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Guinness are the current sponsors - see Guinness Premiership
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The League's History
Today the world’s most competitive domestic rugby union competition is the GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP. The top flight league has evolved over time since starting in 1987 when the Courage Leagues were formed – a league pyramid that had more than 1000 clubs playing in 108 leagues – each with promotion and relegation. Previous to this, only friendlies were played and a regional cup competition existed.
Courage League (1987 – 1997)
Initially two teams, Bath and Leicester proved to be head and shoulders
above anyone else in the Courage League, and between them dominated the
top of the table, with Wasps the only other side to be crowned champions
in the first ten years.
Leicester were England’s first official champions when they beat Waterloo on the last day of the 87/88 season.
The following year regular fixtures were introduced and Bath started their reign of domination going on to win six titles in eight years as the men from the Rec took the English game by storm. Wasps interrupted their run in 1990 and Leicester won in 1995 – with Wasps claiming their second title in 1997.
By this stage the concept of professionalism was gaining momentum and the changes spread through the sport rapidly, altering the face of rugby from a game to a business.
Allied Dunbar Premiership (1997 – 2000)
The Courage League had been very popular but the league really took
off when Allied Dunbar took over the title sponsorship of Division One
in 1996.
Newcastle was the first of the “professional” clubs as Sir John Hall dug deep in his pockets and turned the club, formerly known as Gosforth, into the 1998 champions.
Leicester then flexed their considerable muscle and went on one of the greatest winning streaks ever. From 1999 to 2002 they were almost unstoppable as they claimed four consecutive titles. What was so impressive was their 57 unbeaten home wins that stretched from 30th December 1997 to 30th November 2002 and included 52 successive wins. So great was their superiority that they only lost 14 games out of the 92 games played over the four seasons.
Zurich Premiership (2000 – 2005)
By the end of the 1990s the Premiership had become the Zurich Premiership
and had developed into the most competitive club competition in the world.
Over the years the format of the league developed and evolved and today we see sides play every other side in the Premiership twice – home and away.
Today the Premiership Champions are decided by an end of season play-off with the side finishing third taking on the team that came second for the right to meet the top team in the Guinness Premiership Final at Twickenham.
For the past three seasons London Wasps have played the competition format to perfection, peaking at the right time to be crowned English Champions in 2003, 2004 and 2005 under the expert guidance of Director of Rugby Warren Gatland.
Professionalism
Professionalism has undoubtedly played its part in moulding the Premiership.
While the Southern Hemisphere embraced the new era, the sport in England
was hanging on to its gentlemanly traditions. In 1995 with the end
of the amateur game at international level, the clubs decided to take control
of the game’s biggest commodity – the players.
Clubs like Saracens, Newcastle and Northampton were lucky enough to attract rugby-loving benefactors but the professional era also had its casualties as clubs like Richmond and London Scottish were forced into administration when their wealthy backers pulled out.
However the rugby prospered and there is no doubt that the strength and standard of the Premiership played an important part in England’s World Cup victory in 2003.
Perhaps it was a long time for the game to get its league sorted out,
but to steal a line from the Premiership sponsors, Guinness®
“Good things come to those who wait”.
Chronological History of the English League and Premiership
1987/88: Courage League
Courage League began. 12 clubs played each other in just one
League fixture per year, with no set date for fixtures: Bath, Bristol,
Coventry, Gloucester, Harlequins, Leicester, Moseley, Nottingham, Orrell,
Sale, Wasps, Waterloo
Relegation and Promotion: Two clubs up, two down.
Relegated: Coventry and Sale
Promoted: Rosslyn Park and Liverpool St Helens
Champions: Leicester
1988/89: Courage League
12 clubs. Fixed Saturday League fixtures were introduced.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down.
Relegated: Waterloo and Liverpool St Helens
Promoted: Saracens and Bedford
Champions: Bath
1989/90: Courage League
12 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: One down, two up to expand to 13 clubs for
the following season.
Relegated: Bedford
Promoted: Northampton and Liverpool St Helens
Champions: Wasps
1990/91: Courage League 13 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down.
Relegated: Moseley and Liverpool St Helens
Promoted: Rugby and London Irish
Champions: Bath
1991/92: Courage League 13 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down.
Relegated: Nottingham and Rosslyn Park
Promoted: London Scottish and West Hartlepool
Champions: Bath
1992/93: Courage League 13 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: Four down, one up to make a 10-team division
for 93/94.
Champions: Bath
1993/94: Courage League
10 clubs. Home and away League fixtures were introduced for the first
time.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down.
Relegated: London Irish and Newcastle-Gosforth
Promoted: Sale and West Hartlepool
Champions: Bath
1994/95: Courage League
10 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, one down.
Relegated: Northampton
Promoted: Saracens
Champions: Leicester
1995/96: Courage League
10 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: No relegation and Northampton and London
Irish came up to form a 12 team League for 96/97.
Promoted: Northampton and London Irish
Champions: Bath
1996/97: Courage League
12 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down, plus introduction of two-legged
playoffs between 9th and 10th in Premiership one and 3rd & 4th in Premiership
Two.
Relegated: West Hartlepool and Orrell
Promoted: Richmond and Newcastle Falcons
Champions: Wasps
1997/98: Allied Dunbar Premiership.
12 clubs. Sin bins introduced 1 November 1997 denoted by a white triangle.
Relegation and Promotion: No automatic Relegation. Top two clubs from
Premiership Two were automatically promoted. Playoffs see bottom two in
Premiership One take on 3rd and 4th in Premiership Two over two legs, making
a 14-team Premiership for 98/99.
Promoted: Bedford, West Hartlepool, and London Scottish
Play-offs: London Irish retain their Premiership One status, Bristol
relegated,
Champions: Newcastle Falcons.
1998/99: Allied Dunbar Premiership
14 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, one down, plus play offs where 13th
placed team in Premiership One take on 2nd in Premiership Two over two
legs. Premiership reduced to 12 teams for 99/00 when Richmond went bankrupt
and London Scottish merged with London Irish.
Relegated: West Hartlepool
Promoted: Bristol
Champions: Leicester Tigers
1999/00: Allied Dunbar Premiership
12 clubs. Sin bin yellow cards introduced. Points increased to 3 for
a win after the World Cup in November.
Relegation and Promotion: No automatic relegation, but playoff between
top team in Premiership Two and bottom team in Premiership One
Promoted: Rotherham
Relegated: Bedford Blues
Champions: Leicester Tigers
2000/01: Zurich Premiership
Title changed to Zurich Premiership. 12 clubs. Bonus point system introduced.
Zurich Championship introduced with end of season quarterfinals, semi-finals
and final at Twickenham. Bath beaten by Leicester in the final
Relegation and Promotion: One up one down
Promoted: Leeds Tykes
Relegated: Rotherham
Champions: Leicester Tigers
2001/02: Zurich Premiership
12 clubs. Zurich Championship end of season quarterfinals, semi-finals
with Final at Twickenham. Gloucester beat Bristol Shoguns in Championship
final.
Relegation and Promotion: Leeds escape relegation after Rotherham refused
promotion due to facilities failing to meet Premiership criteria.
Champions: Leicester Tigers
2002/03: Zurich Premiership
12 clubs. New format for deciding the Zurich Champions introduced.
Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which Wasps
beat Gloucester.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, one down
Relegation: Rotherham Titans
Relegation: Bristol Shoguns
Champions: London Wasps
2003/04: Zurich Premiership
12 clubs. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham
in which London Wasps defeat Bath.
Relegation and Promotion: One up one down
Relegated: Rotherham Titans
Promoted: Worcester Warriors
Champions: London Wasps
2004/05: Zurich Premiership
12 clubs. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham
in which London Wasps defeat Leicester.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, One down
Relegation: NEC Harlequins
Promotion: Bristol Rugby
2005/06: GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP
12 clubs. New title Sponsor, Guinness®
Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which
Sale Sharks defeat Leicester.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, One down
Relegation: Leeds Tykes Promotion: NEC Harlequins