2008 Top League Challenge Series

The 2008 Top League Challenge Series was the 2008 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 2008–09 season. The competition was contested from 27 January to 10 February 2008.

2008 Top League Challenge Series
CountriesJapan
Date27 January – 10 February 2008
ChampionsKintetsu Liners (1st title)
Runners-upYokogawa Musashino Atlastars
PromotedKintetsu Liners
Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars
Matches played6

Kintetsu Liners and Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars won promotion to the 2008–09 Top League, while Mazda Blue Zoomers and World Fighting Bull 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 2008–09 Top League, while the third-placed team in Challenge 1 and the Challenge 2 winner qualified to the promotion play-offs.

Qualification

The teams qualified to the Challenge 1 and Challenge 2 series through the 2007 regional leagues.

Top West League

The final standings for the 2007 Top West League were:[1]

2007 Top West League First Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1World Fighting Bull (R)660025182+1695029
2Honda Heat641132393+2305124
3Kintetsu Liners6402219170+1123120
4Toyota Industries Shuttles6312222118+1043017
5NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes6204145217−722010
6Osaka Police610567288−221105
7Chubu Electric Power600667389−322101
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.
2007 Top West League Second Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kintetsu Liners22006532+33109
2World Fighting Bull (R)21014437+7116
3Honda Heat20022666−40000
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 2007 Top East League were:[2]

2007 Top East League standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars10100046685+3819049
2Secom Rugguts (R)10901458112+3467043
3NTT Communications Shining Arcs10802444113+3318141
4Suntory Foods10703254199+557035
5Tokyo Gas10505272259+135025
6Kamaishi Seawaves10406250229+215122
7Kurita Water10406233328−954121
8Akita Northern Bullets10307159437−2781114
9JAL Wings10208123291−1681312
10Insurance Meiji Life Yasuda10118121415−294107
11Shimizu Blue Sharks10118118430−312006
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 match was played:

Top Kyūshū League

The final standings for the 2007 Top Kyūshū League were:[3]

2007 Top Kyūshū League First Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Mazda Blue Zoomers550026829+2395025
2Chugoku Electric Power5302145118+273116
3Mitsubishi Heavy Industries530214298+442115
4JR Kyūshū Thunders520397183−86019
5Toshiba Oita (P)510478151−73127
6Mitsubishi Mizushima510469220−151015
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.
(P) indicates a team newly promoted from lower leagues.
2007 Top Kyūshū League Second Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Mazda Blue Zoomers22006222+402010
2Chugoku Electric Power21014946+3105
3Mitsubishi Heavy Industries20022568−43000
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 2008 Top League Challenge 1 were:[4]

2008 Top League Challenge 1 standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kintetsu Liners22007725+52109
2Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars21016223+39105
3Mazda Blue Zoomers200213104−91000
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 2008 Top League Challenge 1:[4]

Challenge 2

Standings

The final standings for the 2008 Top League Challenge 2 were:[4]

2008 Top League Challenge 2 standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1World Fighting Bull22001223+119109
2Secom Rugguts21018315+68116
3Chugoku Electric Power20025192−187000
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 2008 Top League Challenge 2:[4]

See also

References

  1. "West Regional Top League 2007/08". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  2. "East Regional Top League 2007/08". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  3. "Kyushu Regional Top League 2007/08". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  4. "Top League Challenge 2007/08". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
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