2005–06 English Premiership (rugby union)

2005–06 Guinness Premiership
Countries  England
Champions Sale Sharks (1st title)
Runners-up Leicester Tigers (7th title)
Relegated Leeds Tykes
Matches played 135
Attendance 1,483,920 (average 10,992 per match)
Top point scorer Wales Jason Strange (244 points)
Top try scorer England Tom Varndell (14 tries)

The 2005–06 Guinness Premiership was the 19th season of the top flight of the English domestic rugby union competitions, played between September 2005 and May 2006. The final was contested by the Sale Sharks and the Leicester Tigers at Twickenham. Sale Sharks won 45 – 20 to win the Premiership. Leeds Tykes were relegated, whilst Harlequins were promoted for the 2006-07 Guinness Premiership.

The opening games of the Season were played at Twickenham, in the 2005 London Double Header.

Participating teams

Locations of the 2005-06 Guinness Premiership teams
Team Stadium Capacity City/Area
Bath Bath 10,600 Bath, Somerset
Bristol Memorial Stadium 12,100 Bristol, Avon
Gloucester Kingsholm 12,500 Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Leeds Tykes Headingley Stadium[n 1] 22,250 Leeds, West Yorkshire
Leicester Tigers Welford Road 16,815 Leicester, Leicestershire
London Irish Madejski Stadium 24,250 Reading, Berkshire
Newcastle Falcons Kingston Park 10,200 Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
Northampton Saints Franklin's Gardens 13,600 Northampton, Northamptonshire
Sale Edgeley Park 10,852 Stockport, Greater Manchester
Saracens Vicarage Road 22,000 Watford, Hertfordshire
Wasps Adams Park[n 2] 10,000 High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Worcester Sixways 9,728 Worcester, Worcestershire
Notes

Table

Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Tries For Tries Against Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
C Sale Sharks 22 16 1 5 573 444 129 52 42 6 2 74
2 Leicester Tigers 221435518415103 51 24 5 1 68
3 London Irish 2214084934543954 44 6 4 66
4 London Wasps 2212375274478053 42 7 3 64
5 Gloucester 221111048338598 46 33 4 9 59
6 Northampton Saints 2210111464488−24 53 50 4 7 53
7 Newcastle Falcons 229112416433−17 42 44 3 6 47
8 Worcester Warriors 229112451494−43 40 56 3 6 47
9 Bath 229112441494−53 38 49 3 5 46
10 Saracens 228113433483−50 42 48 5 7 46
11 Bristol 228113393445−52 28 41 0 741
R Leeds Tykes 22 5017363573−210 36 62 1 7 28
Source:Guinness Premiership
Green background denotes qualification for the playoffs. These teams and those highlighted in blue qualified for the 2006–07 Heineken Cup.

Results

Round 1

2 September 2005
20:00
Sale Sharks 26–25 Newcastle Falcons
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 10,546
3 September 2005
14:00
London Wasps 23–11 Saracens
Twickenham
Attendance: 35,000
3 September 2005
15:00
Leicester Tigers 32–0 Northampton Saints
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815
3 September 2005
16:20
Leeds Tykes 11–27 London Irish
Twickenham
Attendance: 35,000
4 September 2005
13:00
Bristol 19–16 Bath
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 11,760
4 September 2005
15:00
Worcester Warriors 15–15 Gloucester
Sixways
Attendance: 9,728

Round 2

10 September 2005
14:15
Bath 9–17 Northampton Saints
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 10,060
10 September 2005
14:45
London Wasps 29–29 Leicester Tigers
Adams Park
Attendance: 8,459
10 September 2005
15:00
Gloucester 21–18 Sale Sharks
Kingsholm
Attendance: 9,374
11 September 2005
14:30
Newcastle Falcons 14–16 Bristol
Kingston Park
Attendance: 6,661
11 September 2005
15:00
London Irish 15–20 Worcester Warriors
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 7,118
11 September 2005
15:00
Saracens 34–16 Leeds Tykes
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 6,190

Round 3

16 September 2005
20:00
Sale Sharks 29–3 London Irish
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 7,246
17 September 2005
14:00
Worcester Warriors 25–24 Saracens
Sixways
Attendance: 9,140
17 September 2005
14:45
Northampton Saints 9–16 Newcastle Falcons
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 12,018
17 September 2005
15:00
Leicester Tigers 40–26 Bath
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815
18 September 2005
14:30
Leeds Tykes 23–47 London Wasps
Headingley
Attendance: 4,544
18 September 2005
15:00
Bristol 9–41 Gloucester
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 11,558

Round 4

24 September 2005
14:45
Gloucester 28–24 Northampton Saints
Kingsholm
Attendance: 11,156
24 September 2005
15:00
London Irish 24–22 Bristol
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 6,957
25 September 2005
14:30
Leeds Tykes 20–28 Leicester Tigers
Headingley
Attendance: 7,143
25 September 2005
14:30
Newcastle Falcons 16–27 Bath
Kingston Park
Attendance: 6,869
25 September 2005
15:00
London Wasps 34–20 Worcester Warriors
Adams Park
Attendance: 8,720
25 September 2005
15:00
Saracens 32–40 Sale Sharks
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 7,132

Round 5

14 October 2005
19:45
Leicester Tigers 16–16 Newcastle Falcons
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815
14 October 2005
20:00
Sale Sharks 18–10 London Wasps
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 9,916
14 October 2005
20:00
Worcester Warriors 22–15 Leeds Tykes
Sixways
Attendance: 9,626
15 October 2005
14:45
Bath 18–16 Gloucester
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 10,600
15 October 2005
15:00
Northampton Saints 25–23 London Irish
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 13,262
16 October 2005
15:00
Bristol 11–23 Saracens
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 7,068

Round 6

4 November 2005
20:00
London Wasps 21–16 Bristol
Adams Park
Attendance: 7,901
4 November 2005
20:00
Worcester Warriors 15–11 Leicester Tigers
Sixways
Attendance: 9,776
5 November 2005
14:45
Leeds Tykes 11–17 Sale Sharks
Headingley
Attendance: 4,206
5 November 2005
15:00
Gloucester 27–20 Newcastle Falcons
Kingsholm
Attendance: 12,500
5 November 2005
15:00
London Irish 36–13 Bath
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 9,458
5 November 2005
15:00
Saracens 28–22 Northampton Saints
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 8,524

Round 7

11 November 2005
19:45
Newcastle Falcons 20–23 London Irish
Kingston Park
Attendance: 10,200
11 November 2005
20:00
Sale Sharks 24–13 Worcester Warriors
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 7,056
12 November 2005
12:30
Northampton Saints 13–21 London Wasps
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 13,585
12 November 2005
15:00
Leicester Tigers 25–20 Gloucester
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815
13 November 2005
14:15
Bath 12–12 Saracens
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 10,348
13 November 2005
15:00
Bristol 32–6 Leeds Tykes
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 7,648

Round 8

18 November 2005
20:00
Sale Sharks 24–16 Leicester Tigers
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 10,641
18 November 2005
20:00
Worcester Warriors 24–15 Bristol
Sixways
Attendance: 9,726
20 November 2005
14:30
Leeds Tykes 28–25 Northampton Saints
Headingley
Attendance: 4,564
20 November 2005
15:00
London Irish 25–10 Gloucester
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 9,027
20 November 2005
15:00
London Wasps 28–20 Bath
Adams Park
Attendance: 8,656
20 November 2005
15:00
Saracens 27–18 Newcastle Falcons
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 9,413

Round 9

25 November 2005
19:45
Bath 12–16 Leeds Tykes
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 9,957
25 November 2005
19:45
Leicester Tigers 35–3 London Irish
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815
26 November 2005
12:30
Gloucester 19–8 Saracens
Kingsholm
Attendance: 10,516
26 November 2005
12:30
Northampton Saints 21–22 Worcester Warriors
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 12,481
27 November 2005
14:30
Newcastle Falcons 17–15 London Wasps
Kingston Park
Attendance: 7,379
27 November 2005
15:00
Bristol 22–14 Sale Sharks
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 7,518

