2011–12 Top League Challenge Series
CountriesJapan
Date25 December 2011 – 11 February 2012
ChampionsCanon Eagles (1st title)
Runners-upKyuden Voltex
PromotedCanon Eagles
Kyuden Voltex
Matches played9

The 2011–12 Top League Challenge Series was the 2011–12 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 2012–13 season. The competition was contested from 25 December 2011 to 11 February 2012.

Canon Eagles and Kyuden Voltex won promotion to the 2012–13 Top League, while Kubota Spears 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 winner of Challenge 2 also progressed to a four-team Challenge 1.

The top two teams in Challenge 1 won automatic promotion to the 2012–13 Top League, while the third and fourth-placed teams qualified to the promotion play-offs.

Qualification

The teams qualified to the Challenge 1 and Challenge 2 series through the 2011 regional leagues.

Top West League

The final standings for the 2011 Top West League were:[1]

2011 Top West League standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Toyota Industries Shuttles (R)660038527+3585029
2Chubu Electric Power6402126180−542018
3Osaka Police6204125113+122111
4JR West Railers (P)600610326−316000
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.

Top East League

The final standings for the 2011 Top East League were:[2]

2011 Top East League standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Canon Eagles9810510108+4027041
2Kubota Spears (R)980136894+2746038
3Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars971128997+1925035
4Kamaishi Seawaves9603243202+415231
5Tokyo Gas9504208219−113023
6Kurita Water9405151226−753120
7Akita Northern Bullets9306119371−2522014
8Hino Red Dolphins9117117353−236219
9Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars910882120−38015
10IBM Big Blue901876375−299002
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.

Top Kyūshū League

The final standings for the 2011 Top Kyūshū League were:[3]

2011 Top Kyūshū League First Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kyuden Voltex660046926+4436030
2Mazda Blue Zoomers650136197+2645025
3JR Kyūshū Thunders6402220125+953019
4Chugoku Electric Power6303200147+533015
5Mitsubishi Heavy Industries6204146396−2502010
6Mitsubishi Mizushima (P)610563376−313105
7Fukuoka Bank (P)600634416−382011
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.
  • JR Kyūshū Thunders, Kyuden Voltex and Mazda Blue Zoomers qualified to the Second Phase.
  • Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Mizushima were relegated to lower leagues.
2011 Top Kyūshū League Second Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kyuden Voltex220011938+812010
2JR Kyūshū Thunders21014095−55105
3Mazda Blue Zoomers20024774−26213
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.

Challenge 1

Standings

The final standings for the 2011–12 Top League Challenge 1 were:[4]

2011–12 Top League Challenge 1 standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Canon Eagles3201100116−162010
2Kyuden Voltex320110558+47109
3Toyota Industries Shuttles320111076+34109
4Kubota Spears300361126−65101
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 2011–12 Top League Challenge 1:[4]

29 January 2012 Kyuden Voltex 15–28 Kubota Spears  
29 January 2012 Toyota Industries Shuttles 24–46 Canon Eagles  
4 February 2012 Canon Eagles 37–24 Kubota Spears  
4 February 2012 Kyuden Voltex 22–13 Toyota Industries Shuttles  
11 February 2012 Canon Eagles 17–68 Kyuden Voltex  
11 February 2012 Toyota Industries Shuttles 24–58 Kubota Spears  

Challenge 2

Standings

The final standings for the 2011–12 Top League Challenge 2 were:[4]

2011–12 Top League Challenge 2 standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kubota Spears220017040+1302010
2Chubu Electric Power21013876−38004
3JR Kyūshū Thunders200226118−92000
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 2011–12 Top League Challenge 2:[4]

25 December 2011 JR Kyūshū Thunders 5–19 Chubu Electric Power  
3 January 2012 Kubota Spears 99–21 JR Kyūshū Thunders  
14 January 2012 Chubu Electric Power 19–71 Kubota Spears  

See also

References

  1. "West Regional Top League 2011/12". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  2. "East Regional Top League 2011/12". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  3. "Kyushu Regional Top League 2011/12". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Top League Challenge 2011/12". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
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