2014–15 Top League Challenge Series

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.

2014–15 Top League Challenge Series
CountriesJapan
Date7 December 2014 – 25 January 2015
ChampionsHonda Heat (1st title)
Runners-upMitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars
PromotedHonda Heat
Matches played9

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
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Honda Heat660046653+4136030
2Osaka Police6303189193−43015
3Chubu Electric Power6303170224−543015
4JR West Railers600643398−355000
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
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars9900394127+2677043
2Kamaishi Seawaves9702308168+1407136
3Tokyo Gas9702322186+1365033
4Hino Red Dolphins9603301154+1475130
5Kurita Water9603305216+894028
6Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars9405232193+393221
7Yakult Levins9306158291−1332014
8IBM Big Blue9207190330−1402111
9Akita Northern Bullets9108224364−140318
10Secom Rugguts900985482−397011
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
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kyuden Voltex (R)660048155+4266030
2Chugoku Electric Power640226486+1784222
3Mazda Blue Zoomers640227795+1823120
4JR Kyūshū Thunders6402149162−133019
5Mitsubishi Heavy Industries6204110290−1802010
6Fukuoka Bank (P)610596322−226105
7Kagoshima Bank600635402−367000
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
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kyuden Voltex220010419+852010
2Chugoku Electric Power21012765−38105
3Mazda Blue Zoomers20023380−47000
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
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Honda Heat330017743+1341013
2Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars320112457+67109
3Kyuden Voltex310210272+30105
4Kamaishi Seawaves300325256−231000
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]

12 January 2015 Honda Heat 59–0 Kamaishi Seawaves  
12 January 2015 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars 36–23 Kyuden Voltex  
18 January 2015 Honda Heat 33–16 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars  
18 January 2015 Kyuden Voltex 26–17 Kamaishi Seawaves  
25 January 2015 Kyuden Voltex 15–17 Honda Heat  
25 January 2015 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars 26–27 Kamaishi Seawaves  

Challenge 2

Standings

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

2014–15 Top League Challenge 2 standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kamaishi Seawaves22005334+19109
2Chugoku Electric Power21014851−3004
3Osaka Police20022743−16011
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]

7 December 2014 Chugoku Electric Power 24–17 Osaka Police  
14 December 2014 Osaka Police 10–19 Kamaishi Seawaves  
23 December 2014 Kamaishi Seawaves 34–24 Chugoku Electric Power  

See also

References

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