Round 10

26 December 2005
14:00
Worcester Warriors 18–36 Bath
Sixways
Attendance: 9,726
26 December 2005
15:00
London Wasps 32–25 Gloucester
Adams Park
Attendance: 10,000
26 December 2005
15:00
Sale Sharks 34–14 Northampton Saints
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 10,641
27 December 2005
14:30
Leeds Tykes 10–13 Newcastle Falcons
Headingley
Attendance: 11,601
27 December 2005
15:00
Bristol 15–3 Leicester Tigers
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 11,916
27 December 2005
15:00
Saracens 19–20 London Irish
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 12,923

Round 11

31 December 2005
14:45
London Irish 19–35 London Wasps
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 18,122
31 December 2005
15:00
Gloucester 31–7 Leeds Tykes
Kingsholm
Attendance: 11,529
1 January 2006
14:30
Newcastle Falcons 21–15 Worcester Warriors
Kingston Park
Attendance: 8,864
1 January 2006
15:00
Northampton Saints 29–22 Bristol
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 13,485
2 January 2006
14:15
Bath 9–21 Sale Sharks
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 10,600
2 January 2006
15:00
Leicester Tigers 34–27 Saracens
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815

Round 12

7 January 2006
14:45
Worcester Warriors 11–15 Northampton Saints
Sixways
Attendance: 9,726
8 January 2006
13:30
Saracens 9–19 Gloucester
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 6,493
8 January 2006
14:30
Leeds Tykes 25–14 Bath
Headingley
Attendance: 5,446
8 January 2006
15:00
London Irish 25–28 Leicester Tigers
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 11,096
8 January 2006
15:00
London Wasps 21–6 Newcastle Falcons
Adams Park
Attendance: 10,000
8 January 2006
15:00
Sale Sharks 31–29 Bristol
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 9,686

Round 13

27 January 2006
19:45
Bristol 23–26 Worcester Warriors
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 9,058
28 January 2006
14:00
Bath 28–16 London Wasps
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 10,600
28 January 2006
15:00
Gloucester 9–13 London Irish
Kingsholm
Attendance: 10,710
28 January 2006
15:00
Leicester Tigers 27–27 Sale Sharks
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815
28 January 2006
15:00
Newcastle Falcons 21–16 Saracens
Kingston Park
Attendance: 6,405
28 January 2006
15:00
Northampton Saints 21–18 Leeds Tykes
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 13,448

Round 14

10 February 2006
19:45
Gloucester 34–16 Leicester Tigers
Kingsholm
Attendance: 12,500
10 February 2006
20:00
Leeds Tykes 26–16 Bristol
Headingley
Attendance: 5,573
11 February 2006
14:00
Worcester Warriors 33–48 Sale Sharks
Sixways
Attendance: 9,726
12 February 2006
15:00
London Irish 6–9 Newcastle Falcons
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 9,822
12 February 2006
15:00
London Wasps 19–19 Northampton Saints
Adams Park
Attendance: 8,143
12 February 2006
15:00
Saracens 29–34 Bath
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 6,731

Round 15

17 February 2006
19:45
Leicester Tigers 28–22 Worcester Warriors
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815
17 February 2006
20:00
Sale Sharks 35–24 Leeds Tykes
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 10,224
18 February 2006
14:15
Bath 28–33 London Irish
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 10,600
18 February 2006
14:45
Northampton Saints 58–17 Saracens
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 13,523
19 February 2006
13:30
Bristol 9–9 London Wasps
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 9,028
19 February 2006
14:30
Newcastle Falcons 9–13 Gloucester
Kingston Park
Attendance: 7,284

