An Idiot’s Guide to the RFL re-structure
The RFL have released further details of the game re-structure which is due to come in place for the 2015 season.
We have broken down the information that we have in to an easy-to-read guide for you, on request.
If you have any questions, please ask, and we’ll do our best to find out a definitive answer.
League Composition
In 2015, there will be three professional leagues
Super League – 12 teams
Championship – 12 teams
League One – 14 teams
Super League will be made up of the same teams as this season, minus Bradford and London
Championship will be made up of the top nine of the 2014 Championship, the winner of 2014 Championship One play-offs, plus Bradford and London.
League One will be made up of the bottom five of the 2014 Championship, the nine 2014 Championship One teams (minus the play-off winners) and new team Coventry.
Regular Season
Super League – 23 games; home and away against each club, plus Magic Weekend
Championship – 23 games; home and away against each club, plus Summer Bash
League One – 22 games; play every club once, and nine teams twice based on geographical basis. 11 home games and 11 away games each.
The Split (called Super 8s)
After the regular season, the Super League and Championship competitions combine to form three leagues of eight.
Group 1 (Super League) – the top 8 in Super League at the end of the regular season
Group 2 (The Qualifiers) – clubs 9-12 in Super League and clubs 1-4 in Championship at the end of the regular season
Group 3 (Championship Shield) – clubs 5-12 in Championship at the end of the regular season
Super 8s Fixture Format
Each group comprises of a seven-game mini-league, playing each other team once. That means four clubs in each group will play four home games and three away games, and the other four will play three home games and four away games, as follows:
Group 1 (Super League) – clubs 1-4 in Super League at end of regular season will have four home games
Group 2 (The Qualifiers) – clubs 9-10 in Super League and clubs 1-2 in Championship at end of regular season will have four home games
Group 3 (Championship Shield) – clubs 5-8 in Championship at end of regular season will have four home games
Points Totals
In Super League and Championship Shield, the points will be carried on from the regular season.
In The Qualifiers, the eight teams will have their points totals reset to zero.
Play-offs
Group 1 (Super League) – clubs 1-4 after the seven-game mini-league go in to play-offs – 1st v 4th, 2nd v 3rd. Winners of those two games will then meet in the Grand Final
Group 2 (The Qualifiers) – the clubs in 4th and 5th will play-off at the home of the 4th placed club for the final promotion place
Group 3 (Championship Shield) – clubs 1-4 after the seven-game mini-league go in to play-offs – 1st v 4th, 2nd v 3rd. Winners contest the Championship Shield final.
League One – 1st v 2nd play-off, winner promoted. Loser then plays 5th and 3rd plays 4th. The winner of those two games then play-off for second promotion place.
Promotion/Relegation
Clubs 1-3 in The Qualifiers will qualify for Super League the following season, together with the winner of the 4th/5th play-off. Those four clubs will then join the eight Group 1 clubs in Super League the following season. It could mean four new teams in the top flight, but it could mean no new teams.
Clubs 7-8 in the Championship Shield will be relegated to League One.
Two play-off winners from League One will be promoted to the Championship
Cup Competitions
League One clubs will enter at Round 3
Championship clubs will enter at Round 4
The bottom four Super League clubs will enter at Round 5 – in 2015, this will be the clubs that finished 9-12 in 2014.
The top eight Super League clubs will enter at Round 6
New Cup Competition
Knockout format, to be played at the start of the season, with the following teams:
All 14 League One clubs.
The 2014 National Conference League Grand Final winners
The 2014 RFL Conference Challenge Cup winners