The 2023–24 Scottish League Championship, or 2023–24 Tennents League Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the 48th season of formal domestic rugby union leagues in Scotland.
| 2023–24 Scottish League Championship | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  Scotland |
| Champions | Currie (3) |
| Matches played | 93 |
| Tries scored | 726 (average 7.8 per match) |
The season began on September 2, 2023, with defending champions Hawick RFC playing Glasgow Hawks at their home pitch of Mansfield Park. Kelso RFC was promoted to the premier league to take the place of Glasgow Hutchesons Aloysians, who were relegated to National Division One.
Currie won their third Championship title and first in over 14 years, with Hawick finishing as runners up after a repeat of last season's final. Jed-Forest were relegated after finishing bottom.
The format was altered slightly from last season, with all Divisions having 10 teams as opposed to 2022-23 in which all but the Premiership division had 12 teams. In addition, a new fourth National Division was established with the bottom three teams competing in it being relegated to their respective Regional League Division 1.[1]
Premier Division
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| ||||||||||||
| Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawick | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 617 | 259 | 358 | 11 | 0 | 77 | Qualified to Playoffs |
| 2 | Marr | 18 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 620 | 421 | 199 | 13 | 2 | 71 | |
| 3 | Currie | 18 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 616 | 341 | 275 | 13 | 2 | 65 | |
| 4 | Kelso | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 476 | 451 | 25 | 9 | 2 | 53 | |
| 5 | Heriot's | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 477 | 474 | 3 | 13 | 3 | 50 | |
| 6 | Musselburgh | 18 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 482 | 607 | -125 | 12 | 3 | 47 | |
| 7 | Edinburgh Academicals | 18 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 470 | 437 | 33 | 10 | 6 | 46 | |
| 8 | Glasgow Hawks | 18 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 465 | 479 | -14 | 8 | 5 | 39 | |
| 9 | Selkirk | 18 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 399 | 591 | -192 | 8 | 3 | 35 | |
| 10 | Jed-Forest | 18 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 314 | 876 | -562 | 4 | 1 | 5 | Relegated |
Source [2]
Statistics
editMost tries Scored per team
- Currie (92)
Most tries scored per player
- Andrew Mitchell - Hawick (20)
Most points scored per team
- Marr (622)
Most points scored per player
- Kirk Ford - Hawick (245)
Most Yellow cards
- Currie (16)
Most Red cards
- Hawick (3)
Source: [3]
Playoffs
edit| Semi-finals | Final | |||||
| 2 March – Mansfield Park | ||||||
| Hawick | 25 | |||||
| 4 May – Mansfield Park | ||||||
| Kelso | 9 | |||||
| Hawick | 24 | |||||
| 2 March – Fullarton Park | ||||||
| Currie | 26 | |||||
| Marr | 12 | |||||
| Currie | 27 | |||||
Semifinals
edit| 2 March 2024 15:00 |
| Hawick | 25-9 | Kelso |
| Try: C Welsh 30' c McKean 45' c Redpath 80' c Con: Ford (2/3) Pen: Ford (2/2) | [4] | Pen: Patterson (3/3) |
| Mansfield Park Referee: Rob McDowell |
| 2 March 2024 15:00 |
| Marr | 12-27 | Currie |
| Try: C Bickerstaff 10' c Sturgeon 80' c Con: Sturgeon (1/2) | [5] | Try: Davies 10' c Innes 20' c Cardosi 45' c McCaig 60' c Con: Brett (3/4) Pen: Brett (1/1) |
| Fullarton Park Referee: Sam O’Neill |
Finals
editNational Division One
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| ||||||||||||
| Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ayr | 18 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 721 | 419 | 302 | 13 | 1 | 74 | Promoted |
| 2 | GHA | 18 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 545 | 431 | 114 | 13 | 4 | 61 | |
| 3 | Highland | 18 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 465 | 359 | 106 | 9 | 1 | 56 | |
| 4 | Watsonians | 18 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 539 | 484 | 55 | 11 | 2 | 55 | |
| 5 | Melrose | 17 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 560 | 468 | 92 | 13 | 2 | 51 | |
| 6 | Glasgow Academicals | 17 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 554 | 475 | 79 | 12 | 3 | 51 | |
| 7 | Biggar | 18 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 503 | 575 | -72 | 10 | 4 | 40 | |
| 8 | Gala | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 492 | 576 | -84 | 8 | 3 | 39 | |
| 9 | Dundee | 18 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 447 | 580 | -133 | 8 | 1 | 33 | |
| 10 | GHK | 18 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 328 | 787 | -459 | 5 | 2 | 21 | Relegated |
Source [7]
National Division Two
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| Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peebles | 15 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 472 | 278 | 194 | 11 | 1 | 62 | Promoted |
