1987–88 National Division 1

1987–88 National Division 1
Countries England
Date5 September 1987 – 30 April 1988
ChampionsLeicester (1st title)
Runners-upWasps
RelegatedCoventry
Sale
Matches played64
Top point scorer126 – Dusty Hare (Leicester)[1]
Top try scorer11 – Andrew Harriman (Harlequins)[1]

The 1987–88 National Division 1 was the first season of the top tier of the English rugby union league system, the Courage Clubs Championship, and the first to be sponsored by Courage Brewery. It was the first season of a truly national rugby union league, with the top flight currently known as Premiership Rugby.

At the end of the season Leicester finished top of the league table and were crowned as the first ever champions, while Coventry and Sale were relegated to the 1988–89 National Division 2, the latter side having lost all of its eleven matches.[2]

Structure

Each team played one match against each of the other teams, playing a total of eleven matches each. For this first season there was no fixture list; the teams arranged fixtures amongst themselves. Most teams played eleven games, although some played ten due to cancellations and there were unequal home and away fixtures, with some sides playing up to seven games at home, while others as little as four. The bottom two sides were relegated to National Division 2.

The points scheme was such that a team received four points for a win, two for a draw and one point for a loss.

Participating teams

Locations of the 1987–88 Courage League National Division One teams
Team Stadium Capacity City/Area
Bath The Recreation Ground 8,300 (1,000 seats)[3] Bath, Somerset
Bristol Memorial Stadium 8,500 (1,200 seats)[4] Bristol, Avon
Coventry Coundon Road 10,000 (1,100 seats)[5] Coventry, West Midlands
Gloucester Kingsholm 11,100 (1,100 seats)[6] Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Harlequins The Stoop 9,000 (2,000 seats)[7] Twickenham, London
Leicester Welford Road 14,700 (9,200 seats)[8] Leicester, Leicestershire
Moseley The Reddings 9,999 (1,800 seats)[9] Birmingham, West Midlands
Nottingham Ireland Avenue 4,990 (590 seats)[10] Beeston, Nottinghamshire
Orrell Edge Hall Road 5,300 (300 seats)[11] Orrell, Greater Manchester
Sale Heywood Road 4,000 (500 seats)[12] Sale, Greater Manchester
Wasps Repton Avenue 3,200 (1,200 seats)[13][14] Sudbury, London
Waterloo St Anthony's Road 9,950 (950 seats)[15] Blundellsands, Merseyside

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Leicester (C) 10 9 0 1 225 133 +92 37 Champions
2 Wasps 11 8 1 2 218 136 +82 36
3 Harlequins 11 6 1 4 261 128 +133 30
4 Bath 11 6 1 4 197 156 +41 30
5 Gloucester 10 6 1 3 206 121 +85 29
6 Orrell 11 5 1 5 192 153 +39 27
7 Moseley 11 5 0 6 167 170 −3 26
8 Nottingham 11 4 1 6 146 170 −24 24
9 Bristol 10 4 1 5 171 145 +26 23
10 Waterloo 10 4 0 6 123 208 −85 22
11 Coventry (R) 11 3 1 7 139 246 −107 21 Relegated
12 Sale (R) 11 0 0 11 95 374 −279 11
Source: [16]
Rules for classification: Points are awarded as follows:
  1. 4 pts for a win
  2. 2 pt for a draw
  3. 1 pt for a loss
    (C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Results table

The home team is listed in the left column.

Home \ Away BAT BRI COV GLO HAR LEI MOS NOT ORR SAL WAS WAT
Bath Rugby 15–9 21–9 14–0 23–18 10–17
Bristol Rugby 16–21 21–10 37–3 12–12
Coventry 9–9 25–3 12–15 15–20 11–24 24–19 15–10
Gloucester RFC 9–16 39–3 18–12 17–9 61–7 13–24
Harlequins 28–22[17] 9–9 9–12 34–8 6–12 66–0 37–4
Leicester 24–13 15–10 32–16 42–15 12–9 39–15
Moseley 26–3 11–32 3–21 28–10 19–12 27–3
Nottingham 25–15 3–16 13–22 21–12 12–12
Orrell 13–25 9–13 30–6 19–0 30–6
Sale 17–46 15–19 0–17 6–14
Wasps 19–15 49–6 17–16 17–9 23–15
Waterloo 16–6 10–9 29–13 13–22
Source:
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Fixtures and results

Clubs had to organise their own fixtures so there was no organised round by round fixture lists and also no equal allocation of home and away matches. Dates of games and results are given below in date order.[18]

September 1987

5 September 1987
Nottingham21 – 12[19]Moseley
Ireland Avenue
12 September 1987
Gloucester30 – 3Coventry
Kingsholm
Referee: Laurie Prideaux
12 September 1987
Leicester23 – 13Bath
Welford Road
Referee: Fred Howard[20]
12 September 1987
Sale0 – 17Nottingham
Heywood Road
19 September 1987
Bath14 – 0Moseley
The Recreation Ground
26 September 1987
Bristol16 – 21Gloucester
Memorial Stadium
Referee: Roger Quittenton
26 September 1987
Coventry24 – 19Sale
Coundon Road
26 September 1987
Harlequins9 – 12Leicester
The Stoop
26 September 1987
Nottingham12 – 12Orrell
Ireland Avenue
30 September 1987
Coventry15 – 20Nottingham
Coundon Road

