1994-95 Rugby Football League season

The 1994–95 Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...

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

Stones Bitter

Stones Bitter is a bitter beer first brewed in 1948 by William Stones Ltd at the Cannon Brewery, Sheffield, England. It was designed for the steelworkers of Sheffield's Lower Don Valley. In 1968 it became a part of Bass Brewery, who extended distribution across the north of England in 1977, and...

Championship.

Season summary

The summer Super League

Super League

Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...

concept was agreed to commence in 1996.

Stones Bitter League Champions: Wigan (16th title)
Silk Cut
Silk Cut
Silk Cut is brand of low tar cigarette produced by the Gallaher Group. The packaging is characterised by a distinctive stark white packet with the brand name in a purple, blue, red, silver, white or green square....

Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....

Winners: Wigan (30-10 v Leeds)
Stones Bitter Premiership
Rugby League Premiership
The Rugby League Premiership was a competition for British rugby league clubs that operated between 1973 and 1995. As the Super League Premiership the competition continued to operate until 1997....

Trophy Winners: Wigan (69-12 v Leeds)
- Harry Sunderland Trophy
  Harry Sunderland Trophy
  The Harry Sunderland Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in the Super League Grand Final by the Rugby League Writers' Association. It is named after Harry Sunderland, who was an Australian rugby league football administrator in both Australia and the United Kingdom...
  
  : Kris Radlinski
  Kris Radlinski
  Kris Radlinski MBE is a former English rugby league and who played for his hometown club Wigan Warriors throughout his career and also represented Great Britain. He is of Polish descent.-Playing career:...
Regal Trophy
Regal Trophy
The Regal Trophy was a knock-out competition for British rugby league football clubs between 1971 and 1996.It was initially for professional clubs with the exception of two amateur teams who were finalists of the BARLA National Cup...

Winners: Wigan (7 - 40-10 v Warrington)
2nd Division Champions: Keighley Cougars

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

Regal Trophy

The Regal Trophy was a knock-out competition for British rugby league football clubs between 1971 and 1996.It was initially for professional clubs with the exception of two amateur teams who were finalists of the BARLA National Cup...

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

Denis Betts

Denis C. Betts is an English rugby league coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Widnes Vikings in the Engage Super League. He played for Wigan in the Rugby League Premiership and the Australian NRL, for the Auckland Warriors, and also represented England at the 1995 Rugby...

. 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. The system was based on the one already operating in Australian rugby league. Referees signalled that an incident had been put "on report" by crossing their raised arms above their heads.
In-goal judges were trialled, these two additional match officials are positioned behind the dead-ball line at each end of the playing field
Rugby league playing field
The rugby league playing field, also referred to as a pitch or paddock, is the playing surface for the sport of rugby league football and is surfaced exclusively with grass....

and aim to aid the referee in judging if a try has been scored. The in-goal judges had been used in Australia for two years.
McCallum ordered referees to penalise defending players lifting attackers in the tackle in a way that could lead to an illegal spear tackle
Spear tackle
A spear tackle is a dangerous tackle in rugby union, rugby league and Australian rules football whereby a player lifts another player into the air and dumps or drops them upside down...

.

Leeds'

Leeds Rhinos

Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...

Gary Mercer

Gary Ivan Mercer is a New Zealand rugby league coach and former professional footballer. A New Zealand international representative player, he has spent most of his career in England both playing and coaching.-Playing career:...

(dangerous throw), Sheffield Eagles

Sheffield Eagles

Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....

' Paul Broadbent

Paul Broadbent

Paul "Beans" Broadbent is an English former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s, and coach of the 2000s and 2010s, who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Sheffield Eagles, Halifax, Hull, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, and York City...

and Doncaster's Gordon Lynch (tripping) became the first players cited under the reporting system to be found to have a case to answer.

