Wikipedia

Club Championship (rugby league)

The Club Championship was a competition for British rugby league clubs during the 1973–74 season. The competition was a replacement for the end-of-season playoff system which had been held between 1906 and 1973. Although named the Club Championship, it was considered a separate competition to the League Championship, which was awarded to league winners, Salford. The tournament was won by Warrington. It was replaced by the Rugby League Premiership after one season.

Format edit

Qualification for the competition was determined by a merit points system. Points were awarded based on clubs final league position, and victories in knockout competitions during the season.

A preliminary knockout round also took place for the top 12 Second Division clubs, with three winners qualifying for the Club Championship. These three clubs were joined by the 13 teams who were awarded the most merit points.

Merit points edit

  • Qualified: Warrington (68), Leeds (64), St Helens (53), Salford (51), Featherstone Rovers (47), Rochdale Hornets (45), Bramley (43), Wakefield Trinity (42), Dewsbury (40), Castleford (40), Widnes (39), Wigan (38), Bradford Northern (30), Workington Town (28), Keighley (25), Hull (9)
  • Failed to qualify: Leigh (24), Hull KR (22), Whitehaven (20), York (20), Halifax (18), Swinton (17), Oldham (17), Batley (10), Huddersfield (8), Barrow (6), New Hunslet (4), Huyton (4), Blackpool Borough (3), Doncaster (2)[1]

First round edit

The draw was seeded based on the number of merit points awarded to each team, with the teams with the most points being awarded home advantage.[2] As Castleford and Dewsbury had been awarded the same number of points, a coin toss was used to determine their respective positions in the merit table.[3]

Date Team one Score Team two
20 April 1974 Leeds 31–12 Keighley
20 April 1974 St Helens 24–7 Workington Town
21 April 1974 Bramley 0–14 Castleford
21 April 1974 Featherstone Rovers 22–14 Wigan
21 April 1974 Rochdale Hornets 5–31 Widnes
21 April 1974 Salford 16–16 Bradford Northern
21 April 1974 Wakefield Trinity 26–11 Dewsbury
21 April 1974 Warrington 34–12 Hull

Replay edit

Date Team one Score Team two
25 April 1974 Bradford Northern 17–8 Salford

Second round edit

Date Team one Score Team two
27 April 1974 Warrington 15–9 Bradford Northern
28 April 1974 Featherstone Rovers 16–19 Wakefield Trinity
28 April 1974 Leeds 20–15 Widnes
28 April 1974 St Helens 25–9 Castleford

Semi finals edit

Date Team one Score Team two
3 May 1974 Leeds 10–23 St Helens
4 May 1974 Warrington 12–7 Wakefield Trinity

Final edit

Date Team one Score Team two
18 May 1974 Warrington 13–12 St Helens

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Hull at Warrington in play-off". Hull Daily Mail. 18 April 1974. p. 21 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ "Merit clubs' home boost". Manchester Evening News. 18 April 1974. p. 20 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "Dewsbury win toss of coin". The Guardian. London. 19 April 1974. p. 25. ProQuest 185691496.

External links edit

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