2004 Top League Challenge Series

Rugby union competition in Japan 2004 Top League Challenge Series Japan 10 – 24 January 2004 Toyota Verblitz 1 IBM Big Blue IBM Big Blue Toyota Verblitz 6 2005 The 2004 Top League Challenge Series was the 2004 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 2004–05 season. The competition was contested from 10 to 24 January 2004. IBM Big Blue and Toyota Verblitz won promotion to the 2004–05 Top League, while Kyuden Voltex and Toyota Industries Shuttles 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 top two teams in Challenge 1 won automatic promotion to the 2004–05 Top League, while the third-placed team in Challenge 1 and the Challenge 2 winner qualified to the promotion play-offs. Qualification The teams qualified to the Challenge 1 and Challenge 2 series through the 2003 regional leagues. Top West League The final standings for the 2003 Top West League were:http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=98&Stagione=2003/04 West Regional Top League 2003/04 The Rugby Archive 23 January 2017 2003 Top West League standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 Toyota Verblitz 7 7 0 0 717 31 +686 7 0 35 2 Toyota Industries Shuttles 7 6 0 1 484 157 +327 6 0 30 3 Osaka Police 7 4 0 3 168 340 −172 3 0 19 4 NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes 7 3 0 4 223 464 −41 3 1 16 5 Chubu Electric Power 7 3 0 4 197 278 −81 3 1 16 6 Honda Heat 7 3 0 4 176 301 −125 2 0 14 7 JR West Railers 7 2 0 5 144 285 −141 3 0 11 8 Mitsubishi Red Evolutions 7 0 0 7 99 552 −453 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. Toyota Verblitz qualified for Challenge 1. Toyota Industries Shuttles qualified for Challenge 2. Top East League The final standings for the 2003 Top East League were:http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=99&Stagione=2003/04 East Regional Top League 2003/04 The Rugby Archive 23 January 2017 2003 Top East League (East) standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 IBM Big Blue 9 9 0 0 634 101 +533 9 0 45 2 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars 9 7 0 2 247 218 +29 5 1 34 3 Kamaishi Seawaves 9 6 0 3 255 220 +35 4 1 29 4 NTT Communications Shining Arcs 9 6 0 3 220 231 −11 4 0 28 5 Insurance Meiji Life Yasuda 9 4 1 4 233 240 −7 4 2 24 6 Kurita Water 9 4 0 5 255 252 +3 4 3 23 7 Tokyo Gas 9 4 1 4 264 245 +19 4 1 23 8 JAL Wings 9 3 0 5 205 221 −16 5 0 17 9 Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars 9 1 0 8 155 372 −217 2 1 7 10 Shimizu Blue Sharks 9 0 0 9 105 383 −278 1 2 3 2003 Top East League (North) standings 1 NTT Burns 6 5 0 1 216 69 +147 4 1 25 2 Akita Northern Bullets 6 5 0 1 245 97 +148 3 0 23 3 Funaoka SDF Wild Boars 6 2 0 4 230 158 +72 4 2 11 4 North Force 6 0 0 6 36 403 −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. IBM Big Blue qualified for Challenge 1. Kamaishi Seawaves qualified for Challenge 2 after a play-off series involving them, Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars and NTT Burns. The following matches were played: Round 1 23 December 2003 Kamaishi Seawaves 99–5 NTT Burns Round 2 4 January 2004 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars 27–31 Kamaishi Seawaves Top Kyūshū League The final standings for the 2003 Top Kyūshū League were:http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=100&Stagione=2003/04 Kyushu Regional Top League 2003/04 The Rugby Archive 23 January 2017 2003 Top Kyūshū League First Phase standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 Coca-Cola West Red Sparks 6 6 0 0 456 44 +412 6 0 30 2 Kyuden Voltex 6 5 0 1 337 74 +263 5 0 25 3 Chugoku Electric Power 6 4 0 2 333 236 +97 4 0 20 4 Mitsubishi Mizushima 6 2 0 4 91 296 −205 2 0 10 5 Mazda Blue Zoomers 6 2 0 4 124 67 +57 2 0 10 6 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 6 1 0 5 109 373 −264 2 0 6 7 JR Kyūshū Thunders 6 1 0 5 68 428 −360 0 0 4 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. Chugoku Electric Power, Coca-Cola West Red Sparks and Kyuden Voltex qualified to the Second Phase. 2003 Top Kyūshū League Second Phase standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 Kyuden Voltex 2 2 0 0 99 13 +86 1 0 9 2 Coca-Cola West Red Sparks 2 1 0 1 80 36 +44 1 1 6 3 Chugoku Electric Power 2 0 0 2 17 147 −130 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. Kyuden Voltex qualified for Challenge 1. Coca-Cola West Red Sparks qualified for Challenge 2. Challenge 1 Standings The final standings for the 2004 Top League Challenge 1 were:http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=97&Stagione=2003/04 Top League Challenge 2003/04 The Rugby Archive 23 January 2017 2004 Top League Challenge 1 standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 Toyota Verblitz 2 2 0 0 128 27 +101 2 0 10 2 IBM Big Blue 2 1 0 1 64 58 +6 1 0 5 3 Kyuden Voltex 2 0 0 2 32 139 −107 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. IBM Big Blue and Toyota Verblitz won promotion to the 2004–05 Top League. Kyuden Voltex progressed to the promotion play-offs. Matches The following matches were played in the 2004 Top League Challenge 1: 10 January 2004 Toyota Verblitz 97–5 Kyuden Voltex 18 January 2004 Kyuden Voltex 27–42 IBM Big Blue 24 January 2004 IBM Big Blue 22–31 Toyota Verblitz Challenge 2 Standings The final standings for the 2004 Top League Challenge 2 were: 2004 Top League Challenge 2 standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 Toyota Industries Shuttles 2 2 0 0 102 45 +57 2 0 10 2 Kamaishi Seawaves 2 1 0 1 43 87 −44 1 0 5 3 Coca-Cola West Red Sparks 2 0 0 2 57 70 −13 2 1 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. Toyota Industries Shuttles progressed to the promotion play-offs. Coca-Cola West Red Sparks and Kamaishi Seawaves remain in the regional leagues. Matches The following matches were played in the 2004 Top League Challenge 2: 10 January 2004 Toyota Industries Shuttles 42–30 Coca-Cola West Red Sparks 18 January 2004 Coca-Cola West Red Sparks 27–28 Kamaishi Seawaves 24 January 2004 Kamaishi Seawaves 15–60 Toyota Industries Shuttles See also 2003–04 Top League Top League Challenge Series References 2004 Challenge Category:2003–04 in Japanese rugby union Category:2004 rugby union tournaments for clubs