The 1997–98 English Premiership (known as the Allied Dunbar Premiership for sponsorship reasons) was the eleventh full season of rugby union within the top tier of the English rugby union system.
Quick Facts Countries, Champions ...
Close
Newcastle Falcons won the league, for the first time, following their promotion from National Division 2 last season. Saracens finished just one point behind in second place, and the last placed club, Bristol, were relegated.
Locations of the 1997–98 Allied Dunbar Premiership teams
Greater London Allied Dunbar Premiership clubs
More information Team, Stadium ...
Team |
Stadium |
Capacity |
City/Area |
Bath |
Recreation Ground |
8,200 |
Bath, Somerset |
Bristol |
Memorial Stadium |
12,100 |
Bristol |
Gloucester |
Kingsholm |
11,000 |
Gloucester, Gloucestershire |
Harlequins |
The Stoop |
8,500 |
Twickenham, London |
Leicester Tigers |
Welford Road |
16,000 |
Leicester, Leicestershire |
London Irish |
The Avenue |
6,600 |
Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey |
Newcastle Falcons |
Kingston Park[n 1] |
10,000 |
Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear |
Northampton Saints |
Franklin's Gardens |
10,000 |
Northampton, Northamptonshire |
Richmond |
Athletic Ground, Richmond |
4,500 |
Richmond, London |
Sale |
Heywood Road |
5,400 |
Sale, Greater Manchester |
Saracens |
Vicarage Road |
22,000 |
Watford, Hertfordshire |
Wasps |
Loftus Road |
18,439 |
Shepherd's Bush, London |
Close
- Notes
More information Pos, Team ...
Close
Week 1
Bath | 13–20 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Northampton Saints | 23–26 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Richmond | 32–12 | London Irish |
| | |
Week 2
Leicester Tigers | 33–16 | Gloucester |
| | |
Week 3
Newcastle Falcons | 37–12 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Week 4
Richmond | 37–16 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Athletic Ground Attendance: 4,836 |
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,000 |
Northampton Saints | 25–6 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 8,186 |
Sale | 26–33 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Heywood Road Attendance: 4,000 |
London Wasps | 15–19 | Saracens |
| | |
Gloucester | 29–7 | London Irish |
| | |
Kingsholm Attendance: 6,287 |
Week 5
Leicester Tigers | 33–22 | Bath |
| | |
Welford Road Attendance: 16,000 |
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 6,810 |
Bristol | 22–15 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 4,062 |
London Irish | 22–17 | London Wasps |
| | |
The Avenue Attendance: 4,000 |
Newcastle Falcons | 18–12 | Richmond |
| | |
Kingston Park Attendance: 4,202 |
Vicarage Road Attendance: 5,163 |
Week 6
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,000 |
London Irish | 19–35 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
The Avenue Attendance: 5,000 |
Gloucester | 16–17 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Kingsholm Attendance: 7,937 |
Loftus Road Attendance: 4,105 |
Vicarage Road Attendance: 4,258 |
Week 7
Northampton Saints | 13–19 | Saracens |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 7,088 |
Week 8
Leicester Tigers | 55–15 | Sale |
| | |
Welford Road Attendance: 10,695 |
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 2,415 |
London Irish | 10–51 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
The Avenue Attendance: 4,300 |
NEC Harlequins | 53–17 | London Wasps |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 7,812 |
Newcastle Falcons | 37–27 | Gloucester |
| | |
Kingston Park Attendance: 3,000 |
Vicarage Road Attendance: 10,658 |
Richmond | 32–15 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,076 |
Week 9
Leicester Tigers | 27–3 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Welford Road Attendance: 11,606 |
Richmond | 21–24 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,204 |
Week 10
Saracens | 21–22 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Vicarage Road Attendance: 14,291 |
Bristol | 8–50 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 5,000 |
Kingsholm Attendance: 8,328 |
NEC Harlequins | 26–24 | London Irish |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 7,348 |
Northampton Saints | 18–10 | London Wasps |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 8,772 |
Heywood Road Attendance: 4,500 |
Week 11
Bath | 26–3 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,000 |
London Irish | 10–25 | Saracens |
| | |
The Avenue Attendance: 3,800 |
London Wasps | 22–18 | Richmond |
| | |
Loftus Road Attendance: 4,912 |
Heywood Road Attendance: 3,500 |
Leicester Tigers | 19–25 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Welford Road Attendance: 16,000 |
NEC Harlequins | 38–40 | Bristol |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 5,124 |
Week 12
Northampton Saints | 33–14 | Sale |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 5,929 |
London Wasps | 26–20 | Gloucester |
| | |
Loftus Road Attendance: 4,245 |
Newcastle Falcons | 46–13 | London Irish |
| | |
Kingston Park Attendance: 3,500 |
Saracens | 25–16 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Vicarage Road Attendance: 10,753 |
Week 13
Leicester Tigers | 45–21 | London Wasps |
| | |
Welford Road Attendance: 15,000 |
London Irish | 14–45 | Richmond |
| | |
The Avenue Attendance: 3,500 |
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 5,601 |
NEC Harlequins | 5–30 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 4,612 |
Week 14
Athletic Ground Attendance: 3,888 |
Northampton Saints | 17–21 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 8,989 |
