 40th All-Japan Championship summed it up - "NEC Miracle 7." Having finished seventh in the Kanto League and being forced into a playoff to reach the national stages of the Company Championship, NEC finished the season as champion of Japan following a pulsating 36-26 win over Suntory at the National Stadium in Tokyo on Sunday.
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"Unbelievable," said assistant coach Tom Barker after the game. "The boys were really switched on mentally today and our defense was superb. It was very satisfying."