October 1987

3 October 1987
Leicester32 – 16Coventry
Welford Road
3 October 1987
Sale15 – 19Moseley
Heywood Road
10 October 1987
Bristol12 – 12Wasps
Memorial Stadium
10 October 1987
Moseley28 – 10Orrell
The Reddings
10 October 1987
Nottingham25 – 15Bath
Ireland Avenue
Referee: Tony Trigg[20]
17 October 1987
Bath15 – 9Bristol
The Recreation Ground
Attendance: 7,000[20]
Referee: S K Trevithick[20]
17 October 1987
Waterloo10 – 9Nottingham
St Anthony's Road
24 October 1987
Bristol37 – 3Sale
Memorial Stadium
24 October 1987
Gloucester17 – 9Nottingham
Kingsholm
Referee: Fred Howard
24 October 1987
Moseley26 – 3Coventry
The Reddings
31 October 1987
Nottingham3 – 16Bristol
Ireland Avenue
31 October 1987
Waterloo16 – 6Gloucester
St Anthony's Road
Referee: Tony Trigg

November 1987

7 November 1987
Orrell19 – 0Sale
Edge Hall Road
14 November 1987
Nottingham13 – 22Leicester
Ireland Avenue
14 November 1987
Orrell13 – 25Bristol
Edge Hall Road
14 November 1987
Wasps19 – 15Bath
Repton Avenue
21 November 1987
Coventry9 – 9Bath
Coundon Road
21 November 1987
Harlequins9 – 9Gloucester
The Stoop
Referee: Tony Spreadbury
21 November 1987
Leicester12 – 9Wasps
Welford Road
28 November 1987
Moseley3 – 21Leicester
The Reddings
28 November 1987
Wasps17 – 9Nottingham
Repton Avenue

December 1987

1 December 1987
Gloucester9 – 16Bath
Kingsholm
Attendance: 7,000[20]
Referee: R Parks[20]
12 December 1987
Bath10 – 17Waterloo
The Recreation Ground
12 December 1987
Bristol21 – 10Moseley
Memorial Stadium
19 December 1987
Leicester15 – 10Bristol
Welford Road

January 1988

1 January 1988
Gloucester18 – 12Moseley
Kingsholm
Referee: Laurie Prideaux
2 January 1988
Wasps17 – 16Harlequins
Repton Avenue
2 January 1988
Waterloo29 – 13Sale
St Anthony's Road
13 February 1988
Gloucester13 – 24Wasps
Kingsholm
Referee: Fred Howard

February 1988

5 February 1988
Moseley19 – 12Wasps
The Reddings
6 February 1988
Coventry15 – 10Waterloo
Coundon Road
6 February 1988
Harlequins6 – 12Orrell
The Stoop
20 February 1988
Orrell30 – 6Leicester
Edge Hall Road
27 February 1988
Harlequins37 – 4Waterloo
The Stoop

March 1988

5 March 1988
Moseley11 – 32Harlequins
The Reddings
12 March 1988
Sale6 – 14Wasps
Heywood Road
19 March 1988
Coventry12 – 15Harlequins
Coundon Road
19 March 1988
Orrell9 – 13Gloucester
Edge Hall Road
Referee: A P Thompson
26 March 1988
Bath23 – 18Orrell
The Recreation Ground
26 March 1988
Leicester42 – 15Sale
Welford Road

April 1988

1 April 1988
Harlequins34 – 8Nottingham
The Stoop
2 April 1988
Waterloo13 – 22Wasps
St Anthony's Road
4 April 1988
Leicester39 – 15Waterloo
Welford Road
9 April 1988
Bath21 – 9Harlequins
The Recreation Ground
13 April 1988
Wasps49 – 6Coventry
Repton Avenue
16 April 1988
Gloucester61 – 7Sale
Kingsholm
Referee: M J Edwards
16 April 1988
Orrell30 – 6Waterloo
Edge Hall Road
23 April 1988
Harlequins66 – 0Sale
The Stoop
23 April 1988
Coventry25 – 3Bristol
Coundon Road
23 April 1988
Wasps23 – 15Orrell
Repton Avenue
26 April 1988
Moseley27 – 3Waterloo
The Reddings
30 April 1988
Coventry11 – 24Orrell
Coundon Road
30 April 1988
Harlequins28 – 22Bristol
Twickenham Stadium
Attendance: 37,000
Referee: Fred Howard
  • League and cup double header. The 1988 John Player Cup final would also count as Harlequins v Bristol Courage League game.[17]
30 April 1988
Sale17 – 46Bath
Heywood Road

Cancelled games

BristolC – CWaterloo
Memorial Stadium
LeicesterC – CGloucester
Welford Road

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Ross Young, ed. (1993). "Season by Season Leading Scorers". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1993–94. Taunton: Tony Williams Publications. p. 47.
  2. ^ "Courage League 1987–1988". Ipernews.com. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Coventry F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 94.
  6. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Gloucester R.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 46.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Leicester F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 54.
  9. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Moseley F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 61.
  10. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Nottingham R.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 66.
  11. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Orrell R.U.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 70.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Wasps F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 82.
  14. ^ "Dallaglio's turned into Nostradamus". The Rugby Paper. 21 May 2023.
  15. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Waterloo F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 126.
  16. ^ "England - National Championship 1987/88". Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  17. ^ a b The 1988 final of the John Player Cup which took place on neutral ground at Twickenham also counts for the league.
  18. ^ "Fixtures / Results (September 5, 1987 to April 30, 1988)". Rugby Archives. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  19. ^ "Results". The Guardian. 7 September 1987. ProQuest 186753976.
  20. ^ a b c d e f Peter Hall and Colin Gale (29 August 2014). "1987 to 1988". Bath Rugby Heritage.
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