1990–91 Rugby Football League season
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The 1990–91 Rugby Football League season was the 96th ever season of professional rugby league football in Britain. Fourteen teams competed from August, 1990 until May, 1991 for the Stones Bitter Championship, Premiership Trophy and Silk Cut Challenge Cup.
Second Division: 21
| 1990–91 Rugby Football League season | |
|---|---|
| League | Championship |
| Teams | First Division: 14 Second Division: 21 |
| First Division | |
| Champions | Wigan (12th title) |
| Premiership winners | Hull |
| Man of Steel Award |  Garry Schofield |
| Promotion and relegation | |
| Relegated to Second Division | |
| Second Division | |
| Champions | Salford |
| Promotion and relegation | |
| Promoted from Second Division | |
| Relegated to New Third Division | |
Season summary
Overview
Summary
Bradford Northern player Simon Tuffs tested positive for amphetamines, and was the first time a failed drugs test involving a rugby league player had been made public since random testing had been introduced by the RFL in 1987.[1] He received a two-year suspension,[2] but the ban was lifted following an appeal.[3]
Due to a fixture backlog, Wigan, who were challenging for the league championship title, were forced to play their final eight league games within 19 days, a task described as "Mission Impossible" by coach John Monie.[4] The club managed to win seven out of eight games to retain the title.
In April 1991, clubs approved a new three division format to be used from the start of the 1991–92 season. The Championship would remain a 14 team league, while the Second Division would consist of eight teams and the new Third Division would have 14 teams.[5]
First Division
Wigan retained their title this season, relegated were Oldham, Sheffield Eagles and Rochdale Hornets.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wigan (C) | 26 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 652 | 313 | +339 | 42 | Qualification for Premiership first round |
| 2 | Widnes | 26 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 635 | 340 | +295 | 40 | |
| 3 | Hull F.C. | 26 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 513 | 367 | +146 | 34 | |
| 4 | Castleford | 26 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 578 | 442 | +136 | 34 | |
| 5 | Leeds | 26 | 14 | 2 | 10 | 602 | 448 | +154 | 30 | |
| 6 | St Helens | 26 | 14 | 1 | 11 | 628 | 533 | +95 | 29 | |
| 7 | Bradford Northern | 26 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 434 | 492 | −58 | 27 | |
| 8 | Featherstone Rovers | 26 | 12 | 1 | 13 | 533 | 592 | −59 | 25 | |
| 9 | Warrington | 26 | 10 | 2 | 14 | 404 | 436 | −32 | 22 | |
| 10 | Wakefield Trinity | 26 | 10 | 2 | 14 | 356 | 409 | −53 | 22 | |
| 11 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 26 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 452 | 615 | −163 | 21 | |
| 12 | Oldham (R) | 26 | 10 | 0 | 16 | 481 | 562 | −81 | 20 | Relegated to Second Division |
| 13 | Sheffield Eagles (R) | 26 | 7 | 2 | 17 | 459 | 583 | −124 | 16 | |
| 14 | Rochdale Hornets (R) | 26 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 317 | 912 | −595 | 2 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Second Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salford (C, P) | 28 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 856 | 219 | +637 | 53 | Promoted to First Division Qualified for Divisional Premiership first round |
| 2 | Halifax (P) | 28 | 24 | 0 | 4 | 941 | 311 | +630 | 48 | |
| 3 | Swinton (P) | 28 | 21 | 2 | 5 | 523 | 370 | +153 | 44 | |
| 4 | Ryedale-York | 28 | 20 | 2 | 6 | 559 | 294 | +265 | 42 | Qualified for Divisional Premiership first round |
| 5 | Leigh | 28 | 18 | 1 | 9 | 698 | 372 | +326 | 37 | |
| 6 | Workington Town | 28 | 18 | 1 | 9 | 497 | 323 | +174 | 37 | |
| 7 | Fulham | 28 | 17 | 2 | 9 | 450 | 338 | +112 | 36 | |
| 8 | Carlisle | 28 | 16 | 2 | 10 | 613 | 425 | +188 | 34 | |
| 9 | Doncaster (R) | 28 | 16 | 0 | 12 | 507 | 434 | +73 | 32 | Relegated to Third Division |
| 10 | Hunslet (R) | 28 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 519 | 438 | +81 | 28 | |
| 11 | Huddersfield (R) | 28 | 13 | 1 | 14 | 493 | 477 | +16 | 27 | |
| 12 | Whitehaven (R) | 28 | 13 | 0 | 15 | 412 | 592 | −180 | 26 | |
| 13 | Keighley (R) | 28 | 12 | 0 | 16 | 456 | 588 | −132 | 24 | |
| 14 | Dewsbury (R) | 28 | 10 | 1 | 17 | 410 | 455 | −45 | 21 | |
| 15 | Trafford Borough (R) | 28 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 508 | 618 | −110 | 20 | |
| 16 | Batley (R) | 28 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 337 | 466 | −129 | 20 | |
| 17 | Barrow (R) | 28 | 8 | 2 | 18 | 415 | 705 | −290 | 18 | |
| 18 | Chorley Borough (R) | 28 | 7 | 1 | 20 | 388 | 721 | −333 | 15 | |
| 19 | Bramley (R) | 28 | 7 | 1 | 20 | 379 | 726 | −347 | 15 | |
| 20 | Runcorn Highfield | 28 | 3 | 1 | 24 | 351 | 779 | −428 | 7 | |
| 21 | Nottingham City (R) | 28 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 284 | 945 | −661 | 4 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Premiership
First Division Premiership
12 May 1991 |
Divisional Premiership
12 May 1991 |