2020 RFL Championship explained

Betfred Championship 2020
League:Championship
Pixels:216px-->
Duration:Planned: 27 rounds + play-offs
Actual: 5 rounds
No Of Teams:14
Season:2020 season
Season Champ Name:Champions
League Leaders Name:Championship Shield
Promote From:RFL Championship
Promoted To:Super League
Relegate To:League 1
Prevseason Link:2019 RFL Championship
Prevseason Year:2019
Nextseason Link:2021 RFL Championship
Nextseason Year:2021

The 2020 Rugby Football League Championship is a rugby league football competition played primarily in England but including a team from France. It is the second tier of the three tiers of professional rugby league in England, below Super League and above League 1. Following rule changes agreed at the end of the 2018 season, the Super 8's format was abandoned and the Championship was to have featured a play-off system leading to promotion to Super League for one club while results during the regular season would have led to relegation to League 1 for two teams.

The 2020 Championship comprised 14 teams, which all played one another twice in the regular season, once at home and once away, totalling 26 games. The 2020 season would also have featured the "Summer Bash Weekend" for a sixth time so the regular season totals 27 games for each team.

On 16 March the structure and timing of the competition were placed in doubt as all rugby league games were suspended until 3 April at least as part of the United Kingdom's response to the coronavirus pandemic.[1] The suspension of the season was extended to indefinite.[2]

A discussion between the RFL and club officials in May saw a majority of the Championship clubs reject a suggestion that the season could recommence with games being played behind closed doors.[3] The RFL board met on 20 July and having consulted with the clubs decided to abandon the 2020 season as the majority of clubs did not support playing behind closed doors.[4] The RFL also confirmed that there would be no promotion or relegation between the Championship and Super League in 2020 and the season was declared null and void.[5] [4]

Teams

The Championship is made up of 14 teams, 11 of whom featured in the 2019 Championship; one, London Broncos, who were relegated from Super League; and two, Whitehaven and Oldham, who won promotion from League 1 in 2019. At the end of the 2019 season Bradford Bulls moved out of their Odsal ground and for 2020 agreed a ground share deal with Dewsbury Rams at the Rams' Tetley's Stadium.

Team StadiumCapacityLocation
Batley BulldogsFox's Biscuits Stadium7,500Batley, West Yorkshire
Bradford BullsTetley's Stadium5,800Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Dewsbury RamsTetley's Stadium5,800Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Featherstone RoversLD Nutrition Stadium8,000Featherstone, West Yorkshire
HalifaxThe MBi Shay14,000Halifax, West Yorkshire
Leigh CenturionsLeigh Sports Village12,000
London BroncosTrailfinders Sports Ground4,000Ealing, London
Bower Fold[6] 6,500Stalybridge, Greater Manchester
Sheffield EaglesSheffield Olympic Legacy Stadium2,500Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Swinton LionsHeywood Road3,387Sale, Greater Manchester
Toulouse OlympiqueStade Ernest-Wallon19,500Toulouse, France
WhitehavenRecreation Ground7,500Whitehaven, Cumbria
Widnes VikingsHalton Stadium13,350Widnes, Cheshire
York City KnightsBootham Crescent8,256York, North Yorkshire

Regular season results

Round 1

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=17%Date and Time (GMT)width=19%Venuewidth=13%Refereewidth=7%Attendance
align=left Dewsbury Rams10–36align=left Leigh Centurions31 January 2020, 19:30Tetley's StadiumCameron Worsley1,723
align=left Toulouse Olympique22–10align=left York City Knights1 February 2020, 18:00Stade Ernest-ArgelesMarcus Griffiths3,151
align=left Batley Bulldogs18–38align=left Featherstone RoversRowspan=52 February 2020, 15:00The Fox's Biscuit StadiumTom Grant1,795
align=left Bradford Bulls14–18align=left London BroncosTetley's StadiumAaron Moore2,697
align=left Halifax18–17align=left Sheffield EaglesThe MBI ShayBilly Pearson1,525
align=left Oldham Roughyeds6–36align=left Widnes VikingsBower FoldJack Smith1,726
align=left Whitehaven RLFC0–14align=left Swinton LionsRecreation GroundGareth Hewer803
Source:[7] [8] [9] [10]

