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 scorer Mike Rayer
(Bedford) 289 points
Top try scorer Ben Whetstone
(Bedford)
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
Bedford 18 – 11 Rotherham
Report
Goldington Road
30 August 1997
Coventry 20 – 12 Moseley
Report
Coundon Road
30 August 1997
London Scottish 35 – 9 Fylde
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
30 August 1997
Orrell 26 – 17 Blackheath
Report
Edge Hall Road
30 August 1997
Wakefield 15 – 19 Exeter
Report
College Grove
30 August 1997
West Hartlepool 19 – 21 Waterloo
Report
Victoria Park

Round 2

7 September 1997
Coventry 29 – 8 Exeter
Coundon Road
7 September 1997
London Scottish 34 – 6 Blackheath
Richmond Athletic Ground
7 September 1997
Moseley P – P Fylde
The Reddings
  • match postponed and rescheduled to 25 April 1998.
7 September 1997
Waterloo 30 – 18 Wakefield
St Anthony's Road
7 September 1997
West Hartlepool P – P Bedford
Victoria Park
  • match postponed and rescheduled to 2 May 1998.
7 September 1997
Orrell P – P Rotherham
Edge Hall Road
  • match postponed and rescheduled to 18 April 1998.

Round 3

13 September 1997
Blackheath 29 – 27 Wakefield
Report
Rectory Field
13 September 1997
Exeter 17 – 32 Bedford
Report
County Ground
13 September 1997
Fylde 15 – 23 Coventry
Report
Woodlands
13 September 1997
Moseley 16 – 21 West Hartlepool
Report
The Reddings
13 September 1997
Waterloo 17 – 36 London Scottish
Report
St Anthony's Road
14 September 1997
Rotherham 14 – 29 Orrell
Report
Clifton Lane

Round 4

20 September 1997
Bedford 45 – 33 London Scottish
Report
Goldington Road
20 September 1997
Blackheath 50 – 16 Fylde
Report
Rectory Field
20 September 1997
Exeter 24 – 20 Waterloo
Report
County Ground
20 September 1997
Orrell 30 – 19 Moseley
Report
Edge Hall Road
20 September 1997
Rotherham 33 – 21 West Hartlepool
Report
Clifton Lane
20 September 1997
Wakefield 6 – 17 Coventry
Report
College Grove

Round 5

27 September 1997
Coventry 15 – 22 Bedford
Report
Coundon Road
27 September 1997
Fylde 18 – 25 Rotherham
Report
Woodlands
27 September 1997
London Scottish 20 – 19 Orrell
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
27 September 1997
Moseley 23 – 22 Exeter
Report
The Reddings
27 September 1997
Waterloo 51 – 16 Blackheath
Report
St Anthony's Road
27 September 1997
West Hartlepool 31 – 20 Wakefield
Report
Victoria Park

Round 6

4 October 1997
Bedford 34 – 21 Waterloo
Report
Goldington Road
4 October 1997
Blackheath 28 – 27 Coventry
Report
Rectory Field
4 October 1997
Exeter 19 – 20 West Hartlepool
Report
County Ground
4 October 1997
Orrell 35 – 9 Fylde
Report
Edge Hall Road
4 October 1997
Rotherham 24 – 3 London Scottish
Report
Clifton Lane
4 October 1997
Wakefield 15 – 27 Moseley
Report
College Grove

Round 7

11 October 1997
Coventry 18 – 12 Rotherham
Report
Coundon Road
11 October 1997
Fylde 18 – 10 Exeter
Report
Woodlands
11 October 1997
London Scottish 30 – 13 Wakefield
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
11 October 1997
Moseley 16 – 35 Bedford
Report
The Reddings
11 October 1997
Waterloo 25 – 14 Orrell
Report
St Anthony's Road
11 October 1997
West Hartlepool 32 – 21 Blackheath
Report
Victoria Park

Round 8

18 October 1997
Bedford 22 – 9 West Hartlepool
Report
Goldington Road
18 October 1997
Blackheath 11 – 9 Moseley
Report
Rectory Field
18 October 1997
Exeter 16 – 22 London Scottish
Report
County Ground
18 October 1997
Orrell 38 – 13 Coventry
Report
Edge Hall Road
18 October 1997
Rotherham 16 – 26 Waterloo
Report
Clifton Lane
18 October 1997
Wakefield 35 – 17 Fylde
Report
College Grove

