1994–95 Rugby Football League season
Stones Bitter Championship | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Duration | 30 Rounds | |||
Number of teams | 16 | |||
Broadcast partners | Sky Sports | |||
1994–95 Season | ||||
Champions | File:Wigancolours.svg Wigan | |||
Premiership winners | File:Wigancolours.svg Wigan | |||
Man of Steel | File:Wigancolours.svg Denis Betts | |||
Top point-scorer(s) | File:Wigancolours.svg Frano Botica (408) | |||
Top try-scorer(s) | File:Wigancolours.svg Martin Offiah (53) | |||
Selected for promotion to Championship | ||||
Elevated from Second Division | London Broncos | |||
Promotion and relegation | ||||
Relegated to new First Division Relegated to new Second Division |
Featherstone Rovers Salford File:Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity File:Widnes colours.svg Widnes Hull Doncaster |
|||
Second Division | ||||
Champions | Keighley | |||
Promotion and relegation | ||||
Relegated to new Second Division | Hull Kingston Rovers Ryedale-York |
|||
|
The 1994–95 Rugby Football League season was the 100th ever season of professional rugby league football in Britain. Sixteen teams competed from August 1994 until May 1995 for a number of titles, primarily the Stones Bitter Championship.
Contents
Season summary
The summer Super League concept was agreed to commence in 1996.
- Stones Bitter League Champions: Wigan (16th title)
- Silk Cut Challenge Cup Winners: Wigan (30-10 v Leeds)
- Stones Bitter Premiership Trophy Winners: Wigan (69-12 v Leeds)
- Regal Trophy Winners: Wigan (7 - 40-10 v Warrington)
- 2nd Division Champions: Keighley
The record for most points scored by one team in a match was broken by Huddersfield when they clocked up 142 against Blackpool Gladiators' 4 in a Regal Trophy match on 26 November 1994. This is also the record for widest margin.
The 1995 Man of Steel Award for the player of the season went to Wigan's Denis Betts. Wigan also set a new record for most points in all matches in one season with 1,735 from 45 matches as follows:
- Division One Championship: 1,148 (from 30 games)
- Challenge Cup 230 (from 6 games)
- Regal Trophy 170 (from 5 games)
- Premiership Trophy 167 (from 3 games)
- Tour match (Australia) 20 (from 1 game)
Rule changes
The following rule changes were introduced this season by the referees' coaching director, Greg McCallum:
- Referees were given the power to put a player suspected of foul play "on report" with the incident to be reviewed later by the disciplinary panel.[1] The system was based on the one already operating in Australian rugby league.[1] Referees signalled that an incident had been put "on report" by crossing their raised arms above their heads.[2]
- In-goal judges were trialled, these two additional match officials are positioned behind the dead-ball line at each end of the playing field and aim to aid the referee in judging if a try has been scored.[1] The in-goal judges had been used in Australia for two years.[1]
- McCallum ordered referees to penalise defending players lifting attackers in the tackle in a way that could lead to an illegal spear tackle.[1]
Leeds' Gary Mercer (dangerous throw), Sheffield Eagles' Paul Broadbent and Doncaster's Gordon Lynch (tripping) became the first players cited under the reporting system to be found to have a case to answer.[1]
League Tables
In preparation for the change to summer matches for the Super League, the position teams finished in this season was critical, as it determined which of the new fore-shortened three divisions they would play next season. Only the London Broncos knew where they were to play as they were controversially awarded one of the Super League franchises based on geographic location.
Championship[3]
|
Second Division[3]
|
Regal Trophy[4]
Key |
---|
Replayed - 1st match in brackets |
Second Round | Third Round | Quarter-Final | Semi-Final | Final | ||||||||||||||||||||
Hull | 26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Barrow | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Hull | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Wigan | 38 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Wigan | 34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Rochdale Hornets | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Wigan | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
St Helens | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Batley | 36 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Ryedale-York | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Batley | (22) 22 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
St Helens | (22) 50 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Huddersfield | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
St Helens | 52 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Wigan | 34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Castleford | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Workington Town | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Wakefield Trinity | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Workington Town | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Leeds | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Leeds | 54 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Swinton | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Leeds | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Castleford | 34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Carlisle | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Dewsbury | 30 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Dewsbury | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Castleford | 30 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Castleford | 32 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Halifax | 26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Wigan | 40 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Warrington | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Highfield | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Widnes | 50 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Widnes | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Oldham | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Oldham | 28 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Hull Kingston Rovers | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Widnes | 23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Bradford Northern | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Whitehaven | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Featherstone Rovers | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Whitehaven | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Bradford Northern | 34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Bradford Northern | 32 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
St Esteve | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Widnes | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Warrington | 30 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Keighley | 28 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Bramley | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Keighley | 26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Sheffield Eagles | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Sheffield Eagles | 46 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Leigh | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Keighley | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Warrington | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Salford | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
London Broncos | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Salford | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Warrington | 31 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Warrington | 44 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Doncaster | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Challenge Cup
- REDIRECT Template:Main
- This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name. For more information follow the bold category link.
