The 2001-02 Zurich Premiership was the 15th season of the top flight of the English domestic rugby union competitions.
Leeds Tykes were promoted to replace the relegated Rotherham.
Halfway through the season, with Leicester odds-on to win their fourth title in succession, it was decided that the winners of the playoffs would be crowned champions. After a public outcry at moving the goalposts halfway through the tournament, this was not followed through. Instead, they launched the Zurich Championship, a play off competition involving 8 teams below the champions, providing the winner with a 'wildcard' European qualification. Leicester did finish top of the league and were crowned champions; their fourth title in succession and their sixth overall. Gloucester won the eight team Zurich Championship play-offs in 2001–02.
Leeds Tykes finished bottom of the table but avoided relegation due to the inadequacies of Rotherham's ground.
Participating teams
Team Stadium CapacityCity/Area BathRecreation Ground8,500Bath, SomersetBristol ShogunsMemorial Stadium8,500 (1,200 seats)BristolGloucesterKingsholm11,000Gloucester, GloucestershireHarlequinsThe Stoop9,000 (2,000 seats)Twickenham, LondonLeeds TykesHeadingley Stadium22,250Leeds, West YorkshireLeicester TigersWelford Road16,250Leicester, LeicestershireLondon IrishMadejski Stadium24,161Reading, BerkshireLondon WaspsLoftus Road18,439Shepherd's Bush, LondonNewcastle FalconsKingston Park 8,000 Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear Northampton SaintsFranklin's Gardens11,700Northampton, NorthamptonshireSale SharksHeywood Road4,800Sale, Greater ManchesterSaracensVicarage Road22,000Watford, Hertfordshire
Table
Results
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Week 17
Week 18
Week 19
Week 20
Week 21
Week 22
Week 23
Week 24
Playoff
Seeding SeedTeamTable pointsWinsPoints diff1 Leicester Tigers8318+3092 Sale Sharks6914+723 Gloucester6814+2074 London Irish5711+1095 Northampton Saints5612+806 Newcastle Falcons5612+327 London Wasps5412+128 Bristol Shoguns509−32
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Lee Best Jamie Williams David Rees Jason Little (c) Phil Christophers Felipe Contepomi Agustin Pichot Neil McCarthy Darren Crompton Julian White Gareth Archer Alex Brown Craig Short Michael Lipman Ben SturnhamReplacements: Shane Drahm Paul Johnstone Ross Beattie Andrew SheridanCoach: Dean Ryan
Henry Paul Dylan O'Leary Terry Fanolua Robert Todd Ludovic Mercier Andy Gomarsall Patrice Collazo Tom Beim Olivier Azam Phil Vickery (c) Rob Fidler James Forrester Ed Pearce Jake Boer Junior ParamoreReplacements: Chris Catling Trevor Woodman Chris Fortey Craig Gillies Koli SewabuCoach: Laurent Seigne
Leading scorers Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not earned international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-WR nationalities.
Most points Source: Rank Player ClubPoints1 Barry EverittLondon Irish3432 Ludovic MercierGloucester3343 Charlie HodgsonSale Sharks2734 Paul BurkeHarlequins2585 Paul GraysonNorthampton Saints2386 Felipe ContepomiBristol2217 Jonny WilkinsonNewcastle Falcons2158 Tim StimpsonLeicester Tigers2129 Luke SmithSaracens19410 Alex KingWasps183
Most tries Source: Rank Player ClubTries1 Mark CuetoSale Sharks132 Dan ScarbroughLeeds Tykes123 Steve BoothLeicester Tigers9 Felipe ContepomiBristol Geordan MurphyLeicester Tigers Junior ParamoreGloucester Jason RobinsonSale Sharks James Simpson-DanielGloucester10 Ben CohenNorthampton Saints8 Michael StephensonNewcastle Falcons
References