2002-2003 Zurich Premiership |
Countries |
England |
Champions |
London Wasps (3rd title) |
Runners-up |
Gloucester |
Relegated |
Bristol |
Matches played |
139 |
Attendance |
1,183,972 (average 8,518 per match) |
|
The 2002-03 Zurich Premiership was the 16th season of the top flight of the English domestic rugby union competitions.
The Zurich Championship which had been competed for in seasons 2000–01 and 2001–02 was dropped from this season.
Participating teams
Locations of the 2002-03 Zurich Premiership teams
Team |
Stadium |
Capacity |
City/Area |
Bath |
Bath |
8,200 |
Bath, Somerset |
Bristol Shoguns |
Memorial Stadium[n 1] |
12,100 |
Bristol, Avon |
Gloucester |
Kingsholm |
11,000 |
Gloucester, Gloucestershire |
Harlequins |
The Stoop |
8,500 |
Twickenham, London |
Leeds Tykes |
Headingley Stadium |
22,250 |
Leeds, West Yorkshire |
Leicester Tigers |
Welford Road |
16,815 |
Leicester, Leicestershire |
London Irish |
Madejski Stadium |
24,161 |
Reading, Berkshire |
London Wasps |
Adams Park |
10,000 |
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire |
Newcastle Falcons |
Kingston Park |
10,000 |
Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear |
Northampton Saints |
Franklin's Gardens |
12,500 |
Northampton, Northamptonshire |
Sale |
Heywood Road |
5,700 |
Sale, Greater Manchester |
Saracens |
Vicarage Road |
22,000 |
Watford, Hertfordshire |
- Notes
Table
|
Club |
Played |
Won |
Drawn |
Lost |
Points For |
Points Against |
Points Difference |
Tries For |
Tries Against |
Try Bonus |
Losing Bonus |
Points |
1 |
Gloucester (F) |
22 |
17 |
2 |
3 |
617 |
396 |
+221 |
67 |
35 |
7 |
3 |
82 |
2 |
London Wasps (C) |
22 |
13 |
2 |
7 |
553 |
460 |
+93 |
55 |
36 |
6 |
5 |
67 |
3 |
Northampton Saints (SF) |
22 |
13 |
0 |
9 |
512 |
376 |
+136 |
52 |
24 |
5 |
5 |
62 |
4 |
Sale Sharks |
22 |
12 |
2 |
8 |
556 |
470 |
+86 |
61 |
46 |
8 |
2 |
62 |
5 |
Leeds Tykes |
22 |
12 |
2 |
8 |
478 |
435 |
+43 |
38 |
39 |
1 |
5 |
58 |
6 |
Leicester Tigers |
22 |
12 |
0 |
10 |
448 |
396 |
+52 |
44 |
32 |
4 |
3 |
55 |
7 |
Harlequins |
22 |
9 |
0 |
13 |
461 |
560 |
-99 |
43 |
60 |
3 |
5 |
44 |
8 |
Saracens |
22 |
8 |
0 |
14 |
499 |
587 |
-88 |
49 |
61 |
5 |
5 |
42 |
9 |
London Irish |
22 |
8 |
1 |
13 |
432 |
485 |
-53 |
32 |
46 |
2 |
4 |
40 |
10 |
Newcastle Falcons |
22 |
8 |
0 |
14 |
388 |
545 |
-157 |
31 |
58 |
3 |
5 |
40 |
11 |
Bath |
22 |
7 |
2 |
13 |
385 |
490 |
-105 |
33 |
44 |
1 |
3 |
36 |
12 |
Bristol (R) |
22 |
7 |
1 |
14 |
504 |
633 |
-129 |
47 |
71 |
3 |
3 |
36 |
Source:Guinness Premiership
Green background denotes qualification for the playoffs. These teams and those highlighted in blue qualified for the 2003–04 Heineken Cup. |
Wasps won the 2002–03 Parker Pen Challenge Cup therefore automatically qualifying for the 2003–04 Heineken Cup. WIth Leicester Tigers winning the Zurich Wildcard Final, the final 2003–04 Heineken Cup berth was awarded to Leeds Tykes, placed fifth in the league.[1]
Results
Week 1
Sale Sharks |
24 – 21 |
Northampton Saints |
|
|
|
Leeds Tykes |
26 – 13 |
Leicester Tigers |
|
|
|
Headingley
Attendance: 4,301 |
NEC Harlequins |
19 – 25 |
Gloucester |
|
|
|
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 7,015 |
Newcastle Falcons |
24 – 17 |
London Wasps |
|
|
|
Kingston Park
Attendance: 5,263 |
Bristol Shoguns |
30 – 45 |
Saracens |
|
|
|
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 4,761 |
London Irish |
22 – 24 |
Bath |
|
|
|
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 9,203 |
Week 2
