2017 Top Challenge League

The 2017 Top Challenge League was the inaugural season of Japan's second-tier domestic rugby union competition, the Top Challenge League.[1]

2017 Top Challenge League
Countries	Japan
Date	9 September – 23 December 2017
Champions	Honda Heat
Runners-up	Hino Red Dolphins
Promoted	Honda Heat, Hino Red Dolphins
Relegated	Chubu Electric Power
Matches played	40

It was played from 9 September to 23 December 2017, with eight participating teams. Honda Heat won the competition for the second time – having previously won in 2014–15 – and won promotion to the 2018–19 Top League. Hino Red Dolphins, Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars and Kyuden Voltex finished second, third and fourth respectively to qualify for the promotion play-offs, while Kamaishi Seawaves finished seventh to qualify for the relegation play-offs. Chubu Electric Power finished eighth to be relegated to the third tier regional leagues for 2018.

Competition rules

In January 2017, the JRFU announced the format of the Top Challenge League competition. The competition was played in two stages. The First Stage was a round-robin format, where all eight teams played each other once.

The top four teams in the First Stage progressed to Group A of the Second Stage, while the bottom four teams progressed to Group B. Each of these groups was another round-robin, with all four teams playing each other once.

The team that finished top of Group A won automatic promotion to the 2018–19 Top League, while the other three teams in Group A progressed to promotion play-offs against the teams placed 13th, 14th and 15th in the 2017–18 Top League.

The team that finished bottom of Group B were relegated to the regional leagues for 2018. The winners of the Top East League, Top West League and Top Kyūshū League competed in a Regional Challenge, with the winner replacing the relegated team in the 2018 Top Challenge League. The second-bottom team in Group B progressed to a promotion / relegation play-off match against the runner-up of the Regional Challenge.[2]

Teams

Chubu Electric Power

Chugoku Red Regulions

Hino Red Dolphins

Honda Heat

Kamaishi Seawaves

Kyuden
Voltex

Mazda Blue Zoomers

Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars

Location of teams in the 2017 Top Challenge League

The following teams took part in the 2017 Top Challenge League competition:

2017 Top Challenge League teams
Team Name	Based
Chubu Electric Power	Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture
Chugoku Red Regulions	Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture
Hino Red Dolphins	Hino, Tokyo Metropolis
Honda Heat	Suzuka, Mie Prefecture
Kamaishi Seawaves	Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture
Kyuden Voltex	Fukuoka, Kyūshū
Mazda Blue Zoomers	Fuchū, Hiroshima Prefecture
Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars	Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture

First Stage

Standings

The final standings for the 2017 Top Challenge League First Stage were:

2017 Top Challenge League First Stage standings
Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TB	LB	Pts
1	Honda Heat	7	7	0	0	506	71	+434	7	0	35
2	Hino Red Dolphins	7	6	0	1	285	157	+128	4	0	28
3	Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars	7	5	0	2	242	125	+117	3	1	24
4	Kyuden Voltex	7	4	0	3	209	178	+31	2	0	18
5	Kamaishi Seawaves	7	2	1	4	162	188	−26	2	1	13
6	Mazda Blue Zoomers	7	2	1	4	176	217	−41	1	0	11
7	Chugoku Red Regulions	7	1	0	6	88	369	−281	1	0	5
8	Chubu Electric Power	7	0	0	7	76	439	−363	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.

• The top four teams qualified for the Second Stage Group A. Honda Heat carried 3 bonus points into the Second Stage, Hino Red Dolphins carried 2 bonus points into the Second Stage and Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars carried 1 bonus point into the Second Stage.
• The bottom four teams qualified for the Second Stage Group B. Kamaishi Seawaves carried 3 bonus points into the Second Stage, Mazda Blue Zoomers carried 2 bonus points into the Second Stage and Chugoku Red Regulions carried 1 bonus point into the Second Stage.