Round 9

25 October 1997
Coventry 24 – 17 Wakefield
Report
Coundon Road
25 October 1997
Fylde 6 – 31 Blackheath
Report
Woodlands
25 October 1997
London Scottish 15 – 22 Bedford
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
25 October 1997
Moseley 18 – 9 Orrell
Report
The Reddings
25 October 1997
Waterloo 44 – 13 Exeter
Report
St Anthony's Road
25 October 1997
West Hartlepool 22 – 21 Rotherham
Report
Victoria Park

Round 10

8 November 1997
Bedford 77 – 3 Coventry
Report
Goldington Road
8 November 1997
Blackheath 14 – 15 Waterloo
Report
Rectory Field
8 November 1997
Exeter 10 – 20 Moseley
Report
County Ground
8 November 1997
Orrell 13 – 27 London Scottish
Report
Edge Hall Road
8 November 1997
Rotherham 32 – 16 Fylde
Report
Clifton Lane
8 November 1997
Wakefield 12 – 28 West Hartlepool
Report
College Grove

Round 11

13 December 1997
Coventry 24 – 22 Blackheath
Report
Coundon Road
13 December 1997
Fylde 9 – 21 Orrell
Report
Woodlands
13 December 1997
London Scottish 35 – 29 Rotherham
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
13 December 1997
Moseley 28 – 10 Wakefield
Report

13 December 1997
Waterloo 14 – 28 Bedford
Report
St Anthony's Road
13 December 1997
West Hartlepool 34 – 14 Exeter
Report
Victoria Park

Round 12

20 December 1997
Bedford 32 – 16 Moseley
Report
Goldington Road
20 December 1997
Blackheath 25 – 22 West Hartlepool
Report
Rectory Field
20 December 1997
Exeter 24 – 15 Fylde
Report
County Ground
20 December 1997
Orrell 23 – 6 Waterloo
Report
Edge Hall Road
20 December 1997
Rotherham 46 – 8 Coventry
Report
Clifton Lane
20 December 1997
Wakefield 15 – 10 London Scottish
Report
College Grove

Round 13

27 December 1997
Coventry P – P Orrell

  • postponed, match rescheduled to 24 January 1998.
27 December 1997
Fylde 7 – 67 Bedford
Report
Woodlands
27 December 1997
London Scottish P – P Exeter

  • postponed, match rescheduled to 24 January 1998.
27 December 1997
Moseley 23 – 25 Rotherham
Report
The Reddings
27 December 1997
Wakefield P – P Blackheath

  • postponed, match rescheduled to 18 April 1998.
27 December 1997
Waterloo P – P West Hartlepool

  • postponed, match rescheduled to 11 April 1998.

Rescheduled match

10 January 1998
Waterloo 26 – 32 Rotherham
Report
St Anthony's Road

Round 14

17 January 1998
Bedford 50 – 14 Fylde
Report
Goldington Road
17 January 1998
Blackheath 34 – 25 London Scottish
Report
Rectory Field
17 January 1998
Exeter 18 – 14 Coventry
Report
County Ground
17 January 1998
Orrell 30 – 35 West Hartlepool
Report
Edge Hall Road
17 January 1998
Rotherham 10 – 16 Moseley
Report
Clifton Lane
17 January 1998
Wakefield 23 – 20 Waterloo
Report
College Grove

Round 13 (rescheduled matches)

24 January 1998
Coventry 21 – 30 Orrell
Report
Coundon Road
24 January 1998
London Scottish 22 – 10 Exeter
Report
Richmond Athletic

Round 15

31 January 1998
Bedford 47 – 22 Orrell
Report
Goldington Road
31 January 1998
Coventry 21 – 16 West Hartlepool
Report
Coundon Road
31 January 1998
Exeter 20 – 18 Blackheath
Report
County Ground
31 January 1998
Fylde 10 – 25 Waterloo
Report
Woodlands
31 January 1998
Moseley 18 – 29 London Scottish
Report
The Reddings
31 January 1998
Rotherham 41 – 9 Wakefield
Report


