2017–18 Top Challenge League
| 2017–18 Top Challenge League | |
|---|---|
| Countries | Japan |
| Matches played | 12 |
| Tries scored | 114 (average 9.5 per match) |
|
← 2016–17
2018–19 →
|
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The 2017–18 Top Challenge League is the inaugural season of Japan's second-tier domestic rugby union competition, the Top Challenge League.
In January 2017, the JRFU announced the format of the Top Challenge League competition. The competition is being played in two stages. The First Stage is a round-robin format, where all eight teams play each other once.
The top four teams in the First Stage progressed to a Promotion Group, while the bottom four teams progressed to a Relegation Group. Each of these groups was another round-robin, with all four teams playing each other once.
The team that finishes top of the Promotion Group will win automatic promotion to the 2018–19 Top League, while the other three teams in the Promotion Group will progress to promotion play-offs against the teams placed 13th, 14th and 15th in the 2017–18 Top League.
The team that finishes bottom of the Relegation Group will be relegated to the regional leagues for 2018. The winners of the , and will compete in a Regional Challenge, with the winner replacing the relegated team in the 2018–19 Top Challenge League. The second-bottom team in the Relegation Group will progress to a promotion / relegation play-off match against the runner-up of the Regional Challenge.
The following teams take part in the 2017–18 Top Challenge League competition:
The standings for the 2017–18 Top Challenge League First Stage are:
The standings for the 2017–18 Top Challenge League Second Stage Promotion Group are:
The standings for the 2017–18 Top Challenge League Second Stage Relegation Group are:
At the end of the season, the team placed seventh will play against the regional team placed second for a place in the 2018–19 Top Challenge League.
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