# 1997–98 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two

The 1997–98 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two was the eleventh full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. New teams to the division included West Hartlepoool and Orrell who had been relegated from the Courage Premiership 1996–97 while Exeter and Fylde were promoted from National League 1. For the first time Premiership Two, along with the Premiership, was sponsored by the assurance company Allied Dunbar. For the previous ten seasons the league was known as the Courage Clubs Championship and sponsored by Courage Brewery.
Bedford, the champions, were promoted to the Allied Dunbar Premiership for season 1998–99, along with runner-up West Hartlepool. From next season, the top two divisions would consist of fourteen teams, an increase of two per division. The bottom two teams in the top tier played the third and fourth teams in Premiership Two for the final two places in the top division. Third place London Scottish won promotion by beating Bristol in a two legged play-off, while fourth placed Rotherham lost to London Irish. There was no relegation to Jewson National League 1 because of the increase in teams in the top two divisions.

## Participating teams

| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
| Bedford | Goldington Road | 7,000 | Bedford, Bedfordshire |
| Blackheath | Rectory Field | 6,000 | Greenwich, London |
| Coventry | Coundon Road | 9,000 | Coventry, West Midlands |
| Exeter | County Ground | 5,200 | Exeter, Devon |
| Fylde | Woodlands Memorial Ground | 9,000 | Lytham St Annes, Lancashire |
| London Scottish | Athletic Ground | 4,500 | Richmond, London |
| Moseley | The Reddings | 10,000 | Birmingham, West Midlands |
| Orrell | Edge Hall Road | 5,500 | Orrell, Greater Manchester |
| Rotherham | Clifton Lane | 2,500 | Rotherham, South Yorkshire |
| Wakefield | College Grove | 3,000 | Wakefield, West Yorkshire |
| Waterloo | St Anthony's Road | 9,000 | Blundellsands, Merseyside |
| West Hartlepool | Victoria Park | 7,856 | Hartlepool, County Durham |

## Final table

1997–98 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two table :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Bedford (C) | 22 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 791 | 365 | +426 | 38 | Promoted |
| 2 | West Hartlepool | 22 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 617 | 431 | +186 | 31 | Promoted |
| 3 | London Scottish | 22 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 517 | 404 | +113 | 29 | Promoted |
| 4 | Rotherham | 22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 566 | 386 | +180 | 28 | |
| 5 | Orrell | 22 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 533 | 400 | +133 | 24 | |
| 6 | Moseley | 22 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 478 | 421 | +57 | 23 | |
| 7 | Coventry | 22 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 444 | 532 | −88 | 23 | |
| 8 | Waterloo | 22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 510 | 525 | −15 | 22 | |
| 9 | Blackheath | 22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 474 | 621 | −147 | 16 | |
| 10 | Wakefield | 22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 382 | 556 | −174 | 12 | |
| 11 | Exeter | 22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 334 | 553 | −219 | 12 | |
| 12 | Fylde | 22 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 258 | 710 | −452 | 4 | |
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: (1) difference between points for and against; (2) total number of points for.
* ↑ Two points deducted for fielding three overseas players

## Results
### Round 1

* 30 August 1997
| Bedford | 18 – 11 | Rotherham |
| | Report | |
* Goldington Road
* 30 August 1997
| Coventry | 20 – 12 | Moseley |
| | Report | |
* Coundon Road
* 30 August 1997
| London Scottish | 35 – 9 | Fylde |
| | Report | |
* Richmond Athletic Ground
* 30 August 1997
| Orrell | 26 – 17 | Blackheath |
| | Report | |
* Edge Hall Road
* 30 August 1997
| Wakefield | 15 – 19 | Exeter |
| | Report | |
* College Grove
* 30 August 1997
| West Hartlepool | 19 – 21 | Waterloo |
| | Report | |
* Victoria Park

### Round 2

* 7 September 1997
| Coventry | 29 – 8 | Exeter |
* Coundon Road
* 7 September 1997
| London Scottish | 34 – 6 | Blackheath |
* Richmond Athletic Ground
* 7 September 1997
| Moseley | P – P | Fylde |
* The Reddings
* match postponed and rescheduled to 25 April 1998.
* 7 September 1997
| Waterloo | 30 – 18 | Wakefield |
* St Anthony's Road
* 7 September 1997
| West Hartlepool | P – P | Bedford |
* Victoria Park
* match postponed and rescheduled to 2 May 1998.
* 7 September 1997
| Orrell | P – P | Rotherham |
* Edge Hall Road
* match postponed and rescheduled to 18 April 1998.

### Round 3

* 13 September 1997
| Blackheath | 29 – 27 | Wakefield |
| | Report | |
* Rectory Field
* 13 September 1997
| Exeter | 17 – 32 | Bedford |
| | Report | |
* County Ground
* 13 September 1997
| Fylde | 15 – 23 | Coventry |
| | Report | |
* Woodlands
* 13 September 1997
| Moseley | 16 – 21 | West Hartlepool |
| | Report | |
* The Reddings
* 13 September 1997
| Waterloo | 17 – 36 | London Scottish |
| | Report | |
* St Anthony's Road
* 14 September 1997
| Rotherham | 14 – 29 | Orrell |
| | Report | |
* Clifton Lane

### Round 4

* 20 September 1997
| Bedford | 45 – 33 | London Scottish |
| | Report | |
* Goldington Road
* 20 September 1997
| Blackheath | 50 – 16 | Fylde |
| | Report | |
* Rectory Field
* 20 September 1997
| Exeter | 24 – 20 | Waterloo |
| | Report | |
* County Ground
* 20 September 1997
| Orrell | 30 – 19 | Moseley |
| | Report | |
* Edge Hall Road
* 20 September 1997
| Rotherham | 33 – 21 | West Hartlepool |
| | Report | |
* Clifton Lane
* 20 September 1997
| Wakefield | 6 – 17 | Coventry |
| | Report | |
* College Grove

### Round 5

* 27 September 1997
| Coventry | 15 – 22 | Bedford |
| | Report | |
* Coundon Road
* 27 September 1997
| Fylde | 18 – 25 | Rotherham |
| | Report | |
* Woodlands
* 27 September 1997
| London Scottish | 20 – 19 | Orrell |
| | Report | |
* Richmond Athletic Ground
* 27 September 1997
| Moseley | 23 – 22 | Exeter |
| | Report | |
* The Reddings
* 27 September 1997
| Waterloo | 51 – 16 | Blackheath |
| | Report | |
* St Anthony's Road
* 27 September 1997
| West Hartlepool | 31 – 20 | Wakefield |
| | Report | |
* Victoria Park

### Round 6

* 4 October 1997
| Bedford | 34 – 21 | Waterloo |
| | Report | |
* Goldington Road
* 4 October 1997
| Blackheath | 28 – 27 | Coventry |
| | Report | |
* Rectory Field
* 4 October 1997
| Exeter | 19 – 20 | West Hartlepool |
| | Report | |
* County Ground
* 4 October 1997
| Orrell | 35 – 9 | Fylde |
| | Report | |
* Edge Hall Road
* 4 October 1997
| Rotherham | 24 – 3 | London Scottish |
| | Report | |
* Clifton Lane
* 4 October 1997
| Wakefield | 15 – 27 | Moseley |
| | Report | |
* College Grove

### Round 7

* 11 October 1997
| Coventry | 18 – 12 | Rotherham |
| | Report | |
* Coundon Road
* 11 October 1997
| Fylde | 18 – 10 | Exeter |
| | Report | |
* Woodlands
* 11 October 1997
| London Scottish | 30 – 13 | Wakefield |
| | Report | |
* Richmond Athletic Ground
* 11 October 1997
| Moseley | 16 – 35 | Bedford |
| | Report | |
* The Reddings
* 11 October 1997
| Waterloo | 25 – 14 | Orrell |
| | Report | |
* St Anthony's Road
* 11 October 1997
| West Hartlepool | 32 – 21 | Blackheath |
| | Report | |
* Victoria Park

### Round 8

* 18 October 1997
| Bedford | 22 – 9 | West Hartlepool |
| | Report | |
* Goldington Road
* 18 October 1997
| Blackheath | 11 – 9 | Moseley |
| | Report | |
* Rectory Field
* 18 October 1997
| Exeter | 16 – 22 | London Scottish |
| | Report | |
* County Ground
* 18 October 1997
| Orrell | 38 – 13 | Coventry |
| | Report | |
* Edge Hall Road
* 18 October 1997
| Rotherham | 16 – 26 | Waterloo |
| | Report | |
* Clifton Lane
* 18 October 1997
| Wakefield | 35 – 17 | Fylde |
| | Report | |
* College Grove

### Round 9

* 25 October 1997
| Coventry | 24 – 17 | Wakefield |
| | Report | |
* Coundon Road
* 25 October 1997
| Fylde | 6 – 31 | Blackheath |
| | Report | |
* Woodlands
* 25 October 1997
| London Scottish | 15 – 22 | Bedford |
| | Report | |
* Richmond Athletic Ground
* 25 October 1997
| Moseley | 18 – 9 | Orrell |
| | Report | |
* The Reddings
* 25 October 1997
| Waterloo | 44 – 13 | Exeter |
| | Report | |
* St Anthony's Road
* 25 October 1997
| West Hartlepool | 22 – 21 | Rotherham |
| | Report | |
* Victoria Park

### Round 10

* 8 November 1997
| Bedford | 77 – 3 | Coventry |
| | Report | |
* Goldington Road
* 8 November 1997
| Blackheath | 14 – 15 | Waterloo |
| | Report | |
* Rectory Field
* 8 November 1997
| Exeter | 10 – 20 | Moseley |
| | Report | |
* County Ground
* 8 November 1997
| Orrell | 13 – 27 | London Scottish |
| | Report | |
* Edge Hall Road
* 8 November 1997
| Rotherham | 32 – 16 | Fylde |
| | Report | |
* Clifton Lane
* 8 November 1997
| Wakefield | 12 – 28 | West Hartlepool |
| | Report | |
* College Grove

### Round 11

* 13 December 1997
| Coventry | 24 – 22 | Blackheath |
| | Report | |
* Coundon Road
* 13 December 1997
| Fylde | 9 – 21 | Orrell |
| | Report | |
* Woodlands
* 13 December 1997
| London Scottish | 35 – 29 | Rotherham |
| | Report | |
* Richmond Athletic Ground
* 13 December 1997
| Moseley | 28 – 10 | Wakefield |
| | Report | |
* 13 December 1997
| Waterloo | 14 – 28 | Bedford |
| | Report | |
* St Anthony's Road
* 13 December 1997
| West Hartlepool | 34 – 14 | Exeter |
| | Report | |
* Victoria Park

### Round 12

* 20 December 1997
| Bedford | 32 – 16 | Moseley |
| | Report | |
* Goldington Road
* 20 December 1997
| Blackheath | 25 – 22 | West Hartlepool |
| | Report | |
* Rectory Field
* 20 December 1997
| Exeter | 24 – 15 | Fylde |
| | Report | |
* County Ground
* 20 December 1997
| Orrell | 23 – 6 | Waterloo |
| | Report | |
* Edge Hall Road
* 20 December 1997
| Rotherham | 46 – 8 | Coventry |
| | Report | |
* Clifton Lane
* 20 December 1997
| Wakefield | 15 – 10 | London Scottish |
| | Report | |
* College Grove

### Round 13

* 27 December 1997
| Coventry | P – P | Orrell |
* postponed, match rescheduled to 24 January 1998.
* 27 December 1997
| Fylde | 7 – 67 | Bedford |
| | Report | |
* Woodlands
* 27 December 1997
| London Scottish | P – P | Exeter |
* postponed, match rescheduled to 24 January 1998.
* 27 December 1997
| Moseley | 23 – 25 | Rotherham |
| | Report | |
* The Reddings
* 27 December 1997
| Wakefield | P – P | Blackheath |
* postponed, match rescheduled to 18 April 1998.
* 27 December 1997
| Waterloo | P – P | West Hartlepool |
* postponed, match rescheduled to 11 April 1998.

### Rescheduled match

* 10 January 1998
| Waterloo | 26 – 32 | Rotherham |
| | Report | |
* St Anthony's Road

### Round 14

* 17 January 1998
| Bedford | 50 – 14 | Fylde |
| | Report | |
* Goldington Road
* 17 January 1998
| Blackheath | 34 – 25 | London Scottish |
| | Report | |
* Rectory Field
* 17 January 1998
| Exeter | 18 – 14 | Coventry |
| | Report | |
* County Ground
* 17 January 1998
| Orrell | 30 – 35 | West Hartlepool |
| | Report | |
* Edge Hall Road
* 17 January 1998
| Rotherham | 10 – 16 | Moseley |
| | Report | |
* Clifton Lane
* 17 January 1998
| Wakefield | 23 – 20 | Waterloo |
| | Report | |
* College Grove

### Round 13 (rescheduled matches)

* 24 January 1998
| Coventry | 21 – 30 | Orrell |
| | Report | |
* Coundon Road
* 24 January 1998
| London Scottish | 22 – 10 | Exeter |
| | Report | |
* Richmond Athletic

### Round 15

* 31 January 1998
| Bedford | 47 – 22 | Orrell |
| | Report | |
* Goldington Road
* 31 January 1998
| Coventry | 21 – 16 | West Hartlepool |
| | Report | |
* Coundon Road
* 31 January 1998
| Exeter | 20 – 18 | Blackheath |
| | Report | |
* County Ground
* 31 January 1998
| Fylde | 10 – 25 | Waterloo |
| | Report | |
* Woodlands
* 31 January 1998
| Moseley | 18 – 29 | London Scottish |
| | Report | |
* The Reddings
* 31 January 1998
| Rotherham | 41 – 9 | Wakefield |
| | Report | |

### Round 16

* 14 February 1998
| Blackheath | 18 – 31 | Rotherham |
| | Report | |
* Rectory Field
* 14 February 1998
| London Scottish | 18 – 18 | Coventry |
| | Report | |
* Richmond Athletic Ground
* 14 February 1998
| Orrell | 38 – 3 | Exeter |
| | Report | |
* Edge Hall Road
* 14 February 1998
| Wakefield | 13 – 24 | Bedford |
| | Report | |
* College Grove
* 14 February 1998
| Waterloo | 36 – 31 | Moseley |
| | Report | |
* St Anthony's Road
* 14 February 1998
| West Hartlepool | 66 – 12 | Fylde |
| | Report | |
* Victoria Park

### Rescheduled match

* 21 February 1998
| West Hartlepool | 20 – 11 | Orrell |
| | Report | |
* Edge Hall Road

### Rescheduled matches

* 28 February 1998
| Fylde | 10 – 30 | Wakefield |
| | Report | |
* Woodlands
* 28 February 1998
| Moseley | 29 – 16 | Blackheath |
| | Report | |
* The Reddings

### Round 17

* 7 March 1998
| Blackheath | 13 – 37 | Bedford |
| | Report | |
* Rectory Field
* 7 March 1998
| Coventry | 41 – 33 | Waterloo |
| | Report | |
* Coundon Road
* 7 March 1998
| Exeter | 8 – 33 | Rotherham |
| | Report | |
* County Ground
* 7 March 1998
| Fylde | P – P | Moseley |
* postponed, match rescheduled to 4 April 1998.
* 7 March 1998
| Wakefield | 20 – 26 | Orrell |
| | Report | |
* College Grove
* 8 March 1998
| London Scottish | 31 – 17 | West Hartlepool |
| | Report | |
* Richmond Athletic Ground

