League 1 Play-offs

League 1 play-offs
Founded	2003
Region	England Wales France
Number of teams	5
Television broadcasters	Sky Sports

The League 1 (rugby league) Play-Offs are a series of playoff games that determine the two teams who are promoted to the Championship. The playoffs have included different number of teams since 2009.

History

2003-2007:Top Six

The playoffs were introduced in 2003. The top six sides would play in the playoffs to get to the Grand Ginal. The winners would then be promoted. In 2006 and 2007 the team finishing top would be automatically promoted and the teams finishing between 2nd and 7th would qualify for the playoffs.

2008:Top Five

In 2008 the top two teams gained automatic promotion and five teams would qualify for the playoffs finishing between 3rd and 7th

2009-2011:Top Six

The team finishing top of the league gained automatic promotion to the Championship for the next season, teams finishing between 2nd and 7th would then play in the playoffs and the winner of the Grand Final would be promoted.

2012: Championship expansion

In 2012 the RFL wanted to expand the Championship so the top 4 teams in League 1 were automatically promoted. Teams finishing 4th and 5th would then play each other and the winner would be promoted. No teams were relegated from the Championship.

2013-2014:Top Five

In 2013 and 2014 five teams would compete in the playoffs, however one team was automatically promoted in 2013. 2014 was the first year that there was no automatic promotion and the top five teams would play in the playoffs to earn a place in the Grand Final to be able to be promoted.

2015-Onwards:Promotion and Playoff Finals

In 2015 the top 2 teams play each other in the Promotion Final where the winner will be promoted to the Championship. The loser of the Promotion Final will play in the Playoffs against the team that finished 5th and 3rd will play 4th. The winners will play in the Playoff Final to earn promotion.

Winners

Year	Winners
2003	Keighley Cougars
2004	Barrow Raiders
2005	York City Knights
2006	Sheffield Eagles
2007	Featherstone Rovers
2008	Doncaster RLFC
2009	Keighley Cougars
2010	York City Knights
2011	Keighley Cougars
2012	Doncaster RLFC
2013	Rochdale Hornets
2014	Hunslet Hawks
2015	Swinton Lions
2016	Toulouse Olympique

References

External links

Kingstone Press League 1

Current Teams	Barrow Raiders Coventry Bears Doncaster RLFC Gloucestershire All Golds Hemel Stags Hunslet Hawks Keighley Cougars London Skolars Newcastle Thunder North Wales Crusaders Oxford RLFC South Wales Ironmen Toronto Wolfpack Whitehaven RLFC Workington Town York City Knights

Former Teams	Celtic Crusaders Chorley Lynx/Blackpool Panthers Dewsbury Rams Featherstone Rovers Oldham Roughyeds Rochdale Hornets Sheffield Eagles Swinton Lions Toulouse Olympique

Seasons	2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Results	2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Major events	Northern Rail Cup / Northern Rail Shield

Awards	Fairplay Index

Related	Rugby Football League Championship Third Division Championship

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