Super League III

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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 partnersUnited Kingdom Sky Sports
1998 Season
ChampionsWigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors
1st Super League title
18th English title
League LeadersWigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors
Man of SteelRhinoscolours.svg Iestyn Harris
Top point-scorer(s)Rhinoscolours.svg Iestyn Harris (255)
Top try-scorer(s)Saintscolours.svg Anthony Sullivan (20)
New franchise
Awarded toGthundercolours.svg Gateshead Thunder
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from First DivisionHullcolours.svg Hull Sharks
Giantscolours.svg 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 and the championship became a play off series to determine the Super League champions, similar to the way the Premiership was played a few seasons earlier. This meant the first Final to determine the British champions since the 1972–73 season. 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
Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls Odsal 27,000 Bradford, West Yorkshire
Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers Wheldon Road 11,750 Castleford, West Yorkshire
Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox Thrum Hall 9,832 Halifax, West Yorkshire
Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants Galpharm Stadium 24,500 Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Hullcolours.svg Hull Sharks The Boulevard 10,500 Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos Headingley 21,500 Leeds, West Yorkshire
Broncoscolours.png London Broncos The Valley 27,000 Charlton, Greater London
Redscolours.svg Salford Reds The Willows 11,363 Salford, Greater Manchester
Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles Don Valley Stadium 25,000 Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Saintscolours.svg St. Helens Knowsley Road 17,500 St Helens, Mersyside
Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves Wilderspool 9,200 Warrington, Cheshire
Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors Central Park 18,000 Wigan, Greater Manchester

Table[]

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 23 21 0 2 762 222 +540 42 Play-offs Semi Final
2 Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 23 19 0 4 662 369 +293 38 Play-offs Qualifying Final
3 Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox 23 18 0 5 658 390 +268 36
4 Saintscolours.svg St. Helens 23 14 1 8 673 459 +214 29 Play-offs Eliminator Final
5 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls 23 12 0 11 498 450 +48 24
6 Cascolours.png Castleford Tigers 23 10 1 12 446 522 -76 21
7 Broncoscolours.png London Broncos 23 10 0 13 415 476 -61 20
8 Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles 23 8 2 13 495 541 -46 18
9 Hullcolours.svg Hull Sharks 23 8 0 15 421 574 -153 16
10 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves 23 7 1 15 411 645 -234 15
11 Redscolours.svg Salford Reds 23 6 1 16 319 575 -256 13
12 Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants 23 2 0 21 288 825 -537 4

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 / Elimination finals Semi-finals Preliminary final Grand Final
                                 
  11 October 1998
  1  Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 17  
       Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 4         24 October 1998
               Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 10
  4 October 1998         18 October 1998      Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 4
  2  Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 13          Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 44  
  3  Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox 6     9 October 1998      Saintscolours.svg St. Helens 16
       Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox 30  
  2 October 1998      Saintscolours.svg St. Helens 37
  4  Saintscolours.svg St. Helens 46  
  5  Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls 24
   
Key:           Losing team progressing       Winning team progressing


Grand final[]

Main article: 1998 Super League Grand final
24 October 1998
Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 10–4 Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos
Tries: Robinson
Goals: Farrell (3) 		Report Tries: Blackmore
Old Trafford, Manchester
Attendance: 43,533[1]
Referee: Russell Smith (Castleford)

Dream Team[]

The Super League Dream Team for the 1998 season was: 1. Kris Radlinski (Wigan) 2. Jason Robinson (Wigan) 3. Gary Connolly (Wigan) 4. Brad Godden (Leeds) 5. Anthony Sullivan (St. Helens) 6. Iestyn Harris (Leeds) 7. Gavin Clinch (Halifax) 8. Dale Laughton (Sheffield) 9. Robbie McCormack (Wigan) 10. Tony Mestrov (Wigan) 11. Steele Retchless (London Broncos) 12. Adrian Morley (Leeds) 13. Andy Farrell (Wigan).[2]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Wonderful Wigan add Final chapter to illustrious history". The Birmingham Post. England. 1998-10-26. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  2. ^ "League proposes show in S Africa". independent.co.uk. 2011-12-31. Retrieved 2012-01-01.

External links[]

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