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

762
Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD
1	Wigan Wigan Warriors Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....	30	28	0	2	1148	386
56
2	Leeds Leeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...	30	24	1	5	863	526
49
3	Castleford Castleford Tigers Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...	30	20	2	8	872	564
42
4	St Helens	30	20	1	9	893	640
41
5	Halifax Halifax RLFC Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...	30	18	2	10	782	566
38
6	Warrington Warrington Wolves Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....	30	18	2	10	753	570
38
7	Bradford Northern Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....	30	17	1	12	811	650
35
8	Sheffield Eagles Sheffield Eagles Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....	30	15	0	15	646	699
30
9	Workington Town Workington Town Workington Town is a professional rugby league club playing in Workington in West Cumbria. They play in the Championship 1. Their stadium is called Derwent Park, which they share with Workington Comets, a speedway team....	30	12	1	17	538	743
25
10	Oldham Oldham Roughyeds Oldham Roughyeds is an English professional rugby league club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Championship One. Oldham is one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895....	30	11	1	18	534	746
23
11	Featherstone Rovers Featherstone Rovers Featherstone Rovers are a semi-professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the Championship. The Rovers are one of the last vestiges of "small town teams" that were once common in rugby league during the early twentieth century...	30	10	1	19	582	687
21
12	Salford Salford City Reds Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...	30	10	1	19	613	775
21
13	Wakefield Trinity Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...	30	9	0	21	434	807
18
14	Widnes Widnes Vikings Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...	30	8	1	21	481	767
17
15	Hull	30	7	1	22	594	880
15
16	Doncaster	30	5	1	24	469	1007
11

Champions	Relegated to First Division	Relegated to Second Division

Second Division

637
Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD
1	Keighley Cougars Keighley Cougars Keighley Cougars are a professional rugby league club from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. As of 2012 they will play in Co-operative Championship having won the Co-operative Championship 1 play off final 32-12 against Workington...	30	23	2	5	974	337
48
2	Batley Batley Bulldogs Batley Bulldogs are an English professional rugby league club from Batley, West Yorkshire. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Batley is one of the original twenty-two rugby football clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895...	30	23	0	7	754	423
46
3	Huddersfield Huddersfield Giants Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....	30	19	3	8	870	539
41
4	London Broncos	30	20	1	9	732	480
41
5	Whitehaven Whitehaven RLFC Whitehaven RLFC is a rugby league club playing in Whitehaven in West Cumbria. They play in Co-operative Championship. Their stadium is called the Recreation Ground...	30	19	0	11	766	507
38
6	Rochdale Hornets Rochdale Hornets Rochdale Hornets RLFC is an English professional rugby league club from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. They currently play in Championship One...	30	18	0	12	805	570
36
7	Dewsbury Dewsbury Rams Dewsbury Rams RLFC is a professional rugby league club based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. They are arguably most famous for becoming Champions in 1972-73 after finishing the regular season in 8th place. In the playoffs they beat Featherstone away, Warrington away, and then Leeds in the...	30	17	1	12	744	538
35
8	Hull K.R. Hull Kingston Rovers Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...	30	16	1	13	824	516
30
9	Rydale-York York City Knights York City Knights Rugby League Club is a British professional rugby league club hailing from York. They play at the Huntington Stadium, situated to the north of York city centre...	30	15	2	13	720	602
32
10	Hunslet Hunslet Hawks Hunslet Hawks is a professional rugby league club based in Hunslet, West Yorkshire, England. The club, sometimes known as 'the Parksiders' after their former stadium, are currently champions of Championship One.-History:-Early years:...	30	16	0	14	611	783
32
11	Leigh Leigh Centurions Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...	30	12	0	18	622	787
24
12	Swinton Swinton Lions Swinton Lions is an English professional rugby league club from Swinton, Greater Manchester. The club has won the Championship six times and three Challenge Cups. They currently play in the Championship.-Early years:...	30	12	0	18	576	768
24
13	Bramley Bramley Buffaloes Bramley Buffaloes is a rugby league club from the Bramley area of West Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. Previously known simply as Bramley RLFC, the club is a famous name in rugby league, having existed prior to the formation of the Northern Union in 1895...	30	10	0	20	554	655
20
14	Carlisle Carlisle RLFC Carlisle RLFC were a rugby league team based in Carlisle, Cumbria.-Early rugby league in Carlisle:Carlisle City, based at Harraby Greyhound Stadium close to Gillford Park, were admitted to the Northern Rugby Football Union for the 1928-29 season. They withdrew on November 8, 1928 after only ten...	30	8	0	22	546	877
16
15	Barrow Barrow Raiders Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria....	30	6	0	24	449	811
12
16	Highfield	30	1	0	29	224	1604
2

Elected to Championship	Promoted to New First Division	Relegated to New Second Division

Regal Trophy

Key
Replayed - 1st match in brackets

Season summary

Rule changes

League Tables

Regal Trophy

Challenge Cup

Results (from Fifth round)

Final

Sources