Northampton Saints |
31 – 13 |
Newcastle Falcons |
|
|
|
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 10,213 |
Gloucester |
44 – 8 |
Sale Sharks |
|
|
|
Kingsholm
Attendance: 9,544 |
Leicester Tigers |
30 – 6 |
Harlequins |
|
|
|
Welford Road
Attendance: 15,387 |
Leeds Tykes |
41 – 16 |
London Irish |
|
|
|
Headingley
Attendance: 3,190 |
London Wasps |
38 – 35 |
Bristol Shoguns |
|
|
|
Adams Park
Attendance: 7,171 |
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 10,068 |
Week 3
The Sharks |
29 – 16 |
Leicester Tigers |
|
|
|
Heywood Road
Attendance: 5,678 |
Bath Rugby |
27 – 27 |
London Wasps |
|
|
|
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,200 |
NEC Harlequins |
23 – 33 |
Leeds Tykes |
|
|
|
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 5,352 |
Newcastle Falcons |
19 – 22 |
Gloucester |
|
|
|
Kingston Park
Attendance: 5,304 |
Bristol Shoguns |
28 – 36 |
Northampton Saints |
|
|
|
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 4,674 |
London Irish |
32 – 10 |
Saracens |
|
|
|
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 7,177 |
Week 4
Leeds Tykes |
29 – 29 |
Sale Sharks |
|
|
|
Headingley
Attendance: 5,123 |
Gloucester |
45 – 18 |
Bristol Shoguns |
|
|
|
Kingsholm
Attendance: 10,117 |
Leicester Tigers |
52 – 9 |
Newcastle Falcons |
|
|
|
Welford Road
Attendance: 15,656 |
NEC Harlequins |
29 – 19 |
London Irish |
|
|
|
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 7,223 |
Northampton Saints |
24 – 3 |
Bath |
|
|
|
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 9,560 |
London Wasps |
51 – 23 |
Saracens |
|
|
|
Adams Park
Attendance: 8,512 |
Week 5
The Sharks |
20 – 16 |
Harlequins |
|
|
|
Heywood Road
Attendance: 5,613 |
Saracens |
31 – 19 |
Northampton Saints |
|
|
|
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 6,289 |
Bath Rugby |
21 – 21 |
Gloucester |
|
|
|
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,200 |
Newcastle Falcons |
27 – 20 |
Leeds Tykes |
|
|
|
Kingston Park
Attendance: 5,457 |
Bristol Shoguns |
25 – 20 |
Leicester Tigers |
|
|
|
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 6,237 |
London Irish |
21 – 31 |
London Wasps |
|
|
|
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 9,267 |
Week 6
The Sharks |
36 – 14 |
London Irish |
|
|
|
Heywood Road
Attendance: 4,514 |
Gloucester |
44 – 14 |
Saracens |
|
|
|
Kingsholm
Attendance: 10,439 |
Leicester Tigers |
22 – 20 |
Bath |
|
|
|
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,811 |
NEC Harlequins |
47 – 23 |
Newcastle Falcons |
|
|
|
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 7,923 |
Northampton Saints |
34 – 20 |
London Wasps |
|
|
|
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 9,888 |
Leeds Tykes |
25 – 13 |
Bristol Shoguns |
|
|
|
Headingley
Attendance: 4,420 |
Week 7
London Wasps |
23 – 16 |
Gloucester |
|
|
|
Adams Park
Attendance: 8,768 |
Bath Rugby |
20 – 22 |
Leeds Tykes |
|
|
|
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,200 |
Newcastle Falcons |
31 – 20 |
Sale Sharks |
|
|
|
Kingston Park
Attendance: 4,245 |
London Irish |
12 – 14 |
Northampton Saints |
|
|
|
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 7,579 |
Saracens |
18 – 26 |
Leicester Tigers |
|
|
|
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 10,531 |
Week 8
The Sharks |
28 – 14 |
Bristol Shoguns |
|
|
|
Heywood Road
Attendance: 4,688 |
NEC Harlequins |
18 – 9 |
Bath |
|
|
|
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 8,311 |
Gloucester |
18 – 9 |
