2014–15 Top League Challenge Series Explained

2014–15 Top League Challenge Series
Countries:Japan
Date:7 December 2014 – 25 January 2015
Champions:Honda Heat
Count:1
Runnersup:Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars
Promoted:Honda Heat
Matches:9
Prevseason:2013–14
Nextseason:2015–16

The 2014–15 Top League Challenge Series was the 2014–15 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 2015–16 season. The competition was contested from 7 December 2014 to 25 January 2015.

Honda Heat won promotion to the 2015–16 Top League, while Kamaishi Seawaves, Kyuden Voltex and Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars 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 team in Challenge 1 won automatic promotion to the 2015–16 Top League, while the other three teams qualified to the promotion play-offs.

Qualification

The teams qualified to the Challenge 1 and Challenge 2 series through the 2014 regional leagues.

Top West League

The final standings for the 2014 Top West League were:[1]

2014 Top West League standings
PosTeamPWDLPFPAPDTBLBPts<-- Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts-->
1 Honda Heat 6 6 0 0 466 53 +413 6 0 30
2 Osaka Police 6 3 0 3 189 193 −4 3 0 15
3 6 3 0 3 170 224 −54 3 0 15
4 JR West Railers 6 0 0 6 43 398 −355 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.

Top East League

The final standings for the 2014 Top East League were:[2]

2014 Top East League standings
PosTeamPWDLPFPAPDTBLBPts<-- Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts-->
1 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars 9 9 0 0 394 127 +267 7 0 43
2 Kamaishi Seawaves 9 7 0 2 308 168 +140 7 1 36
3 9 7 0 2 322 186 +136 5 0 33
4 Hino Red Dolphins 9 6 0 3 301 154 +147 5 1 30
5 Kurita Water 9 6 0 3 305 216 +89 4 0 28
6 Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars 9 4 0 5 232 193 +39 3 2 21
7 Yakult Levins 9 3 0 6 158 291 −133 2 0 14
8 9 2 0 7 190 330 −140 2 1 11
9 Akita Northern Bullets 9 1 0 8 224 364 −140 3 1 8
10 Secom Rugguts 9 0 0 9 85 482 −397 0 1 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.

Top Kyūshū League

The final standings for the 2014 Top Kyūshū League were:[3]

2014 Top Kyūshū League First Phase standings
PosTeamPWDLPFPAPDTBLBPts<--Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts-->
1 Kyuden Voltex (R) 6 6 0 0 481 55 +426 6 0 30
2 Chugoku Electric Power 6 4 0 2 264 86 +178 4 2 22
3 Mazda Blue Zoomers 6 4 0 2 277 95 +182 3 1 20
4 JR Kyūshū Thunders 6 4 0 2 149 162 −13 3 0 19
5 6 2 0 4 110 290 −180 2 0 10
6 Fukuoka Bank (P) 6 1 0 5 96 322 −226 1 0 5
7 Kagoshima Bank 6 0 0 6 35 402 −367 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. (P) indicates a team newly promoted from lower leagues.
2014 Top Kyūshū League Second Phase standings
PosTeamPWDLPFPAPDTBLBPts<--Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts-->
1 Kyuden Voltex 2 2 0 0 104 19 +85 2 0 10
2 2 1 0 1 27 65 −38 1 0 5
3 Mazda Blue Zoomers 2 0 0 2 33 80 −47 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.

Challenge 1

Standings

The final standings for the 2014–15 Top League Challenge 1 were:[4]

2014–15 Top League Challenge 1 standings
PosTeamPWDLPFPAPDTBLBPts<--Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts-->
1 Honda Heat 3 3 0 0 177 43 +134 1 0 13
2 3 2 0 1 124 57 +67 1 0 9
3 3 1 0 2 102 72 +30 1 0 5
4 3 0 0 3 25 256 −231 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 2014–15 Top League Challenge 1:[4]

Challenge 2

Standings

The final standings for the 2014–15 Top League Challenge 2 were:[4]

2014–15 Top League Challenge 2 standings
PosTeamPWDLPFPAPDTBLBPts<--Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts-->
1 Kamaishi Seawaves 2 2 0 0 53 34 +19 1 0 9
2 2 1 0 1 48 51 −3 0 0 4
3 Osaka Police 2 0 0 2 27 43 −16 0 1 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.

Matches

The following matches were played in the 2014–15 Top League Challenge 2:[4]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: West Regional Top League 2014/15 . The Rugby Archive . 23 January 2017.
  2. Web site: East Regional Top League 2014/15 . The Rugby Archive . 23 January 2017.
  3. Web site: Kyushu Regional Top League 2014/15 . The Rugby Archive . 23 January 2017.
  4. Web site: Top League Challenge 2014/15 . The Rugby Archive . 23 January 2017.