118-724: The Widnes Vikings are an English rugby league club in Widnes , Cheshire , which competes in the Betfred Championship . The club plays home matches at DCBL Stadium . Founded as Widnes Football Club, they are one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895. Their historic nickname is "The Chemics" after the main industry in Widnes, but now they use their modern nickname, "The Vikings". The club enjoyed
236-527: A 0-0 draw. The attendance of the game was 2,561. The stadium is segmented into four stands, each with different seating capacities and amenities: The Halton Stadium has played host to various high-profile club matches. List of rugby league test matches played at the Halton Stadium. Other than Widnes club games, the stadium also saw Widnes play host to various international touring teams from 1907 to 1990. Widnes' 11–10 win over Australia in 1978
354-771: A 12–0 lead but were then swept aside as Widnes stormed home 30–18 to become the first official World Club Champions . Widnes continued to be competitive winning the Lancashire Cup against Salford (1991) and the Regal Trophy against Leeds (1992). Widnes were also runners up in the League Championship and Premiership (1991) and the Challenge Cup (1993). After losing 3 Challenge Cup semifinals in 1987, 1989 and 1991, this belated trip to Wembley in 1993 came too late to avert financial problems. To balance
472-505: A 54–6 victory over Whitehaven at Bloomfield Road stadium and went on to reach the National League Grand Final at the end of the season. They were beaten 42–10 by Castleford at Headingley and in the days that followed, Widnes had no option but to place themselves into voluntary administration. On 2 November 2007, Widnes were purchased by Steve O'Connor, a local business man who had just sold his haulage firm to
590-708: A Rugby League World Cup venue due to the 3G pitch not being sanctioned for international competition. The USA team based themselves at the Stadium during their run to the quarter finals in the competition. In 2013 local businessman Peter Littler signed a naming rights sponsorship deal as the Stadium became the Select Security Stadium. Since 2013 the Stadium has been the host venue for the British Drum Corps Championships which are held each September. The Championships feature
708-617: A breakaway faction of England's Rugby Football Union (RFU). Both organisations played the game under the same rules at first, although the Northern Union began to modify rules almost immediately, thus creating a new simpler game that was intended to be a faster-paced form of rugby football. Similar breakaway factions split from RFU-affiliated unions in Australia and New Zealand in 1907 and 1908, renaming themselves "rugby football league s" and introducing Northern Union rules. In 1922,
826-599: A cup every season by defeating Hull 23–8 in the Premiership final. The next season saw Hull again beaten by Widnes in the Premiership final. Vince Karalius returned to the club in March 1983 as co-coach with Harry Dawson. Dawson quit as coach in March 1984 with Karalius continuing as team manager. Karalius led a strong Widnes side to the finals of the Lancashire Cup and John Player Trophy and another Wembley victory appearance 19–6 against Wigan . Doug Laughton returned to
944-580: A decree by the RFU banning the playing of rugby at grounds where entrance fees were charged led to twenty-two clubs (including Stockport, who negotiated by telephone) meeting at the George Hotel, Huddersfield , on 29 August 1895 and forming the "Northern Rugby Football Union". Within fifteen years of that first meeting in Huddersfield, more than 200 RFU clubs had left to join the rugby league. In 1897,
1062-592: A field at Lowerhouse Lane before moving to their third separate site on that road in October 1895. The first ever game at what later became Naughton Park was against Liversedge on Saturday 12 October 1895. In 1895, Widnes were founder members of the Northern Union which broke away from the Rugby Football Union . Their first game was an away fixture against Runcorn which they lost 15–4. During
1180-405: A four-yearly cycle in the 2010s; as of 2023 , the holders are Australia . A short-sided version of the sport, rugby league nines , using modified rugby league rules also exists, and is comparable to rugby sevens . Wheelchair rugby league is a mixed-gender sport using heavily modified rugby league rules for disabled and able-bodied players. Unlike wheelchair rugby which adopted its name after
1298-437: A mix of the two sports' rules. Much more so than rugby union, rugby league shares significant similarities with North American gridiron codes. Although described as evolving from both rugby and association football , the basic structures of American and Canadian football are remarkably similar to rugby league through a process of parallel evolution: a try-and-goal based scoring system, a set number of plays before handover of
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#17327797455841416-611: A period of success in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s, and were frequently described as "Cup Kings" reaching the Challenge Cup Final 7 times in 10 years between 1975 and 1984. In 1989, after winning their third Rugby League Premiership , Widnes became the first official World Club Champions by beating the Australian champions Canberra Raiders 30–18 at Old Trafford . They have a strong local rivalry with Warrington Wolves . The Farnworth & Appleton Cricket Club
1534-436: A play-off place, and finishing seventh. The following season saw them consolidate with a 9th place finish, and in 2004 they avoided relegation on the final day of the season, with Castleford's defeat by Wakefield Trinity saving Widnes' fate. Stuart Spruce was caretaker manager. Frank Endacott arrived at Widnes as coach in 2005, but could not improve on the previous seasons. With two teams being relegated in 2005, due to
1652-633: A professional level. 45 national teams are ranked by the RLIF and a further 32 are officially recognized and unranked. The strongest rugby league nations are Australia , England , New Zealand , Samoa and Tonga . The Rugby League World Cup is the highest form of representative rugby league. Countries that have contested are Australia , Cook Islands , England , Fiji , France , Ireland , Italy , Jamaica , Lebanon , New Zealand , Papua New Guinea , Russia , Samoa , Scotland , South Africa , Tonga , US and Wales . The 2021 Rugby League World Cup, which
