1997–98 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two

The 1997–98 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two was the eleventh full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. New teams to the division included West Hartlepoool and Orrell who had been relegated from the Courage Premiership 1996-97 while Exeter and Fylde were promoted from National League 1. For the first time Premiership Two, along with the Premiership, was sponsored by the assurance company Allied Dunbar. For the previous ten seasons the league was known as the Courage Clubs Championship and sponsored by Courage Brewery.

1997–98 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two
Countries England
ChampionsBedford
Runners-upWest Hartlepool
London Scottish (also promoted)
RelegatedNone
Matches played132
Top point scorerWales Mike Rayer
(Bedford) 289 points
Top try scorerEngland Ben Whetstone
(Bedford)
Ireland Darragh O'Mahony
(Moseley) 17 tries[1]

Bedford, the champions, were promoted to the Allied Dunbar Premiership for season 1998–99, along with runner-up West Hartlepool. From next season, the top two divisions would consist of fourteen teams, an increase of two per division. The bottom two teams in the top tier played the third and fourth teams in Premiership Two for the final two places in the top division. Third place London Scottish won promotion by beating Bristol in a two legged play-off, while fourth placed Rotherham lost to London Irish. There was no relegation to Jewson National League 1 because of the increase in teams in the top two divisions.[2]

Participating teams

Team Stadium Capacity City/Area
Bedford Goldington Road 7,000 Bedford, Bedfordshire
Blackheath Rectory Field 6,000 Greenwich, London
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
London Scottish Athletic Ground 4,500 Richmond, London
Moseley The Reddings 10,000 (est) Birmingham, West Midlands
Orrell Edge Hall Road 3,000 Orrell, Greater Manchester
Rotherham Clifton Lane 2,500 Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Wakefield College Grove 3,000 Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Waterloo St Anthony's Road 9,000 Blundellsands, Merseyside
West Hartlepool Victoria Park 7,856 Hartlepool, County Durham

Final table

1997–98 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points difference Points
1Bedford22200279136543638[a]
2West Hartlepool22151661743118631
3London Scottish22141751740411329
4Rotherham22140856638618028
5Orrell221201053340013324
6Moseley22111104784215723
7Coventry2211110444532−8823
8Waterloo2211011510525−1522
9Blackheath228014472621−14916
10Wakefield226016382556−17412
11Exeter226016334553−21912
12Fylde222020258710−4524
  • 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.
Green background are promotion places. (There was no relegation this season).
  • Footnote
    a. ^ : two points deducted for fielding three overseas players.

Results

Round 1

30 August 1997
Bedford18 – 11Rotherham
Report
Goldington Road
30 August 1997
Coventry20 – 12Moseley
Report
Coundon Road
30 August 1997
London Scottish35 – 9Fylde
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
30 August 1997
Orrell26 – 17Blackheath
Report
Edge Hall Road
30 August 1997
Wakefield15 – 19Exeter
Report
College Grove
30 August 1997
West Hartlepool19 – 21Waterloo
Report
Victoria Park

Round 2

7 September 1997
Coventry29 – 8Exeter
Coundon Road
7 September 1997
London Scottish34 – 6Blackheath
Richmond Athletic Ground
7 September 1997
MoseleyP – PFylde
The Reddings
  • match postponed and rescheduled to 25 April 1998.
7 September 1997
Waterloo30 – 18Wakefield
St Anthony's Road
7 September 1997
West HartlepoolP – PBedford
Victoria Park
  • match postponed and rescheduled to 2 May 1998.
7 September 1997
OrrellP – PRotherham
Edge Hall Road
  • match postponed and rescheduled to 18 April 1998.

