Super League XI
Encyclopedia
Engage Super League XI was the official name for the year 2006's Super League
season in the sport of rugby league
in Europe. Bradford Bulls
were looking to retain the title they won in Super League X
.
The competition kicked off the weekend after the World Club Challenge. This season saw the entry of the Catalans Dragons
, who are the first French
team to compete since the demise of Paris Saint-Germain at the end of Super League II
.
Castleford Tigers
were relegated from Super League on Saturday 16 September after finishing the regular season in 11th place (Catalans Dragons were exempt from relegation and finished 12th, therefore 11th placed-team was relegated).
In the Grand Final St. Helens beat Hull by 26-4 at Old Trafford, Manchester
in front of a crowd of 72,575 which is a record for a Super League
Grand Final. At half time the score stood at 10-4 for St. Helens. The Saints raced ahead in the second half with several tries. This victory, in addition to their Challenge Cup win and League Leader's Shield, meant that they had completed the league treble.
The 2006 Super League generated the highest weekly average attendance in the 11-year history of the competition. The average weekly attendance for the regular season stood at 9,026, generated by an aggregate attendance of 1,516,342 supporters. This is an increase on the 2005 season average of 8,887.http://www.rfl.uk.com/HOME/news_item.php?id=6354
from the Bradford Bulls
to Wigan
for a Super League record fee of £450,000. Despite a 30-12 home win over Warrington
, Wigan remain bottom of the league after round 18.
In the latter part of the season, following round 19, the bottom half of the league table was very close, with 6 teams able to reach the play-offs and 5 still at risk of relegation.
Wigan left the bottom of the table for the first time in three months following round 20 but were still in the relegation position as Les Catalans were exempt from relegation. Warrington ended their bad run of results by beating Huddersfield in the same round.
The next week Wigan climbed out of the relegation zone after beating Salford - their fifth consecutive win. Wakefield had a chance to put Wigan back in the drop zone but blew a 20-0 lead against Huddersfield to allow the Giants to record a crucial victory. Elsewhere Hull's Richard Horne became the first player in 91 years to score tries in eleven straight games for the club in their victory over Warrington.
Hull's 13 match winning streak came to an end at Harlequins in round 22 but 2nd place rivals Leeds lost to leaders St Helens, who had Jamie Lyon
sent off. Wigan's recent revival was halted by Warrington.
In round 23, Wakefield re-ignited the relegation battle with a win against local rivals Castleford, despite being reduced to 11 men by the end of the game. Leeds lost the battle for second place, and their third league match in a row.
The relegation battle went go down to the wire as Wakefield beat Bradford while Castleford lost to Salford in the penultimate round of the season. The two clubs at risk of relegation, Wakefield and Castleford, were scheduled to meet in what had become a relegation decider in the last match of the regular season.
St Helens receive the League Leader's Shield
for a second successive year as recognition for finishing top of the competition league table for the regular season. Harlequins secured survival after beating Wigan. Salford secure a top-6 play-off spot for the first time in their history.
At the end of the regular season, Castleford were relegated as a consequence of their 29-17 defeat away to Wakefield.
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...
season in the sport of rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
in Europe. Bradford Bulls
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....
were looking to retain the title they won in Super League X
Super League X
engage Super League X is the official name of 2005's Super League season. It was the 10th season of Super League and saw twelve teams from across England compete for the premiership. The season kicked off in early February, culminating in a six team play-off seriesThe Grand Final, held at Old...
.
The competition kicked off the weekend after the World Club Challenge. This season saw the entry of the Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
, who are the first French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
team to compete since the demise of Paris Saint-Germain at the end of Super League II
Super League II
Stones Bitter Super League II was the official name for the year 1997's Super League championship season, the 103rd season of top-level professional rugby league football in Britain, and the second championship run by Super League.-Season summary:...
.
Castleford Tigers
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'...
were relegated from Super League on Saturday 16 September after finishing the regular season in 11th place (Catalans Dragons were exempt from relegation and finished 12th, therefore 11th placed-team was relegated).
In the Grand Final St. Helens beat Hull by 26-4 at Old Trafford, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in front of a crowd of 72,575 which is a record for a 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...
Grand Final. At half time the score stood at 10-4 for St. Helens. The Saints raced ahead in the second half with several tries. This victory, in addition to their Challenge Cup win and League Leader's Shield, meant that they had completed the league treble.
The 2006 Super League generated the highest weekly average attendance in the 11-year history of the competition. The average weekly attendance for the regular season stood at 9,026, generated by an aggregate attendance of 1,516,342 supporters. This is an increase on the 2005 season average of 8,887.http://www.rfl.uk.com/HOME/news_item.php?id=6354
Events
The lead up to round 18 saw the shock move of Stuart FieldenStuart Fielden
Stuart Fielden is an English professional rugby league footballer for Wigan of Super League...
from the Bradford Bulls
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....
to 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....
for a Super League record fee of £450,000. Despite a 30-12 home win over 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....
, Wigan remain bottom of the league after round 18.
In the latter part of the season, following round 19, the bottom half of the league table was very close, with 6 teams able to reach the play-offs and 5 still at risk of relegation.
Wigan left the bottom of the table for the first time in three months following round 20 but were still in the relegation position as Les Catalans were exempt from relegation. Warrington ended their bad run of results by beating Huddersfield in the same round.
The next week Wigan climbed out of the relegation zone after beating Salford - their fifth consecutive win. Wakefield had a chance to put Wigan back in the drop zone but blew a 20-0 lead against Huddersfield to allow the Giants to record a crucial victory. Elsewhere Hull's Richard Horne became the first player in 91 years to score tries in eleven straight games for the club in their victory over Warrington.
Hull's 13 match winning streak came to an end at Harlequins in round 22 but 2nd place rivals Leeds lost to leaders St Helens, who had Jamie Lyon
Jamie Lyon
Jamie Lyon is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently captains for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League...
sent off. Wigan's recent revival was halted by Warrington.
In round 23, Wakefield re-ignited the relegation battle with a win against local rivals Castleford, despite being reduced to 11 men by the end of the game. Leeds lost the battle for second place, and their third league match in a row.
The relegation battle went go down to the wire as Wakefield beat Bradford while Castleford lost to Salford in the penultimate round of the season. The two clubs at risk of relegation, Wakefield and Castleford, were scheduled to meet in what had become a relegation decider in the last match of the regular season.
St Helens receive the League Leader's Shield
League Leader's Shield
The League Leader’s Shield, often called The Hubcap is a trophy awarded to the team finishing the season top of Super League in the sport of rugby league football. Currently the championship is decided on the basis of a play-off series, and the Shield is thus regarded as a lesser prize...
for a second successive year as recognition for finishing top of the competition league table for the regular season. Harlequins secured survival after beating Wigan. Salford secure a top-6 play-off spot for the first time in their history.
At the end of the regular season, Castleford were relegated as a consequence of their 29-17 defeat away to Wakefield.