Rounds One and Two were contested between amateur clubs only. Millom were the biggest winners in Round One when they defeated Northampton Knights by 62-4. The biggest win in Round Two was Wigan St Patricks who defeated Crown Malet 42-6.
Round Three saw teams from Division Two matched at home against an amateur opponent. There was one shock result, when Beverley beat Highfield by 27-4. Dewsbury recorded the most points in Round Three when they defeated Kells by 72-12, though the biggest margin of victory went to Keighley who beat Chorley 68-0.
In Round Four, the Division One sides entered the competition with no seeding. There were two shock results when Huddersfield defeated Halifax 36-30 and Whitehaven beat Wakefield Trinity by 24-12. Hunslet drew with Salford 32-32 to take them to a replay before going down by 52-10.[5]
Results (from Fifth round)[6]
Fifth Round | Quarter Finals | Semi Finals | Final | ||||||||||||||||
Batley | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
Wigan | 70 | ||||||||||||||||||
Widnes | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||
Wigan | 26 | ||||||||||||||||||
Sheffield Eagles | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||
Widnes | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||
Wigan | 48 | ||||||||||||||||||
Oldham | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
Warrington | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
Oldham | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||
Oldham | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||
Huddersfield | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||
Keighley | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||
Huddersfield | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||
Wigan | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||
Leeds | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
Hull Kingston Rovers | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||
Whitehaven | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||
Whitehaven | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||
Featherstone Rovers | 42 | ||||||||||||||||||
Salford | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
Featherstone Rovers | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||
Leeds | 39 | ||||||||||||||||||
Featherstone Rovers | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||
Workington Town | 94 | ||||||||||||||||||
Leigh | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
Leeds | 50 | ||||||||||||||||||
Workington Town | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||
Leeds | 44 | ||||||||||||||||||
Ryedale-York | 14 |
Final
The 1995 Silk Cut Challenge Cup Final was a replay of the previous season's final between Wigan and Leeds. The match was played at 2:30pm on the dry Saturday afternoon of 29 April 1995 at London's Wembley Stadium. This was the first Wembley Challenge Cup Final to use in-goal judges.
Internationals
Kangaroos Tour of Great Britain & France
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In October, November and December 1994 the Australian National team, known as the Kangaroos, toured Great Britain and France playing three Tests against Great Britain, one against Wales, one against France, eight club games and five other representative matches. The Kangaroos were coached by Bob Fulton, assisted by Brian Hollis, Dave Ryan and Frank Ponnisi.[7] Andrew Ettinghausen, of Cronulla, was the leading points and try scorer on tour with 60 points from 15 tries.
Date |
Result (Venue) |
Score (Australia first) |
Attendance |
John Smith's European Championship
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. The tri-nation tournament was played in February and March 1995 as single round robin games between England, France and Wales. The tournament was won by Wales. Jonathan Davies of Wales and Deryck Fox of England were joint top points scorers with sixteen points each. Davies scored seven goals and two drop goals, whilst Fox scored one try and three goals. Kevin Ellis of Wales and France's Frédéric Banquet and Jean-Marc Garcia all scored two tries apiece.[8]
Match Details
Date | Venue | Home Team | Score | Away Team | Attendance | Referee |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Feb 1995 | Ninian Park, Cardiff | Wales | 18 - 6 (HT 8 -6) |
England | 6,232 | Russell Smith (Castleford) |
15 Feb 1995 | Gateshead Stadium, Gateshead | England | 19 - 16 (HT 14 - 8) |
France | 6,103 | Jean-Louis Aribaud (France) |
5 Mar 1995 | Stade d'Albert Domec, Carcassonne | France | 10 - 22 (HT 10 - 8) |
Wales | 6,000 | John Connelly (Wales) |
Final Standings
Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Points | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wales | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 26 | 4 |
England | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 34 | 2 |
France | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 41 | 0 |
Statistics
The following are the top points scorers in all competitions in the 1994–95 season.[9]
Most tries
|
Most goals (including drop goals)
|
Sources
- "Club-by-club guide to the new season", The Independent, 19 August 1994
- 1994-95 Rugby Football League season at rlhalloffame.org.uk
- 1994-95 Rugby Football League season at wigan.rlfans.com
- Wigan's record Cup run at news.bbc.co.uk
- Great Britain Competitions 1994-1995 at hunterlink.net.au
- Championship 1994/95 at rugbyleagueproject.org
References
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