Northampton Saints |
|
|
|
Kingsholm
Attendance: 11,000 |
Leicester Tigers |
9 – 6 |
London Wasps |
|
|
|
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,845 |
Leeds Tykes |
27 – 18 |
Saracens |
|
|
|
Headingley
Attendance: 5,015 |
Newcastle Falcons |
16 – 24 |
London Irish |
|
|
|
Kingston Park
Attendance: 4,515 |
Week 9
Northampton Saints |
3 – 16 |
Leicester Tigers |
|
|
|
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 12,600 |
Bath Rugby |
24 – 18 |
Sale Sharks |
|
|
|
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 7,430 |
London Irish |
19 – 40 |
Gloucester |
|
|
|
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 8,449 |
Bristol Shoguns |
38 – 10 |
Newcastle Falcons |
|
|
|
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 4,342 |
London Wasps |
27 – 27 |
Leeds Tykes |
|
|
|
Adams Park
Attendance: 4,475 |
Saracens |
36 – 30 |
Harlequins |
|
|
|
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 6,634 |
Week 10
Leicester Tigers |
20 – 15 |
Gloucester |
|
|
|
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,845 |
The Sharks |
37 – 26 |
Saracens |
|
|
|
Heywood Road
Attendance: 5,196 |
Leeds Tykes |
26 – 19 |
Northampton Saints |
|
|
|
Headingley
Attendance: 4,017 |
Newcastle Falcons |
20 – 24 |
Bath |
|
|
|
Kingston Park
Attendance: 4,532 |
Bristol Shoguns |
32 – 32 |
London Irish |
|
|
|
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 5,005 |
NEC Harlequins |
27 – 14 |
London Wasps |
|
|
|
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 7,252 |
Week 11
Northampton Saints |
35 – 7 |
Harlequins |
|
|
|
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 8,296 |
Bath Rugby |
19 – 30 |
Bristol Shoguns |
|
|
|
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,200 |
Gloucester |
28 – 10 |
Leeds Tykes |
|
|
|
Kingsholm
Attendance: 10,276 |
London Irish |
27 – 7 |
Leicester Tigers |
|
|
|
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 10,605 |
London Wasps |
25 – 32 |
Sale Sharks |
|
|
|
Adams Park
Attendance: 5,242 |
Saracens |
17 – 13 |
Newcastle Falcons |
|
|
|
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 5,742 |
Week 12
Heywood Road
Attendance: 5,700 |
Gloucester |
25 – 20 |
London Irish |
|
|
|
Kingsholm
Attendance: 10,217 |
NEC Harlequins |
36 – 32 |
Saracens |
|
|
|
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 7,714 |
Leicester Tigers |
12 – 25 |
Northampton Saints |
|
|
|
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,875 |
Leeds Tykes |
15 – 18 |
London Wasps |
|
|
|
Headingley
Attendance: 4,751 |
Newcastle Falcons |
12 – 20 |
Bristol Shoguns |
|
|
|
Kingston Park
Attendance: 3,273 |
Week 13
London Wasps |
26 – 13 |
Leicester Tigers |
|
|
|
Adams Park
Attendance: 10,000 |
Bath Rugby |
23 – 9 |
Harlequins |
|
|
|
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,200 |
Northampton Saints |
13 – 16 |
Gloucester |
|
|
|
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 12,500 |
Bristol Shoguns |
18 – 6 |
Sale Sharks |
|
|
|
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 5,642 |
London Irish |
20 – 0 |
Newcastle Falcons |
|
|
|
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 10,877 |
Saracens |
11 – 6 |
Leeds Tykes |
|
|
|
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 9,328 |
Week 14
Headingley
Attendance: 4,553 |
The Sharks |
38 – 3 |
Newcastle Falcons |
|
|
|
Heywood Road
Attendance: 5,678 |
Gloucester |
24 – 17 |
London Wasps |
|
|
|
Kingsholm
Attendance: 11,000 |
Leicester Tigers |
23 – 18 |
Saracens |
|
|
|
