1995–96 Rugby Football League season
1995–96 Rugby Football League season | |
---|---|
League | 1996 → |
The 1995–96
Season summary
- Stones Bitter Centenary League Champions: Wigan (17th title)
- 1996 summer season.
- Regal TrophyWinners: Wigan (8 - 25-16 v St Helens)
- 1st Division Champions: Salford
- 2nd Division Champions: Hull Kingston Rovers
Personnel
During pre-season, Kath Hetherington of Sheffield was elected as president of the Rugby Football League, succeeding Batley's Ronnie Teeman. Eleven years after becoming the first female member of the league's board of directors, she became the first woman to ascend to the presidency.[1]
Rules
Prior to the signing of the agreement paving the way for the Super League, the RFL had voted in February on an wage cap, limiting player salaries to 50 percent of a team's income.[2]
Format
The 1995–96 First Division season served as a trial run of sorts for the Super League's inaugural season, which would follow it in the spring of 1996, and its format changes were largely made in anticipation of the latter's launch. Following intense negotiations, it was decided that only the top ten teams from the 1994–95 season, joined by second-tier capital representatives London Broncos (all the projected British entrants in the Super League), would participate in a condensed 1995–96 First Division. There would be no promotion or relegation between it and the inaugural Super League campaign (only the purpose-built Paris team would be added). Minor league clubs were split between a Second and a Third Division, marking a return to the three-tier professional pyramid last used in 1993.[3]
While the new setup was generally considered an appropriate compromise, 1994–95 second-tier champion
Highlights
The absence of relegation was blamed for a sizeable dip in attendance. Combined with a salary hike resulting from the announcement of the Super League, the season was a financial failure for many clubs, and powerhouse Wigan reported losses of about £450,000 at the end of the shortened campaign.[5]
Standings
First Division
Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
20 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 810 | 316 | +494 | 36 |
2 | ![]() |
20 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 552 | 405 | +147 | 28 |
3 | Halifax
|
20 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 456 | 463 | -7 | 25 |
4 | ![]() |
20 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 732 | 508 | +224 | 24 |
5 | Sheffield Eagles
|
20 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 482 | 528 | -46 | 20 |
6 | ![]() |
20 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 448 | 566 | -118 | 19 |
7 | ![]() |
20 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 418 | 476 | -58 | 16 |
8 | ![]() |
20 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 382 | 535 | -153 | 16 |
9 | ![]() |
20 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 443 | 514 | -71 | 14 |
10 | London Broncos | 20 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 466 | 585 | -119 | 14 |
11 | ![]() |
20 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 317 | 610 | -293 | 8 |
Champions
|
Second Division
Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
20 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 661 | 278 | 35 |
2 | ![]() |
20 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 491 | 255 | 28 |
3 | ![]() |
20 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 475 | 334 | 27 |
4 | ![]() |
20 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 571 | 420 | 22 |
5 | ![]() |
20 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 420 | 431 | 22 |
6 | ![]() |
20 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 345 | 435 | 22 |
7 | ![]() |
20 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 346 | 422 | 20 |
8 | ![]() |
20 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 365 | 483 | 17 |
9 | ![]() |
20 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 395 | 485 | 14 |
10 | ![]() |
20 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 302 | 492 | 11 |
11 | ![]() |
20 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 261 | 597 | 4 |
Third Division
Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
20 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 744 | 231 | 36 |
2 | Leigh Centurions
|
20 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 592 | 335 | 32 |
3 | ![]() |
20 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 514 | 315 | 28 |
4 | ![]() |
20 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 521 | 331 | 26 |
5 | Carlisle | 20 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 600 | 309 | 24 |
6 | Ryedale-York
|
20 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 442 | 415 | 21 |
7 | Bramley
|
20 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 400 | 434 | 19 |
8 | ![]() |
20 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 342 | 488 | 12 |
9 | ![]() |
20 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 324 | 608 | 11 |
10 | ![]() |
20 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 348 | 646 | 10 |
11 | Highfield | 20 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 249 | 964 | 1 |
Regal Trophy
Statistics
The following are the top points scorers in the 1995–96 season.[6]
Most tries
|
Most goals (including drop goals)
|
References
- ^ Roberts, Chris (June 29, 1995). "Green light for King". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. p. 22 – via newspapers.com (subscription required) .
- ^ Whalley, John (February 21, 1995). "Tough policing needed to make wage cap work". The Daily Telegraph. London. p. 33 – via newspapers.com (subscription required) .
- ^ Roberts, Chris (May 1, 1995). "Super league critics force RL re-think". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. p. 3 – via newspapers.com (subscription required) .
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (May 9, 1995). "Widnes offer a deal". The Guardian. London. p. 19 – via newspapers.com (subscription required) .
- ^ Tingle, Richard (10 February 1996). "'Centenary season has been a disaster'". Hull Daily Mail. p. 15 – via newspapers.com (subscription required) .
- ISBN 978-0-7472-7764-4.
Sources
- 1995–96 Rugby Football League season at rlhalloffame.org.uk
- 1995–96 Rugby Football League season at wigan.rlfans.com
- Great Britain Competitions 1995-1996 at hunterlink.net.au
- Championship 1995/96 at rugbyleagueproject.org