1998 Super League season

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(Redirected from Super League III)
Super League III
LeagueSuper League
Duration23 Rounds
Teams12
Highest attendance19,188
Bradford Bulls vs Leeds Rhinos (12 April)
Lowest attendance2,014
London Broncos vs Huddersfield Giants (23 Aug)
Broadcast partnersSky Sports
1998 Season
ChampionsWigan Warriors
1st Super League title
18th British title
League LeadersWigan Warriors
Man of SteelWales Iestyn Harris
Top point-scorer(s)Wales Iestyn Harris (255)
Top try-scorer(s)England Anthony Sullivan (20)
New franchise
Awarded toGateshead Thunder
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from Division OneHull Sharks
Huddersfield Giants

JJB Sports Super League III was the official name for the year 1998's Super League championship season, the 104th season of top-level professional rugby league football in Britain, and the third season played in summer.

The League format changed in 1998, with a playoff series being used to determine the Super League Champions for th first time since the 1972–73 season.

The team which finished on the top of the table were, from this season, awarded the League Leaders' Shield, with the inaugural honours going to Wigan. Huddersfield Giants, the league's bottom club was saved from relegation in 1998 due to the expansion of the league to fourteen teams in Super League IV. The season culminated in the grand final between Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors, which Wigan won, claiming the 1998 Championship.

Teams

Legend
  Reigning Champions
  Challenge Cup Holders
  Promoted
Team Stadium Capacity City/Area
Bradford Bulls Odsal 27,000 Bradford, West Yorkshire
Castleford Tigers Wheldon Road 11,750 Castleford, West Yorkshire
Halifax Blue Sox Thrum Hall 9,832 Halifax, West Yorkshire
Huddersfield Giants Galpharm Stadium 24,500 Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Hull Sharks The Boulevard 10,500 Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
Leeds Rhinos Headingley 21,500 Leeds, West Yorkshire
London Broncos The Valley 27,000 Charlton, Greater London
Salford Reds The Willows 11,363 Salford, Greater Manchester
Sheffield Eagles Don Valley Stadium 25,000 Sheffield, South Yorkshire
St Helens Knowsley Road 17,500 St Helens, Mersyside
Warrington Wolves Wilderspool 9,200 Warrington, Cheshire
Wigan Warriors Central Park 18,000 Wigan, Greater Manchester

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Wigan Warriors (L, C) 23 21 0 2 762 222 +540 42 Semi Final
2 Leeds Rhinos 23 19 0 4 662 369 +293 38 Qualifying Semi Final
3 Halifax Blue Sox 23 18 0 5 658 390 +268 36
4 St Helens 23 14 1 8 673 459 +214 29 Elimination Semi Final
5 Bradford Bulls 23 12 0 11 498 450 +48 24
6 Castleford Tigers 23 10 1 12 446 522 −76 21
7 London Broncos 23 10 0 13 415 476 −61 20
8 Sheffield Eagles 23 8 2 13 495 541 −46 18
9 Hull Sharks 23 8 0 15 431 574 −143 16
10 Warrington Wolves 23 7 1 15 411 645 −234 15
11 Salford Reds 23 6 1 16 319 575 −256 13
12 Huddersfield Giants 23 2 0 21 288 825 −537 4
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;
(C) Champions; (L) League Leaders

Play-offs

The top five clubs at the end of the 23-round regular season entered the play-offs to decide the championship.

The format was to have an elimination play off between the fourth and fifth teams (the fourth team gaining home advantage) and then have a qualifying play-off between the second and third placed teams (the second placed team gaining home advantage). The winner of the qualifier would play the team finishing first in the first semi final whilst the losing team got a second chance and played against the winner of the eliminating play off between fourth and fifth. The winner of the qualifying semi final would progress to the final of the Super League championship and the losing side would get another chance and play against the winning side of the elimination semi final.

Qualifying play-off
4 October 1998
Qualifying semi-final
11 October 1998
Preliminary finalGrand Final
24 October 1998
1 Wigan Warriors17 Wigan Warriors10
Leeds Rhinos4 Leeds Rhinos4
2 Leeds Rhinos13 Leeds Rhinos44
3 Halifax Blue Sox6Elimination semi-final
9 October 1998
St. Helens16
Halifax Blue Sox30
4 St. Helens46 St. Helens37
5 Bradford Bulls24

Grand final

24 October 1998
Wigan Warriors 10–4 Leeds Rhinos
Tries: Robinson
Goals: Farrell (3)
Report
Tries: Blackmore
Old Trafford, Manchester
Attendance: 43,533[1]
Referee: Russell Smith (Castleford)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Wonderful Wigan add Final chapter to illustrious history". The Birmingham Post. England. 1998-10-26. Retrieved 2009-10-05.

External links