The 1997–98 English Premiership (known as the Allied Dunbar Premiership for sponsorship reasons) was the eleventh full season of rugby union within the top tier of the English rugby union system.
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Newcastle Falcons won the league, for the first time, following their promotion from National Division 2 last season. Saracens finished just one point behind in second place, and the last placed club, Bristol, were relegated.
Locations of the 1997–98 Allied Dunbar Premiership teams
Greater London Allied Dunbar Premiership clubs
More information Team, Stadium ...
| Team |
Stadium |
Capacity |
City/Area |
| Bath |
Recreation Ground |
8,200 |
Bath, Somerset |
| Bristol |
Memorial Stadium |
12,100 |
Bristol |
| Gloucester |
Kingsholm |
11,000 |
Gloucester, Gloucestershire |
| Harlequins |
The Stoop |
8,500 |
Twickenham, London |
| Leicester Tigers |
Welford Road |
16,000 |
Leicester, Leicestershire |
| London Irish |
The Avenue |
6,600 |
Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey |
| Newcastle Falcons |
Kingston Park[n 1] |
10,000 |
Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear |
| Northampton Saints |
Franklin's Gardens |
10,000 |
Northampton, Northamptonshire |
| Richmond |
Athletic Ground, Richmond |
4,500 |
Richmond, London |
| Sale |
Heywood Road |
5,400 |
Sale, Greater Manchester |
| Saracens |
Vicarage Road |
22,000 |
Watford, Hertfordshire |
| Wasps |
Loftus Road |
18,439 |
Shepherd's Bush, London |
|
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- Notes
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Week 1
| Bath | 13–20 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
| Northampton Saints | 23–26 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
| Richmond | 32–12 | London Irish |
| | |
Week 2
| Leicester Tigers | 33–16 | Gloucester |
| | |
Week 3
| Newcastle Falcons | 37–12 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Week 4
| Richmond | 37–16 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 4,836 |
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,000 |
| Northampton Saints | 25–6 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 8,186 |
| Sale | 26–33 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Heywood Road
Attendance: 4,000 |
| London Wasps | 15–19 | Saracens |
| | |
| Gloucester | 29–7 | London Irish |
| | |
Kingsholm
Attendance: 6,287 |
Week 5
| Leicester Tigers | 33–22 | Bath |
| | |
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,000 |
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 6,810 |
| Bristol | 22–15 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 4,062 |
| London Irish | 22–17 | London Wasps |
| | |
The Avenue
Attendance: 4,000 |
| Newcastle Falcons | 18–12 | Richmond |
| | |
Kingston Park
Attendance: 4,202 |
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 5,163 |
Week 6
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,000 |
| London Irish | 19–35 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
The Avenue
Attendance: 5,000 |
| Gloucester | 16–17 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Kingsholm
Attendance: 7,937 |
Loftus Road
Attendance: 4,105 |
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 4,258 |
Week 7
| Northampton Saints | 13–19 | Saracens |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 7,088 |
Week 8
| Leicester Tigers | 55–15 | Sale |
| | |
Welford Road
Attendance: 10,695 |
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 2,415 |
| London Irish | 10–51 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
The Avenue
Attendance: 4,300 |
| NEC Harlequins | 53–17 | London Wasps |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 7,812 |
| Newcastle Falcons | 37–27 | Gloucester |
| | |
Kingston Park
Attendance: 3,000 |
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 10,658 |
| Richmond | 32–15 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 2,076 |
Week 9
| Leicester Tigers | 27–3 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Welford Road
Attendance: 11,606 |
| Richmond | 21–24 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 2,204 |
Week 10
| Saracens | 21–22 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 14,291 |
| Bristol | 8–50 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 5,000 |
Kingsholm
Attendance: 8,328 |
| NEC Harlequins | 26–24 | London Irish |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 7,348 |
| Northampton Saints | 18–10 | London Wasps |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 8,772 |
Heywood Road
Attendance: 4,500 |
Week 11
| Bath | 26–3 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,000 |
| London Irish | 10–25 | Saracens |
| | |
The Avenue
Attendance: 3,800 |
| London Wasps | 22–18 | Richmond |
| | |
Loftus Road
Attendance: 4,912 |
Heywood Road
Attendance: 3,500 |
| Leicester Tigers | 19–25 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,000 |
| NEC Harlequins | 38–40 | Bristol |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 5,124 |
Week 12
| Northampton Saints | 33–14 | Sale |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 5,929 |
| London Wasps | 26–20 | Gloucester |
| | |
Loftus Road
Attendance: 4,245 |
| Newcastle Falcons | 46–13 | London Irish |
| | |
Kingston Park
Attendance: 3,500 |
| Saracens | 25–16 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 10,753 |
Week 13
| Leicester Tigers | 45–21 | London Wasps |
| | |
Welford Road
Attendance: 15,000 |
| London Irish | 14–45 | Richmond |
| | |
The Avenue
Attendance: 3,500 |
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 5,601 |
| NEC Harlequins | 5–30 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 4,612 |
Week 14
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 3,888 |
| Northampton Saints | 17–21 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 8,989 |
| Gloucester | 32–25 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Kingsholm
Attendance: 7,963 |
Loftus Road
Attendance: 4,112 |
| Sale Sharks | 41–16 | London Irish |