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,845 |
NEC Harlequins |
26 – 17 |
Bristol Shoguns |
|
|
|
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 7,123 |
Northampton Saints |
10 – 22 |
London Irish |
|
|
|
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 10,604 |
Week 15
Newcastle Falcons |
32 – 17 |
Harlequins |
|
|
|
Kingston Park
Attendance: 6,109 |
Bath Rugby |
8 – 15 |
Leicester Tigers |
|
|
|
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,200 |
Bristol Shoguns |
12 – 17 |
Leeds Tykes |
|
|
|
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 5,032 |
London Irish |
11 – 23 |
Sale Sharks |
|
|
|
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 7,565 |
London Wasps |
16 – 9 |
Northampton Saints |
|
|
|
Adams Park
Attendance: 9,400 |
Saracens |
22 – 29 |
Gloucester |
|
|
|
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 9,089 |
Week 16
Leeds Tykes |
12 – 17 |
Newcastle Falcons |
|
|
|
Headingley
Attendance: 7,207 |
Leicester Tigers |
40 – 6 |
Bristol Shoguns |
|
|
|
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,875 |
Kingsholm
Attendance: 11,000 |
NEC Harlequins |
0 – 45 |
Sale Sharks |
|
|
|
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 6,823 |
Northampton Saints |
34 – 25 |
Saracens |
|
|
|
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 12,500 |
London Wasps |
35 – 11 |
London Irish |
|
|
|
Adams Park
Attendance: 8,590 |
Week 17
Bath Rugby |
30 – 9 |
Saracens |
|
|
|
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 7,290 |
London Wasps |
13 – 12 |
Newcastle Falcons |
|
|
|
Adams Park
Attendance: 6,199 |
Bristol Shoguns |
48 – 41 |
Harlequins |
|
|
|
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 5,205 |
Week 18
Bath Rugby |
10 – 27 |
Northampton Saints |
|
|
|
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,200 |
The Sharks |
32 – 20 |
Leeds Tykes |
|
|
|
Heywood Road
Attendance: 5,700 |
London Irish |
6 – 16 |
Harlequins |
|
|
|
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 18,585 |
Newcastle Falcons |
24 – 22 |
Leicester Tigers |
|
|
|
Kingston Park
Attendance: 9,105 |
Bristol Shoguns |
21 – 38 |
Gloucester |
|
|
|
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 10,693 |
Saracens |
31 – 42 |
London Wasps |
|
|
|
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 8,912 |
Week 19
Leeds Tykes |
23 – 22 |
Harlequins |
|
|
|
Headingley
Attendance: 4,305 |
London Wasps |
36 – 17 |
Bath |
|
|
|
Adams Park
Attendance: 8,231 |
Saracens |
12 – 14 |
London Irish |
|
|
|
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 6,089 |
Leicester Tigers |
33 – 20 |
Sale Sharks |
|
|
|
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815 |
Week 20
Bath Rugby |
18 – 15 |
London Irish |
|
|
|
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,200 |
Gloucester |
25 – 23 |
Newcastle Falcons |
|
|
|
Kingsholm
Attendance: 10,404 |
Week 21
Northampton Saints |
43 – 13 |
Bristol Shoguns |
|
|
|
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 8,805 |
The Sharks |
30 – 30 |
Gloucester |
|
|
|
Heywood Road
Attendance: 5,800 |
NEC Harlequins |
17 – 9 |
Leicester Tigers |
|
|
|
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 7,123 |
Bristol Shoguns |
19 – 34 |
London Wasps |
|
|
|
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 4,866 |
London Irish |
14 – 26 |
Leeds Tykes |
|
|
|
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 7,125 |
Newcastle Falcons |
22 – 20 |
Northampton Saints |
|
|
|
Kingston Park
Attendance: 7,428 |
