The 2018 Top Challenge League was the second season of Japan's second-tier domestic rugby union competition, the Top Challenge League.
It was played from 8 September to 9 December 2018, with eight participating teams. NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes won the competition for the third time – having previously won in 2010–11 and 2016–17 and qualified for the promotion play-offs, along with Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars, Kintetsu Liners and Kurita Water Gush. Kamaishi Seawaves and Chugoku Red Regulions finished seventh and eighth respectively to qualify for the relegation play-offs.
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 four teams that competed in Group A progressed to promotion play-offs against the bottom four teams in the 2018–19 Top League.
The two team that finished bottom and second-bottom of Group B progressed to the relegation play-offs, along with the winners and the runners-up of the Regional Challenge, held between the champions of the Top East League, Top West League and Top Kyūshū League.
Teams
The following teams took part in the 2018 Top Challenge League competition:
2018 Top Challenge League teams Team name Based 2017–18 placing Chugoku Red Regulions Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture Top Challenge League, 6th Kamaishi Seawaves Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture Top Challenge League, 7th Kintetsu Liners Higashiosaka, Osaka, Kansai Top League, Relegated Kurita Water Gush Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture Regional Leagues, Champions Kyuden Voltex Fukuoka, Kyūshū Top Challenge League, 4th Mazda Blue Zoomers Fuchū, Hiroshima Prefecture Top Challenge League, 5th Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture Top Challenge League, 3rd NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes Osaka, Kansai Top League, Relegated
First stage
Standings
The current standings for the 2018 Top Challenge League First Stage are:
2018 Top Challenge League First Stage standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts 1 Kintetsu Liners 7 7 0 0 301 86 +215 47 13 6 0 34 2 NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes 7 6 0 1 345 136 +209 54 21 5 1 30 3 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars 7 5 0 2 250 157 +93 38 23 4 0 24 4 Kurita Water Gush 7 4 0 3 155 180 −25 24 29 2 0 18 5 Kamaishi Seawaves 7 2 0 5 176 226 −50 24 34 2 1 11 6 Mazda Blue Zoomers 7 2 0 5 173 275 −102 26 41 1 1 10 7 Chugoku Red Regulions 7 1 0 6 159 310 −151 23 46 1 0 5 8 Kyuden Voltex 7 1 0 6 90 279 −189 14 43 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, TF = Tries for, TA = Tries against, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Log points. The top four teams qualified for the Second Stage Group A. The bottom four teams qualified for the Second Stage Group B.
Matches
The 2018 Top Challenge League First Stage fixtures are:
Round one
Round two
Round three
Round four
Round five
Round six
Round seven
Second Stage Group A
Standings
The standings for the 2018 Top Challenge League Second Stage Group A are:
2018 Top Challenge League Second Stage Group A standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA S1B TB LB Pts 1 NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes 3 3 0 0 115 23 +92 17 2 2 2 0 16 2 Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars 3 2 0 1 64 71 −7 9 11 1 1 0 10 3 Kintetsu Liners 3 1 0 2 82 50 +32 12 6 3 1 0 8 4 Kurita Water Gush 3 0 0 3 14 131 −117 2 21 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, TF = Tries for, TA = Tries against, S1B = Stage 1 Bonus Points, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Log points.
Kintetsu Liners, Kurita Water Gush, Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars and NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes qualified for the promotion play-offs.
Matches
Round one
Round two
Round three
Second Stage Group B
Standings
The standings for the 2018 Top Challenge League Second Stage Group B are:
2018 Top Challenge League Second Stage Group B standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA S1B TB LB Pts 5 Kyuden Voltex 3 2 0 1 89 49 +40 14 6 0 2 1 11 6 Mazda Blue Zoomers 3 2 0 1 80 91 −11 10 14 2 0 0 10 7 Kamaishi Seawaves 3 1 0 2 87 89 −2 12 12 3 1 1 9 8 Chugoku Red Regulions 3 1 0 2 47 74 −27 6 10 1 0 1 6 Legend: P = Games played, W = Games won, D = Games drawn, L = Games lost, PF = Points for, PA = Points against, PD = Points difference, TF = Tries for, TA = Tries against, S1B = Stage 1 Bonus Points, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Log points.
Kyuden Voltex and Mazda Blue Zoomers remain in the Top Challenge League for 2019. Chugoku Red Regulions and Kamaishi Seawaves qualify for the relegation play-offs.
Matches
Round one
Round two
Round three
Relegation play-offs
Top Challenge League side Kamaishi Seawaves won their match to remain in the Top Challenge League for 2019. Top Challenge League side Chugoku Red Regulions lost their match and was relegated to the Top Kyūshū League for 2019. Top League East side Shimizu Blue Sharks won their match to win promotion to the Top Challenge League for 2019. Top League West side Chubu Electric Power lost their match to remain in the Top League West for 2019.
The matches played were:
See also
2018–19 Top League
References