Guinness Premiership

The Guinness Premiership is the present name for the leading rugby union league competition for English clubs. It has had the following sponsorship names in the past:

Winners

By year

Courage League

• 1987–88 Leicester Tigers
• 1988–89 Bath
• 1989–90 Wasps
• 1990–91 Bath
• 1991–92 Bath
• 1992–93 Bath
• 1993–94 Bath
• 1994–95 Leicester Tigers
• 1995–96 Bath
• 1996–97 Wasps

Allied Dunbar Premiership

• 1997–98 Newcastle Falcons
• 1998–99 Leicester Tigers
• 1999–00 Leicester Tigers
• 2000–01 Leicester Tigers

Zurich Premiership

• 2001–02 Leicester Tigers
• 2002–03 Gloucester RFC (1st in league)
• 2003–04 Bath (1st in league)
• 2004–05 Leicester Tigers (1st in league)

Zurich Premiership Championship

on all occasions at Twickenham Stadium

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* 13 May 2001Leicester - Bath 22-10 (33,500)

Related Topics:
13 May - 2001 - Leicester - Bath

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*8 June 2002Gloucester - Bristol 28-23 (28,500)

Related Topics:
8 June - 2002 - Gloucester - Bristol

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*31 May 2003Wasps -Gloucester 39-3 (42,000)

Related Topics:
31 May - 2003 - Wasps - Gloucester

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*29 May 2004Wasps -Bath 10-6 (59,500)

Related Topics:
29 May - 2004 - Wasps - Bath

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*14 May 2005Wasps -Leicester Tigers

Related Topics:
14 May - 2005 - Wasps - Leicester Tigers

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39-14 (66,000)

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In 2000–2001 an 8-team play-off system was implemented, but the regular season champion was still considered English champion ("Zurich Premiership title") with the playoff champion claiming the "Zurich Championship title".

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In the 2001–2002 season a controversial knock-out cup style play-off system was introduced. Halfway through the season, with Leicester odds-on to win their fourth title in succession, the league decided that the winners of the playoffs would be crowned champions. There was an outcry from fans and this proposal was dropped, but the next year a similar proposal was adopted under which the winner of the league had to play the winner of a match between the second- and third-placed teams for the title. Although Gloucester won the league by a clear margin, second-placed Wasps (who had defeated third-placed Northampton) beat them easily in the play-offs.

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Since the implementation of the playoff system, only one team has won both the regular season and playoffs in the same year—Leicester in 2000–2001 (the first year of the playoffs).

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From 2002–2003 season the English Champion team has been the one winning the Championship Final.

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By Championship Total Wins

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Ranking

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Team

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Times won

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1=

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Bath

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6

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1=

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Leicester Tigers

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6

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3

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Wasps

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5

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4

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Newcastle Falcons

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1

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