2009 Top League Challenge Series


The 2009 Top League Challenge Series was the 2009 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 2009–10 season. The competition was contested from 11 to 25 January 2009.
Honda Heat and Ricoh Black Rams won promotion to the 2009–10 Top League, while Mazda Blue Zoomers and Toyota Industries Shuttles progressed to the promotion play-offs.

Competition rules and information

The top two teams from the regional :ja:トップイーストリーグ|Top East League, :ja:トップウェスト|Top West League and :ja:トップキュウシュウ|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 2009–10 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 2008 regional leagues.

Top West League

The final standings for the 2008 Top West League were:
The final standings for the 2008 Top East League were:
The following match was played:
The final standings for the 2008 Top Kyūshū League were:

Standings

The final standings for the 2009 Top League Challenge 1 were:
The following matches were played in the 2009 Top League Challenge 1:

Challenge 2

Standings

The final standings for the 2009 Top League Challenge 2 were:
  • Toyota Industries Shuttles progressed to the promotion play-offs.

    Matches

The following matches were played in the 2009 Top League Challenge 2: