1998_RFL_Division_One
The 1998 Division One Championship season was the second tier of British rugby league during the 1998 season. The competition featured eleven teams, with Wakefield Trinity winning the league and the inaugural Grand Final.
| RFL Division One | |
|---|---|
| League | Rugby Football League Division One |
| Duration | 30 Rounds |
| Teams | 11 |
| 1998 Season | |
| Grand Final winners |  Wakefield Trinity |
| League leaders | Wakefield Trinity |
| Tom Bergin Trophy |  Richard Chapman |
The league was won by Wakefield Trinity. Wakefield also won the inaugural First Division Grand Final against Featherstone Rovers, and were awarded a place in the Super League. Despite being on the losing side, Richard Chapman won the Tom Bergin Trophy.
No teams were relegated, as the First and Second Divisions were merged to form a single division which would later become known as the Northern Ford Premiership.[1]
League table
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wakefield Trinity | 30 | 22 | 1 | 7 | 790 | 506 | 45 |
| 2 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 30 | 20 | 1 | 9 | 748 | 480 | 41 |
| 3 | Dewsbury Rams | 30 | 19 | 2 | 9 | 723 | 481 | 40 |
| 4 | Featherstone Rovers | 30 | 17 | 1 | 12 | 779 | 613 | 35 |
| 5 | Swinton Lions | 30 | 17 | 1 | 12 | 702 | 544 | 35 |
| 6 | Hunslet Hawks | 30 | 17 | 1 | 12 | 719 | 575 | 35 |
| 7 | Keighley Cougars | 30 | 14 | 1 | 15 | 587 | 675 | 29 |
| 8 | Whitehaven Warriors | 30 | 13 | 0 | 17 | 636 | 657 | 26 |
| 9 | Widnes Vikings | 30 | 9 | 1 | 20 | 601 | 862 | 19 |
| 10 | Rochdale Hornets | 30 | 6 | 1 | 23 | 571 | 912 | 13 |
| 11 | Leigh Centurions | 30 | 6 | 0 | 24 | 505 | 1056 | 12 |
| Champions | Play-offs |
Week 1
Featherstone Rovers 22–12 Swinton Lions
Hull Kingston Rovers 18–2 Dewsbury Rams
Week 2
Wakefield Trinity 19–16 Hull Kingston Rovers
Dewsbury Rams 10–20 Featherstone Rovers
Week 3
Hull Kingston Rovers 6–54 Featherstone Rovers
Grand Final
| Wakefield Trinity | 24 – 22 | Featherstone Rovers |
|---|---|---|
| Try: Southernwood, Bostock (2), Casey, Stephenson Goal: Casey (2) |
[2] |
Try: Baker, Jackson, Collins, Hall Goal: Chapman (3) |
26 September 1998 |
Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield Attendance: 8,224 Referee: Nick Oddy (Halifax) Player of the Match: Richard Chapman |
- Hadfield, Dave. "Rugby League: Clubs opt for one division structure". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-01. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- "Rugby League: Rovers broken by power play". The Independent. 26 September 1998. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- "Season 1998". Virtual Rugby League Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008.
- 1998 season at wigan.rlfans.com