2018 Top Challenge League

The 2018 Top Challenge League was the second season of Japan's second-tier domestic rugby union competition, the Top Challenge League.[1]

2018 Top Challenge League
CountriesJapan
Date8 September – 9 December 2018
ChampionsNTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes (3rd title)
Runners-upMitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars
Matches played40
Tries scored332
(average 8.3 per match)

It was played from 8 September to 9 December 2018, with eight participating teams. NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes won the competition for the third time – having previously won in 2010–11 and 2016–17 and qualified for the promotion play-offs, along with Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars, Kintetsu Liners and Kurita Water Gush. Kamaishi Seawaves and Chugoku Red Regulions finished seventh and eighth respectively to qualify for the relegation play-offs.

Competition rules

In January 2017, the JRFU announced the format of the Top Challenge League competition. The competition was played in two stages. The First Stage was a round-robin format, where all eight teams played each other once.

The top four teams in the First Stage progressed to Group A of the Second Stage, while the bottom four teams progressed to Group B. Each of these groups was another round-robin, with all four teams playing each other once.

The four teams that competed in Group A progressed to promotion play-offs against the bottom four teams in the 2018–19 Top League.

The two team that finished bottom and second-bottom of Group B progressed to the relegation play-offs, along with the winners and the runners-up of the Regional Challenge, held between the champions of the Top East League, Top West League and Top Kyūshū League.

Teams

The following teams took part in the 2018 Top Challenge League competition:

2018 Top Challenge League teams
Team Name Based 2017–18 placing
Chugoku Red RegulionsHiroshima, Hiroshima PrefectureTop Challenge League, 6th
Kamaishi SeawavesKamaishi, Iwate PrefectureTop Challenge League, 7th
Kintetsu LinersHigashiosaka, Osaka, KansaiTop League, Relegated
Kurita Water GushAtsugi, Kanagawa PrefectureRegional Leagues, Champions
Kyuden VoltexFukuoka, KyūshūTop Challenge League, 4th
Mazda Blue ZoomersFuchū, Hiroshima PrefectureTop Challenge League, 5th
Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoarsSagamihara, Kanagawa PrefectureTop Challenge League, 3rd
NTT DoCoMo Red HurricanesOsaka, KansaiTop League, Relegated

First Stage

Standings

The current standings for the 2018 Top Challenge League First Stage are:

2018 Top Challenge League First Stage standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1Kintetsu Liners770030186+21547136034
2NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes7601345136+20954215130
3Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars7502250157+9338234024
4Kurita Water Gush7403155180−2524292018
5Kamaishi Seawaves7205176226−5024342111
6Mazda Blue Zoomers7205173275−10226411110
7Chugoku Red Regulions7106159310−1512346105
8Kyuden Voltex710690279−1891443004
Legend:
P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TF = Tries For, TA = Tries Against, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.

The top four teams qualified for the Second Stage Group A.
The bottom four teams qualified for the Second Stage Group B.

Matches

The 2018 Top Challenge League First Stage fixtures are:[2]

Round One

Round Two

Round Three

Round Four

Round Five

Round Six

Round Seven

Second Stage Group A

Standings

The standings for the 2018 Top Challenge League Second Stage Group A are:

2018 Top Challenge League Second Stage Group A standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA S1B TB LB Pts
1NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes330011523+9217222016
2Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars32016471−791111010
3Kintetsu Liners31028250+321263108
4Kurita Water Gush300314131−1172210000
Legend:
P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TF = Tries For, TA = Tries Against, S1B = Stage 1 Bonus Points, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.

Round One

Round Two

Round Three

Second Stage Group B

Standings

The standings for the 2018 Top Challenge League Second Stage Group B are:

2018 Top Challenge League Second Stage Group B standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA S1B TB LB Pts
5Kyuden Voltex32018949+4014602111
6Mazda Blue Zoomers32018091−11101420010
7Kamaishi Seawaves31028789−212123119
8Chugoku Red Regulions31024774−276101016
Legend:
P = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TF = Tries For, TA = Tries Against, S1B = Stage 1 Bonus Points, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.

Round One

Round Two

Round Three

Promotion play-offs

The matches played were:

Relegation play-offs

  • Top Challenge League side Kamaishi Seawaves won their match to remain in the Top Challenge League for 2019.
  • Top Challenge League side Chugoku Red Regulions lost their match and was relegated to the Top Kyūshū League for 2019.
  • Top League East side Shimizu Blue Sharks won their match to win promotion to the Top Challenge League for 2019.
  • Top League West side Chubu Electric Power lost their match to remain in the Top League West for 2019.

The matches played were:

See also

References

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