1995-96 celebrated the centenary of Rugby League following the 1895 breakaway. It was also the last Winter season ahead of the switch to summer rugby in 1996. The switch meant this was a much shortened campaign. The League Cup (Regal Trophy) competition was also held for the last time.
Wigan Final League Position: 1st (Coach: Graeme West) Stones Bitter League Champions:
Wigan (17) Silk Cut Challenge Cup Winners: Final played in 1996 summer season. Regal
Trophy Winners:
Wigan (8 - 25-16 v St Helens) 1st Division Champions:
Salford Reds 2nd Division Champions: Hull Kingston Rovers
The 100th season of rugby league. The RFL's decision to move to a summer
competition resulted in a rushed competition. There was no promotion or
relegation. Ryedale-York shortened their name to York. Barrow added Braves to their name.
Bradford Northern changed their name to Bradford Bulls. Doncaster added Dragons
to their name. Hunslet added Hawks to their name. Leigh added Centurions to
their name. Oldham added Bears to their name. Salford added Reds to their name.
Chorley Chieftains (Chorley Borough) were readmitted.
1995 Stones Bitter Centenary Championship
-
Team
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
1
Wigan
20
18
0
2
810
316
36
2
Leeds
20
14
0
6
552
405
28
3
Halifax
20
12
1
7
456
463
25
4
St Helens
20
12
0
8
732
508
24
5
Sheffield Eagles
20
10
0
10
482
528
20
6
Castleford Tigers
20
9
1
10
448
566
19
7
Bradford Bulls
20
8
0
12
418
476
16
8
Oldham Bears
20
8
0
12
382
535
16
9
Warrington
20
7
0
13
443
514
14
10
London Broncos
20
7
0
13
466
585
14
11
Workington Town
20
4
0
16
317
610
8
First Division
1
Salford Reds
20 17 1 2 2 661 278 35
2
Keighley Cougars
20 13 2 5 2 491 255 28
3
Widnes
20 13 1 6 2 475 334 27
4
Hull
20 11 0 9 2 571 420 22
5
Featherstone Rovers
20 11 0 9 2 420 431 22
6
Whitehaven
20 10 2 8 2 345 435 22
7
Wakefield Trinity
20 10 0 10 2 346 422 20
8
Rochdale Hornets
20 8 1 11 2 365 483 17
9
Huddersfield
20 6 0 14 2 395 485 12
10
Batley
20 5 1 14 2 302 492 11
11
Dewsbury
20 2 0 18 2 261 597 4
(R.L. Yearbook 1996)
Second Division
1
Hull Kingston Rovers
20 18 0 2 2 744 231 36
2
Leigh Centurions
20 16 0 4 2 592 335 32
3
Hunslet Hawks
20 14 0 6 2 514 315 28
4
Swinton
20 13 0 7 2 521 331 26
5
Carisle
20 12 0 8 2 600 309 24
6
York
20 10 1 9 2 442 415 21
7
Bramley
20 9 1 10 2 400 434 19
8
Barrow Braves
20 6 0 14 2 342 488 12
9
Chorley Chieftans
20 5 1 14 2 324 608 11
10
Doncaster Dragons
20 5 0 15 2 348 646 10
11
Highfield
20 0 1 19 2 249 964 1
After 100 years of blood, sweat and tears Rugby League was claiming new
ground with a switch to Summer Rugby in 1996. This switch meant the 1995-96
season was shortened and not only did we say goodbye to Winter Rugby but also it
would later turn out that Wigan's dominance of the game over recent years was to
come to an end with this season.
Led by coach Graeme West, the season began with Wigan claiming the Charity
Shield with victory over Leeds in Dublin. The league campaign started with a
victory at Workington and we went on to win all of our first nine matches until,
like in 1994-95, the run was ended with a loss to nearest title rivals Leeds at
Headingley. But the loss didn't halt Wigan's momentum as the bounced back with a
series of wins.
In the Regal Trophy Wigan almost bowed out at the Quarter Final stage. Being
16-4 down away at Widnes with less then ten minutes to go, it looked like
curtains but Wigan dug deep to force extra time. In the extra 30 minutes,
Va'aiga Tuigamala played an instrumental part, scoring a crucial try which
sealed a much hard fought 28-23 win. The efforts perhaps took their toll as a
week later Wigan would suffer their second and last league defeat of the season
away at Oldham Bears. The match after that was the last ever competitive Boxing
Day derby with St Helens and Wigan bounced back in style with a 58-4 win.
After beating Leeds in the Semi Final, Wigan met St Helens in the Regal
Trophy Final at Huddersfield's McAlpine Stadium. The Regal Trophy was axed after
this season so Wigan became the last winners as they beat Saints 25-18. Try
scorers that day were Va'aiga Tuigamala, Kris Radlinski and Henry Paul scored
twice. Overall Wigan won the cup its various guises 8 times, losing just one
final in 1993.
A week after the Regal final Wigan wrapped up their 7th consecutive, and 17th
overall, Championship title with a 32-18 home victory over Bradford before
finishing the season in fitting style with a 34-20 victory over Leeds. Wigan
finished the season with 36 points, 8 clear of Leeds in 2nd.
Wigan were hoping they would have left the winter era on a high note but it
wasn't over yet. Despite the move to summer rugby, the RFL decided to continue
playing the Challenge Cup during a winter season, a decision which didn't change
until 2005. This meant that the 1995-96 Challenge Cup effectively became a warm
up for Super League I which was to follow.
On 11th February 1996 Wigan were draw to face Salford at the Willows. Wigan
had not lost for 43 consecutive Challenge Cup ties, a run which stretched back
nine years. Salford were also champions, having been axed from Super League to
make way for London and Paris they had won Division 1, and were expected to pose
no threat at all to a Wigan side so dominant in recent years. We completely
underestimated the Willows club that day and lost 26-16
(click here for report). That defeat marked the end of an era.
Goodbye Winter Rugby and Goodbye Wigan's amazing period of success, which will never be repeated.
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