2021 Top Challenge League

2021 Top Challenge League
2021 Top Challenge League
Date	13 February – 3 April 2021
Champions	Toyota Industries Shuttles
Runners-up	Kintetsu Liners
Matches played	24
Official website
	www.rugby.or.jp

The 2021 Top Challenge League (Japanese: ジャパンラグビートップチャレンジリーグ2021) was the eighteenth and final season of the Top Challenge League, the second-tier of Japanese rugby. Similar to the previous season, no promotion was granted. In July 2021, three months following the conclusion of the 2021 season, the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) announced the creation of a new league system and structure, dissolving the Top Challenge League.

The Toyota Industries Shuttles won the 2021 title, defeating the Kintetsu Liners in the final ranking match.

Background

Format and dates

The competition featured nine teams divided into two conferences (A and B), with each conference contesting a single round-robin stage.^[2] This was followed by a ranking tournament, in which participating teams played two additional matches to determine the final standings.^[2] The top four teams qualified for the Japan Rugby Top League 2021 playoff tournament.^[2] As Conference B contained five teams, its bottom-placed side was classified ninth overall and did not advance to the ranking tournament.^[2] At the conclusion of the 2021 Top Challenge League, the top four teams (two from Group A and B) would take place in the Top League play-offs.^[3]

The initial schedule, January to March 2021, was postponed to the later dates of February to April 2021.^[4]

Teams and personnel

Following the premature cancellation of the 2020 Top League due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no teams were promoted or relegated from the regional leagues. The sole exception was Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions, which was automatically promoted after becoming the only regional league club to enter the newly established competition.

Overview

Team	Stadia information
Team	Stadia	Capacity
Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions 中国電力レッドレグリオンズ	Hiroshima General Ground, Hiroshima	13,800
Coca-Cola Red Sparks コカ・コーラレッドスパークス	Honjo Athletic Stadium, Kitakyushu	10,000
Kamaishi Seawaves 日本製鉄釜石シーウェイブス	Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium, Kamaishi	6,000
Kintetsu Liners 花園近鉄ライナーズ	Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiōsaka	30,000
Kurita Water Gush 栗田工業ウォーターガッシュ昭島	Kurita Ground, Akishima	N/a
Kyuden Voltex 九州電力キューデンヴォルテクス	Global Arena, Munakata	10,000
Mazda Blue Zoomers マツダ・ブルー・ズーマーズ	Hiroshima General Ground, Hiroshima	13,800
Shimizu Blue Sharks 清水建設江東ブルーシャークス	Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Aoyama	24,871
Toyota Industries Shuttles 豊田自動織機シャトルズ愛知	Paloma Mizuho Stadium, Nagoya	27,000

2021 Top Challenge League is located in Japan

2021 Top Challenge League venues

League standings

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts
1	Kintetsu Liners	3	3	0	158	59	+99	26	8	3	0	15
2	Shimizu Blue Sharks	3	1	2	87	126	−39	12	20	0	1	5^[a]
3	Kamaishi Seawaves	3	1	2	70	81	−11	10	12	0	1	5^[a]
4	Kurita Water Gush	3	1	2	71	120	−49	9	17	0	0	4

Source: Rugby.or.jp
Notes:

1 2 Head-to-head: Shimizu Blue Sharks 21–20 Kamaishi Seawaves

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts
1	Toyota Industries Shuttles	4	4	0	251	69	+182	38	11	4	0	20
2	Coca-Cola Red Sparks	4	3	1	142	59	+83	20	9	3	0	15
3	Kyuden Voltex	4	2	2	70	124	−54	11	18	1	0	9
4	Mazda Blue Zoomers	4	1	3	37	115	−78	6	16	0	1	5
5	Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions	4	0	4	38	171	−133	6	27	0	1	1

Source: Rugby.or.jp

League matches

Group A

Home \ Away	KAM	KIN	KUR	BLU
Kamaishi Seawaves	—	15–36	35–24	20–21
Kintetsu Liners	—	—	52–11	70–33
Kurita Water Gush	—	—	—	36–33
Shimizu Blue Sharks	—	—	—	—

Source: Rugby.or.jp
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Group B

Home \ Away	CHU	RED	VOL	MAZ	SHU
Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions	—	12–49	14–27	0–5	12–90
Coca-Cola Red Sparks	—	—	35–0	39–8	19–39
Kyuden Voltex	—	—	—	15–14	28–61
Mazda Blue Zoomers	—	—	—	—	10–61
Toyota Industries Shuttles	—	—	—	—	—

Source: Rugby.or.jp
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Play-offs

Placement matches

Placement semi-finals		Placement final

21 March – Chōfu

Kurita Water Gush	10
		3 April – Hiroshima
Kyuden Voltex	9
		Kurita Water Gush	22
21 March – Chōfu
		Kamaishi Seawaves	29
Kamaishi Seawaves	20