Round 16

14 February 1998
Blackheath 18 – 31 Rotherham
Report
Rectory Field
14 February 1998
London Scottish 18 – 18 Coventry
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
14 February 1998
Orrell 38 – 3 Exeter
Report
Edge Hall Road
14 February 1998
Wakefield 13 – 24 Bedford
Report
College Grove
14 February 1998
Waterloo 36 – 31 Moseley
Report
St Anthony's Road
14 February 1998
West Hartlepool 66 – 12 Fylde
Report
Victoria Park

Rescheduled match

21 February 1998
West Hartlepool 20 – 11 Orrell
Report
Edge Hall Road

Rescheduled matches

28 February 1998
Fylde 10 – 30 Wakefield
Report
Woodlands
28 February 1998
Moseley 29 – 16 Blackheath
Report
The Reddings

Round 17

7 March 1998
Blackheath 13 – 37 Bedford
Report
Rectory Field
7 March 1998
Coventry 41 – 33 Waterloo
Report
Coundon Road
7 March 1998
Exeter 8 – 33 Rotherham
Report
County Ground
7 March 1998
Fylde P – P Moseley

  • postponed, match rescheduled to 4 April 1998.
7 March 1998
Wakefield 20 – 26 Orrell
Report
College Grove
8 March 1998
London Scottish 31 – 17 West Hartlepool
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground

Round 18

14 March 1998
Bedford 36 – 10 Wakefield
Report
Goldington Road
14 March 1998
Coventry 37 – 10 London Scottish
Report
Coundon Road
14 March 1998
Exeter 17 – 14 Orrell
Report
County Ground
14 March 1998
Fylde 8 – 34 West Hartlepool
Report
Woodlands
14 March 1998
Moseley 23 – 22 Waterloo
Report
The Reddings
14 March 1998
Rotherham 40 – 10 Blackheath
Report
Clifton Lane

Round 19

28 March 1998
Blackheath 26 – 15 Exeter
Report
Rectory Field
28 March 1998
London Scottish 24 – 18 Moseley
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
28 March 1998
Orrell 16 – 29 Bedford
Report
Edge Hall Road
28 March
Wakefield 15 – 14 Rotherham
Report
College Grove
28 March 1998
Waterloo 22 – 12 Fylde
Report
St Anthony's Road
28 March
West Hartlepool 42 – 31 Coventry
Report
Victoria Park

Round 17 (rescheduled match)

4 April 1998
Fylde 14 – 13 Moseley
Report
Woodlands

Round 20 (including postponed match from round 13)

11 April 1998
Blackheath 14 – 32 Orrell
Report
Rectory Field
11 April 1998
Exeter 17 – 30 Wakefield
Report
County Ground
11 April 1998
Fylde 7 – 22 London Scottish
Report
Woodlands
11 April 1998
Moseley P – P Coventry
The Reddings
  • postponed, match rescheduled to 22 April 1998.
11 April 1998
Rotherham 18 – 17 Bedford
Report
Clifton Lane
11 April 1998
Waterloo 6 – 51 West Hartlepool
Report
St Anthony's Road
  • match rescheduled from round 13.

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

April 18
Bedford 16 – 3 Exeter
Report
Goldington Road
April 18
Coventry 16 – 7 Fylde
Report
Coundon Road
April 18
London Scottish 26 – 6 Waterloo
Report
Richmond Athletic Ground
April 18
Orrell 3 – 9 Rotherham
Report
Edge Hall Road
  • match rescheduled from round 2.
April 18
Wakefield 21 – 24 Blackheath
Report
College Grove
  • match rescheduled from round 13.
April 18
West Hartlepool 18 – 18 Moseley
Report
Victoria Park

Round 20 (rescheduled match)

April 22
Moseley 31 – 3 Coventry
Report
The Reddings

Round 22

25 April 1998
Bedford 72 – 31 Blackheath
Report
Goldington Road
25 April 1998
Moseley 44 – 9 Fylde
Report
The Reddings
25 April 1998
Orrell 54 – 8 Wakefield
Report
Edge Hall Road
25 April 1998
Rotherham 50 –27 Exeter
Report
Clifton Lane
25 April 1998
Waterloo 24 – 21 Coventry
Report
St Anthony's Road
25 April 1998
West Hartlepool 11 – 10 London Scottish
Report
Victoria Park

Round 2 (rescheduled match)

2 May 1998
West Hartlepool 48 – 29 Bedford
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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