Round 16

24 February 2006
19:45
Newcastle Falcons 24–16 Leicester Tigers
Kingston Park
Attendance: 10,200
24 February 2006
20:00
Leeds Tykes 21–15 Worcester Warriors
Headingley
Attendance: 3,718
25 February 2006
12:00
Gloucester 15–18 Bath
Kingsholm
Attendance: 12,500
26 February 2006
13:00
London Irish 30–3 Northampton Saints
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 9,355
26 February 2006
15:00
London Wasps 26–16 Sale Sharks
Adams Park
Attendance: 10,000
26 February 2006
15:00
Saracens 13–19 Bristol
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 5,216

Round 17

10 March 2006
19:45
Leicester Tigers 26–23 Leeds Tykes
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815
10 March 2006
20:00
Sale Sharks 9–15 Saracens
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 9,307
10 March 2006
20:00
Worcester Warriors 37–8 London Wasps
Sixways
Attendance: 9,726
11 March 2006
14:15
Bath 20–18 Newcastle Falcons
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 10,600
11 March 2006
15:00
Northampton Saints 21–20 Gloucester
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 13,443
12 March 2006
13:00
Bristol 20–21 London Irish
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 7,258

Round 18

25 March 2006
14:15
Bath 12–19 Leicester Tigers
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 10,600
25 March 2006
14:45
London Irish 21–29 Sale Sharks
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 19,884
25 March 2006
15:00
Gloucester 15–20 Bristol
Kingsholm
Attendance: 11,517
26 March 2006
14:30
Newcastle Falcons 13–32 Northampton Saints
Kingston Park
Attendance: 7,364
26 March 2006
15:00
London Wasps 28–0 Leeds Tykes
Adams Park
Attendance: 8,186
26 March 2006
15:00
Saracens 29–15 Worcester Warriors
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 6,011

Round 19

7 April 2006
20:00
Leeds Tykes 13–17 Saracens
Headingley
Attendance: 4,899
8 April 2006
13:45
Sale Sharks 18–15 Gloucester
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 10,140
8 April 2006
14:00
Worcester Warriors 10–12 London Irish
Sixways
Attendance: 9,726
8 April 2006
15:00
Northampton Saints 24–21 Bath
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 13,454
9 April 2006
15:00
Bristol 23–7 Newcastle Falcons
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 9,237

Round 20

14 April 2006
19:45
Northampton Saints 19–24 Leicester Tigers
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 13,493
15 April 2006
15:00
Gloucester 27–16 Worcester Warriors
Kingsholm
Attendance: 12,500
15 April 2006
15:00
London Irish 28–24 Leeds Tykes
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 8,320
15 April 2006
17:15
Bath 31–16 Bristol
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 10,600
16 April 2006
14:30
Newcastle Falcons 32–21 Sale Sharks
Kingston Park
Attendance: 9,018
16 April 2006
15:00
Saracens 13–12 London Wasps
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 10,391

Rearranged fixture

22 April 2006
14:30
Leicester Tigers 20–19 London Wasps
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815

Round 21

28 April 2006
19:45
Saracens 12–13 Leicester Tigers
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 9,828
28 April 2006
20:00
Sale Sharks 38–12 Bath
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 10,641
29 April 2006
14:00
Worcester Warriors 35–27 Newcastle Falcons
Sixways
Attendance: 9,726
30 April 2006
14:30
Leeds Tykes 7–31 Gloucester
Headingley
Attendance: 4,452
30 April 2006
15:00
Bristol 16–19 Northampton Saints
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 9,862
30 April 2006
18:00
London Wasps 37–56 London Irish
Adams Park
Attendance: 10,000

Round 22

6 May 2006
15:00
Bath 25–22 Worcester Warriors
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 10,400
6 May 2006
15:00
Gloucester 32–37 London Wasps
Kingsholm
Attendance: 12,500
6 May 2006
15:00
Leicester Tigers 32–3 Bristol
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,815
6 May 2006
15:00
London Irish 30–18 Saracens
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 11,352
6 May 2006
15:00
Newcastle Falcons 54–19 Leeds Tykes
Kingston Park
Attendance: 8,084
6 May 2006
15:00
Northampton Saints 34–36 Sale Sharks
Franklin’s Gardens
Attendance: 13,577

