The 2009 Co-operative Championship is a semi-professional

rugby league football Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playing field, field measur ...

competition played in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and

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one tier below the first tier Super League. The two worst performing teams during the season, with the exception of

Toulouse Olympique Toulouse Olympique or TO XIII is a professional rugby league club in Toulouse, south-west France. Founded in 1937, two years after the French Rugby League Federation, the club is a six-time winner of the French Rugby League Championship. The ...

, 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 is a prerequisite for Championship clubs to be able to apply for license in the next round of applications for the 2012–14 period. The competition was very close with most teams having a chance of making the top 6 going into the final round. In the end

Barrow Raiders The Barrow Raiders are a semi-professional rugby league team in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. The club was formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club. For the 1995–96 Rugby Football League season, 1995–96 and 1996 RFL Division Two, 1996 ...

topped the standings followed by Halifax. The Leigh Centurions were relegated on the final day of competition despite finishing only third to last and

Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...

were also relegated but their fate had been sealed for some time. In the weeks following the competitions completion, Gateshead Thunder were eliminated following salary cap breaches and subsequently relegated to the Championship 1 for 2010, Leigh Centurions were therefore reprieved from relegation and remained in the Championship for 2010. In the playoffs,

Widnes Vikings The Widnes Vikings are an English rugby league club in Widnes, Cheshire, which competes in the Betfred Championship. The club plays home matches at the Halton Stadium. Founded as Widnes Football Club, they are one of the original twenty-two r ...

and

Featherstone Rovers Featherstone Rovers are a professional rugby league club in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England, who play in the Championship. Featherstone is a former coal mining town with a population of around 16,000 and Rovers are one of the last "smal ...

advance from the first week to play each other. Featherstone won this game which gave them the chance to take on Halifax, who lost their game to Barrow, for a spot in the grand final. Halifax won and went on to play Barrow in the final but lost 26-18.

Table

Play-offs

The Co-operative Championship uses a top 6 play-off system.

Grand Final

Attendances

Rugby League Crowds - 2009 Co-operative Champs

External links

Official Championship website

RFL Championship coverage

Scores from Sky Sports

RugbyLeague.org Championship Fans Forums
{{2009 in rugby league

Rugby Football League Championship fr:Championship (rugby) it:Co-operative Championship

Table

Play-offs

Grand Final

Attendances

See also

Team season articles

External links