2006 Top League Challenge Series

The 2006 Top League Challenge Series was the 2006 edition of the Top League Challenge Series, a second-tier rugby union competition in Japan, in which teams from regionalised leagues competed for promotion to the Top League for the 2006–07 season. The competition was contested from 15 to 28 January 2006.

2006 Top League Challenge Series
CountriesJapan
Date15 – 28 January 2006
ChampionsCoca-Cola West Red Sparks (1st title)
Runners-upIBM Big Blue
PromotedCoca-Cola West Red Sparks
IBM Big Blue
Matches played6

Coca-Cola West Red Sparks and IBM Big Blue won promotion to the 2006–07 Top League, while Honda Heat, Kintetsu Liners, Kyuden Voltex and NTT Communications Shining Arcs progressed to the promotion play-offs.

Competition rules and information

The top two teams from the regional Top East League, Top West League and Top Kyūshū League qualified to the Top League Challenge Series. The regional league winners participated in Challenge 1, while the runners-up participated in Challenge 2.

The top two teams in Challenge 1 won automatic promotion to the 2006–07 Top League, while the third-placed team in Challenge 1 and the three Challenge 2 teams qualified to the promotion play-offs.

Qualification

The teams qualified to the Challenge 1 and Challenge 2 series through the 2005 regional leagues.

Top West League

The final standings for the 2005 Top West League were:[1]

2005 Top West League standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kintetsu Liners (R)7700448106+3427035
2Honda Heat760147083+3876131
3Toyota Industries Shuttles7502487141+3466127
4Osaka Police7403286206+803120
5NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes7304299208+913116
6Chubu Electric Power7205188309−1213011
7Mitsubishi Red Evolutions7106105580−475004
8Unitika Phoenix700766716−650000
Legend:
P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.
(R) indicates a team newly relegated from the Top League.

Top East League

The final standings for the 2005 Top East League were:[2]

2005 Top East League (East) standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1IBM Big Blue (R)990048799+3889045
2Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars9801341129+2127039
3NTT Communications Shining Arcs9603237174+635130
4Kurita Water9603268211+574129
5Tokyo Gas9603280243+375029
6Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars9306192254−624117
7Shimizu Blue Sharks9216145303−1582214
8Kamaishi Seawaves9216161296−1351011
9JAL Wings9108144360−216217
10Insurance Meiji Life Yasuda910896282−186217
2005 Top East League (North) standings
1Akita Northern Bullets660042083+3376030
2Funaoka SDF Wild Boars6303207148+594016
3North Force6204116329−2132010
4NTT Burns6105130313−183217
Legend:
P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.
(R) indicates a team newly relegated from the Top League.

The following matches were played:

  • The Top East League (East) and Top East League (North) merged for 2006; Akita Northern Bullets joined the merged Top East League, while Funaoka SDF Wild Boars, North Force and NTT Burns joined lower leagues.

Top Kyūshū League

The final standings for the 2005 Top Kyūshū League were:[3]

2005 Top Kyūshū League First Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kyuden Voltex660045356+3975029
2Coca-Cola West Red Sparks650143274+3585025
3Mazda Blue Zoomers6402299112+1875122
4Chugoku Electric Power6303183253−703015
5Mitsubishi Heavy Industries6204121347−2262010
6Mitsubishi Mizushima610576363−287217
7JR Kyūshū Thunders600666425−359011
Legend:
P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.
2005 Top Kyūshū League Second Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Coca-Cola West Red Sparks22009826+72109
2Kyuden Voltex21015449+5116
3Mazda Blue Zoomers200236113−77101
Legend:
P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.

Challenge 1

Standings

The final standings for the 2006 Top League Challenge 1 were:[4]

2006 Top League Challenge 1 standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Coca-Cola West Red Sparks22003629+7008
2IBM Big Blue21015621+35116
3Kintetsu Liners20021254−42011
Legend:
P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.

Matches

The following matches were played in the 2006 Top League Challenge 1:[4]

Challenge 2

Standings

The final standings for the 2006 Top League Challenge 2 were:[4]

2006 Top League Challenge 2 standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Honda Heat220010357+462010
2Kyuden Voltex21015754+3206
3NTT Communications Shining Arcs20024695−49101
Legend:
P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.

Matches

The following matches were played in the 2006 Top League Challenge 2:[4]

See also

References

  1. "West Regional Top League 2005/06". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  2. "East Regional Top League 2005/06". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  3. "Kyushu Regional Top League 2005/06". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  4. "Top League Challenge 2005/06". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
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