Mazda Blue Zoomers	7
		Third place

		3 April – Hiroshima

		Kyuden Voltex	50

		Mazda Blue Zoomers	7

Placement semi-finals

21 March 2021
11:30 JST (UTC+9)

Kurita Water Gush	10–9	Kyuden Voltex
	Report

AGF Field, Chōfu

21 March 2021
11:30 JST (UTC+9)

Kamaishi Seawaves	20–7	Mazda Blue Zoomers
	Report

AGF Field, Chōfu

Seventh place

3 April 2021
11:30 JST (UTC+9)

Kyuden Voltex	50–7	Mazda Blue Zoomers
	Report

Balcom BMW Rugby Stadium, Hiroshima
Attendance: 650

Fifth place

3 April 2021
11:30 JST (UTC+9)

Kurita Water Gush	22–29	Kamaishi Seawaves
	Report

Balcom BMW Rugby Stadium, Hiroshima
Attendance: 650

Title bracket

Semi-finals		Final

20 March – Higashiōsaka

Shimizu Blue Sharks	21
		3 April – Higashiōmi
Toyota Industries Shuttles	83
		Toyota Industries Shuttles	36
20 March – Higashiōsaka
		Kintetsu Liners	17
Kintetsu Liners	71

Coca-Cola Red Sparks	11
		Third place

		3 April – Higashiōmi

		Shimizu Blue Sharks	21

		Coca-Cola Red Sparks	47

Semi-finals

20 March 2021
11:30 JST (UTC+9)

Shimizu Blue Sharks	21–83	Toyota Industries Shuttles
	Report

Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiōsaka
Attendance: 1,711

20 March 2021
14:01 JST (UTC+9)

Kintetsu Liners	71–11	Coca-Cola Red Sparks
	Report

Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiōsaka
Attendance: 2,690

Third place

3 April 2021
11:30 JST (UTC+9)

Shimizu Blue Sharks	21–47	Coca-Cola Red Sparks
	Report

Nunobiki Green Stadium, Higashiōmi
Attendance: 1,049

Final

3 April 2021
14:00 JST (UTC+9)

Toyota Industries Shuttles	36–17	Kintetsu Liners
	Report

Nunobiki Green Stadium, Higashiōmi
Attendance: 1,302

References

↑ "ジャパンラグビートップチャレンジリーグ2021開幕延期による代替フォーマットならびに日程について" [Regarding the alternative format and schedule following the postponement of the Japan Rugby Top Challenge League 2021 opening]. rugby-kansai.or.jp (in Japanese). Kansai Rugby. 26 January 2021.
1 2 3 4 "2020年関東・関西・九州ラグビーフットボール協会主催ジャパンラグビートップチャレンジリーグ　スケジュールについて" [2020 Kanto, Kansai, and Kyushu Rugby Football Associations Hosted Japan Rugby Top Challenge League Schedule]. rugby.or.jp (in Japanese). Japan East Rugby Football Union. 28 September 2020.
↑ "Japan Rugby Top League 2021 Announces New Tournament Format and Season Calendar: Opening Round on Saturday, February 20th, 2021". en.rugby-japan.jp. Japan Rugby Football Union. 22 January 2021.
↑ "【TCL】開幕日の延期について" [[TCL] Regarding the postponement of the opening day]. rugby.or.jp (in Japanese). Japan East Rugby Football Union. 15 January 2021.

[table_hth_BLU0.14840266767349-5] 1 2 Head-to-head: Shimizu Blue Sharks 21–20 Kamaishi Seawaves

[1] "ジャパンラグビートップチャレンジリーグ2021開幕延期による代替フォーマットならびに日程について" [Regarding the alternative format and schedule following the postponement of the Japan Rugby Top Challenge League 2021 opening]. rugby-kansai.or.jp (in Japanese). Kansai Rugby. 26 January 2021.

[format-2] 1 2 3 4 "2020年関東・関西・九州ラグビーフットボール協会主催ジャパンラグビートップチャレンジリーグ　スケジュールについて" [2020 Kanto, Kansai, and Kyushu Rugby Football Associations Hosted Japan Rugby Top Challenge League Schedule]. rugby.or.jp (in Japanese). Japan East Rugby Football Union. 28 September 2020.

[3] "Japan Rugby Top League 2021 Announces New Tournament Format and Season Calendar: Opening Round on Saturday, February 20th, 2021". en.rugby-japan.jp. Japan Rugby Football Union. 22 January 2021.

[4] "【TCL】開幕日の延期について" [[TCL] Regarding the postponement of the opening day]. rugby.or.jp (in Japanese). Japan East Rugby Football Union. 15 January 2021.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[a]

Background

Format and dates

Teams and personnel

Overview

League standings

Group A

Group B

League matches

Group A

Group B

Play-offs

Placement matches

Placement semi-finals

Seventh place

Fifth place

Title bracket

Semi-finals

Third place

Final

See also

References