The Top Challenge League was a professional rugby union competition in Japan . It was the second-highest level of rugby competition in the country and is a companies league; all the teams are owned by major companies and the players are generally employees of their company. The Japan Rugby Football Union created the Top League Challenge Series in 2003 in order to give teams playing in the second-tier regional leagues a pathway to progress to the top tier Top League ; this became the Top Challenge League in 2017 when a second-tier league was introduced. The competition was disbanded following the creation of the fully-professional Japan Rugby League One ahead of 2022, with the Top League and Top Challenge League being absorbed together to form one three division tournament.
26-520: For the 2003–04 season, a Top League competition was created as the top-tier competition in Japan, consisting of twelve teams. All remaining teams were placed in one of three regional leagues, as follows: The Top League Challenge Series was introduced as a post-season competition for the leading teams from these three regional leagues to win promotion to the Top League for the following season. In August 2016,
52-536: A pathway to progress to the top tier Top League ; this became the Top Challenge League in 2017 when a second-tier league was introduced. The competition was disbanded following the creation of the fully-professional Japan Rugby League One ahead of 2022, with the Top League and Top Challenge League being absorbed together to form one three division tournament. For the 2003–04 season, a Top League competition
78-547: A second-tier league from 2017 onwards, known as the Top Challenge League. Between 2003–04 and 2016–17, the Top League Challenge Series consisted of two divisions – the Challenge 1 and the Challenge 2 series. The three teams that won the regional leagues progressed to the Challenge 1 series, while the runners-up progressed to the Challenge 2 series. In both divisions, teams played in a round-robin format to determine
104-573: Is a rugby union competition in Japan. It is the highest level of professional rugby competition in the country. The Japan Rugby Football Union created the competition in 2003, by absorbing the Japan Company Rugby Football Championship . The chief architect of the league was Hiroaki Shukuzawa who strongly felt the urgency of improving Japanese domestic company rugby to a professional level which would allow Japan to compete more convincingly at Rugby World Cups. Until 2022, it
130-446: The JRFU announced that the Top League Challenge Series would become a second-tier league from 2017 onwards, known as the Top Challenge League. Between 2003–04 and 2016–17, the Top League Challenge Series consisted of two divisions – the Challenge 1 and the Challenge 2 series. The three teams that won the regional leagues progressed to the Challenge 1 series, while the runners-up progressed to
156-485: The Challenge 2 series. In both divisions, teams played in a round-robin format to determine the final standings. While the exact format varied from season to season, a number of top-placed teams in the Challenge 1 won automatic promotion to the next season's Top League each season, while the next-best teams qualified for promotion play-off matches against teams that finished towards the bottom of that season's Top League. The top teams from Challenge 2 would either qualify to
182-546: The League at the end of the season. IBM also gained promotion to return to the league. Following the 2004 Challenge series with IBM and Toyota being promoted, the following 12 teams competed in the second season: Toshiba won both the league round-robin and the Microsoft Cup knockout competition contested by the top 8 teams after the regular season. The eleventh and twelfth teams (Kintetsu and IBM) were automatically relegated, and
208-414: The Top League in the 2007–08 season: The top four teams (Sanyo, Suntory, Toyota and Toshiba) played in the fifth Microsoft Cup to decide the league champion. Suntory beat Sanyo 14–10 in the final to become the 2007–08 champions. Mitsubishi (14th) and Ricoh (13th) were automatically relegated. The number of teams was increased from 12 to 14. Coca-Cola West Red Sparks became the second Kyushu-based team in
234-452: The Top League rose to become some of the highest in the rugby world ; in 2012, South Africa's Jaque Fourie , now with Kobelco Steelers , was widely reported to be the world's highest-paid player. The 2023-24 format for the Japanese club system is divided into three divisions. The league consists of 12 teams based in various cities in the country. A second-tier Top League Challenge Series
260-612: The Top League, with the JRFU adopting a new fully-professional three-tier system from 2022. More details about the new structure was announced to the media in January 2021. Featuring 25 teams, the 12 top-tier clubs would be split into two conferences, with seven teams competing in division two and six in division three. The new competition was formally announced as Japan Rugby League One in July 2021. The first season in 2003–04 featured 12 teams. The league
286-543: The Top League. IBM returned to the league. The top four teams in the league played in the Microsoft Cup which was officially integrated into the league from this season as the "Top League Play-off Tournament Microsoft Cup". Toshiba won the cup and also won the All-Japan Championship . Secom and World (13th and 14th) were automatically relegated, to be replaced by Kyuden Voltex , the third team from Kyushu to enter
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#1732858740663312-400: The creation of Rugby League One and its three divisions, the raison d'etre for the Top Challenge League ceased to exist, and it was discontinued. NTT Shining Arcs and Yamaha Jubilo which won their 2005 promotion/relegation play-offs ( Irekaesen ) against Canon Eagles and Kyuden Voltex to retain their places for the 2011–12 season. The following teams were in the league: The top 4 sides of