1770-453: A result play stops much less frequently in rugby league, with the ball typically in play for 50 out of the 80 minutes compared to around 35 minutes for professional rugby union. Other differences include that there are fewer players in rugby league (13 compared to 15) and different rules for tackling . Rugby union has more detailed rules than rugby league and has changed less since the 1895 schism. Since rugby union turned professional in
1888-564: A site a few hundred yards north of the current location. That land was leased on behalf of the rugby organisation by Widnes Cricket Club but, to coincide with the breakaway from the Rugby Football Union in 1895, Widnes F.C. obtained a lease for land on which they laid out a new ground (the Naughton Park/Halton Stadium site). The first game on the new field was against Liversedge on 12 October 1895. In
2006-496: A take-over of Widnes in 2006 and the club made it to the LHF National League Grand Final, but were beaten 29–16 by Hull Kingston Rovers at Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium . Stephen Vaughan quit as chairman of Widnes at the start of 2007 and stepped down from the club's board of directors, placing the club's season into a 'boom or bust' scenario. Widnes won the 2007 Northern Rail Cup Final with
2124-415: A team's creative unit or 'playmakers'. During the interactions between a team's 'key' players (five-eighth, half-back, fullback, lock forward, and hooker), the five-eighth and half-back will usually be involved in most passing moves. These two positions are commonly called the "halves". The forwards' two responsibilities can be broken into "normal play" and "scrum play". For information on a forward's role in
2242-505: A total capacity of 13,350. During the 2011 Super League Season , St. Helens played their home games at the stadium. From 2013 to 2018 the Stadium was home to Everton Ladies and Liverpool Ladies . Since 2013 the stadium has also been used as the venue for the Drum Corps United Kingdom "British Drum Corps Championships". Widnes Football Club had a number of grounds before settling at Lowerhouse Lane in 1884/85 on
2360-401: A value of 2 points when kicked from beyond the 40 metre line. Field position is crucial in rugby league, achieved by running with or kicking the ball. Passing in rugby league may only be in a backward or sideways direction. Teammates, therefore, have to remain on-side by not moving ahead of the player with the ball. The ball may be kicked ahead, but if teammates are in front of the kicker when
2478-486: Is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 m (74 yd) wide and 112–122 m (122–133 yd) long with H-shaped posts at both ends. It is one of the two major codes of rugby football , the other being rugby union . It originated in 1895 in Huddersfield , Yorkshire , England, as the result of a split from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) over
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#17327797455842596-474: Is conducted under the direction of the Federation of International Touch (FIT). Though it shares similarities and history with rugby league , it is recognised as a sport in its own right due to its differences which have been developed over the sport's lifetime. Touch is a variation of rugby league with the tackling of opposing players replaced by a touch. As touches must be made with minimal force, touch
2714-432: Is the dominant winter sport in the eastern Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland . The game is also among the predominant sports of Tonga and is played in other Pacific nations such as Samoa and Fiji . Researchers have found that rugby league has been able to help with improving development in the islands. In Australia, and indeed the rest of the region, the annual State of Origin series ranks among
2832-732: Is the home of Rugby League side Widnes Vikings of the Betfred Championship , football team Widnes Football Club of the Northern Premier League who play their home games at the stadium, and also the American football side Halton Spartans of the BAFA National Leagues , the Halton Spartans having competed in the BAFANL national American football league since 2015. The stadium is all seater and has
2950-555: Is therefore considered a limited-contact sport. The original basic rules of touch were established in the 1960s by members of the South Sydney Junior Rugby League Club in Sydney, Australia . OzTag is a non-contact form of rugby league, and can be seen as a variation of British tag rugby. Cronulla Sharks and St George Dragons halfback Perry Haddock introduced the sport in Australia while coaching
3068-413: Is worth. One of the main differences is the rules of possession. When the ball goes into touch , possession in rugby union is contested through a line-out , while in rugby league a scrum restarts play. The lesser focus on contesting possession means that play focuses more on powerful running, hard tackling, forward progression and the contest for field position (commonly compared to an "arm wrestle"); as
3186-602: The 1953–54 Challenge Cup Final replay at Odsal Stadium , Bradford , England, setting a new record for attendance at a rugby football match of either code. Also in 1954, the Rugby League World Cup, the first for either code of rugby, was formed at the instigation of the French. In 1966, the International Board introduced a rule that a team in possession was allowed three play-the-balls and on
3304-569: The 1999 NRL season . Figure shown is the total attendance which is officially counted for both games. ** The official attendance of the 1954 Challenge Cup Final replay was 102,569. Unofficial estimates put the attendance as high as 150,000, Bradford Police confirming 120,000. Halton Stadium The Halton Stadium (currently known as the DCBL Stadium for sponsorship reasons) is a multi-purpose rugby league , football and American football stadium in Widnes , Cheshire , England. It
3422-454: The ARL and NZRL . Since rugby league was introduced to Australia in 1908, it has become the largest television sport and 3rd most attended sport in Australia. Neighbouring Papua New Guinea is one of two countries to have rugby league as its national sport (with Cook Islands ). Australia's elite club competition also features a team from Auckland , New Zealand's biggest city. Rugby league
3540-543: The Co-operative Championship culminated in September 2011 with a fifth place league finish, and a first round playoff defeat of 36–20 against Sheffield at Bramall Lane . February 2012 saw Widnes' re-emergence into the top tier of rugby league, and they claimed their first two points against Wigan in a 37–36 win. The club managed to prove a number of critics wrong by gaining 12 points in total by
