2009 Top League Challenge Series

Rugby union competition in Japan 2009 Top League Challenge Series Japan 11 – 25 January 2009 Ricoh Black Rams 1 Honda Heat Honda Heat Ricoh Black Rams 6 2008 2010 The 2009 Top League Challenge Series was the 2009 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 2009–10 season. The competition was contested from 11 to 25 January 2009. Honda Heat and Ricoh Black Rams won promotion to the 2009–10 Top League, while Mazda Blue Zoomers 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 2009–10 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 2008 regional leagues. Top West League The final standings for the 2008 Top West League were:http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=98&Stagione=2008/09 West Regional Top League 2008/09 The Rugby Archive 23 January 2017 2008 Top West League First Phase standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 Honda Heat 5 5 0 0 220 58 +162 4 0 24 2 Toyota Industries Shuttles 5 4 0 1 238 89 +149 3 0 19 3 World Fighting Bull 5 3 0 2 192 107 +85 3 1 16 4 NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes 5 2 0 3 95 154 −59 2 0 10 5 Chubu Electric Power 5 1 0 4 54 224 −170 1 0 5 6 Osaka Police 5 0 0 5 67 234 −167 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. Honda Heat, Toyota Industries Shuttles and World Fighting Bull qualified to the Second Phase. 2008 Top West League Second Phase standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 Honda Heat 2 2 0 0 85 42 +43 1 0 9 2 Toyota Industries Shuttles 2 1 0 1 57 62 −5 2 1 7 3 World Fighting Bull 2 0 0 2 39 77 −38 1 1 2 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. Honda Heat qualified for Challenge 1. Toyota Industries Shuttles qualified for Challenge 2. World Fighting Bull were dissolved. Top East League The final standings for the 2008 Top East League were:http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=99&Stagione=2008/09 East Regional Top League 2008/09 The Rugby Archive 23 January 2017 2008 Top East League standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 Ricoh Black Rams (R) 10 10 0 0 546 139 +407 10 0 50 2 NTT Communications Shining Arcs 10 8 0 2 375 170 +205 7 1 40 3 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars (R) 10 7 0 3 404 229 +175 8 0 36 4 Tokyo Gas 10 7 0 3 378 205 +173 6 0 34 5 Secom Rugguts 10 6 0 4 427 177 +250 6 2 32 6 Kamaishi Seawaves 10 7 0 3 240 221 +19 3 0 31 7 Suntory Foods 10 4 0 6 168 415 −247 3 1 20 8 Kurita Water 10 3 0 7 188 265 −77 2 1 15 9 JAL Wings 10 2 0 8 230 386 −156 3 0 11 10 Hino Red Dolphins (P) 10 1 0 9 129 525 −396 1 1 6 11 Akita Northern Bullets 10 0 0 10 118 471 −353 1 1 2 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. Ricoh Black Rams qualified for Challenge 1. NTT Communications Shining Arcs qualified for Challenge 2 after a play-off match against Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars. The following match was played: 4 January 2009 NTT Communications Shining Arcs 32–28 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars Hino Red Dolphins were relegated to lower leagues. Top Kyūshū League The final standings for the 2008 Top Kyūshū League were:http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=100&Stagione=2008/09 Kyushu Regional Top League 2008/09 The Rugby Archive 23 January 2017 2008 Top Kyūshū League First Phase standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 Mazda Blue Zoomers 5 5 0 0 322 54 +268 5 0 25 2 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 5 3 0 2 191 69 +122 3 1 16 3 Chugoku Electric Power 5 3 0 2 122 138 −16 2 0 14 4 JR Kyūshū Thunders 5 2 0 3 48 188 −140 0 0 8 5 Toshiba Oita 5 1 0 4 61 163 −102 1 2 7 6 Yaskawa (P) 5 1 0 4 44 176 −132 0 1 5 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. Chugoku Electric Power, Mazda Blue Zoomers and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries qualified to the Second Phase. Toshiba Oita and Yaskawa were relegated to lower leagues. 2008 Top Kyūshū League Second Phase standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 Mazda Blue Zoomers 2 2 0 0 70 14 +56 2 0 10 2 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 2 1 0 1 34 53 −19 1 0 5 3 Chugoku Electric Power 2 0 0 2 36 73 −37 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. Mazda Blue Zoomers qualified for Challenge 1. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries qualified for Challenge 2. Challenge 1 Standings The final standings for the 2009 Top League Challenge 1 were:http://www.rugbyarchive.net/Pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=97&Stagione=2008/09 Top League Challenge 2008/09 The Rugby Archive 23 January 2017 2009 Top League Challenge 1 standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 Ricoh Black Rams 2 2 0 0 135 20 +115 2 0 10 2 Honda Heat 2 1 0 1 80 79 +1 1 0 5 3 Mazda Blue Zoomers 2 0 0 2 25 141 −116 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. Honda Heat and Ricoh Black Rams won promotion to the 2009–10 Top League. Mazda Blue Zoomers progressed to the promotion play-offs. Matches The following matches were played in the 2009 Top League Challenge 1: 11 January 2009 Mazda Blue Zoomers 25–60 Honda Heat 17 January 2009 Ricoh Black Rams 81–0 Mazda Blue Zoomers 25 January 2009 Honda Heat 20–54 Ricoh Black Rams Challenge 2 Standings The final standings for the 2009 Top League Challenge 2 were: 2009 Top League Challenge 2 standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts 1 Toyota Industries Shuttles 2 2 0 0 161 57 +104 2 0 10 2 NTT Communications Shining Arcs 2 1 0 1 157 41 +116 2 0 6 3 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 2 0 0 2 24 244 −220 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 Industries Shuttles progressed to the promotion play-offs. Matches The following matches were played in the 2009 Top League Challenge 2: 11 January 2009 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 24–120 Toyota Industries Shuttles 17 January 2009 NTT Communications Shining Arcs 124–0 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 25 January 2009 Toyota Industries Shuttles 41–33 NTT Communications Shining Arcs See also 2008–09 Top League Top League Challenge Series References 2009 Challenge Category:2008–09 in Japanese rugby union Category:2009 rugby union tournaments for clubs