| | |
Heywood Road
Attendance: 3,500 |
Week 15
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 5,500 |
| Gloucester | 20–15 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Kingsholm
Attendance: 5,689 |
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,000 |
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 3,239 |
| Leicester Tigers | 34–19 | London Irish |
| | |
Welford Road
Attendance: 10,762 |
| Newcastle Falcons | 43–15 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Kingston Park
Attendance: 5,031 |
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 2,017 |
Week 16
The Avenue
Attendance: 1,500 |
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 3,722 |
Week 17
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 7,200 |
| Bristol | 24–27 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 3,143 |
Week 18
| Leicester Tigers | 15–15 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Welford Road
Attendance: 14,500 |
| NEC Harlequins | 41–12 | Richmond |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 4,532 |
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 5,271 |
| Saracens | 33–27 | London Wasps |
| | |
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 12,332 |
| Newcastle Falcons | 23–18 | Sale |
| | |
Kingston Park
Attendance: 2,638 |
| Gloucester | 22–15 | London Wasps |
| | |
Kingsholm
Attendance: 6,629 |
Week 19
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,200 |
| Northampton Saints | 35–12 | Bristol |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 4,900 |
| Richmond | 30–17 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 4,367 |
Heywood Road
Attendance: 4,000 |
Kingsholm
Attendance: 7,135 |
| London Wasps | 19–38 | London Irish |
| | |
Loftus Road
Attendance: 7,935 |
Week 20
| London Irish | 23–19 | Gloucester |
| | |
The Avenue
Attendance: 2,300 |
| Newcastle Falcons | 30–25 | Saracens |
| | |
Kingston Park
Attendance: 6,868 |
| Leicester Tigers | 42–19 | Richmond |
| | |
Welford Road
Attendance: 10,146 |
The Avenue
Attendance: 4,800 |
| NEC Harlequins | 36–16 | Gloucester |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 4,127 |
Week 21
| Newcastle Falcons | 20–13 | London Wasps |
| | |
Kingston Park
Attendance: 4,500 |
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,200 |
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 2,500 |
| Gloucester | 27–29 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Kingsholm
Attendance: 9,048 |
| Sale | 35–21 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Heywood Road
Attendance: 4,000 |
| London Wasps | 29–26 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Loftus Road
Attendance: 5,749 |
Week 22
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 6,500 |
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 1,547 |
| NEC Harlequins | 14–23 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 5,362 |
Kingsholm
Attendance: 10,574 |
| Northampton Saints | 39–47 | Richmond |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 5,350 |
Heywood Road
Attendance: 3,800 |
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 2,265 |
| Saracens | 12–10 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 19,764 |
Week 23
| Northampton Saints | 33–18 | London Irish |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 4,600 |
| London Wasps | 18–17 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Loftus Road
Attendance: 5,045 |
| Leicester Tigers | 10–10 | Saracens |
| | |
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,900 |
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 6,500 |
| London Irish | 62–14 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
The Avenue
Attendance: 4,200 |
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 2,000 |
| London Wasps | 31–15 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Loftus Road
Attendance: 5,261 |
| Newcastle Falcons | 43–18 | Bristol |
| | |
Kingston Park
Attendance: 3,162 |
Week 24
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 5,500 |
| NEC Harlequins | 26–28 | Saracens |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 4,152 |
| London Wasps | 17–13 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
Loftus Road
Attendance: 3,791 |
Kingsholm
Attendance: 6,319 |
| Northampton Saints | 16–15 | Bath |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 6,320 |
| Richmond | 51–29 | London Wasps |
| | |
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 4,551 |
| Bristol | 19–26 | NEC Harlequins |
| | |
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 3,110 |
| Saracens | 29–21 | London Irish |
| | |
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 8,143 |
Week 25
| Newcastle Falcons | 27–10 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
| Leicester Tigers | 34–25 | Bristol |
| | |
Welford Road
Attendance: 8,678 |
| Sale | 30–19 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Heywood Road
Attendance: 3,000 |
Week 26
| Newcastle Falcons | 20–15 | Bath |
| | |
Gateshead International Stadium
Attendance: 11,750 |
| Saracens | 43–20 | Northampton Saints |
| | |
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 9,117 |
| NEC Harlequins | 20–44 | Newcastle Falcons |
| | |
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 8,897 |
| London Irish | 16–55 | Leicester Tigers |
| | |
The Avenue
Attendance: 2,500 |
Loftus Road
Attendance: 9,324 |
| Northampton Saints | 22–24 | Gloucester |
| | |
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 5,500 |
Heywood Road
Attendance: 4,000 |
Following ten years of sponsorship by the Courage Brewery, the life assurance group Allied Dunbar agreed to sponsor the top two divisions for £7,500,000.[1]
Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who did not earn international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-WR nationalities.
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Mick Cleary and John Griffiths, ed. (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7732 X.
England
