# 1988–89 Courage League National Division One

The 1988–89 Courage League National Division One was the second season of the first tier of the English league system, currently known as the Gallagher Premiership. Leicester Tigers were the defending champions while new sides Rosslyn Park and Liverpool St Helens were promoted from the 1987–88 Courage League National Division Two.
The fixture list was much more organised than with the previous season, where clubs had organised their own fixtures. Games were now played in rounds and home and away games were fairer, although as sides only played each other once, half the league had six home matches while the others had five. The points system was changed so that a win counted for 2 points, a draw 1 point and a loss no points (previously this had been 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw and 1 for a loss).
Bath became champions for the first time winning the league by a convincing margin from runners–up Gloucester. Waterloo and Liverpool St.Helens finished in the bottom two and were relegated to the 1989–90 Courage League National Division Two.

## Participating teams

| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
| Bath | Recreation Ground | 8,200 | Bath, Somerset | 4th |
| Bristol | Memorial Stadium | 12,100 | Bristol, Avon | 9th |
| Gloucester | Kingsholm | 11,000 | Gloucester, Gloucestershire | 5th |
| Harlequins | The Stoop | 14,800 | Twickenham, London | 3rd |
| Leicester Tigers | Welford Road | 16,000 | Leicester, Leicestershire | Champions |
| Liverpool St Helens | Moss Lane | 3,000 | St Helens, Merseyside | Promoted from Courage Division 2 (2nd) |
| Moseley | The Reddings | 10,000 | Birmingham, West Midlands | 7th |
| Nottingham | Ireland Avenue | 4,950 | Beeston, Nottinghamshire | 8th |
| Orrell | Edge Hall Road | 5,500 | Orrell, Greater Manchester | 6th |
| Rosslyn Park | The Rock | 2,000 | Roehampton, London | Promoted from Courage Division 2 (1st) |
| Wasps | Repton Avenue | 3,000 | Sudbury, London | 2nd |
| Waterloo | St Anthony's Road | 9,000 | Blundellsands, Merseyside | 10th |

## Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Bath (C) | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 263 | 98 | +165 | 20 | Champions |
| 2 | Gloucester | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 215 | 112 | +103 | 15 | |
| 3 | Wasps | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 206 | 138 | +68 | 15 | |
| 4 | Nottingham | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 142 | 122 | +20 | 13 | |
| 5 | Orrell | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 148 | 157 | −9 | 13 | |
| 6 | Leicester | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 189 | 199 | −10 | 13 | |
| 7 | Bristol | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 188 | 117 | +71 | 12 | |
| 8 | Harlequins | 11 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 194 | 184 | +10 | 10 | |
| 9 | Rosslyn Park | 11 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 172 | 208 | −36 | 10 | |
| 10 | Moseley | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 113 | 242 | −129 | 6 | |
| 11 | Waterloo (R) | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 120 | 235 | −115 | 3 | Relegated |
| 12 | Liverpool St Helens (R) | 11 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 116 | 254 | −138 | 2 | Relegated |
* 2 pts for a win
* 1 pt for a draw
* 0 pt for a loss (C) Champions; (R) Relegated

## Results table

The home team is listed on the left column.
| Home \ Away | BAT | BRI | GLO | HAR | LEI | LIV | MOS | NOT | ORR | ROS | WAS | WAT |
| Bath Rugby | | 16–9 | 19–9 | | | | | 22–16 | 36–12 | | 16–6 | 38–9 |
| Bristol | | | | 18–6 | | 50–14 | 18–0 | | 15–6 | | | 14–3 |
| Gloucester RFC | | 10–11 | | | 28–0 | | 37–9 | 13–6 | | | 19–3 | |
| Harlequins | 9–26 | | 26–11 | | | 15–6 | 38–15 | | | | | 23–24 |
| Leicester Tigers | 15–12 | 13–12 | | 21–31 | | | | | 15–27 | 28–15 | 15–6 | |
| Liverpool St Helens | 7–21 | | 9–31 | | 12–23 | | | 15–22 | | 12–32 | | |
| Moseley | 0–38 | | | | 22–13 | 18–15 | | | 10–12 | 7–13 | | 13–6 |
| Nottingham | | 10–6 | | 12–0 | 12–12 | | 13–9 | | | | 9–15 | |
| Orrell | | | 6–16 | 16–15 | | 20–4 | | 12–6 | | | 9–9 | 15–12 |
| Rosslyn Park | 6–19 | 18–16 | 8–26 | 12–16 | | | | 9–18 | 19–13 | | | |
| Wasps | | 21–19 | | 23–15 | | 16–10 | 39–10 | | | 39–16 | | |
| Waterloo | | | 15–15 | | 22–34 | 6–12 | | 9–18 | | 14–24 | 0–29 | |

## Fixtures & Results
### Round 1

* 10 September 1988
| Bristol | 15 – 6 | Orrell |
* Memorial Stadium
* 10 September 1988
| Gloucester | 37 – 9 | Moseley |
* Kingsholm Referee: Colin High
* 10 September 1988
| Harlequins | 9 – 26 | Bath |
* The Stoop
* 10 September 1988
| Leicester Tigers | 15 – 6 | Wasps |
* Welford Road
* 10 September 1988
| Rosslyn Park | 9 – 18 | Nottingham |
* The Rock
* 10 September 1988
| Waterloo | 6 – 12 | Liverpool St Helens |
* St Anthony's Road

### Round 2

* 24 September 1988
| Bath | 19 – 9 | Gloucester |
* Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Steve Griffiths
* 24 September 1988
| Liverpool St Helens | 12 – 23 | Leicester Tigers |
* Moss Lane
* 24 September 1988
| Moseley | 7 – 13 | Rosslyn Park |
* The Reddings
* 24 September 1988
| Nottingham | 10 – 6 | Bristol |
* Ireland Avenue
* 24 September 1988
| Orrell | 15 – 12 | Waterloo |
* Edge Hall Road
* 24 September 1988
| Wasps | 23 – 15 | Harlequins |
* Repton Avenue

### Round 3

* 8 October 1988
| Bristol | 18 – 0 | Moseley |
* Memorial Stadium
* 8 October 1988
| Gloucester | 19 – 3 | Wasps |
* Kingsholm Referee: Daniel Salles
* 8 October 1988
| Harlequins | 15 – 6 | Liverpool St Helens |
* The Stoop
* 8 October 1988
| Leicester Tigers | 15 – 27 | Orrell |
* Welford Road
* 8 October 1988
| Rosslyn Park | 6 – 19 | Bath |
* The Rock
* 8 October 1988
| Waterloo | 8 – 18 | Nottingham |
* St Anthony's Road

### Round 4

* 22 October 1988
| Bath | 16 – 9 | Bristol |
* Recreation Ground Attendance: 9,000
* 22 October 1988
| Liverpool St Helens | 9 – 31 | Gloucester |
* Moss Lane Referee: Laurie Prideaux
* 22 October 1988
| Moseley | 13 – 6 | Waterloo |
* The Reddings
* 22 October 1988
| Nottingham | 12 – 12 | Leicester Tigers |
* Ireland Avenue
* 22 October 1988
| Orrell | 16 – 15 | Harlequins |
* Edge Hall Road
* 22 October 1988
| Wasps | 39 – 16 | Rosslyn Park |
* Repton Avenue

### Round 5

* 12 November 1988
| Bristol | 18 – 6 | Harlequins |
* Memorial Stadium
* 12 November 1988
| Moseley | 0 – 38 | Bath |
* The Reddings
* 12 November 1988
| Nottingham | 9 – 15 | Wasps |
* Ireland Avenue
* 12 November 1988
| Orrell | 20 – 4 | Liverpool St Helens |
* Edge Hall Road
* 12 November 1988
| Rosslyn Park | 8 – 26 | Gloucester |
* The Rock Referee: S V Trevithick
* 12 November 1988
| Waterloo | 22 – 34 | Leicester Tigers |
* St Anthony's Road

### Round 6

* 19 November 1988
| Bath | 36 – 12 | Orrell |
* Recreation Ground
* 19 November 1988
| Gloucester | 10 – 11 | Bristol |
* Kingsholm Referee: Steve Griffiths
* 19 November 1988
| Harlequins | 23 – 24 | Waterloo |
* The Stoop
* 19 November 1988
| Leicester Tigers | 28 – 15 | Rosslyn Park |
* Welford Road
* 19 November 1988
| Liverpool St Helens | 15 – 22 | Nottingham |
* Moss Lane
* 19 November 1988
| Wasps | 39 – 10 | Moseley |
* Repton Avenue

### Round 7

* 26 November 1988
| Bath | 16 – 6 | Wasps |
* Recreation Ground
* 26 November 1988
| Leicester Tigers | 21 – 31 | Harlequins |
* Welford Road
* 26 November 1988
| Moseley | 18 – 15 | Liverpool St Helens |
* The Reddings
* 26 November 1988
| Orrell | 12 – 6 | Nottingham |
* Edge Hall Road
* 26 November 1988
| Rosslyn Park | 18 – 16 | Bristol |
* The Rock
* 26 November 1988
| Waterloo | 15 – 15 | Gloucester |
* St Anthony's Road

### Round 8

* 14 January 1989
| Bristol | 14 – 3 | Waterloo |
* Memorial Stadium
* 14 January 1989
| Gloucester | 28 – 0 | Leicester Tigers |
* Kingsholm Referee: Roger Quittenton
* 14 January 1989
| Liverpool St Helens | 7 – 21 | Bath |
* Moss Lane Referee: D Hudson
* 14 January 1989
| Nottingham | 13 – 9 | Moseley |
* Ireland Avenue
* 14 January 1989
| Orrell | 9 – 9 | Wasps |
* Edge Hall Road
* 14 January 1989
| Rosslyn Park | 12 – 16 | Harlequins |
* The Rock

### Round 9

* 11 March 1989
| Bath | 22 – 16 | Nottingham |
* Recreation Ground Referee: D W Matthews
* Bath are champions.
* 11 March 1989
| Harlequins | 26 – 11 | Gloucester |
* The Stoop Referee: Fred Howard
* 11 March 1989
| Leicester Tigers | 13 – 12 | Bristol |
* Welford Road
* 11 March 1989
| Moseley | 10 – 12 | Orrell |
* The Reddings
* 11 March 1989
| Wasps | 16 – 10 | Liverpool St Helens |
* Repton Avenue
* 11 March 1989
| Waterloo | 14 – 24 | Rosslyn Park |
* St Anthony's Road

### Round 10

* 8 April 1989
| Bath | 38 – 9 | Waterloo |
* Recreation Ground
* Waterloo are relegated.
* 8 April 1989
| Liverpool St Helens | 12 – 32 | Rosslyn Park |
* Moss Lane
* Liverpool St Helens are relegated.
* 8 April 1989
| Moseley | 22 – 13 | Leicester Tigers |
* The Reddings
* 8 April 1989
| Nottingham | 12 – 0 | Harlequins |
* Ireland Avenue
* 8 April 1989
| Orrell | 6 – 16 | Gloucester |
* Edge Hall Road Referee: Tony Trigg
* 8 April 1989
| Wasps | 21 – 19 | Bristol |
* Repton Avenue

### Round 11

* 22 April 1989
| Bristol | 50 – 14 | Liverpool St Helens |
* Memorial Stadium
* 22 April 1989
| Gloucester | 13 – 6 | Nottingham |
* Kingsholm Referee: A L Mason
* 22 April 1989
| Harlequins | 38 – 15 | Moseley |
* The Stoop
* 22 April 1989
| Leicester Tigers | 15 – 12 | Bath |
* Welford Road
* 22 April 1989
| Rosslyn Park | 19 – 3 | Orrell |
* The Rock
* 22 April 1989
| Waterloo | 0 – 29 | Wasps |
* St Anthony's Road

## Sponsorship

National Division One is part of the Courage Clubs Championship and is sponsored by Courage Brewery