3658-634: The International Rugby League . Rugby league is the national sport of Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands and is a popular sport in countries such as England , Australia , New Zealand , France , Tonga , Fiji , Samoa , Lebanon , Jamaica , and Malta . The first Rugby League World Cup was held in France in 1954, the first World Cup of either rugby code, and has been held sporadically ever since, settling into
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3776-704: The New South Wales Rugby Football League was founded at Bateman's Hotel in George Street. Unlike in England, where both codes maintained their own geographic areas of dominance, in Australia rugby league went on to displace rugby union entirely as the primary football code in New South Wales and Queensland , while Australian rules football dominated the rest of Australia. On 5 May 1954, 102,569 spectators watched
3894-749: The Ottawa Aces were scheduled to join the English league pyramid, becoming the only Canadian team in the system after the Wolfpack were denied re-entry. The club subsequently relocated to Penryn, Cornwall , and are now known as Cornwall R.L.F.C. In 2021, the North American Rugby League announced an attempt to be North America's professional championship, with Canadian club Toronto Wolfpack joining several USA Rugby League clubs, New York Freedom and Cleveland Rugby League to form
4012-598: The Rugby League European Federation and Asia-Pacific Rugby League Confederation expanding the game to new areas such as Chile , Canada , Ghana , Philippines , Czech Republic , Germany , The Netherlands , Sweden , Norway , Spain , Sri Lanka , Hungary , Turkey , Thailand and Brazil to name a few. The two most prominent full-time professional leagues are the Australian National Rugby League and
4130-556: The line-out was abolished and in 1898 professionalism introduced. In 1906, the Northern Union changed its rules, reducing teams from 15 to 13 a side and replacing the ruck formed after tackles with the play-the-ball . By this point, rule changes meant the game organised by the RFL was distinct as a sport from its union cousin. A similar schism to that which occurred in England took place in Sydney , Australia. There, on 8 August 1907
4248-500: The 1934 cup final. In 1935–36, the team came close to being rugby league champions. Having finished third in the table, Widnes beat Liverpool 10–9 but lost to Hull FC , in the championship final. A third trip to Wembley came in 1937, with an 18–5 win over Keighley . The final was dubbed "McCue's Match" as the halfback played an important part in the win. Widnes dropped out of the wartime Lancashire league in 1940–41 and did not return to league competition until 1945–46. Tommy McCue led
4366-538: The 1971–72 Lancashire Cup . Six years after he retired from playing Vince Karalius returned to Widnes as coach; appointed in January 1972. The following two seasons, Widnes reached the finals of the BBC2 Floodlit Trophy . The first success came in the 1975 Lancashire Cup which Widnes won by beating Salford that season. They also won the 1975 Challenge Cup final 14–7 versus Warrington at Wembley. This
4484-526: The 1990s, when News Corporation paid for worldwide broadcasting rights. The media giant's "Super League" movement created changes for the traditional administrators of the game. In Europe, it resulted in a move from Rugby League being a winter sport to a summer one, as the new Super League competition tried to expand its market. In Australasia, the Super League war resulted in long and costly legal battles and changing loyalties, causing significant damage to
4602-518: The 1992 St George Jersey Flegg side. Together with Chris Parkes, the two took the sport to fields across Australia. Today, it is played by over 200,000 players in organised leagues across the country. League Tag replaces tackling with the removal of one of two tags carried on an opponent's hips, attached directly to specific League Tag shorts with Velcro patches, but otherwise retains almost all other rules of traditional rugby league (such as kicking). A number of additional rules are also added relating to
4720-441: The 2012–14 seasons and Denis Betts was confirmed as the man who would coach the club. A flourish of new signings were announced and the pioneering 'Viking Stronghold' initiative moved from strength to strength. Widnes also installed a fourth generation artificial pitch (or ipitch as it became known) during the off season, making them the first team in modern day rugby league to not play on a traditional grass pitch. Widnes' tenancy in
4838-515: The 2017 Kingstone Press League 1 in their inaugural season and earned promotion to the 2018 Rugby League Championship. In 2019 The Wolfpack won promotion to the Super League, lasting only a few months before having to withdraw due to the ongoing worldwide COVID-19 pandemic . New ownership is currently trying to revive the club with matches against amateur clubs in the US and Canada. Beginning in 2022,
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4956-674: The British Super League (with teams from New Zealand and France respectively). Other professional and semi professional leagues include Australia's Queensland Cup (which includes a team from Papua New Guinea ) and NSW Cup , the British RFL Championship and RFL League 1 , the French Super XIII and Elite 2 . The Papua New Guinea National Rugby League operates as a semi-professional competition and enjoys nationwide media coverage, being
5074-472: The Challenge Cup Semi final as Warrington Wolves cruised to victory 54-12 versus Catalans Dragons. The stadium was a temporary home to St. Helens during the 2011 season, as Langtree Park only opened for use in time for the 2012 season. At the end of the 2011 season the stadium became the first in England to install a fully artificial 3G pitch In 2013 The Stadium failed to be selected as
5192-554: The First World War. Thirteen Widnes players were killed during the conflict. The club's first ever success came when they won the Lancashire League trophy in the 1919–20 season. However, the 1920s saw the club almost go to the wall. Local rivals Warrington donated their share of the traditional Easter and Christmas derby matches to keep Widnes afloat in 1927–28. In 1930, Widnes with 12 local-born players defied