### Round 18

* 14 March 1998
| Bedford | 36 – 10 | Wakefield |
| | Report | |
* Goldington Road
* 14 March 1998
| Coventry | 37 – 10 | London Scottish |
| | Report | |
* Coundon Road
* 14 March 1998
| Exeter | 17 – 14 | Orrell |
| | Report | |
* County Ground
* 14 March 1998
| Fylde | 8 – 34 | West Hartlepool |
| | Report | |
* Woodlands
* 14 March 1998
| Moseley | 23 – 22 | Waterloo |
| | Report | |
* The Reddings
* 14 March 1998
| Rotherham | 40 – 10 | Blackheath |
| | Report | |
* Clifton Lane

### Round 19

* 28 March 1998
| Blackheath | 26 – 15 | Exeter |
| | Report | |
* Rectory Field
* 28 March 1998
| London Scottish | 24 – 18 | Moseley |
| | Report | |
* Richmond Athletic Ground
* 28 March 1998
| Orrell | 16 – 29 | Bedford |
| | Report | |
* Edge Hall Road
* 28 March
| Wakefield | 15 – 14 | Rotherham |
| | Report | |
* College Grove
* 28 March 1998
| Waterloo | 22 – 12 | Fylde |
| | Report | |
* St Anthony's Road
* 28 March
| West Hartlepool | 42 – 31 | Coventry |
| | Report | |
* Victoria Park

### Round 17 (rescheduled match)

* 4 April 1998
| Fylde | 14 – 13 | Moseley |
| | Report | |
* Woodlands

### Round 20 (including postponed match from round 13)

* 11 April 1998
| Blackheath | 14 – 32 | Orrell |
| | Report | |
* Rectory Field
* 11 April 1998
| Exeter | 17 – 30 | Wakefield |
| | Report | |
* County Ground
* 11 April 1998
| Fylde | 7 – 22 | London Scottish |
| | Report | |
* Woodlands
* 11 April 1998
| Moseley | P – P | Coventry |
* The Reddings
* postponed, match rescheduled to 22 April 1998.
* 11 April 1998
| Rotherham | 18 – 17 | Bedford |
| | Report | |
* Clifton Lane
* 11 April 1998
| Waterloo | 6 – 51 | West Hartlepool |
| | Report | |
* St Anthony's Road
* match rescheduled from round 13.

### Round 21 (including postponed matches from rounds 2 & 13)

* April 18
| Bedford | 16 – 3 | Exeter |
| | Report | |
* Goldington Road
* April 18
| Coventry | 16 – 7 | Fylde |
| | Report | |
* Coundon Road
* April 18
| London Scottish | 26 – 6 | Waterloo |
| | Report | |
* Richmond Athletic Ground
* April 18
| Orrell | 3 – 9 | Rotherham |
| | Report | |
* Edge Hall Road
* match rescheduled from round 2.
* April 18
| Wakefield | 21 – 24 | Blackheath |
| | Report | |
* College Grove
* match rescheduled from round 13.
* April 18
| West Hartlepool | 18 – 18 | Moseley |
| | Report | |
* Victoria Park

### Round 20 (rescheduled match)

* April 22
| Moseley | 31 – 3 | Coventry |
| | Report | |
* The Reddings

### Round 22

* 25 April 1998
| Bedford | 72 – 31 | Blackheath |
| | Report | |
* Goldington Road
* 25 April 1998
| Moseley | 44 – 9 | Fylde |
| | Report | |
* The Reddings
* 25 April 1998
| Orrell | 54 – 8 | Wakefield |
| | Report | |
* Edge Hall Road
* 25 April 1998
| Rotherham | 50 –27 | Exeter |
| | Report | |
* Clifton Lane
* 25 April 1998
| Waterloo | 24 – 21 | Coventry |
| | Report | |
* St Anthony's Road
* 25 April 1998
| West Hartlepool | 11 – 10 | London Scottish |
| | Report | |
* Victoria Park

### Round 2 (rescheduled match)

* 2 May 1998
| West Hartlepool | 48 – 29 | Bedford |
| | Report | |
* Brierton Lane

## Individual statistics

* Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.