Gloucester | 32–25 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Kingsholm Attendance: 7,963 |
Loftus Road Attendance: 4,112 |
Sale Sharks | 41–16 | London Irish |
| | |
Heywood Road Attendance: 3,500 |
Week 15
Recreation Ground Attendance: 5,500 |
Gloucester | 20–15 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Kingsholm Attendance: 5,689 |
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,000 |
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 3,239 |
Leicester Tigers | 34–19 | London Irish |
| | |
Welford Road Attendance: 10,762 |
Newcastle Falcons | 43–15 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Kingston Park Attendance: 5,031 |
Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,017 |
Week 16
The Avenue Attendance: 1,500 |
Vicarage Road Attendance: 3,722 |
Week 17
Recreation Ground Attendance: 7,200 |
Bristol | 24–27 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 3,143 |
Week 18
Leicester Tigers | 15–15 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Welford Road Attendance: 14,500 |
NEC Harlequins | 41–12 | Richmond |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 4,532 |
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 5,271 |
Saracens | 33–27 | London Wasps |
| | |
Vicarage Road Attendance: 12,332 |
Newcastle Falcons | 23–18 | Sale |
| | |
Kingston Park Attendance: 2,638 |
Gloucester | 22–15 | London Wasps |
| | |
Kingsholm Attendance: 6,629 |
Week 19
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,200 |
Northampton Saints | 35–12 | Bristol |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 4,900 |
Richmond | 30–17 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Athletic Ground Attendance: 4,367 |
Heywood Road Attendance: 4,000 |
Kingsholm Attendance: 7,135 |
London Wasps | 19–38 | London Irish |
| | |
Loftus Road Attendance: 7,935 |
Week 20
London Irish | 23–19 | Gloucester |
| | |
The Avenue Attendance: 2,300 |
Newcastle Falcons | 30–25 | Saracens |
| | |
Kingston Park Attendance: 6,868 |
Leicester Tigers | 42–19 | Richmond |
| | |
Welford Road Attendance: 10,146 |
The Avenue Attendance: 4,800 |
NEC Harlequins | 36–16 | Gloucester |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 4,127 |
Week 21
Newcastle Falcons | 20–13 | London Wasps |
| | |
Kingston Park Attendance: 4,500 |
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,200 |
Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,500 |
Gloucester | 27–29 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Kingsholm Attendance: 9,048 |
Sale | 35–21 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Heywood Road Attendance: 4,000 |
London Wasps | 29–26 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Loftus Road Attendance: 5,749 |
Week 22
Athletic Ground Attendance: 6,500 |
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 1,547 |
NEC Harlequins | 14–23 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 5,362 |
Kingsholm Attendance: 10,574 |
Northampton Saints | 39–47 | Richmond |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 5,350 |
Heywood Road Attendance: 3,800 |
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 2,265 |
Saracens | 12–10 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Vicarage Road Attendance: 19,764 |
Week 23
Northampton Saints | 33–18 | London Irish |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 4,600 |
London Wasps | 18–17 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Loftus Road Attendance: 5,045 |
Leicester Tigers | 10–10 | Saracens |
| | |
Welford Road Attendance: 16,900 |
Recreation Ground Attendance: 6,500 |
London Irish | 62–14 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
The Avenue Attendance: 4,200 |
Athletic Ground Attendance: 2,000 |
London Wasps | 31–15 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Loftus Road Attendance: 5,261 |
Newcastle Falcons | 43–18 | Bristol |
| | |
Kingston Park Attendance: 3,162 |
Week 24
Recreation Ground Attendance: 5,500 |
NEC Harlequins | 26–28 | Saracens |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 4,152 |
London Wasps | 17–13 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Loftus Road Attendance: 3,791 |
Kingsholm Attendance: 6,319 |
Northampton Saints | 16–15 | Bath |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 6,320 |
Richmond | 51–29 | London Wasps |
| | |
Athletic Ground Attendance: 4,551 |
Bristol | 19–26 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 3,110 |
Saracens | 29–21 | London Irish |
| | |
Vicarage Road Attendance: 8,143 |
Week 25
Newcastle Falcons | 27–10 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Leicester Tigers | 34–25 | Bristol |
| | |
Welford Road Attendance: 8,678 |
Sale | 30–19 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Heywood Road Attendance: 3,000 |
Week 26
Newcastle Falcons | 20–15 | Bath |
| | |
Gateshead International Stadium Attendance: 11,750 |
Saracens | 43–20 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Vicarage Road Attendance: 9,117 |
NEC Harlequins | 20–44 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 8,897 |
London Irish | 16–55 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
The Avenue Attendance: 2,500 |
Loftus Road Attendance: 9,324 |
Northampton Saints | 22–24 | Gloucester |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 5,500 |
Heywood Road Attendance: 4,000 |
Following ten years of sponsorship by the Courage Brewery, the life assurance group Allied Dunbar agreed to sponsor the top two divisions for £7,500,000.[1]
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.
More information Rank, Player ...
Close
Mick Cleary and John Griffiths, ed. (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7732 X.