5310-480: The Halton Stadium and into Valerie Park . In December 2007 a sponsorship agreement was made with Stobart Group Limited and the stadium was renamed Stobart Stadium Halton. In February 2008 the North stand seats were changed to spell out Vikings, West stand seats are sponsored by Stobart and East stand seats are sponsored by Halton Borough Council as part of the stadium sponsorship deal. The Widnes Rugby League Museum
5428-451: The Halton Stadium became The AutoQuest Stadium when the local car dealership signed sponsorship naming rights. On 8 October 1999 the new West stand was officially opened by Tessa Sanderson CBE with the benefit of a Sport England Lottery grant the facilities included gym, crèche, café and a national table tennis Centre of excellence along with an extra 3,200 spectator seating. In 2000, Runcorn F.C. sold their Canal Street ground and moved to
5546-403: The Halton Stadium. The club renamed itself Runcorn F.C. Halton to reflect its new location. AutoQuest's sponsorship ended in 2001 and the stadium became known as the Halton Stadium. On 27 November 2002 Runcorn hosted 3rd division Bristol Rovers in an FA Cup 1st round replay in front of 2,444 fans despite taking their league opponents to extra time they were knocked out 3–1. The 2002/03 season
5664-534: The National Rugby League, this was reduced to ten prior to the 2008 season and further reduced to eight prior to the 2016 season. If a team has to interchange a player due to the blood bin rule or due to injury, and this was the result of misconduct from the opposing team, the compromised team does not have to use one of its allocated interchanges to take the player in question off the field. The backs are generally smaller, faster and more agile than
5782-547: The Northern Union also changed its name to the Rugby Football League and thus over time the sport itself became known as "rugby league" football. In 1895, a schism in Rugby football resulted in the formation of the Northern Rugby Football Union (NRFU). The success of working class northern teams led to some compensating players who otherwise would be on their job and earning income on Saturdays. This led to
5900-411: The RFU reacting to enforce the amateur principle of the sport, preventing "broken time payments" to players who had taken time off work to play rugby. Northern teams typically had more working class players (coal miners, mill workers etc.) who could not afford to play without this compensation, in contrast to affluent southern teams who had other sources of income to sustain the amateur principle. In 1895,
6018-581: The Stobart Group. Steve McCormack was re-appointed as Head Coach, and the club were re-admitted into National League 1. A nine-point deduction for going into administration was successfully neutralised through winning their first three games, and Widnes qualified for the National League One Playoffs by finishing in sixth place. A 32–16 defeat by third-placed Halifax however brought the nostalgic 2008 campaign to an end. Off
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#17327797455846136-447: The ball comes into contact with the ground. An attacking team gets a maximum of six tackles to progress up the field before possession is changed over. Once the tackle is completed, the ball-carrier must be allowed to get to his feet to ' play-the-ball '. Ball control is also important in rugby league, as a fumble of the ball on the ground forces a handover, unless the ball is fumbled backwards. The ball can also be turned over by going over
6254-421: The ball is kicked, they are deemed off-side. Tackling is a key component of rugby league play. Only the player holding the ball may be tackled. A tackle is complete, for example, when the player is held by one or more opposing players in such a manner that he can make no further progress and cannot part with the ball, or when the player is held by one or more opposing players and the ball or the hand or arm holding
6372-506: The books, over 25 first team players were sold to other teams. This resulted in the club sinking to 12th in the division one table, avoiding relegation. Tony Myler became coach of Widnes in May 1994. In August 1995 the club decided to bring back Doug Laughton for a third stint as team manager which resulted in Myler's sacking as coach. In 1996, the first tier of British rugby league clubs played
6490-601: The club had originally intended to adopt the moniker 'Warriors' but were asked to reconsider by the RFL, as Whitehaven were planning to adopt this name also. Further player and coaching departures ensued and the club struggled in the new first division, the club's first ever finish in the relegation zone followed. They spent the next five years in the Northern Ford Premiership . Graeme West took over as coach after Doug Laughton 's third stint, his reign lasted from May 1997 until August 1998. During this time,
6608-584: The club in January 1986 and began a series of signings of players from other league clubs and from rugby union. One such player was Martin Offiah , who in 1987–88 scored a club record 42 tries. The team went on to win the championship that season, clinching it with a 50-point win away over Hunslet . Widnes then beat St. Helens 38–14 in the Premiership Final at Old Trafford , Manchester a game in which Alan Tait made his début. The 1988–89 season saw
6726-554: The club sign rugby union star Jonathan Davies from Llanelli for £225,000. Widnes and Wigan battled each other for the silverware. Widnes beat Wigan in the Charity Shield but lost to them in the Regal Trophy Final. The Championship came down to the last game of the season, a capacity crowd (officially 16,000) at Naughton Park saw Widnes beat Wigan 32–18 to win the title for the second year running. The Premiership
6844-478: The club to its first ever Lancashire Cup win, with a 7–3 victory against Wigan in 1945. Back at Wembley in 1950, the team was beaten 19–0 by Warrington . During this period, the club reverted to selling its players to richer teams. Local man Vince Karalius joined Widnes from St. Helens in 1962 and was appointed club captain. In his first season, Widnes finished third in the Championship, which equalled
6962-494: The club to victory in the seasons Northern Rail Cup Final, beating a strong Barrow Raiders side 34–18. In the following season, Widnes again reached the Northern Rail Cup Final but were beaten 25–24 by Batley Bulldogs . The club also reached the 2010 Co-operative Championship playoffs but were knocked out in the opening round by Barrow Raiders . In 2011 Widnes were granted a Super League licence for
