NTT Docomo Promoted to Top League

TOKYO (Jan. 15) – NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes returned to the Japan Rugby Top League on Sunday, a year after losing their place in the top flight, by winning all three games they played in Top Challenge 1.

TC1 featured the three regional champions and the best runner-up with the winner of the round-robin tournament automatically promoted to the top flight. The three other sides can still earn promotion as they play the sides finishing 13th to 15th in the Top League in one-off promotion/relegation playoff games.

Dawie Theron’s side replace Honda Heat, who were relegated to the new national second division, the Top Challenge League.

Top West champions Docomo opened their campaign in Tokyo with a 68-12 win over Hino Red Dolphins, who finished runners-up in Top East before winning Top Challenge 2.

The Red Hurricanes then travelled to Fukuoka where they beat Top Kyushu champions Kyuden Voltex 39-12, before rounding off their campaign with a 30-14 victory over Top East champions Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars.

Mitsubishi finished second in TC1 with one win and two losses, having lost 19-12 to Kyuden in the opening round before beating Hino 29-12 in Round 2.

The Red Dolphins upset the Voltex 31-0 in the final round to take third place.

The promotion/relegation process concludes on Jan. 28 when Mitsubishi play Toyota Industries Shuttles, who finished the regular Top League season in 15th place, in Nagoya. Hino will take on Coca-Cola Red Sparks in Fukuoka while Kyuden will face Kintetsu Liners in Osaka.