Play-offs

Semi-finals

14 May 2006
13:30
Sale Sharks 22–12 London Wasps
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 10,641
14 May 2006
16:00
Leicester Tigers 40–8 London Irish
Welford Road
Attendance: 14,069

Final

27 May 2006
16:00
Sale Sharks 45–20 Leicester Tigers
Tries: Cueto 8' m
Lund 17' m
Oriol Ripol 40' c
Mayor 80' c
Con: Hodgson (1/3)
Courrent (1/1)
Pen: Hodgson (6) 3', 31', 45', 49', 64', 78'
DG: Hodgson 71'
Tries: Moody 10' c
Hamilton 70' c
Con: Goode (2/2)
Pen: Goode (2) 35', 43'
Twickenham Stadium
Attendance: 58,000
Referee: Dave Pearson

Sky Sports Dream Team 2005/06

15 Matt Burke (Newcastle Falcons) 14 Tom Varndell (Leicester Tigers) 13 Mathew Tait (Newcastle Falcons) 12 Mike Catt (London Irish) 11 Tom Voyce (London Wasps) 10 Carlos Spencer (Northampton Saints) 9 Justin Marshall (Leeds Tykes) 1 Tony Windo (Worcester Warriors) 2 Mark Regan (Bristol Rugby) 3 Cobus Visagie (Saracens) 4 Danny Grewcock (Bath Rugby) 5 Ben Kay (Leicester Tigers) 6 Matt Salter (captain, Bristol Rugby) 7 Magnus Lund (Sale Sharks) 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamón (London Irish)[1]

Wikinews has News related to this article:

Total Season Attendances

Club Home
Games
Total Average Highest Lowest % Capacity
Bath 11 114,965 10,451 10,600 9,957 99%
Bristol 11 101,911 9,265 11,916 7,068 77%
Gloucester 11 127,302 11,573 12,500 9,374 93%
Leeds Tykes 11 91,146 8,286 35,000 3,718 27%
Leicester Tigers 12 199,034 16,586 16,815 14,069 99%
London Irish 11 120,511 10,956 19,884 6,957 45%
Newcastle Falcons 11 88,328 8,030 10,200 6,405 79%
Northampton Saints 11 145,769 13,252 13,585 12,018 97%
Sale Sharks 12 116,685 9,724 10,641 7,056 90%
Saracens 11 88,852 8,077 12,923 5,216 37%
Wasps 11 125,065 11,370 35,000 7,901 86%
Worcester Warriors 11 106,352 9,668 9,776 9,140 99%

Top scorers

Points

Points Name Club Tries Con Pen Drop
244 Wales Jason Strange Bristol 1 22 65 0
238 New Zealand Glen Jackson Saracens 332512
233 Australia Shane Drahm Worcester Warriors 325524
213 France Ludovic Mercier Gloucester 225492
208 England Charlie Hodgson Sale Sharks 224491
206 New Zealand Bruce Reihana Northampton Saints 532390
200 England Andy Goode Leicester Tigers 025491
199 England Mark van Gisbergen London Wasps 332400
142 Australia Matt Burke Newcastle Falcons 812260
125 Australia Chris Malone Bath 413244

Tries

PosPlayerTeamTries
1 England Tom Varndell Leicester Tigers 14
2 England Tom Voyce London Wasps 10
3 EnglandDelon Armitage London Irish 8
EnglandTom Biggs Leeds Carnegie
AustraliaMatthew Burke Newcastle Falcons
EnglandAnthony Elliott Newcastle Falcons
SamoaDavid Lemi Bristol
EnglandPaul Sackey London Wasps
9 EnglandBen Cohen Northampton Saints 7
EnglandTopsy Ojo London Irish
EnglandDan Scarbrough Saracens

References

  1. McConnell, Jonathan (2006-05-24). "News : Top Catt: Mike Catt Voted GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP Player of the Season". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 2011-03-05.

External links