Round One

	9 September 2017	Chugoku Red Regulions	17–52	Hino Red Dolphins
	16:00		Report[3]		Attendance: 1,200

	9 September 2017	Honda Heat	53–12	Mazda Blue Zoomers
	16:00		Report[4]		Attendance: 1,400

	9 September 2017	Kyuden Voltex	47–17	Chubu Electric Power
	17:00		Report[5]		Attendance: 600

	10 September 2017	Kamaishi Seawaves	7–19	Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars
	15:00		Report[6]		Attendance: 1,811

Round Two

	16 September 2017	Hino Red Dolphins	55–7	Chubu Electric Power
	15:00		Report[7]

	16 September 2017	Kyuden Voltex	59–3	Chugoku Red Regulions
	16:00		Report[8]

	17 September 2017	Kamaishi Seawaves	3–60	Honda Heat
	12:30		Report[9]

	17 September 2017	Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars	19–5	Mazda Blue Zoomers
	15:00		Report[10]

Round Three

	24 September 2017	Kamaishi Seawaves	20–22	Kyuden Voltex
	12:00		Report[11]

	24 September 2017	Mazda Blue Zoomers	19–68	Hino Red Dolphins
	13:00		Report[12]

	24 September 2017	Chubu Electric Power	24–68	Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars
	14:30		Report[13]

	24 September 2017	Chugoku Red Regulions	0–103	Honda Heat
	15:00		Report[14]

Round Four

	7 October 2017	Kamaishi Seawaves	11–24	Hino Red Dolphins
	11:30		Report[15]

Bye/s: Chubu Electric Power, Chugoku Red Regulions, Honda Heat, Kyuden Voltex, Mazda Blue Zoomers, Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars

Round Five

	14 October 2017	Honda Heat	155–0	Chubu Electric Power
	13:00		Report[16]

	14 October 2017	Kyuden Voltex	31–20	Mazda Blue Zoomers
	13:00		Report[17]

	15 October 2017	Chugoku Red Regulions	7–48	Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars
	11:30		Report[18]

Bye/s: Hino Red Dolphins, Kamaishi Seawaves

Round Six

	21 October 2017	Kamaishi Seawaves	31–18	Chugoku Red Regulions
	13:00		Report[19]

	21 October 2017	Mazda Blue Zoomers	20–7	Chubu Electric Power
	13:00		Report[20]

	22 October 2017	Honda Heat	31–7	Kyuden Voltex
	13:00		Report[21]

	22 October 2017	Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars	16–22	Hino Red Dolphins
	14:00		Report[22]

Round Seven

	11 November 2017	Chugoku Red Regulions	8–69	Mazda Blue Zoomers
	13:00		Report[23]

	11 November 2017	Kyuden Voltex	10–45	Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars
	13:00		Report[24]

Bye/s: Chubu Electric Power, Hino Red Dolphins, Honda Heat, Kamaishi Seawaves

Round Eight

	18 November 2017	Mazda Blue Zoomers	31–31	Kamaishi Seawaves
	13:00		Report[25]

	19 November 2017	Hino Red Dolphins	42–33	Kyuden Voltex
	11:30		Report[26]

	19 November 2017	Chubu Electric Power	7–35	Chugoku Red Regulions
	14:00		Report[27]

	19 November 2017	Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars	27–50	Honda Heat
	14:00		Report[28]

Round Nine

	25 November 2017	Chubu Electric Power	14–59	Kamaishi Seawaves
	11:30		Report[29]

	25 November 2017	Honda Heat	54–22	Hino Red Dolphins
	14:00		Report[30]

Bye/s: Chugoku Red Regulions, Kyuden Voltex, Mazda Blue Zoomers, Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars

Second Stage Group A

Standings

The standings for the 2017 Top Challenge League Second Stage Group A are:

2017 Top Challenge League Second Stage Group A standings
Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	S1B	TB	LB	Pts
1	Honda Heat	3	3	0	0	200	23	+177	3	3	0	18
2	Hino Red Dolphins	3	2	0	1	66	79	−13	2	0	0	10
3	Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars	3	1	0	2	63	92	−29	1	1	0	6
4	Kyuden Voltex	3	0	0	3	31	166	−135	0	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, S1B = Stage 1 Bonus Points, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.

• Honda Heat is promoted to the 2018–19 Top League.
• Hino Red Dolphins, Kyuden Voltex and Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars qualify for the promotion play-offs.