7080-412: The club was Widnes' first ever trip to the Challenge Cup final, staged at Wembley. Their opponents were St. Helens , Saints scored after six minutes to take a 3–0 lead, but Widnes hit back with a penalty try, a further try and a penalty to take a 10–3 half-time lead. A scoreless second half meant Widnes had won the cup. Widnes became the first club to make two trips to Wembley, with a loss to Hunslet in
7198-764: The club's best league placing. In 1962, the league was split into East and West of the Pennines; Widnes and Workington Town met at Central Park , Wigan , in the first final of the Western Division Championship on Saturday 10 November 1962. With two minutes remaining, Lowdon dropped a goal to earn Workington a 9–9 draw. Later in the month Workington Town won the replay 10–0. The following season saw him lead his team to Wembley, where Widnes were Rugby League Challenge Cup winners after they defeated Hull Kingston Rovers 13–5. No team had ever played more games in reaching Wembley than Widnes in 1964. In
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#17327797455847316-469: The code in an extremely competitive sporting market. In 1997 two competitions were run alongside each other in Australia, after which a peace deal in the form of the National Rugby League was formed. The NRL has since become recognised as the sport's flagship competition and since that time has set record TV ratings and crowd figures. The objective in rugby league is to score more points through tries , goals and field goals (also known as drop goals) than
7434-528: The early years, the club often had to sell players to balance the books. The strength of junior rugby league in the area meant the club had a steady stream of new players to offset any losses. In 1902, the Lancashire and Yorkshire leagues were combined to form a second division, Widnes was added to the first division. In 1914, Arthur 'Chick' Johnson was capped for the Lions (captained by Harold Wagstaff) in
7552-473: The end of their first season back, but this was not enough to prevent the club from finishing at the bottom of the Super League table. Rugby league Rugby league football , commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby XIII in non- Anglophone Europe and South America, and referred to colloquially as football , footy , rugby , or league in its heartlands,
7670-427: The famous Rorke's Drift test , a match in which they overcame all the odds, and injuries to beat Australia with a depleted side of 10 against 13. He scored an extraordinary try to win the game, dribbling the ball from inside his own half. Widnes closed for the 1915–16 season but recommenced playing in 1916 following the introduction of conscription which meant that would not be accused of keeping men from volunteering for
7788-445: The field, Widnes had applied for a Super League licence for the 2009 season along with 18 other clubs. However, the club was not granted a licence to play in the Super League , with the recent financial history of the club coming under close scrutiny. In 2009 Widnes parted company with Steve McCormack and for a period John Stankevitch became caretaker manager. Paul Cullen was unveiled as McCormack's eventual successor and managed
7906-423: The first round, two replays were necessary before beating Leigh . Liverpool City were beaten in the second round, then Widnes played Swinton in front of 19,000 at Naughton Park. A 5–5 draw meant another replay, which was a scoreless draw at Station Road . A second replay at Wigan was watched by 21,369 with Widnes winning 15–3. The semi-final against Castleford was drawn 7–7. A crowd of 28,732 spectators watched
8024-681: The five years prior to the Second World War , the sport's popularity increased as Frenchmen became disenchanted with the state of French rugby union in the 1930s. However, after the Allied Forces were defeated by Germany in June 1940, the Vichy regime in the south seized assets belonging to rugby league authorities and clubs and banned the sport for its association with the left-wing Popular Front government that had governed France before
8142-547: The football, each play restarting from a set piece position and ended by a tackle. Although the Canadian Football League in particular maintained the word 'rugby' in its name for many years, alluding to that shared past, the introduction of the forward pass and unlimited substitution in North American games created a fundamentally different species of game from either original rugby code. Although
8260-407: The forwards. They are often the most creative and evasive players on the field, relying on running, kicking and handling skills, as well as tactics and set plays, to break the defensive line, instead of brute force. Generally forwards play a more collision oriented game, making ground by pure strength, and tackling near the play-the-ball. Usually, the stand-off/five-eighth and scrum-half/half-back are
8378-406: The fourth tackle a scrum was to be formed. This was increased to six tackles in 1972 and in 1983 the scrum was replaced by a handover. 1967 saw the first professional Sunday matches of rugby league played. The first sponsors, Joshua Tetley and John Player , entered the game for the 1971–72 Northern Rugby Football League season . Television had an enormous impact on the sport of rugby league in
8496-405: The ground being renamed in his honour. During the 1978 Kangaroo tour Widnes defeated Australia at Naughton Park before a crowd of 12,202. Naughton Park stadium was owned by Widnes F.C. (later Widnes RLFC Ltd) but when financial difficulties set in they sold the ground to Halton Borough Council in 1995. Halton Borough Council in partnership with Widnes Vikings agreed to build a new stadium on
8614-585: The ground, with the ball usually set in a kicking tee , and the opposing team not allowed to directly challenge the kicker. The Super League in Europe and the National Rugby League (NRL) in Australasia are the world's premier club competitions. Globally, rugby league is played internationally , predominantly by European , Australasian , and Pacific Island countries, and is governed by
8732-411: The historic link between the codes continues to be acknowledged, neither Canadian or American football is commonly considered a rugby code today except in the broadest sense, and are more commonly referred to collectively as gridiron codes, or simply as 'football' within their respective countries. Players on the pitch are divided into forwards and backs , although the game's rules apply to all players
