2010–11 Top League Challenge Series Explained

2010–11 Top League Challenge Series
Countries:Japan
Date:19 December 2010 – 29 January 2011
Champions:NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
Count:1
Runnersup:Honda Heat
Promoted:Honda Heat
NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes
Matches:9
Prevseason:2010
Nextseason:2011–12

The 2010–11 Top League Challenge Series was the 2010–11 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 2011–12 season. The competition was contested from 19 December 2010 to 29 January 2011.

Honda Heat and NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes won promotion to the 2011–12 Top League, while Canon Eagles and Kyuden Voltex 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 winner of Challenge 2 also progressed to a four-team Challenge 1.

The top two teams in Challenge 1 won automatic promotion to the 2011–12 Top League, while the third and fourth-placed teams qualified to the promotion play-offs.

Qualification

The teams qualified to the Challenge 1 and Challenge 2 series through the 2010 regional leagues.

Top West League

The final standings for the 2010 Top West League were:[1]

2010 Top West League standings
PosTeamPWDLPFPAPDTBLBPts<-- Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts-->
1 NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes 4 4 0 0 176 31 +145 4 0 20
2 Honda Heat (R) 4 3 0 1 266 53 +213 3 1 16
3 4 2 0 2 86 100 −14 1 0 9
4 Osaka Police 4 1 0 3 105 134 −29 1 1 6
5 Mitsubishi Red Evolutions 4 0 0 4 14 329 −315 0 0 0
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 2010 Top East League were:[2]

2010 Top East League standings
PosTeamPWDLPFPAPDTBLBPts<-- Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts-->
1 Canon Eagles 11 11 0 0 641 39 +548 10 0 54
2 11 10 0 1 511 151 +360 9 0 49
3 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars 11 9 0 2 554 129 +425 9 1 46
4 Kamaishi Seawaves 11 7 0 4 371 231 +140 9 2 39
5 Kurita Water 11 7 0 4 288 260 +28 6 1 35
6 Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars 11 6 0 5 351 224 +127 5 2 31
7 11 4 0 7 232 412 −180 4 0 20
8 Hino Red Dolphins (P) 11 3 0 8 242 390 −148 3 2 17
9 Akita Northern Bullets 11 3 0 8 238 414 −176 4 1 17
10 11 3 0 8 145 504 −359 2 0 14
11 Secom Rugguts 11 3 0 8 133 451 −318 1 0 13
12 JAL Wings 11 0 0 11 128 575 −447 1 0 1
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.

Top Kyūshū League

The final standings for the 2010 Top Kyūshū League were:[3]

2010 Top Kyūshū League standings
PosTeamPWDLPFPAPDTBLBPts<--Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts-->
1 Kyuden Voltex 6 6 0 0 498 43 +455 6 0 30
2 Mazda Blue Zoomers 6 5 0 1 456 119 +337 5 0 25
3 JR Kyūshū Thunders 6 4 0 2 136 181 −45 3 0 19
4 6 3 0 3 122 314 −192 3 0 15
5 Chugoku Electric Power 6 2 0 4 148 192 −44 2 1 11
6 Yamagataya (P) 6 1 0 5 112 348 −236 1 0 5
7 Kagoshima Bank 6 0 0 6 81 365 −284 1 2 3
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.

Challenge 1

Standings

The final standings for the 2010–11 Top League Challenge 1 were:[4]

2010–11 Top League Challenge 1 standings
PosTeamPWDLPFPAPDTBLBPts<--Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts-->
1 3 3 0 0 111 28 +83 2 0 14
2 Honda Heat 3 2 0 1 85 74 +11 1 1 10
3 Canon Eagles 3 1 0 2 71 88 −17 3 0 7
4 Kyuden Voltex 3 0 0 3 39 116 −77 0 0 0
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 2010–11 Top League Challenge 1:[4]

Challenge 2

Standings

The final standings for the 2010–11 Top League Challenge 2 were:[4]

2010–11 Top League Challenge 2 standings
PosTeamPWDLPFPAPDTBLBPts<--Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts-->
1 Honda Heat 2 2 0 0 92 42 +50 2 0 10
2 2 1 0 1 68 62 +6 1 0 5
3 Mazda Blue Zoomers 2 0 0 2 49 105 −56 0 0 0
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 2010–11 Top League Challenge 2:[4]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: West Regional Top League 2010/11 . The Rugby Archive . 23 January 2017.
  2. Web site: East Regional Top League 2010/11 . The Rugby Archive . 23 January 2017.
  3. Web site: Kyushu Regional Top League 2010/11 . The Rugby Archive . 23 January 2017.
  4. Web site: Top League Challenge 2010/11 . The Rugby Archive . 23 January 2017.