Round 3

13 September 1997
Blackheath29 – 27Wakefield
Report
Rectory Field
13 September 1997
Exeter17 – 32Bedford
Report
County Ground
13 September 1997
Fylde15 – 23Coventry
Report
Woodlands
13 September 1997
Moseley16 – 21West Hartlepool
Report
The Reddings
13 September 1997
Waterloo17 – 36London Scottish
Report
St Anthony's Road
14 September 1997
Rotherham14 – 29Orrell
Report
Clifton Lane

Round 4

20 September 1997
Bedford45 – 33London Scottish
Report
Goldington Road
20 September 1997
Blackheath50 – 16Fylde
Report
Rectory Field
20 September 1997
Exeter24 – 20Waterloo
Report
County Ground
20 September 1997
Orrell30 – 19Moseley
Report
Edge Hall Road
20 September 1997
Rotherham33 – 21West Hartlepool
Report
Clifton Lane
20 September 1997
Wakefield6 – 17Coventry
Report
College Grove

Round 5

27 September 1997
Coventry15 – 22Bedford
Report
Coundon Road
27 September 1997
Fylde18 – 25Rotherham
Report
Woodlands
27 September 1997
London Scottish20 – 19Orrell
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
27 September 1997
Moseley23 – 22Exeter
Report
The Reddings
27 September 1997
Waterloo51 – 16Blackheath
Report
St Anthony's Road
27 September 1997
West Hartlepool31 – 20Wakefield
Report
Victoria Park

Round 6

4 October 1997
Bedford34 – 21Waterloo
Report
Goldington Road
4 October 1997
Blackheath28 – 27Coventry
Report
Rectory Field
4 October 1997
Exeter19 – 20West Hartlepool
Report
County Ground
4 October 1997
Orrell35 – 9Fylde
Report
Edge Hall Road
4 October 1997
Rotherham24 – 3London Scottish
Report
Clifton Lane
4 October 1997
Wakefield15 – 27Moseley
Report
College Grove

Round 7

11 October 1997
Coventry18 – 12Rotherham
Report
Coundon Road
11 October 1997
Fylde18 – 10Exeter
Report
Woodlands
11 October 1997
London Scottish30 – 13Wakefield
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
11 October 1997
Moseley16 – 35Bedford
Report
The Reddings
11 October 1997
Waterloo25 – 14Orrell
Report
St Anthony's Road
11 October 1997
West Hartlepool32 – 21Blackheath
Report
Victoria Park

Round 8

18 October 1997
Bedford22 – 9West Hartlepool
Report
Goldington Road
18 October 1997
Blackheath11 – 9Moseley
Report
Rectory Field
18 October 1997
Exeter16 – 22London Scottish
Report
County Ground
18 October 1997
Orrell38 – 13Coventry
Report
Edge Hall Road
18 October 1997
Rotherham16 – 26Waterloo
Report
Clifton Lane
18 October 1997
Wakefield35 – 17Fylde
Report
College Grove

Round 9

25 October 1997
Coventry24 – 17Wakefield
Report
Coundon Road
25 October 1997
Fylde6 – 31Blackheath
Report
Woodlands
25 October 1997
London Scottish15 – 22Bedford
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
25 October 1997
Moseley18 – 9Orrell
Report
The Reddings
25 October 1997
Waterloo44 – 13Exeter
Report
St Anthony's Road
25 October 1997
West Hartlepool22 – 21Rotherham
Report
Victoria Park

Round 10

8 November 1997
Bedford77 – 3Coventry
Report
Goldington Road
8 November 1997
Blackheath14 – 15Waterloo
Report
Rectory Field
8 November 1997
Exeter10 – 20Moseley
Report
County Ground
8 November 1997
Orrell13 – 27London Scottish
Report
Edge Hall Road
8 November 1997
Rotherham32 – 16Fylde
Report
Clifton Lane
8 November 1997
Wakefield12 – 28West Hartlepool
Report
College Grove

Round 11

13 December 1997
Coventry24 – 22Blackheath
Report
Coundon Road
13 December 1997
Fylde9 – 21Orrell
Report
Woodlands
13 December 1997
London Scottish35 – 29Rotherham
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
13 December 1997
Moseley28 – 10Wakefield
Report
13 December 1997
Waterloo14 – 28Bedford
Report
St Anthony's Road
13 December 1997
West Hartlepool34 – 14Exeter
Report
Victoria Park