8850-437: The inaugural Super League season and changed from a winter to a summer season. When the RFL announced that a new 12-team Super League was to be formed a chaotic period ensued in which the club was out, then in, then out, then in merged with local rivals Warrington and then finally out again as they finished below the cut-off point of 10th in the existing top flight. The club adopted the name Widnes Vikings on 27 November 1996;
8968-478: The inclusion of Catalans Dragons in Superleague from 2006 onwards, Widnes were relegated back down to the second tier of the English game (LHF National League 1). Widnes parted company with coach Frank Endacott, and new coach Steve McCormack rebuilt the squad, which notably included Australian full back David Peachey , who kept his word to join the club, despite its relegation. Stephen Vaughan completed
9086-440: The invention of the sport previously called murderball and is not directly linked to rugby union, wheelchair rugby league has grown out of the parent sport, and retains key aspects of that sport such as an egg shaped ball, the forward-pass rule and conversions. While not a Paralympic sport, the sport has its own Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup . A further variation for ambulatory disabled players, physical disability rugby league ,
9204-412: The issue of payments to players. The rules of the game governed by the new Northern Rugby Football Union progressively changed from those of the RFU with the specific aim of producing a faster and more entertaining game to appeal to spectators, on whose income the new organisation and its members depended. In rugby league, points are scored by carrying an oval ball and touching it to the ground beyond
9322-544: The job of team coach when Frank Myler retired from the position in 1978. The 1978–79 season saw no less than four cups come to Widnes—the BBC2 floodlit trophy, Lancashire Cup, Premiership and a win at Wembley over Wakefield Trinity in front of a crowd of 93,218. Widnes also defeated the Ashes -winning 1978 Kangaroo tourists . The 1979–80 season saw Widnes beat Bradford Northern in the Premiership final, but come second to them in
9440-512: The kick-off being delayed by half an hour to allow the large crowd in. Although they were not treated to the best of games Leeds eventually found the breakthrough with 10 minutes to go when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink cut inside two defenders and curled his right foot shot past the dive of John O'Toole. On 29 January 1999 the Widnes RLFC's remaining 40% share in the ground was sold to the council when they ran into financial difficulties. In 1999
9558-653: The late 1870s the club was being referred to as "The Chemicals"—subsequently shortened to 'The Chemics'. The first ground was on Albert Road behind what is now the Premier Wetherspoon's pub and a short spell followed in the Simms Cross area. From around 1878–84 the club were based at the junction of Millfield/Peelhouse Lane, apart from season 1880–81 when they played on the Widnes Cricket Club ground at Lowerhouse Lane. From 1884–95 they rented
9676-413: The late 1920s it was proposed that the land would be compulsorily purchased to make way for a new council housing scheme. After much lobbying the club were finally given an option to purchase the site for the not inconsiderable sum of £3,250. Club secretary Tom Naughton was instrumental in raising the necessary funds but before the formal completion of the purchase in 1932 he died in a car crash, leading to
9794-419: The league and John Player Trophy. The Lancashire Cup was won for the fifth time in the 1970s. The 1980s started with a Wembley win over Hull Kingston Rovers in 1980–81. The season after this, Widnes again returned to Wembley, to face Hull F.C. Widnes led 14–6 with less than 20 minutes to go, but the game finished 14–14 and Hull won the replay 18–9 at Elland Road , Leeds . Widnes kept their record of winning
9912-511: The league's inaugural season. Several brand new clubs from Western USA were scheduled to join in 2022 but never played. The new competition is sanctioned by Canada Rugby League , but not yet by the United States governing body. Unfortunately, while some exhibition matches were played in 2021 and 2022, NARL was defunct by 2023 The early 21st century has seen other countries take up the game and compete in international rugby league with
10030-453: The mid-1990s, it has increasingly borrowed techniques, tactics and even laws from rugby league, while high-profile players and coaches from the league game have increasingly gone on to success in the union code in those countries where both codes are popular (e.g. Andy Farrell , Jason Robinson and Henry Paul ). The inherent similarities between rugby league and rugby union have at times led to experimental hybrid games being played that use
10148-537: The most popular sporting events. The Rugby League European Federation are responsible for developing rugby league in Europe . In England, rugby league has traditionally been associated with the historic northern counties of Yorkshire , Lancashire , and Cumberland , where the game originated, especially in towns and cities along the M62 corridor . Its popularity has also increased elsewhere. As of 2024 , only two of
10266-413: The national sport of the country. Five main variant sports of rugby league exist worldwide; Touch , OzTag , League tag , Nines , and Sevens . Touch, OzTag, and League Tag are all non-contact versions of the sport, where as Nines and Sevens are both reduced form (shorter match times and smaller teams) of the sport. Touch (also known as touch football or touch rugby) is a variant of rugby league that
10384-463: The new Farnworth and Appleton FC was in Widnes in January 1876 played under rugby rules against Northwich Victoria. A few weeks later a return match was played at Drill Field, Northwich under soccer rules. Vics won both games. These are the only two known fixtures in that truncated first season. By May 1876 the club had changed its name to Widnes FC and the cricket side of the organisation had disbanded, presumably to concentrate on football activities. By
10502-561: The new Super League, although the club was dissolved in 1997. In 2006, the Super League admitted the Catalans Dragons, a team from Perpignan in the southern Languedoc-Roussillon region. They have subsequently reached the 2007 Challenge Cup Final and made the playoffs of the 2008 Super League XIII season. The success of the Dragons in Super League has initiated a renaissance in French rugby league, with new-found enthusiasm for
