2015–16 Top League Challenge Series

The 2015–16 Top League Challenge Series was the 2015–16 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 2016–17 season. The competition was contested from 13 December 2015 to 24 January 2016.

2015–16 Top League Challenge Series
CountriesJapan
Date13 December 2015 – 24 January 2016
ChampionsMunakata Sanix Blues (2nd title)
Runners-upMitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars
Matches played9

There was no automatic promotion to the 2016–17 Top League, but Kyuden Voltex, Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars, Munakata Sanix Blues and Osaka Police 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.

All four teams in Challenge 1 qualified to the promotion play-offs.

Qualification

The teams qualified to the Challenge 1 and Challenge 2 series through the 2015 regional leagues.

Top West League

The final standings for the 2015 Top West League were:[1]

2015 Top West League First Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Osaka Police440016031+1293019
2Chubu Electric Power430111259+532115
3Unitika Phoenix (P)42029585+10109
4JR West Railers41036295−33116
5Mitsubishi Red Evolutions (P)400451210−159000
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.
  • Chubu Electric Power, JR West Railers, Osaka Police and Unitika Phoenix qualified to the Second Phase.
  • Mitsubishi Red Evolutions were relegated to lower leagues.
2015 Top West League Second Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Osaka Police33006725+421013
2Chubu Electric Power32019544+512111
3JR West Railers31022476−52105
4Unitika Phoenix (P)30033879−41011
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 East League

The final standings for the 2015 Top East League were:[2]

2015 Top East League standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars9900401126+2759045
2Kamaishi Seawaves9801298176+1226038
3Tokyo Gas9702376183+1936034
4Hino Red Dolphins9603318185+1337132
5Kurita Water9405284230+547326
6Yakult Levins9504223232−93124
7Akita Northern Bullets9207121280−1592111
8Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars9207203364−1612111
9IBM Big Blue9207110308−1981110
10Secom Rugguts9009160410−250112
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 2015 Top Kyūshū League were:[3]

2015 Top Kyūshū League First Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Munakata Sanix Blues (R)770058322+5617035
2Kyuden Voltex760140487+3175029
3Mazda Blue Zoomers7502292179+1135025
4Chugoku Electric Power7403302178+1244121
5JR Kyūshū Thunders7304202245−434016
6Mitsubishi Heavy Industries7205152367−2152010
7Nippon Steel Yawata (P)710649461−412105
8Fukuoka Bank700752497−445000
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.
2015 Top Kyūshū League Second Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Munakata Sanix Blues (R)330021712+2053015
2Kyuden Voltex320171105−342010
3Mazda Blue Zoomers310255143−88105
4Chugoku Electric Power300337120−83000
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.

Challenge 1

Standings

The final standings for the 2015–16 Top League Challenge 1 were:[4]

2015–16 Top League Challenge 1 standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Munakata Sanix Blues330016632+1343015
2Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars320111586+292010
3Kyuden Voltex310264107−43105
4Osaka Police300322142−120000
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 2015–16 Top League Challenge 1:[4]

10 January 2016 Munakata Sanix Blues 48–18 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars  
10 January 2016 Osaka Police 3–31 Kyuden Voltex  
17 January 2016 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars 54–19 Osaka Police  
17 January 2016 Munakata Sanix Blues 61–14 Kyuden Voltex  
24 January 2016 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars 43–19 Kyuden Voltex  
24 January 2016 Osaka Police 0–57 Munakata Sanix Blues  

Challenge 2

Standings

The final standings for the 2015–16 Top League Challenge 2 were:[4]

2015–16 Top League Challenge 2 standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kyuden Voltex22006929+402010
2Kamaishi Seawaves21016850+18105
3Chubu Electric Power20022987−58000
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 2015–16 Top League Challenge 2:[4]

13 December 2015 Kyuden Voltex 38–12 Kamaishi Seawaves  
20 December 2015 Chubu Electric Power 17–31 Kyuden Voltex  
26 December 2015 Kamaishi Seawaves 56–12 Chubu Electric Power  

See also

References

  1. "West Regional Top League 2015/16". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  2. "East Regional Top League 2015/16". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  3. "Kyushu Regional Top League 2015/16". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  4. "Top League Challenge 2015/16". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
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