The 1997–98 Premiership 1 was the eleventh season of the top tier of the English rugby union league system, currently known as Premiership Rugby, and the first to be sponsored by Allied Dunbar, having previously been sponsored by Courage Brewery. The end of the previous season had seen a wide scale restructuring of the old league system, with the two leagues (formerly National Division 1 and 2) being renamed as Premiership 1 and Premiership 2, with Allied Dunbar agreeing to sponsor the top two divisions for £7,500,000.[1]Wasps were defending champions and Richmond and Newcastle Falcons the promoted sides.[2]
Newly promoted Newcastle Falcons finished as league champions for the first time in their history, just one point clear of runners up Saracens.[3] Only one side was relegated this season, with Bristol enduring a nightmare season and dropping down to the 1998–99 Premiership 2, in what would be their first season outside of the top flight since the leagues began.
Structure
Each side played one another twice, in a round robin system, home and away, to make a total of twenty-two matches for each team. The bottom side would be automatically relegated to Premiership 2 (formerly known as National Division 1).
Gateshead International Stadium Attendance: 11,750
14 May 1998 19:45
Saracens
43–20
Northampton Saints
Vicarage Road Attendance: 9,117
17 May 1998 13:00
NEC Harlequins
20–44
Newcastle Falcons
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 8,897
Newcastle Falcons are champions.
17 May 1998 15:00
London Irish
16–55
Leicester Tigers
The Avenue Attendance: 2,500
17 May 1998 15:00
London Wasps
17–31
Bath
Loftus Road Attendance: 9,324
17 May 1998 15:00
Northampton Saints
22–24
Gloucester
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 5,500
17 May 1998 15:00
Sale
28–40
Richmond
Heywood Road Attendance: 4,000
Attendances
Club
Home Games
Total
Average
Highest
Lowest
% Capacity
Bath
11
80,100
7,282
8,200
5,500
88%
Bristol
11
39,653
3,605
5,601
1,547
42%
Gloucester
11
83,473
7,588
10,574
5,689
63%
Harlequins
11
64,930
5,903
8,897
4,127
66%
Leicester Tigers
11
141,446
12,859
16,900
8,678
76%
London Irish
11
40,900
3,718
5,000
1,500
56%
Newcastle Falcons
11
55,251
5,023
11,750
2,638
62%
Northampton Saints
11
71,661
6,515
8,989
4,600
72%
Richmond
11
39,718
3,611
6,500
2,000
49%
Sale
11
39,800
3,618
4,500
2,500
75%
Saracens
11
102,335
9,303
19,764
3,722
42%
Wasps
11
64,179
5,834
9,700
3,791
32%
Leading scorers
Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who did not earn international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-WR nationalities.
^Kingston Park capacity was up from 6,600 to around 6,900 for the 1997–98 season with 6,868 attending for the fixture against Saracens on 25 March 1998.[9]
^Franklin's Gardens capacity up from 8,400 to around 9,000 for the 1997–98 season with a crowd of 8,989 attending the home fixture against Newcastle Falcons on 31 January 1998.[10]
^The capacity of Heywood Road went up from 4,000 to around 4,800 for the 1997–98 season.[12][13]
^For the 1997–98 season Saracens would groundshare with football team Watford at Vicarage Road having spent the previous season ground sharing with Enfield at Southbury Road.
^Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Bath F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 40.
^Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Bristol F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 43.
^Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Harlequins F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 50.
^Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "London Irish R.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 98.
^Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Richmond F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 112.
^Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Sale F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 118.
England
