The 2011 Rugby Football League Championship is known as Co-operative Championship due to sponsorship by The Co-operative Group.

The 2011 Co-operative Championship is a semi-professional rugby league football competition played in the UK and France one tier below the first tier Super League. The two worst performing teams during the season, with the exception of Toulouse Olympique, will be relegated to Championship 1.

There is no automatic promotion from this league to Super League, which uses a licensing system renewed every three years. Qualifying for the Grand Final or winning the Northern Rail Cup is a prerequisite for Championship clubs to be able to apply for a licence in the next round of applications for the 2012–14 period.

All of the teams in the 2011 Co-operative Championship will also compete in the 2011 Challenge Cup where they will enter in the third round. All of the teams will also compete in the 2011 National League Cup which starts before the Co-operative Championship with the finals held mid season.

Teams

This competition features mostly the same teams as it did in 2010. The Hunslet Hawks and York City Knights were promoted from the 2010 Championship 1 while the Keighley Cougars and Whitehaven were relegated.

Legend
Reigning champions
Defending Northern Rail Cup Champions
Promoted
Team & Current SeasonStadiumCapacityLocation
Barrow RaidersCraven Park7,600Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria
Batley BulldogsMount Pleasant6,000Batley, West Yorkshire
Dewsbury RamsTetley's Stadium3,500Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Featherstone RoversBigfellas Stadium6,750Featherstone, West Yorkshire
HalifaxThe Shay Stadium6,561Halifax, West Yorkshire
Hunslet HawksSouth Leeds Stadium4,000Leeds, West Yorkshire
Leigh CenturionsLeigh Sports Village12,700Leigh, Greater Manchester
Sheffield EaglesBramall Lane32,702Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Toulouse Olympique XIIIStade des Minimes4,066Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées, France
Widnes VikingsStobart Stadium Halton13,500Widnes, Cheshire
York City KnightsHuntington Stadium3,428York, North Yorkshire

Season standings

2011 Co-operative Championship
#TeamPldWDLPFPAPDBnsPts
1Featherstone Rovers201811840348+492056
2Leigh Centurions201811776368+408153
3Batley Bulldogs201208498406+92041
4Sheffield Eagles201208577488+89039
5Widnes Vikings201118555532+23038
6Halifax2010010569543+26136
7Hunslet Hawks204115395630-235320
8York City Knights205114416788-372319
9Dewsbury Rams204115413618−205018
10Toulouse Olympique(R)204016358663−305015
11Barrow Raiders (R)209011527540-1310
Teams qualifying for the Play-offs
Teams in relegation position

Source:

Classification: 1st on competition points; 2nd on match points difference.

Season results

Regular season

Play-offs

Elimination play-offs

8 September 2011Batley Bulldogs22–32HalifaxBatley
Tries: Preece (2), Daley Williams, Manning Goals: Handforth 2/3, Mennell 1/3Tries: Haley, Bannister, Worrincy, Penkywicz, Beswick Goals: Jones 6/6Stadium: Mount Pleasant Attendance: 1,179 Referee: Clint Sharrad
9 September 2011Sheffield Eagles36–20Widnes VikingsSheffield
Tries: Laulu-Togagae (2), McDonald (2), Taulapapa Goals: Brown 8/9Tries: Flynn (2), Ropati, Craven Goals: Craven 2/4Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 564 Referee: Matthew Thomason

Qualifying semi-final

15 September 2011Featherstone Rovers35–20Leigh CenturionsFeatherstone
Tries: Cockayne, Finn, Saxton (3), Bostock Goals: Finn 5/7 Drop goals: FinnTries: Maden, Mills, Ridyard, Nanyn Goals: Nanyn 2/4Stadium: Post Office Road Attendance: 2,031 Referee: Tim Roby