Round 2

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=17%Date and Time (GMT)width=19%Venuewidth=13%Refereewidth=7%Attendance
align=left Leigh Centurions58–10align=left Sheffield Eagles8 February 2020, 15:00Leigh Sports VillageMichael Mannifield3,104
align=left Toulouse Olympique58–6align=left Oldham Roughyeds8 February 2020, 18:00Stade Ernest-WallonAaron Moore2,318
align=left London Broncos36–20align=left Whitehaven RLFCRowspan=29 February 2020, 15:00Trailfinders Sports GroundMatthew Rossleigh735
align=left Widnes Vikings32–12align=left Batley BulldogsSelect Security StadiumTom Grant3,577
align=left Featherstone Roversalign=left Halifax RLFCTBC
align=left Swinton Lionsalign=left Dewsbury RamsTBC
align=left York City Knightsalign=left Bradford BullsTBC
Source:

Round 3

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=17%Date and Time (GMT)width=19%Venuewidth=13%Refereewidth=7%Attendance
align=left Batley Bulldogs20–10align=left Swinton LionsRowspan=516 February 2020, 15:00The Fox's Biscuit StadiumBilly Pearson746
align=left Bradford Bulls22–30align=left Featherstone RoversTetley's StadiumMatthew Rossleigh3,640
align=left Leigh Centurions34–0align=left York City KnightsLeigh Sports VillageScott Mikalauskua2,942
align=left Sheffield Eagles14–26align=left Toulouse OlympiqueCastle ParkAaron Moore618
align=left Widnes Vikings12–38align=left London BroncosSelect Security StadiumJack Smith3,680
align=left Whitehaven RLFC14–16align=left Oldham Roughyeds16 February 2020, 18:15Recreation GroundMichael Mannifield532
align=left Dewsbury Rams18–16align=left Swinton Lions18 February 2020, 19:45The MBI ShayCameron Worsley1,151
Source:

Round 4

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=17%Date and Time (GMT)width=19%Venuewidth=13%Refereewidth=7%Attendance
align=left Batley Bulldogs18–19align=left Sheffield EaglesRowspan=51 March 2020, 15:00The Fox's Biscuit Stadium
align=left Halifax RLFC28–4align=left York City KnightsThe MBI Shay
align=left London Broncos10–34align=left Featherstone RoversTrailfinders Sports Ground
align=left Oldham Roughyeds12–26align=left Bradford BullsBower Fold
align=left Whitehaven RLFC4–40align=left Toulouse OlympiqueRecreation Ground
align=left Dewsbury Rams20–8align=left Widnes Vikings1 March 2020, 18:15Tetley's Stadium
align=left Swinton Lionsalign=left Leigh CenturionsTBC
Source:

Round 5

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=17%Date and Time (GMT)width=19%Venuewidth=13%Refereewidth=7%Attendance
align=left Toulouse Olympique34–14align=left Batley Bulldogs7 March 2020, 18:00Stade Ernest-Wallon
align=left Featherstone Rovers35–24align=left Swinton LionsRowspan=58 March 2020, 15:00LD Nutrition Stadium
align=left Leigh Centurions34–20align=left Halifax RLFCLeigh Sports Village
align=left Oldham Roughyeds6–24align=left Dewsbury RamsBower Fold
align=left Widnes Vikings40–16align=left Whitehaven RLFCSelect Security Stadium
align=left York City Knights12–18align=left London BroncosBootham Crescent1,364
align=left Bradford Bulls28–0align=left Sheffield Eagles8 March 2020, 18:15
Source:

Notes and References

  1. News: Coronavirus: Rugby Football League suspends season until 3 April . BBC Sport . 16 March 2020.
  2. News: Rugby League to stand down staff and players . 3 . 3,219 . Rugby Leaguer & League Express . 30 March 2020.
  3. News: Championship on the brink of closing for the season . 3 . 3,226 . Rugby Leaguer & League Express . 18 May 2020.
  4. News: No relegation from Super League in 2020 . 20 July 2020 . BBC Sport . 20 July 2020.
  5. Web site: Championship and League One null and void . Serious About Rugby League . 8 August 2020 . 20 July 2020.
  6. Web site: Gordon . James . Oldham confirm return to Bower Fold . Love Rugby League . 5 November 2019.
  7. Web site: Leigh triumph in Betfred Championship opener. www.rugby-league.com. 1 January 2021.
  8. Web site: Toulouse fight back to beat York. www.rugby-league.com. 1 January 2021.
  9. Web site: London make winning start back in Championship. www.rugby-league.com. 1 January 2021.
  10. Web site: BULLDOGS 18-38 ROVERS. 2 February 2020. 1 January 2021.

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