10620-648: The newly rebuilt stadium was set at 6,644 for a Northern Ford Premiership game against Leigh on Boxing Day 2000. Widnes finished off a poor season in 8th place in the NFP. Under new coach Neil Kelly , Widnes won promotion to Super League in 2001 after beating Oldham 24–12 in the Northern Ford Premiership Grand Final. Their début season in the Super League was in 2002, and the Vikings surprised everyone by narrowly missing out on
10738-460: The north of England there have been complaints about its lack of profile in the British media. On the eve of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup final where England would face Australia, English amateur rugby league coach Ben Dawson stated, "we're in the final of a World Cup. First time in more than 30 years and there's no coverage anywhere". France first played rugby league as late as 1934, where in
10856-563: The odds to beat St. Helens 10–3 to bring home the Challenge Cup . The Kingsway housing scheme threatened the loss of Widnes' ground. After several years of fundraising during the Great Depression of the 1930s, £3,250 was raised to save the ground. This came with a stipulation that the ground could be sold only to the local council at the original price. The newly named Naughton Park was opened in 1932. A major boost for
10974-404: The opposing team's goal line; this is called a try , and is the primary method of scoring, worth four points. The opposing team attempts to stop the attacking side scoring points by tackling the player carrying the ball and denying forward progress. On occasion, where a clear try scoring opportunity has been thwarted by foul play, a penalty try may be awarded without the ball being grounded over
11092-475: The opposition within the 80 minutes of play. If after two-halves of play, each consisting of forty minutes, the two teams are drawing , a draw may be declared, or the game may enter extra time under the golden point rule, depending on the relevant competition's format. The try is the most common form of scoring, and a team will usually attempt to score one by running and kicking the ball further upfield or passing from player-to-player in order to manoeuvre around
11210-400: The opposition's defence. A try involves touching the ball to the ground on or beyond the defending team's goal-line and is worth four points. A goal is worth two points and may be gained from a conversion or a penalty . A field goal, or drop goal, is only worth one point and is gained by dropping and then kicking the ball on the half volley between the uprights in open play. A field goal has
11328-643: The playing arena was rebuilt and the old stands, terraces and facilities were demolished to be replaced with a state-of-the-art all-seater stadium and was also renamed from Naughton Park to the Halton Community Stadium. West was later replaced as coach by Colin Whitfield . In 1999 Widnes narrowly missed out on a place in the Northern Ford Premiership Grand Final. The 2000 season was one of transition with head coach Colin Whitfield being sacked and replaced by David Hulme . A record attendance for
11446-542: The position they play, similarly to association football . Substitutes (generally referred to as "the bench") are allowed in the sport, and are typically used when a player gets tired or injured , although they can also be used tactically. Each team is currently allowed four substitutes, and in Australia and New Zealand, these players occupy shirt numbers 14 to 22. There are no limitations on which players must occupy these interchangeable slots. Generally, twelve interchanges are allowed in any game from each team, although in
11564-455: The replay, which Widnes won. A Wembley crowd of 84,488 saw Widnes win the Challenge Cup for the third time with a 13–5 victory over Hull Kingston Rovers . This was the Chemics first trophy success in eighteen years. The 1970s saw the first really outstanding Widnes team. A host of young local players developed into the "Cup Kings", a golden age for the club. The first cup-final was a loss in
11682-501: The same way. Each position has a designated number to identify himself from other players. These numbers help to identify which position a person is playing. The system of numbering players is different depending on which country the match is played in. In Australia and New Zealand, each player is usually given a number corresponding to their playing position on the field. However, since 1996 European teams have been able to grant players specific squad numbers, which they keep without regard to
11800-496: The scrum see rugby league scrummage . Forward positions are traditionally named after the player's position in the scrum yet are equal with respect to "normal play" with the exception of the hooker. Forward positions are traditionally assigned as follows: Rugby league is played in over 70 nations throughout the world. Papua New Guinea is the only country to have rugby league as its national sport . Four countries – Australia, England, France, and New Zealand – have teams that play at
11918-467: The season unbeaten at home in the league. There were also trips to the John Player and Premiership finals. Keith Elwell began his run of 242 consecutive appearances at Wembley in the 1976–77 Challenge Cup Final, including two as a substitute. He finished his run at Hull F.C. on 26 September 1982. This record for consecutive appearances for one club stands to this day. Doug Laughton took over
12036-524: The sideline. Rugby league and rugby union are distinct sports with many similarities and a shared origin. Both have the same fundamental rules, are played for 80 minutes and feature an oval-shaped ball and H-shaped goalposts. Both have rules that the ball cannot be passed forward, and dropping it forwards leads to a scrum. Both use tries as the central scoring method and conversion kicks , penalty goals and drop goals as additional scoring methods. However, there are differences in how many points each method
12154-608: The site of Naughton Park. This stadium would provide a multi-purpose complex including a social club, conference facilities, recreational facilities and catering/function facilities. The stadium was officially reopened on 2 November 1997 and consisted of South Stand with 3,400 capacity two function suites, social club and 30 executive boxes overlooking the pitch and the North Stand which had capacity for 4,400 fans. On 11 November 1997 Everton Reserves played their first match in their new home as more than 5,000 fans attended leading to