Round One

	10 December 2017	Hino Red Dolphins	27–10	Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars
	11:30		Report[31]

	10 December 2017	Honda Heat	92–5	Kyuden Voltex
	14:00		Report[32]

Round Two

	17 December 2017	Hino Red Dolphins	29–14	Kyuden Voltex
	11:30		Report[33]

	17 December 2017	Honda Heat	53–8	Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars
	14:00		Report[34]

Round Three

	24 December 2017	Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars	45–12	Kyuden Voltex
	11:30		Report[35]

	24 December 2017	Honda Heat	55–10	Hino Red Dolphins
	14:00		Report[36]

Second Stage Group B

Standings

The standings for the 2017 Top Challenge League Second Stage Group B are:

2017 Top Challenge League Second Stage Group B standings
Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	S1B	TB	LB	Pts
5	Mazda Blue Zoomers	3	3	0	0	113	44	+69	2	1	0	15
6	Chugoku Red Regulions	3	2	0	1	95	67	+28	1	1	0	10
7	Kamaishi Seawaves	3	1	0	2	126	55	+71	3	1	2	10
8	Chubu Electric Power	3	0	0	3	15	183	−168	0	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, S1B = Stage 1 Bonus Points, TB = Try Bonus Points, LB = Losing Bonus Points, Pts = Log Points.

• Chugoku Red Regulions and Mazda Blue Zoomers remain in the Top Challenge League for 2018–19.
• Kamaishi Seawaves qualify for the relegation play-offs.
• Chubu Electric Power is relegated to regional leagues for 2018.

Round One

	9 December 2017	Mazda Blue Zoomers	29–17	Chugoku Red Regulions
	11:30		Report[37]

	9 December 2017	Kamaishi Seawaves	76–0	Chubu Electric Power
	14:00		Report[38]

Round Two

	16 December 2017	Mazda Blue Zoomers	60–5	Chubu Electric Power
	11:30		Report[39]

	16 December 2017	Kamaishi Seawaves	28–31	Chugoku Red Regulions
	14:00		Report[40]

Round Three

	23 December 2017	Chugoku Red Regulions	47–10	Chubu Electric Power
	11:30		Report[41]

	23 December 2017	Kamaishi Seawaves	22–24	Mazda Blue Zoomers
	14:00		Report[42]

Promotion and relegation

• Honda Heat won promotion to the 2018–19 Top League as champions of the Top Challenge League, replacing the 16th-placed Kintetsu Liners.
• Hino Red Dolphins beat NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes in the promotion play-offs to win promotion to the 2018–19 Top League.
• Kyuden Voltex and Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars failed to win their matches in the promotion play-offs, remaining in the Top Challenge League for 2018–19.
• Chubu Electric Power were relegated to the 2018 regional leagues, and were replaced by 2017 regional league winner Kurita Water Gush.
• Kamaishi Seawaves won their relegation play-off against 2017 regional league runner-up Osaka Police to remain in the Top Challenge League.

Relegation play-offs

At the end of the season, the team placed seventh will play against the regional team placed second for a place in the 2018 Top Challenge League.

	13 January 2018	Kamaishi Seawaves	55–19	Osaka Police
	12:00		Report[43]

See also

• 2017–18 Top League

References

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2. ジャパンラグビー トップチャレンジリーグ 2017-2018シーズン、参加8チーム決定 [Japan Rugby Top Challenge League 2017-2018 season, participating 8 teams determined] (Press release) (in Japanese). Top League. 28 January 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
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33. "リーグ戦 2ndステージAグループ第2節 日野自動車 対 九州電力 大会結果配信表". Japan Rugby Football Union (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 December 2017.
34. "リーグ戦 2ndステージAグループ第2節 Honda 対 三菱重工相模原 大会結果配信表". Japan Rugby Football Union (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 December 2017.
35. "リーグ戦 2ndステージAグループ第3節 三菱重工相模原 対 九州電力 大会結果配信表". Japan Rugby Football Union (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 December 2017.
36. "リーグ戦 2ndステージAグループ第3節 Honda 対 日野自動車 大会結果配信表". Japan Rugby Football Union (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 December 2017.
37. "リーグ戦 2ndステージBグループ第1節 マツダ 対 中電 大会結果配信表". Japan Rugby Football Union (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 December 2017.
38. "リーグ戦 2ndステージBグループ第1節 釜石SW 対 中部電力 大会結果配信表". Japan Rugby Football Union (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 December 2017.
39. "リーグ戦 2ndステージBグループ第2節 マツダ 対 中部電力 大会結果配信表". Japan Rugby Football Union (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 December 2017.
40. "リーグ戦 2ndステージBグループ第2節 釜石SW 対 中電 大会結果配信表". Japan Rugby Football Union (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 December 2017.
41. "リーグ戦 2ndステージBグループ第3節 中電 対 中部電力 大会結果配信表". Japan Rugby Football Union (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 December 2017.
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