Week 22
Gloucester |
29 – 11 |
Harlequins |
|
|
|
Kingsholm
Attendance: 11,000 |
Leicester Tigers |
18 – 17 |
Leeds Tykes |
|
|
|
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815 |
Northampton Saints |
27 – 17 |
Sale Sharks |
|
|
|
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 9,202 |
Saracens |
17 – 16 |
Bristol Shoguns |
|
|
|
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 5,090 |
Week 23
NEC Harlequins |
19 – 31 |
Northampton Saints |
|
|
|
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 6,423 |
Leicester Tigers |
19 – 20 |
London Irish |
|
|
|
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815 |
The Sharks |
9 – 16 |
London Wasps |
|
|
|
Heywood Road
Attendance: 5,800 |
Leeds Tykes |
30 – 23 |
Gloucester |
|
|
|
Headingley
Attendance: 6,088 |
Bristol Shoguns |
30 – 20 |
Bath |
|
|
|
Ashton Gate
Attendance: 20,793 |
Newcastle Falcons |
26 – 22 |
Saracens |
|
|
|
Kingston Park
Attendance: 9,127 |
Week 24
Bath Rugby |
24 – 12 |
Newcastle Falcons |
|
|
|
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,200 |
Gloucester |
31 – 13 |
Leicester Tigers |
|
|
|
Kingsholm
Attendance: 11,000 |
London Irish |
41 – 21 |
Bristol Shoguns |
|
|
|
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 12,696 |
London Wasps |
21 – 25 |
Harlequins |
|
|
|
Adams Park
Attendance: 8,747 |
Northampton Saints |
28 – 6 |
Leeds Tykes |
|
|
|
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 12,500 |
Saracens |
34 – 19 |
Sale Sharks |
|
|
|
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 6,211 |
Play-offs
Semi final
London Wasps |
19 – 10 |
Northampton Saints |
|
|
|
Adams Park
Attendance: 7,398 |
Final
Gloucester |
3 – 39 |
London Wasps |
|
|
|
Twickenham
Attendance: 42,000 |
Zurich Wildcard
Meanwhile, Leeds (5th place), Leicester (6th), Harlequins (7th), Saracens (8th) played for a Zurich Wildcard to the 2003–04 Heineken Cup:
Semi-finals
First leg
Harlequins |
26 – 23 |
Leicester Tigers |
|
Report |
|
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 2,350
Referee: D Pearson |
Saracens |
57 – 21 |
Leeds Tykes |
|
Report |
|
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 2,900
Referee: Roy Maybank |
Second leg
Leicester Tigers |
28– 13 |
Harlequins |
|
[ Report] |
|
Welford Road
Attendance: 5,552 |
Leicester advanced to the wildcard final due to a superior aggregate score of 51-39
Leeds Tykes |
27 – 13 |
Saracens |
|
Report |
|
Headingley
Attendance: 1,407
Referee: Tony Spreadbury |
Saracens advanced to the wildcard final due to a superior aggregate score of 70-48
Final
Leicester Tigers |
27 – 20 (a.e.t.) |
Saracens |
|
[ Report] |
|
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 8,066 |
Total Season Attendances
Club |
Home
Games |
Total |
Average |
Highest |
Lowest |
% Capacity |
Bath |
11 |
88,520 |
8,047 |
8,200 |
7,290 |
98% |
Bristol |
11 |
77,250 |
7,023 |
20,793 |
4,342 |
51% |
Gloucester |
11 |
115,938 |
10,540 |
11,000 |
9,544 |
96% |
Harlequins |
12 |
80,632 |
6,719 |
8,311 |
2,350 |
79% |
Leeds Tykes |
12 |
54,377 |
4,531 |
7,207 |
1,407 |
20% |
Leicester Tigers |
12 |
188,136 |
15,678 |
16,875 |
5,552 |
93% |
London Irish |
11 |
109,128 |
9,921 |
18,585 |
7,125 |
41% |
London Wasps |
12 |
92,733 |
7,728 |
10,000 |
4,475 |
77% |
Newcastle Falcons |
11 |
64,358 |
5,851 |
9,127 |
3,273 |
59% |
Northampton Saints |
11 |
116,271 |
10,570 |
12,600 |
8,296 |
84% |
Sale Sharks |
11 |
59,680 |
5,425 |
5,800 |
4,514 |
95% |
Saracens |
12 |
86,883 |
7,240 |
10,531 |
2,900 |
33% |
References