Best of the UK Elite 1961-2020

This is a very brief overview of RL in the UK over the last 60 years. If points are allocated based on success and on not just participation, which teams have been the achievers? Within the UK game, St Helens narrowly takes it from Wigan. If the World Club Challenge is added, amazingly Saints and Wigan can't be separated, with 463 points apiece. 

Moving across to counties on the right of the chart, Yorkshire is the most successful with 44.4% of the total and 1,153 points. Yorkshire has more clubs so are ahead by virtue of that. Lancashire comes in on 40.3% and 1,047. Cheshire would be top if it was done as an average per club. For a small county not known as an RL hotbed, Cheshire has done well. 

France, Cumbria and London have yet to make a significant mark on a game based along the M62 motorway which traverses west to east across the north of England. 

SL Teams Rated : 2020 Top Teams

The 2020 UK season is over, one that was for the most part without live fans. It was still delivered, albeit with not as fixture ladened as it would normally be. The top six are evaluated and ranked below.

6th: 52.94 win %, Hull FC (Yorkshire). 

They managed to gain entry into the finals series in 6th place, then pulled off an upset by defeating the Warrington Wolves. They then got eliminated convincingly by Wigan in the semi-final. Earlier in the season, they made the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup. On the season as a whole, 6th is where they deserve to be ranked. 

5th: 61.54 win %, Catalan Dragons (France). 

Fourth in the league, quarter-finalists in the cup and semi-finalists in the finals series, a grand effort. The travel they have to put in takes a toll and yet they competed well in all competitions. Could they have been ranked higher? I think this about right as they didn't get far enough in any competition.

4th: 70.59 win %, Warrington Wolves (Cheshire). 

Third in the league, with a good points differential. They made the cup semi-finals but disappointing in the finals series, out at the first hurdle. A team that promised more and started well but failed to deliver as the season progressed. 

3rd: 58.82% win percentage, Leeds Rhinos (Yorkshire). 

Fifth in the league and knocked straight out in the finals series 14-26 by the Catalan side doesn't sound like a third-ranked side until we factor in a Challenge Cup final victory. They became more competitive as the season progressed I thought. 

2nd: 70.59% win percentage, St Helens (Lancashire). 

Second in the league and grand final victors (8-4) over Wigan and only second? Well, the cup quarter-final exit was the difference. So runner up by a slender margin.

1st: 76.47% win percentage, Wigan Warriors (Lancashire). 

Wigan came through to take the league title, semi-finalist in the cup and finalist in the grand final. The consistency across all three competitions makes them my winner for the year. Losing a tight grand final by a hair's breadth will be devastating, but they can take consolation in taking out this honour! 

The top half of the league table below.

	Rk	Team	Pl	W	L	Diff	Win %
	1	Wigan Warriors	17	13	4	130	76.47
	2	St Helens	17	12	5	274	70.59
	3	Warrington Wolves	17	12	5	161	70.59
	4	Catalan Dragons	13	5	5	117	61.54
	5	Leeds Rhinos	17	17	7	-21	58.82
	6	Hull FC	17	17	8	-31	52.94

SL Teams Rated : 2020 Also Rans

Hull FC vs Salford Red Devils

 

The 2020 regular season has concluded. I held back writing about it until it was clear the Covid-19 didn't take any sides out of the finals. The teams below are now done for the season. How did they go?

12th: 0 win %, Toronto Wolfpack (Canada).

It's been reported here and elsewhere about the conditions that the Canadian RL club was forced to accept before given entry. That draconian treatment, coupled with some poor management decisions, limited finances by the owner and then this pandemic forced them to pull out of the competition. All results were expunged. How it all panned out is a sobering reminder of what a dysfunctional state the elite part of RL in the UK is in. 

11th: 17.65 win %, Hull KR (Humberside).

Thankfully there was no demotion this year, otherwise, this side was going down. With a very poor win percentage and scarcely competitive at this level, a lot is going to have to happen before 2021. It's still not decided if there will be relegation next year. Hull KR will be hoping there isn't.

10th: 26.32 win %, Wakefield Trinity (Yorkshire).

The season was variable for Trinity. On a good day, they were a handful for anyone but unfortunately, that didn't happen often enough. The coach and owner weren't afraid to publicly criticise the effort of the players, not an approach I would have thought professional. The players finished the season quite strongly. 

9th: 27.78 win %, Salford Red Devils (Lancashire).

Financial issues had Salford docked three wins, otherwise, the side would have finished 7th. They have limited resources and probably should be at the bottom of the league but have been boxing above their weight for a few seasons now.

8th: 37.50 win %, Castleford Tigers (Yorkshire).

A club with aspirations of making the finals but in the end, the win percentage was well short of that. It was a team that didn't impress but occasionally they were a decent side.

7th: 38.89 win %, Huddersfield Giants (Yorkshire).

I felt sorry for this club. They recruited well and were competitive but too often narrowly lost games. I thought they were worth a finals berth but weren't able to achieve that. Losing their coach during the season wasn't helpful either but these things happen.

The next instalment will be the top sides reviewed.

	Rk	Team	Pl	W	L	Diff	Win %
	7	Huddersfield Giants	18	7	11	-49	38.89
	8	Castleford Tigers	16	6	10	-51	37.50
	9	Salford Red Devils	18	5	10	-115	27.78
	10	Wakefield Trinity	19	5	14	-179	26.32
	11	Hull Kingston Rovers	17	3	14	-236	17.65
	12	Toronto Wolfpack	0	-	-	-	0.00