Million Pound Game (stylized as £1M Game) was an annual rugby league game that decides which Championship teams will be promoted to Super League, and which Super League teams would be relegated for the following season. Instituted in 2015 and played until 2018, the game was played as the final of The Qualifiers replacing the playoffs and Championship Grand Final.
 | |
| Sport | Rugby league |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 2015 |
| Number of teams | 2 |
| Country |  England (RFL) Canada France |
| Most titles | four-way tie (1 title) |
| Broadcast partner | Sky Sports BBC Sport (Highlights) |
In 2019, the Championship Grand Final returned but used the "Million Pound Game" name until 2021.
The name alludes to the higher level of funding Super League clubs receive.[1]
Format
edit2015–2018: The Qualifiers
editStarting for the 2015 season, the bottom 4 teams in the Super League played the top four teams in the Championship in a league of eight. The top three teams were awarded a place in Super League whilst teams finishing fourth and fifth play each other for the final Super League place in a game called the Million Pound Game.[2]
2019–2021: Playoffs
editThe 2019 season saw return of the playoffs and the Championship Grand Final to determine promotion to the Super League and, with the Super 8s being scraped, the winners of the RFL Championship.[3][4] The name "Millions Pound Game" was retained for the final due to marketing purposes until 2021, with the 2022 final being called the "Championship Grand Final" again.[5][6]
Results
edit| Year | Winner | Score | Runner up | Venue | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 |  Wakefield Trinity | 24–16 |  Bradford Bulls | Belle Vue | 7,236 | [7] |
| 2016 |  Salford Red Devils | 19–18 |  Hull Kingston Rovers | Craven Park | 6,562 | [8] |
| 2017 |  Catalans Dragons | 26–10 |  Leigh Centurions | Leigh Sports Village | 6,888 | [9] |
| 2018 |  London Broncos | 4–2 |  Toronto Wolfpack | Lamport Stadium | 9,246 | [10] |
Winners
edit| Club | Wins | Last win | Runners-up | Last final lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefield Trinity | 1 | 2015 | 0 | N/A |
| Salford Red Devils | 1 | 2016 | 0 | N/A |
| Catalans Dragons | 1 | 2017 | 0 | N/A |
| London Broncos | 1 | 2018 | 0 | N/A |
| Bradford Bulls | 0 | N/A | 1 | 2015 |
| Hull Kingston Rovers | 0 | N/A | 1 | 2016 |
| Toronto Wolfpack | 0 | N/A | 1 | 2018 |
| Leigh Centurions | 0 | N/A | 1 | 2017 |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Expansion 'Pack or capital gain?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2022-11-19.
- ^ "Rugby à XIII : La nouvelle organisation de la Super League dévoilée".
- ^ "Super League decides to scrap controversial Super 8 format". The Guardian. 12 June 2018.
- ^ "2019 Structure". Rugby Football League. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
- ^ "Million Pound Game 2021: Old friends do battle as Featherstone Rovers and Toulouse Olympique clash". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- ^ "Championship Grand Final: Jon Wells on Toulouse or London Broncos aiming to join Super League in 2024". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- ^ "Wakefield Wildcats 24-16 Bradford Bulls". BBC Sport. 2015-10-02. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- ^ "Hull KR 18-19 Salford". BBC Sport. 2016-09-29. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- ^ "Leigh 10-26 Catalans". BBC Sport. 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- ^ "London Broncos book Super League return". BBC Sport. 2018-10-05. Retrieved 2023-11-09.