The 1998-99 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two was the twelfth full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. The league was expanded from twelve teams to fourteen and new teams to the division included Bristol who had been relegated from the Allied Dunbar Premiership 1997–98 while London Welsh, Rugby Lions, Leeds Tykes and Worcester were promoted from National League 1. Allied Dunbar sponsored the top two divisions of the English rugby union leagues for the second season in a row. The leagues were previously known as the Courage Clubs Championship and sponsored by Courage Brewery.
| 1998–99 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  England |
| Champions | Bristol |
| Runners-up | Rotherham |
| Relegated | Blackheath and Fylde |
| Attendance | 150,221 (average 1,517 per match)[a 1] |
| Highest attendance | 7,326 Bristol at home to Worcester on 9 May 1999 |
| Lowest attendance | 287 Leeds Tykes at home to Moseley on 16 April 1999 |
| Top point scorer | Steve Gough (Coventry) 305 points |
| Top try scorer | Dean Lax (Rotherham) 18 tries [1] |
Bristol, the champions, were promoted to the Allied Dunbar Premiership for season 1999–00. The runners–up Rotherham lost to the thirteenth placed team in the Premiership (Bedford) in a two legged play–off and did not gain promotion. Blackheath and Fylde were relegated to Jewson National League 1 for the following season.[2]
Participating teams
edit
Locations of the 1998-1999 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two teams
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackheath | Rectory Field | 6,000 | Greenwich, London |
| Bristol | Memorial Stadium | 12,100 | Bristol |
| Coventry | Coundon Road | 9,000 | Coventry, West Midlands |
| Exeter | County Ground | 5,200 | Exeter, Devon |
| Fylde | Woodlands Memorial Ground | 9,000 | Lytham St Annes, Lancashire |
| Leeds Tykes | Headingley Stadium | 22,250 | Leeds, West Yorkshire |
| London Welsh | Old Deer Park | 5,850 | Richmond, London |
| Moseley | The Reddings | 10,000 | Birmingham, West Midlands |
| Orrell | Edge Hall Road | 5,500 | Orrell, Greater Manchester |
| Rotherham | Clifton Lane | 2,500 | Rotherham, South Yorkshire |
| Rugby Lions | Webb Ellis Road | 4,000[3] | Rugby, Warwickshire |
| Wakefield | College Grove | 3,000 | Wakefield, West Yorkshire |
| Waterloo | St Anthony's Road | 9,000 | Blundellsands, Merseyside |
| Worcester | Sixways | 8,477 | Worcester, Worcestershire |
Table
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol | 26 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 848 | 418 | +430 | 44 | Promoted |
| 2 | Rotherham | 26 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 756 | 336 | +420 | 44 | |
| 3 | Worcester | 26 | 18 | 0 | 8 | 716 | 409 | +307 | 34[a] | |
| 4 | London Welsh | 26 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 662 | 552 | +110 | 34 | |
| 5 | Exeter | 26 | 14 | 1 | 11 | 591 | 598 | −7 | 29 | |
| 6 | Leeds Tykes | 26 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 713 | 367 | +346 | 28[b] | |
| 7 | Coventry | 26 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 652 | 560 | +92 | 28 | |
| 8 | Orrell | 26 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 566 | 483 | +83 | 24 | |
| 9 | Waterloo | 26 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 419 | 634 | −215 | 24 | |
| 10 | Moseley | 26 | 10 | 0 | 16 | 498 | 633 | −135 | 20 | |
| 11 | Rugby | 26 | 9 | 0 | 17 | 425 | 660 | −235 | 18 | |
| 12 | Wakefield | 26 | 6 | 0 | 20 | 469 | 812 | −343 | 12 | |
| 13 | Blackheath | 26 | 5 | 0 | 21 | 419 | 842 | −423 | 10 | Relegated |
| 14 | Fylde | 26 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 375 | 805 | −430 | 9 |
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: Points are awarded as follows: two points for a win; one point for a draw; no points for a loss.
Rules for classification: Points are awarded as follows: two points for a win; one point for a draw; no points for a loss.
- If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: (1) difference between points for and against; (2) total number of points for.
Notes:
Results
editRound 1
editRound 2
editRound 3
edit| 19 September 1998 |
| Fylde | P - P | Rotherham |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled for 20 February 1999.
Round 4
editRound 5
editRound 6
editRound 7
editRound 8
editRound 9
editRound 10
editRound 11
editRound 12
editRound 13
editRound 14
editRound 15
edit| 16 January 1999 |
| Rugby Lions | P - P | Exeter |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled for 20 March 1999.
Round 16
edit| 23 January 1999 |
| Coventry | P - P | Bristol |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled for 21 February 1999.
Round 17
editRound 18
editRound 3 & 16 (Rescheduled games)
editRound 19
editRound 20
editRound 15 (Rescheduled game)
editRound 21
editRound 22
editRound 26 (Rescheduled game)
edit- Game brought forward from 8 May 1999.
Round 23
editRound 24
editRound 25
editRound 26
edit| 8 May 1999 |
| Blackheath | P - P | Exeter Chiefs |
- Game brought forward to 10 April 1999.