338-454: The cup was considered a separate competition to the Top League prior to 2007. Secom and Sanix were relegated at the end of the season. IBM and Toyota were promoted. The following foreign players that have played in the Top League have either won or been nominated for a major IRB award, played in a Rugby World Cup, played for a combined-nations touring side, or captained their national team. Top Challenge League The Top Challenge League
364-437: The final standings. While the exact format varied from season to season, a number of top-placed teams in the Challenge 1 won automatic promotion to the next season's Top League each season, while the next-best teams qualified for promotion play-off matches against teams that finished towards the bottom of that season's Top League. The top teams from Challenge 2 would either qualify to the promotion play-off matches, or progress to
390-468: The league, and Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars from Kanto. After the pre-season 2005 Challenge series , Secom and Sanix returned after a year out of the league, replacing Kintetsu and IBM. The following 12 teams competed in the third season: Toshiba again won both the league round-robin and the Microsoft Cup knockout competition contested by the top 8 teams after the regular season. Coca-Cola West Japan (now Coca-Cola West Red Sparks) gained promotion to
416-408: The league: Kintetsu Liners returned to the league, and Yokogawa Denki were promoted for the first time (and renamed Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars in the off season). They replaced Ricoh Black Rams and Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars . The following teams were in the league: Kyuden Voltex and Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars joined the league for the first time. The following 14 teams were in
442-607: The league: The top 4 sides (Toshiba, Sanyo, Toyota and Suntory) from the regular season competed in a knock out tournament to fight for the Top League title. In the final, Sanyo defeated Suntory 28–23. IBM Big Blue and Yokogawa Atlastars were automatically relegated at the completion of the 2008–9 season for finishing 13th and 14th. Ricoh and Honda won promotion through the Top Challenge series. Kyuden and Sanix retained their places in Top League when they won their respective promotion and relegation play-offs. The following teams were in
468-431: The ninth and tenth placed teams (World and Ricoh) had to win their 2005 promotion and relegation play-offs ( Irekaesen ) to stay in the Top League, which they did. The first season began with 12 teams: Toshiba won the inaugural Top League title by finishing on top of the round-robin competition. The top eight teams qualified for the inaugural Microsoft Cup . Toshiba went on to lose the final of Microsoft Cup to NEC, but
494-474: The promotion play-off matches, or progress to the same season's Challenge 1 series. The following Top League Challenge Series were played as post-season play-offs: The following Top Challenge League seasons were played as a round-robin league: Top League Japan Rugby League One ( Japanese : ジャパンラグビーリーグワン , romanized : Japanragubīrīguwan ), formerly known as the Top League ( Japanese : トップリーグ , romanized : Toppurīgu ),
520-553: The regular season (Suntory, Toshiba, Sanyo, and NEC) competed in the 2012 Top League Champions Cup knock-out tournament for the Top League title at Chichibu , Tokyo. Suntory defeated Sanyo 47–28 in the final to win the title. Both teams met again a few weeks later in the final of the 49th All-Japan Rugby Football Championship . Additionally, in the Wildcard play-offs , the Top League teams ranked 5th and 8th (Kintetsu Liners and Yamaha Jubilo) played each other at Hanazono, Osaka , as did
546-520: The teams ranked 6th and 7th (Kobe Steelers and Ricoh Black Rams), with the winners (Kobe and Yamaha) also qualifying for the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship. Honda Heat and Kyuden Voltex were automatically relegated at the completion of the 2009–10 season for finishing 13th and 14th. Toyota Industries Shuttles and NTT Communications Shining Arcs won promotion through the Top Challenge series. The following teams were in
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#1732858740663572-447: Was a professional rugby union competition in Japan . It was the second-highest level of rugby competition in the country and is a companies league; all the teams are owned by major companies and the players are generally employees of their company. The Japan Rugby Football Union created the Top League Challenge Series in 2003 in order to give teams playing in the second-tier regional leagues
598-412: Was also introduced in 2003. Between 2003–04 and 2016–17, teams from three regional leagues would qualify to this post-season competition, in which they could either win promotion to the next season's Top League, or qualify to promotion play-off matches. In 2017, a second-tier Top Challenge League was introduced, to operate in a league format above the regional leagues. The regional leagues are: With
624-401: Was an industrial league, where many players were employees of their company and the teams were all owned by major companies. While the competition was known for paying high salaries, only world-class foreign players and a small number of Japanese players played fully professionally, which meant most of the players still played in an amateur capacity. The delayed 2021 season was the final season of
650-439: Was created as the top-tier competition in Japan, consisting of twelve teams. All remaining teams were placed in one of three regional leagues, as follows: The Top League Challenge Series was introduced as a post-season competition for the leading teams from these three regional leagues to win promotion to the Top League for the following season. In August 2016, the JRFU announced that the Top League Challenge Series would become
676-461: Was expanded to 14 teams in 2006–07 and 16 teams in 2013–14. While Japan Rugby League One's season overlaps with the start of Super Rugby's season, the Top League played during the off-season of the Super Rugby . Therefore, many full-time foreign professionals from Southern Hemisphere countries played in the Top League, notably Tony Brown , George Gregan and Dan Carter . In the 2010s, salaries in
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