12272-526: The specific issues associated with a tag based game. Rugby League played with nine players per team with nine minutes per half, in addition to slight rule modifications to aid the game. Rugby League played with seven players per team with seven minutes per half, in addition to slight rule modifications to aid the game. The top five attendances for rugby league test matches (International) are: The top five attendances for domestic based rugby league matches are: * NRL double header played to open Round 1 of
12390-663: The sport in the south of the country where most of the Super XIII teams are based. In other parts of Europe, the game is played at semi-professional and amateur level. As of 2023, there is no professional rugby league in North America. From 2017 to 2020, the Toronto Wolfpack were North America 's only active professional Rugby League team, competing in the English Rugby League system. They won
12508-729: The surface to improve the appearance of the pitch for spectators and the TV audience. In November 2019 DCBL secured the naming rights to the DCBL Stadium Halton. On Saturday 2 July 2022 a 7,000 crowd were entertained by Bryan Adams and Widnes-born Spice Girl Mel C at the Stadium with his "So happy it hurts" tour. On Tuesday 18 April 2023, the DCBL Stadium hosted the final of the Liverpool Senior Cup where Marine beat Runcorn Linnets 4-3 on penalties after
12626-440: The top UK Marching Bands and is organised by Drum Corps United Kingdom - www.dcuk.org.uk On Sunday 18 June 2017 a sellout 14,000 crowd were entertained by Elton John at the Stadium with his Wonderful Crazy Night Tour . In October 2018 the 3G pitch was relaid after seven years of matches, community use and events. The new 3G pitch was installed with green rubber crumb and the perimeter touchlines permanently incorporated into
12744-482: The try line. In addition to tries, points can be scored by kicking goals. Drop goals (or field goals) can be attempted from the hand at any time for a single point. Following a successful try, the scoring team gains a free kick to try at goal with a conversion worth a further two points. Penalty kicks at goal, known simply as penalties, may also be awarded for general foul play, and are also worth two points. Unlike drop goals, penalty kicks and conversions are taken from
12862-571: The twelve Super League teams are based outside of these traditional counties: Catalans Dragons and London Broncos . One other team from outside the United Kingdom, Toulouse Olympique , competes in the British rugby league system , although not at the highest tier Super League level, but rather in the second tier Championship . Super League average attendances are in the 8,000 to 9,500 range. The average Super League match attendance in 2014
12980-580: The war. The sport was unbanned after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944 and the collapse of the Vichy regime, although it was still actively marginalised by the French authorities until the 1990s. Despite this, the national side appeared in the finals of the 1954 and 1968 World Cups, and the country hosted the 1954 event. In 1996, a French team, Paris Saint-Germain was one of eleven teams which formed
13098-472: Was 8,365. In 2018 average Super League match attendance was 8,547. Ranked the eighth most popular sport in the UK overall, rugby league is the 27th most popular participation sport in England according to figures released by Sport England ; the total number of rugby league participants in England aged 16 and over was 44,900 in 2017. This is a 39% drop from 10 years ago. While the sport is largely concentrated in
13216-552: Was created and had its first world cup in 2022 to coincide with the rescheduled 2021 Rugby League World Cup competitions. Rugby league football takes its name from the bodies that split to create a new form of rugby, distinct from that run by the Rugby Football Unions, in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand between 1895 and 1908. The first of these, the Northern Rugby Football Union , was established in 1895 as
13334-532: Was formed in 1871 and four years later the members decided to embrace the burgeoning football code. At their fourth annual evening party in the Drill Hall, Widnes, in November 1875, club Chairman Henry Lea "gave a short account of the club since it commenced about four years ago, and indicated that they had now started a football club in connexion (sic) with it, and hoped all would join". The first known game for
13452-479: Was hosted by England during October and November 2022, staged the Men's , Women's and Wheelchair competitions together for the first time. The competition formerly featured 16 teams, but has been cut down to 10 for the upcoming 2026 Rugby League World Cup . The Asia-Pacific Rugby League Confederation 's purpose is to spread the sport of rugby league throughout their region along with other governing bodies such as
13570-411: Was opened in 2007. In 2008 the Stadium hosted Wigan Warriors home playoff fixture verses Bradford Bulls after they were refused usage of their home ground by the stadiums owner Dave Whelan In 2009 the Stadium hosted a rematch of the 2004 Challenge Cup Semi final and this time 12,975 fans watched as Warrington Wolves secured revenge in a 39–26 victory over Wigan Warriors. In 2010 12,265 fans attended
13688-544: Was the first time in their history that Widnes had won two trophies in the same season. At his zenith, Karalius, stepped down once from his role as coach. He was replaced in May 1975 by Frank Myler . Widnes visited Wembley in the following two seasons, losing to St. Helens and then Leeds . However, this was made up for by victories in the Lancashire Cup and John Player Trophy . The season after this (1977–78) saw their first league championship. The team went through
13806-629: Was to be Everton Reserves final season at the Halton Stadium as they moved to Haig Avenue in Southport. In 2004 the Stadium was selected to host a Challenge cup semi final as 11,175 fans watched as Wigan Warriors were victorious 30–18 against the Warrington Wolves. In 2005 the East Stand was completed making the Halton Stadium a complete four-stand all seater stadium. Runcorn F.C.'s precarious financial state caused them to move out of
13924-439: Was won again, with over 40,000 at Old Trafford to see Widnes beat Hull 18–10. Martin Offiah scored another 58 tries for Widnes, bringing up 100 tries for Widnes in just 76 games. The 1989–90 season saw Widnes play at Anfield , Liverpool beating Wigan 27–22. Widnes beat St Esteve 60-6 to become European Club Champions to set up the first official World Club Challenge match against Australia's Grand Final winners. Canberra took
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