Elimination semi-final

18 September 2011Sheffield Eagles50–12HalifaxSheffield
Tries: Laulu-Togagae, Hirst, Henderson (2), McDonald (2), Taulapapa, Woodcock Goals: Brown 9/11Tries: Goddard, Penkywicz Goals: Jones 2/2Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 1,233 Referee: Matthew Thomason

Elimination final

22 September 2011Leigh Centurions10–20Sheffield EaglesLeigh
Tries: Donlan, Nanyn Goals: Nanyn 1/2Tries: S. Scott, Finigan, Laulu-Togagae Goals: Brown 4/4Stadium: Leigh Sports Village Attendance: 1,818 Referee: Ben Thaler

Grand Final

2 October 2011
Featherstone Rovers40–4Sheffield Eagles
Tries: Spears, Finn (2), Hardman, Cockayne, Hepworth, Saxton Goals: Finn 6/7Tries: McDonald Goals: Brown 0/1
Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington Attendance: 7,263 Referee: Matthew Thomason
Elimination play-offsQualifying/Elimination semifinalElimination finalGrand Final
15 September 20112 October 2011
1Featherstone Rovers35Featherstone Rovers40
2Leigh Centurions2022 September 2011' Sheffield Eagles4
8 September 2011
Leigh Centurions10
3Batley Bulldogs22
18 September 2011Sheffield Eagles20
6Halifax32
Halifax12
9 September 2011
Sheffield Eagles50
4Sheffield Eagles36
5Widnes Vikings20

Statistics

The following are the top points scorers in the Championship during the 2011 season. Statistics also include tries and goals scored in the play-offs.

PlayerTeamTries
Most tries Player Team Tries Jamie Ellis Leigh Centurions 22 Mick Nanyn Leigh Centurions 22 Andy Ballard Barrow Raiders 20 Bryn Powell Featherstone Rovers 20 Tom Saxton Featherstone Rovers 18 Paul White Halifax 17 Martyn Ridyard Leigh Centurions 17 Quentin Laulu-Togagae Sheffield Eagles 17 Menzie Yere Sheffield Eagles 16 Jon Hepworth Featherstone Rovers 15Most goals Player Team Goals Liam Finn Featherstone Rovers 115 Mick Nanyn Leigh Centurions 104 Simon Brown Sheffield Eagles 95 Steve Tyrer Widnes Vikings 69 Danny Jones Halifax 65 Jamie Rooney Barrow Raiders 63 Paul Handforth Batley Bulldogs 59 Darren Nicholls Toulouse Olympique 40 Dominic Brambani Dewsbury Rams 39 Pat Walker Dewsbury Rams 29
Jamie EllisLeigh Centurions22
Mick NanynLeigh Centurions22
Andy BallardBarrow Raiders20
Bryn PowellFeatherstone Rovers20
Tom SaxtonFeatherstone Rovers18
Paul WhiteHalifax17
Martyn RidyardLeigh Centurions17
Quentin Laulu-TogagaeSheffield Eagles17
Menzie YereSheffield Eagles16
Jon HepworthFeatherstone Rovers15
PlayerTeamGoals
Liam FinnFeatherstone Rovers115
Mick NanynLeigh Centurions104
Simon BrownSheffield Eagles95
Steve TyrerWidnes Vikings69
Danny JonesHalifax65
Jamie RooneyBarrow Raiders63
Paul HandforthBatley Bulldogs59
Darren NichollsToulouse Olympique40
Dominic BrambaniDewsbury Rams39
Pat WalkerDewsbury Rams29

Most points

PlayerTeamTriesGoalsDGsPoints
Mick NanynLeigh Centurions221040296
Liam FinnFeatherstone Rovers141151287
Simon BrownSheffield Eagles2951199
Steve TyrerWidnes Vikings12690186
Danny JonesHalifax6650154
Jamie RooneyBarrow Raiders6631151
Paul HandforthBatley Bulldogs4590134
Darren NichollsToulouse Olympique13400132
Dominic BrambaniDewsbury Rams6391103
Jamie EllisLeigh Centurions2270102

See also