2013–14 Top League Challenge Series
# 2013–14 Top League Challenge Series

The 2013–14 Top League Challenge Series was the 2013–14 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 2014–15 season. The competition was contested from 7 December 2013 to 26 January 2014.

Fukuoka Sanix Blues won promotion to the 2014–15 Top League, while Honda Heat, Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars and Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars 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 team in Challenge 1 won automatic promotion to the 2014–15 Top League, while the other three teams qualified to the promotion play-offs.

## Qualification

The teams qualified to the Challenge 1 and Challenge 2 series through the 2013 regional leagues.

### Top West League

The final standings for the 2013 Top West League were:

| 2013 Top West League standings |
| - |
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Honda Heat | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 393 | 37 | +356 | 6 | 0 | 30 |
| 2 | Chubu Electric Power | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 137 | 212 | −75 | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Osaka Police | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 128 | 120 | +8 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| 4 | JR West Railers | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 60 | 349 | −289 | 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. |

* Honda Heat qualified for Challenge 1.
* Chubu Electric Power qualified for Challenge 2.

### Top East League

The final standings for the 2013 Top East League were:

| 2013 Top East League standings |
| - |
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 532 | 62 | +470 | 9 | 0 | 45 |
| 2 | Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 267 | 135 | +132 | 5 | 0 | 37 |
| 3 | Kamaishi Seawaves | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 383 | 124 | +259 | 6 | 0 | 34 |
| 4 | Kurita Water | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 239 | 165 | +74 | 4 | 1 | 29 |
| 5 | Tokyo Gas | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 305 | 228 | +77 | 6 | 0 | 26 |
| 6 | Yakult Levins | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 247 | 219 | +28 | 5 | 1 | 18 |
| 7 | Hino Red Dolphins | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 166 | 293 | −127 | 3 | 1 | 16 |
| 8 | Akita Northern Bullets | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 166 | 410 | −244 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| 9 | IBM Big Blue | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 122 | 398 | −276 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 10 | Secom Rugguts (P) | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 70 | 463 | −393 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 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. |

* Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars qualified for Challenge 1.
* Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars qualified for Challenge 2.

### Top Kyūshū League

The final standings for the 2013 Top Kyūshū League were:

| 2013 Top Kyūshū League First Phase standings |
| - |
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Fukuoka Sanix Blues (R) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 520 | 26 | +494 | 6 | 0 | 30 |
| 2 | Mazda Blue Zoomers | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 242 | 109 | +133 | 4 | 0 | 24 |
| 3 | Chugoku Electric Power | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 197 | 120 | +77 | 3 | 1 | 20 |
| 4 | JR Kyūshū Thunders | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 203 | 140 | +63 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (P) | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 159 | 287 | −128 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| 6 | Nippon Steel Yawata | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 64 | 343 | −279 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 7 | Kagoshima Bank (P) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 84 | 444 | −360 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 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. |

* Chugoku Electric Power, Fukuoka Sanix Blues and Mazda Blue Zoomers qualified to the Second Phase.
* Nippon Steel Yawata were relegated to lower leagues.

| 2013 Top Kyūshū League Second Phase standings |
| - |
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Fukuoka Sanix Blues | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 179 | 6 | +173 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| 2 | Mazda Blue Zoomers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 91 | −63 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Chugoku Electric Power | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 123 | −110 | 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. |

* Fukuoka Sanix Blues qualified for Challenge 1.
* Mazda Blue Zoomers qualified for Challenge 2.

## Challenge 1

### Standings

The final standings for the 2013–14 Top League Challenge 1 were:

| 2013–14 Top League Challenge 1 standings |
| - |
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Fukuoka Sanix Blues | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 177 | 43 | +134 | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| 2 | Honda Heat | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 124 | 57 | +67 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| 3 | Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 102 | 72 | +30 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 4 | Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 256 | −231 | 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. |

* Fukuoka Sanix Blues won promotion to the 2014–15 Top League.
* Honda Heat, Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars and Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars progressed to the promotion play-offs.

### Matches

The following matches were played in the 2013–14 Top League Challenge 1:

## Challenge 2

### Standings

The final standings for the 2013–14 Top League Challenge 2 were:

| 2013–14 Top League Challenge 2 standings |
| - |
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 57 | 51 | +6 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 2 | Mazda Blue Zoomers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 68 | 63 | +5 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 3 | Chubu Electric Power | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 49 | 60 | −11 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 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. |

* Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars progressed to Challenge 1.

### Matches

The following matches were played in the 2013–14 Top League Challenge 2:

