2004 Top League Challenge Series

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.

2004 Top League Challenge Series
CountriesJapan
Date10 – 24 January 2004
ChampionsToyota Verblitz (1st title)
Runners-upIBM Big Blue
PromotedIBM Big Blue
Toyota Verblitz
Matches played6

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:[1]

2003 Top West League standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Toyota Verblitz770071731+6867035
2Toyota Industries Shuttles7601484157+3276030
3Osaka Police7403168340−1723019
4NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes7304223464−413116
5Chubu Electric Power7304197278−813116
6Honda Heat7304176301−1252014
7JR West Railers7205144285−1413011
8Mitsubishi Red Evolutions700799552−453000
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.

Top East League

The final standings for the 2003 Top East League were:[2]

2003 Top East League (East) standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1IBM Big Blue9900634101+5339045
2Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars9702247218+295134
3Kamaishi Seawaves9603255220+354129
4NTT Communications Shining Arcs9603220231−114028
5Insurance Meiji Life Yasuda9414233240−74224
6Kurita Water9405255252+34323
7Tokyo Gas9414264245+194123
8JAL Wings9305205221−165017
9Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars9108155372−217217
10Shimizu Blue Sharks9009105383−278123
2003 Top East League (North) standings
1NTT Burns650121667+1494125
2Akita Northern Bullets650124597+1483023
3Funaoka SDF Wild Boars6204230158+724211
4North Force600636403−367000
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 following matches were played:

Top Kyūshū League

The final standings for the 2003 Top Kyūshū League were:[3]

2003 Top Kyūshū League First Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Coca-Cola West Red Sparks660045644+4126030
2Kyuden Voltex650133774+2635025
3Chugoku Electric Power6402333236+974020
4Mitsubishi Mizushima620491296−2052010
5Mazda Blue Zoomers620412467+572010
6Mitsubishi Heavy Industries6105109373−264206
7JR Kyūshū Thunders610568428−360004
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.
2003 Top Kyūshū League Second Phase standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Kyuden Voltex22009913+86109
2Coca-Cola West Red Sparks21018036+44116
3Chugoku Electric Power200217147−130000
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 2004 Top League Challenge 1 were:[4]

2004 Top League Challenge 1 standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Toyota Verblitz220012827+1012010
2IBM Big Blue21016458+6105
3Kyuden Voltex200232139−107101
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 2004 Top League Challenge 1:[4]

Challenge 2

Standings

The final standings for the 2004 Top League Challenge 2 were:[4]

2004 Top League Challenge 2 standings
Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1Toyota Industries Shuttles220010245+572010
2Kamaishi Seawaves21014387−44105
3Coca-Cola West Red Sparks20025770−13213
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 2004 Top League Challenge 2:[4]

gollark: I apparently have to pick a course within a few months before applying to university, and because the English system is so perfect and without flaw™ cannot really do the American thing of studying multiple things and specializing later. Fun!
gollark: Do related things and pick later?
gollark: As you can see, they're very pingy.
gollark: I have no idea what the spikes are, saturated network somewhere or something?
gollark: This is what my ping times look like.

See also

References
  1. "West Regional Top League 2003/04". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  2. "East Regional Top League 2003/04". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  3. "Kyushu Regional Top League 2003/04". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  4. "Top League Challenge 2003/04". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
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