Round 12

20 December 1997
Bedford32 – 16Moseley
Report
Goldington Road
20 December 1997
Blackheath25 – 22West Hartlepool
Report
Rectory Field
20 December 1997
Exeter24 – 15Fylde
Report
County Ground
20 December 1997
Orrell23 – 6Waterloo
Report
Edge Hall Road
20 December 1997
Rotherham46 – 8Coventry
Report
Clifton Lane
20 December 1997
Wakefield15 – 10London Scottish
Report
College Grove

Round 13

27 December 1997
CoventryP – POrrell
  • postponed, match rescheduled to 24 January 1998.
27 December 1997
Fylde7 – 67Bedford
Report
Woodlands
27 December 1997
London ScottishP – PExeter
  • postponed, match rescheduled to 24 January 1998.
27 December 1997
Moseley23 – 25Rotherham
Report
The Reddings
27 December 1997
WakefieldP – PBlackheath
  • postponed, match rescheduled to 18 April 1998.
27 December 1997
WaterlooP – PWest Hartlepool
  • postponed, match rescheduled to 11 April 1998.

Rescheduled match

10 January 1998
Waterloo26 – 32Rotherham
Report
St Anthony's Road

Round 14

17 January 1998
Bedford50 – 14Fylde
Report
Goldington Road
17 January 1998
Blackheath34 – 25London Scottish
Report
Rectory Field
17 January 1998
Exeter18 – 14Coventry
Report
County Ground
17 January 1998
Orrell30 – 35West Hartlepool
Report
Edge Hall Road
17 January 1998
Rotherham10 – 16Moseley
Report
Clifton Lane
17 January 1998
Wakefield23 – 20Waterloo
Report
College Grove

Round 13 (rescheduled matches)

24 January 1998
Coventry21 – 30Orrell
Report
Coundon Road
24 January 1998
London Scottish22 – 10Exeter
Report
Richmond Athletic

Round 15

31 January 1998
Bedford47 – 22Orrell
Report
Goldington Road
31 January 1998
Coventry21 – 16West Hartlepool
Report
Coundon Road
31 January 1998
Exeter20 – 18Blackheath
Report
County Ground
31 January 1998
Fylde10 – 25Waterloo
Report
Woodlands
31 January 1998
Moseley18 – 29London Scottish
Report
The Reddings
31 January 1998
Rotherham41 – 9Wakefield
Report

Round 16

14 February 1998
Blackheath18 – 31Rotherham
Report
Rectory Field
14 February 1998
London Scottish18 – 18Coventry
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
14 February 1998
Orrell38 – 3Exeter
Report
Edge Hall Road
14 February 1998
Wakefield13 – 24Bedford
Report
College Grove
14 February 1998
Waterloo36 – 31Moseley
Report
St Anthony's Road
14 February 1998
West Hartlepool66 – 12Fylde
Report
Victoria Park

Rescheduled match

21 February 1998
West Hartlepool20 – 11Orrell
Report
Edge Hall Road

Rescheduled matches

28 February 1998
Fylde10 – 30Wakefield
Report
Woodlands
28 February 1998
Moseley29 – 16Blackheath
Report
The Reddings

Round 17

7 March 1998
Blackheath13 – 37Bedford
Report
Rectory Field
7 March 1998
Coventry41 – 33Waterloo
Report
Coundon Road
7 March 1998
Exeter8 – 33Rotherham
Report
County Ground
7 March 1998
FyldeP – PMoseley
  • postponed, match rescheduled to 4 April 1998.
7 March 1998
Wakefield20 – 26Orrell
Report
College Grove
8 March 1998
London Scottish31 – 17West Hartlepool
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground

