2020 RFL Championship
LeagueChampionship
DurationPlanned: 27 rounds + play-offs
Actual: 5 rounds
No of teams14
TvSky Sports
Season2020 season
Season champ nameChampions
League leaders nameChampionship Shield
Promote fromRFL Championship
Promoted toSuper League
Relegate toLeague 1
Prevseason year2019
Nextseason year2021

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.

TeamStadiumCapacityLocation
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 Village12,000Leigh, Greater Manchester
London BroncosTrailfinders Sports Ground4,000Ealing, London
OldhamBower 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
Date and Time (GMT)VenueRefereeAttendance
Dewsbury Rams10–36Leigh Centurions31 January 2020, 19:30Tetley's StadiumCameron Worsley1,723
Toulouse Olympique22–10York City Knights1 February 2020, 18:00Stade Ernest-ArgelesMarcus Griffiths3,151
Batley Bulldogs18–38Featherstone Rovers2 February 2020, 15:00The Fox's Biscuit StadiumTom Grant1,795
Bradford Bulls14–18London BroncosTetley's StadiumAaron Moore2,697
Halifax18–17Sheffield EaglesThe MBI ShayBilly Pearson1,525
Oldham Roughyeds6–36Widnes VikingsBower FoldJack Smith1,726
Whitehaven RLFC0–14Swinton LionsRecreation GroundGareth Hewer803
Source:[7][8][9][10]

Round 2

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and Time (GMT)VenueRefereeAttendance
Leigh Centurions58–10Sheffield Eagles8 February 2020, 15:00Leigh Sports VillageMichael Mannifield3,104
Toulouse Olympique58–6Oldham Roughyeds8 February 2020, 18:00Stade Ernest-WallonAaron Moore2,318
London Broncos36–20Whitehaven RLFC9 February 2020, 15:00Trailfinders Sports GroundMatthew Rossleigh735
Widnes Vikings32–12Batley BulldogsSelect Security StadiumTom Grant3,577
Featherstone RoversHalifax RLFCTBC[a]
Swinton LionsDewsbury RamsTBC[a]
York City KnightsBradford BullsTBC[a]
Source:
  1. ^ Match postponed on original date due to poor weather conditions caused by Storm Ciara
  2. ^ after golden-point extra time
  3. ^ original match on 1 March, postponed due to a water-logged pitch

Round 3

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and Time (GMT)VenueRefereeAttendance
Batley Bulldogs20–10Swinton Lions16 February 2020, 15:00The Fox's Biscuit StadiumBilly Pearson746
Bradford Bulls22–30Featherstone RoversTetley's StadiumMatthew Rossleigh3,640
Leigh Centurions34–0York City KnightsLeigh Sports VillageScott Mikalauskua2,942
Sheffield Eagles14–26Toulouse OlympiqueCastle ParkAaron Moore618
Widnes Vikings12–38London BroncosSelect Security StadiumJack Smith3,680
Whitehaven RLFC14–16Oldham Roughyeds16 February 2020, 18:15Recreation GroundMichael Mannifield532
Dewsbury Rams18–16Swinton Lions18 February 2020, 19:45The MBI ShayCameron Worsley1,151
Source:

Round 4

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and Time (GMT)VenueRefereeAttendance
Batley Bulldogs18–19[b]Sheffield Eagles1 March 2020, 15:00The Fox's Biscuit Stadium
Halifax RLFC28–4York City KnightsThe MBI Shay
London Broncos10–34Featherstone RoversTrailfinders Sports Ground
Oldham Roughyeds12–26Bradford BullsBower Fold
Whitehaven RLFC4–40Toulouse OlympiqueRecreation Ground
Dewsbury Rams20–8Widnes Vikings1 March 2020, 18:15Tetley's Stadium
Swinton LionsLeigh CenturionsTBC [c]
Source:

Round 5

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and Time (GMT)VenueRefereeAttendance
Toulouse Olympique34–14Batley Bulldogs7 March 2020, 18:00Stade Ernest-Wallon
Featherstone Rovers35–24Swinton Lions8 March 2020, 15:00LD Nutrition Stadium
Leigh Centurions34–20Halifax RLFCLeigh Sports Village
Oldham Roughyeds6–24Dewsbury RamsBower Fold
Widnes Vikings40–16Whitehaven RLFCSelect Security Stadium
York City Knights12–18London BroncosBootham Crescent1,364
Bradford Bulls28–0Sheffield Eagles8 March 2020, 18:15
Source:

References

  1. ^ "Coronavirus: Rugby Football League suspends season until 3 April". BBC Sport. 16 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Rugby League to stand down staff and players". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3,219. 30 March 2020. p. 3.
  3. ^ "Championship on the brink of closing for the season". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3,226. 18 May 2020. p. 3.
  4. ^ "No relegation from Super League in 2020". BBC Sport. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Championship and League One null and void". Serious About Rugby League. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  6. ^ Gordon, James (5 November 2019). "Oldham confirm return to Bower Fold". Love Rugby League
  7. ^ "Leigh triumph in Betfred Championship opener". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Toulouse fight back to beat York". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  9. ^ "London make winning start back in Championship". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  10. ^ "BULLDOGS 18-38 ROVERS". 2 February 2020. Archived 21 February 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 January 2021.