| 2 | Falkirk | 15 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 570 | 402 | 168 | 13 | 0 | 61 | |
| 3 | Newton Stewart | 17 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 434 | 340 | 94 | 8 | 1 | 57 | |
| 4 | Lasswade | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 405 | 326 | 79 | 11 | 1 | 54 | |
| 5 | Gordonians | 15 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 406 | 291 | 115 | 8 | 3 | 43 | |
| 6 | Stewart's Melville | 15 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 411 | 471 | -60 | 7 | 2 | 32[1] | |
| 7 | Kirkcaldy | 16 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 424 | 597 | -173 | 8 | 2 | 30 | |
| 8 | Stirling | 14 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 391 | 439 | -48 | 7 | 2 | 25 | |
| 9 | Berwick | 14 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 296 | 417 | -121 | 6 | 4 | 20 | |
| 10 | Aberdeen Grammar | 15 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 295 | 543 | -248 | 6 | 1 | 15 | Relegated |
Source [8]
- 1.^ Stewart's Melville where sanctioned 3 points on 7 October 2023 as per NCR 4.18.1, after their match against Falkirk had to be postponed due to insufficient players.
National Division Three
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| ||||||||||||
| Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Preston Lodge | 16 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 679 | 253 | 426 | 12 | 1 | 73 | Promoted |
| 2 | Orkney | 13 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 401 | 264 | 137 | 8 | 1 | 57 | |
| 3 | Howe of Fife | 16 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 579 | 423 | 156 | 12 | 4 | 54 | |
| 4 | Allan Glen's | 15 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 458 | 321 | 137 | 8 | 3 | 49 | |
| 5 | Hillhead/Jordanhill | 15 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 366 | 339 | 27 | 7 | 3 | 46 | |
| 6 | Boroughmuir | 15 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 475 | 419 | 56 | 10 | 3 | 41 | |
| 7 | West of Scotland | 15 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 371 | 468 | -97 | 7 | 2 | 29 | |
| 8 | Dumfries Saints | 15 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 298 | 556 | -258 | 6 | 2 | 28 | |
| 9 | Cartha Queens Park | 14 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 262 | 560 | -298 | 4 | 3 | 15 | |
| 10 | Hamilton | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 300 | 586 | -286 | 6 | 4 | 10 | Relegated |
Source [9]
National Division Four
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| ||||||||||||
| Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garnock | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 632 | 167 | 465 | 12 | 0 | 64 | Promoted |
| 2 | Whitecraigs | 14 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 456 | 377 | 79 | 13 | 3 | 56 | |
| 3 | Strathmore | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 428 | 284 | 144 | 9 | 1 | 46 | |
| 4 | North Berwick | 15 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 366 | 390 | -24 | 8 | 1 | 42[2] | |
| 5 | Stewartry | 15 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 500 | 422 | 78 | 8 | 1 | 41 | |
| 6 | Dunfermline | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 399 | 369 | 30 | 9 | 1 | 38 | |
| 7 | Greenock Wanderers | 14 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 348 | 459 | -111 | 7 | 3 | 34 | |
| 8 | Perthshire | 14 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 357 | 520 | -163 | 7 | 4 | 23 | Relegated |
| 9 | Murrayfield Wanderers | 14 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 339 | 563 | -224 | 8 | 6 | 22 | |
| 10 | Ross High | 11 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 231 | 505 | -274 | 4 | 3 | 11 | |
Source [10]
- 1.^ North Berwick where sanctioned 3 points on 14 October 2023 as per NCR 4.18.1, after their match against Garnock had to be postponed due to insufficient players.
References
edit- ^ "NCRs-2023-24-Premiership-and-National-Leagues-FINAL" (PDF). Scottish Rugby Union. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ^ "Scottish Rugby". www.scottishrugby.org. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Player Statistic Leaders". The Offside Line. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Hawick book their place in Final with hard-earned win over Kelso". 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Revenge is a dish best served cold for Currie Chieftains against Marr". 2 March 2024.
- ^ "MEN'S PREMIERSHIP FINAL: HAWICK 24-26 CURRIE". Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ "Scottish Rugby". www.scottishrugby.org.
- ^ "Scottish Rugby". www.scottishrugby.org.
- ^ "Scottish Rugby". www.scottishrugby.org.
- ^ "Scottish Rugby". www.scottishrugby.org.