Super League VI

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Super League VI
LeagueSuper League
Duration28 Rounds
Teams12[1]
Highest attendance21,073
Wigan Warriors vs St. Helens (13 April)
Lowest attendance1,800
London Broncos vs Huddersfield Giants (26 Aug)
Broadcast partnersUnited Kingdom Sky Sports
2001 Season
ChampionsBullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls
2nd Super League title
4th English title
League LeadersBullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls
Man of SteelSaintscolours.svg Paul Sculthorpe
Top point-scorer(s)Wigancolours.svg Andrew Farrell (388)
Top try-scorer(s)Wigancolours.svg Kris Radlinski (27)
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from National League OneWidnes colours.svg Widnes Vikings
Relegated to National League OneGiantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants

Tetley's Super League VI was the official name for the year 2001's Super League championship season, the 107th season of top-level professional rugby league football in Britain, and the sixth championship run by the Super League. The season began on the first weekend in March and culminated after twenty-eight rounds in a six-game playoff series, involving the top 5 teams.

Rule changes[]

  • 20 metre restarts should be allowed to happen quickly and not be delayed by referees.[2]
  • The first and second halves will now end the moment that the hooter sounds, in the past referees could use their discretion to let play continue if they felt the siren had sounded in during play.[2]

Refereeing focus[]

The play-the-ball was to be more strictly refereed:

  • Penalising those teams that attempt to delay or interfere with the tackled player.[2] Following a pre-season meeting with coaches the RFL's director of rugby, , identified the following delaying tactics that would be monitored for:[2]
    • "Flopping" onto the player tackled or pushing them down in a "second effort".[2]
    • Straddling the tackled player.[2]
    • Pulling at the tackled player's leg as they get to their feet.[2]
    • Making contact with the ball in the tackled player's arms.[2]
    • Putting a hand on the shoulders or head of the tackled player.[2]
    • Deliberately knocking into ball-carriers at play-the-ball.[2]
  • Team-mates of tackled players should not attempt to manhandle tacklers off the player in possession.[2]
  • Attacking players must make at least an attempt to play the ball correctly with the foot.[2]
  • Players "milking" penalties would be punished.[2]

Rule deviation[]

  • The Rugby Football League opted to retain their existing substitution system of six changes from four available substitutes but allowing unlimited use of the blood bin.[2] This put British rugby league at odds with international interchange rules and impacted preparation for international competitions.[2]

Operational rules[]

  • Match commissioners were introduced by the League as a first point of contact for clubs that wish to raise and issue resulting from a match.[2] The introduction of this system follows a successful trial during the 2000 World Cup.[2]

Table[]

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls 28 22 1 5 1120 474 +646 45 Play-off Semi Final
2 Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 28 22 1 5 989 494 +495 45 Play-off Qualifying Final
3 Hullcolours.svg Hull 28 20 2 6 772 630 +142 42
4 Saintscolours.svg St. Helens 28 17 2 9 924 732 +192 36 Play-off Elimination Final
5 Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 28 16 1 11 774 721 +53 33
6 Broncoscolours.png London Broncos 28 13 1 14 644 603 +41 27
7 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves 28 11 2 15 646 860 -214 24
8 Cascolours.png Castleford Tigers 28 10 1 17 581 777 -196 21
9 Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox 28 9 0 19 630 819 -189 18
10 Redscolours.svg Salford City Reds 28 8 0 20 587 596 -369 16
11 Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 28 8 0 20 529 817 -288 14[a]
12 Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants 28 6 1 21 613 926 -313 13 Relegated to National League 1
Notes

^ a: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats deducted 2 points for salary cap breaches

Play-offs[]

Wigan vs St Helens in the preliminary final

Grand Final[]

Main article: 2001 Super League Grand Final

The Grand Final, played on October 13 at Old Trafford, was won by Bradford Bulls who defeated Wigan Warriors to become champions. This was legendary Australian centre Steve Renouf's last game of top-level football before retirement.

References[]

  1. ^ "Super League Team-by-team guide". telegraph.co.uk. UK: Telegraph Media Group Limited. 1 March 2001. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q BBC Sport (2001-03-02). "Super League rules revamp". BBC. Retrieved 2009-05-06.

External links[]

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