Total Season Attendances
edit| Club | Home Games |
Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackheath | 4[a 2] | 3,000 | 750 | 1,300 | 500 | 13% |
| Bristol | 13 | 43,369 | 3,336 | 7,326 | 2,012 | 28% |
| Coventry | 5[a 3] | 6,460 | 1,292 | 1,500 | 1,000 | 14% |
| Exeter | 5[a 4] | 6,040 | 1,208 | 2,000 | 670 | 23% |
| Fylde | 5[a 5] | 3,000 | 600 | 700 | 400 | 7% |
| Leeds Tykes | 13 | 11,230 | 864 | 2,682 | 287 | 4% |
| London Welsh | 13 | 16,800 | 1,292 | 2,400 | 600 | 22% |
| Moseley | 4[a 6] | 2,893 | 723 | 1,199 | 503 | 7% |
| Orrell | 6[a 7] | 5,750 | 958 | 1,200 | 700 | 32% |
| Rotherham | 2[a 8] | 4,520 | 2,260 | 3,000 | 1,520 | 90% |
| Rugby Lions | 4[a 9] | 3,513 | 878 | 1,200 | 600 | 79% |
| Wakefield | 6[a 10] | 3,500 | 583 | 800 | 450 | 19% |
| Waterloo | 6[a 11] | 3,777 | 630 | 900 | 400 | 7% |
| Worcester | 13 | 36,369 | 2,798 | 4,000 | 1,763 | 33% |
- ^ Note that 83 home attendances are missing (see below) - so the total attendance will not be 100% accurate. The average attendance has also been taken into account with the missing games not included.
- ^ Missing home attendances v Bristol on 3 October 1998, Coventry on 17 October 1998, Moseley on 31 October 1998, Waterloo on 21 November 1998, Fylde on 19 December 1998, Wakefield on 6 February 1999, Orrell on 27 March 1999, Exeter on 10 April 1999 and Rugby Lions on 24 April 1999.
- ^ Missing home attendances v Waterloo on 12 September 1998, Fylde on 26 September 1998, Orrell on 24 October 1998, Moseley on 19 December 1998, Blackheath on 13 February 1999, Rugby Lions on 13 March 1999, Exeter on 3 April 1999 and Wakefield on 8 May 1999.
- ^ Missing home attendances v Waterloo on 17 October 1998, Rugby Lions on 7 November 1998, Blackheath on 12 December 1998, London Welsh on 2 January 1999, Fylde on 23 January 1999, Worcester on 27 February 1999, Wakefield on 27 March 1999 and Orrell on 1 May 1999.
- ^ Missing home attendances v Orrell on 5 September 1998, Wakefield on 3 October 1998, Rugby Lions on 2 January 1999, Waterloo on 6 February 1999, Moseley on 27 February 1999, Coventry on 27 March 1999 and Blackheath on 1 May 1999.
- ^ Missing home attendances v Wakefield on 5 September 1998, Waterloo on 26 September 1998, Fylde on 10 October 1998, Orrell on 7 November 1998, Bristol on 2 January 1999, Blackheath on 23 January 1999, Rugby Lions on 13 February 1999, Exeter on 13 March 1999 and Coventry on 1 May 1999.
- ^ Missing home attendances v Rugby Lions on 12 September 1998, Blackheath on 26 September 1998, Wakefield on 31 October 1998, Moseley on 16 January 1999, Coventry on 6 February 1999, Fylde on 24 April 1999 and Waterloo on 8 May 1999.
- ^ Missing home attendances v Exeter on 12 September 1998, Rugby Lions on 26 September 1998, Blackheath on 10 October 1998, Bristol on 24 October 1998, Wakefield on 21 November 1998, Coventry on 16 January 1999, Leeds Tykes on 23 January 1999, Orrell on 13 February 1999, London Welsh on 13 March 1999, Fylde on 3 April 1999 and Waterloo on 24 April 1999.
- ^ Missing home attendances v Blackheath on 5 September 1998, Coventry on 3 October 1998, Moseley on 17 October 1998, Waterloo on 31 October 1998, Fylde on 21 November 1998, Wakefield on 27 February 1999, Exeter on 20 March 1999, Orrell on 7 April 1999 and London Welsh on 1 May 1999.
- ^ Missing home attendances v Rugby Lions on 10 October 1998, Blackheath on 24 October 1998, Coventry on 12 December 1998, Orrell on 23 January 1999, Fylde on 13 March 1999, Waterloo on 3 April 1999 and Moseley on 24 April 1999.
- ^ Missing home attendances v Wakefield on 19 September 1998, Fylde on 24 October 1998, Orrell on 12 December 1998, Blackheath on 2 January 1999, Rugby Lions on 23 January 1999, Moseley on 27 March 1999 and Coventry on 17 April 1999.
Individual statistics
edit- Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.
Top points scorersedit
|
Top try scorersedit
|
Season records
edit
Teamedit
60 - 3 Orrell at home to Blackheath on 26 September 1998
51 - 3 Worcester away to Blackheath on 16 January 1999
71 - 22 London Welsh at home to Blackheath on 17 April 1999
London Welsh at home to Blackheath on 17 April 1999
Coventry at home to Fylde on 26 September 1998
Leeds Tykes away to Coventry on 2 January 1999
N/A - multiple teams |
Playeredit
N/A - multiple players Attendancesedit
Bristol at home to Worcester on 9 May 1999
Leeds Tykes at home to Moseley on 16 April 1999
Bristol
Wakefield
|
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Stephen McCormack, ed. (2000). The Official RFU Club Directory 2000–2001. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press.
- ^ "Leagues 1998/99". Moseley Rugby Club. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
- ^ "Gloucester v. Leicester (PDF, opens in a new window)" (PDF). Gloucester Rugby Heritage. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "London Welsh Fixtures and results 1998-1999". Premiership Rugby. Archived from the original on 2014-09-14. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Exeter Chiefs Fixtures and results 1998-1999". Premiership Rugby. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Home attendances". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Leading point scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Leading try scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Most tries in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Most conversions in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Most penalties in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Most drop goals in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Most points in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Most tries in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Most conversions in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Most penalties in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Most drop goals in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.
- ^ "AD Prem 2 98/99 Home attendance". Rugby Statbunker. 9 May 1999.