Round 18

14 March 1998
Bedford36 – 10Wakefield
Report
Goldington Road
14 March 1998
Coventry37 – 10London Scottish
Report
Coundon Road
14 March 1998
Exeter17 – 14Orrell
Report
County Ground
14 March 1998
Fylde8 – 34West Hartlepool
Report
Woodlands
14 March 1998
Moseley23 – 22Waterloo
Report
The Reddings
14 March 1998
Rotherham40 – 10Blackheath
Report
Clifton Lane

Round 19

28 March 1998
Blackheath26 – 15Exeter
Report
Rectory Field
28 March 1998
London Scottish24 – 18Moseley
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
28 March 1998
Orrell16 – 29Bedford
Report
Edge Hall Road
28 March
Wakefield15 – 14Rotherham
Report
College Grove
28 March 1998
Waterloo22 – 12Fylde
Report
St Anthony's Road
28 March
West Hartlepool42 – 31Coventry
Report
Victoria Park

Round 17 (rescheduled match)

4 April 1998
Fylde14 – 13Moseley
Report
Woodlands

Round 20 (including postponed match from round 13)

11 April 1998
Blackheath14 – 32Orrell
Report
Rectory Field
11 April 1998
Exeter17 – 30Wakefield
Report
County Ground
11 April 1998
Fylde7 – 22London Scottish
Report
Woodlands
11 April 1998
MoseleyP – PCoventry
The Reddings
  • postponed, match rescheduled to 22 April 1998.
11 April 1998
Rotherham18 – 17Bedford
Report
Clifton Lane
11 April 1998
Waterloo6 – 51West Hartlepool
Report
St Anthony's Road
  • match rescheduled from round 13.

Round 21 (including postponed matches from rounds 2 & 13)

April 18
Bedford16 – 3Exeter
Report
Goldington Road
April 18
Coventry16 – 7Fylde
Report
Coundon Road
April 18
London Scottish26 – 6Waterloo
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
April 18
Orrell3 – 9Rotherham
Report
Edge Hall Road
  • match rescheduled from round 2.
April 18
Wakefield21 – 24Blackheath
Report
College Grove
  • match rescheduled from round 13.
April 18
West Hartlepool18 – 18Moseley
Report
Victoria Park

Round 20 (rescheduled match)

April 22
Moseley31 – 3Coventry
Report
The Reddings

Round 22

25 April 1998
Bedford72 – 31Blackheath
Report
Goldington Road
25 April 1998
Moseley44 – 9Fylde
Report
The Reddings
25 April 1998
Orrell54 – 8Wakefield
Report
Edge Hall Road
25 April 1998
Rotherham50 –27Exeter
Report
Clifton Lane
25 April 1998
Waterloo24 – 21Coventry
Report
St Anthony's Road
25 April 1998
West Hartlepool11 – 10London Scottish
Report
Victoria Park

Round 2 (rescheduled match)

2 May 1998
West Hartlepool48 – 29Bedford
Report
Brierton Lane

Individual statistics

  • Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.

Season records

See also

References

  1. Stephen McCormack, ed. (2000). The Official RFU Club Directory 2000–2001. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press.
  2. "Leagues 1997/98". Moseley Rugby Club. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  3. "AD Prem 2 97/98 Leading point scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 2 May 1998.
  4. "AD Prem 2 97/98 Leading try scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 2 May 1998.
  5. "AD Prem 2 97/98 Most tries in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker. 2 May 1998.
  6. "AD Prem 2 97/98 Most conversions in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker. 2 May 1998.
  7. "AD Prem 2 97/98 Most penalties in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker. 2 May 1998.
  8. "AD Prem 2 97/98 Most drop goals in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker. 2 May 1998.
  9. "AD Prem 2 97/98 Most points in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 2 May 1998.
  10. "AD Prem 2 97/98 Most tries in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 2 May 1998.
  11. "AD Prem 2 97/98 Most conversions in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 2 May 1998.
  12. "AD Prem 2 97/98 Most penalties in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 2 May 1998.
  13. "AD Prem 2 97/98 Most drop goals in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 2 May 1998.
  14. "AD Prem 2 97/98 Home attendance". Rugby Statbunker. 2 May 1998.
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