The 2012–13 Rugby-Bundesliga was the 42nd edition of this competition and the 93rd edition of the German rugby union championship. In the Rugby-Bundesliga, twenty-two teams played in, initially, four regional divisions, the first stage of the competition. The season started on 25 August 2012 and finished with the championship final on 15 June 2013, interrupted by a winter break from 25 November to 3 March.Rugby Spielpläne - 2012/2013 www.rugbyweb.de, accessed: 16 September 20121. Bundesliga totalrugby.de, accessed: 16 September 2012 The regular season finished on Wednesday 1 May and the play-offs started on the following weekend, 4 May, and the German championship final was held on 15 June 2013.
The defending champions were Heidelberger RK who defeated TV Pforzheim in the 2012 final to take out its eights championship and third in a row. Heidelberger RK took out the national championship once more, remaining unbeaten all season and defeating local rival SC Neuenheim 41–10 in the final.
Overview
The league has been radically modified from the 2011–12 season. In 2011–12 the league operated with ten teams playing in a single division in a home-and-away format with semi-finals and a final at the end.Rugby Spielpläne - Archiv 2011/2012 – 1. Bundesliga www.rugbyweb.de, accessed: 16 September 2012 In 2012–13 the league has been expanded, initially to twenty-four teams, which were to play in four regional divisions of six teams each. In those each team would play the others in its division just once. However, two teams resigned from the league before the start of the season, reducing the number of clubs to twenty-two. The Berlin Grizzlies of the eastern division opted to form a team with the reserve side of USV Potsdam Rugby and play in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga instead.DRV veröffentlicht Vorrunden-Spielpläne für 1. und 2. Bundeslig totalrugby.de, published: 7 August 2012, accessed: 16 September 2012 DRC Hannover withdrew from the northern division just before the first game of the season, suffering from a lack of first team players and entered the tier three Rugby-Regionalliga instead for 2012–13.DRC Hannover vor Neuanfang in der Regionalliga Nord totalrugby.de, published: 5 September 2012, accessed: 16 September 2012
The first stage of the competition, the Vorrunde, will finish on 3 October 2012 after which the second stage will start, the Qualifikationsphase, in which the top four teams each from the southern and the western group play each other in one group while the top teams from the north and east play each other in another.Bundesligaausschusssitzung bestätigt Bundesliga-Gruppen totalrugby.de, published: 4 August 2012, accessed: 16 September 2012 The finals series will be expanded from four to eight teams. The six teams not qualified for the Qualifikationsphase will enter the DRV-Pokal, the German rugby union cup, together with the top eight teams of the 2nd Bundesliga.TotalRugby Review: 1. Bundesliga - 4. Spieltag totalrugby.de, published: 16 September 2012, accessed: 17 September 2012 The 2nd Bundesliga teams not qualified for the DRV-Pokal will play for the Liga Pokal.Rugby-Bundesliga: Wie geht es nach der Vorrunde weiter? totalrugby.de, published: 19 September 2012, accessed: 20 September 2012
In the second stage the teams within a group will play each other in a home-and-away format, with the teams that already played each other in the first stage carrying over those results. All sixteen clubs will qualify for the knock-out stage.
One of the main aims of the reform was to reduce the number of kilometres traveled by individual teams and therefore reduce the travel expenses. Additionally, the 2nd Bundesliga was also expanded to 24 teams.DRT 2012: Ligareform kommt / Vertrag mit DRV-Vermarkter wird überprüft totalrugby.de, published: 16 July 2012, accessed: 24 July 2012DRT DRV website, published: 16 July 2012, accessed: 24 July 2012Rugby-Vizemeister TV Pforzheim will 2013 den Titel holen Pforzheimer Zeitung, published: 9 May 2012, accessed: 24 July 2012
Because of the enlargement of the league from ten to twenty-two (initially twenty-four) teams no club was relegated after the 2011–12 season but twelve clubs promoted: Promoted from the 2nd Bundesliga South/West: Heidelberger TV, RC Luxembourg, ASV Köln Rugby, RC Mainz, RC Aachen Promoted from the 2nd Bundesliga North/East: FC St. Pauli Rugby, SC Germania List, TSV Victoria Linden, Hamburger RC, Berliner SV 92, USV Potsdam Rugby (DRC Hannover withdrew before the first round due to a lack of players) Promoted from the Rugby-Regionalliga: RC Leipzig (Berlin Grizzlies withdrew before the start of the season)
Two clubs finished the regular season unbeaten, DSV 78 Hannover and Heidelberger RK. Of the sixteen clubs qualified for the play-offs three decided to cancel their first round match, the three bottom placed clubs in the north east, Berliner SV 92, Victoria Linden and USV Potsdam, with all three games awarded 50-0 to the opposition. The quarter finals saw the south western clubs dominate with all four advancing teams being from that division and all north eastern clubs being knocked out.TotalRugby Review: Meisterrunde - Viertelfinale totalrugby.de, published: 26 May 2013, accessed: 7 June 2013 The semi finals were heavily affected by bad weather, with both games, to be held in Heidelberg, being canceled and rescheduled. The final saw Heidelberger RK defeat SC Neuenheim 41–10 to take out its ninth national championship and fourth consecutive one.
Bundesliga tables & results
First stage In the first stage twenty-two clubs played in four groups. Within each group each team played the other just once. The best four teams in each group advanced to the second stage.
North The table and results of the division:Rugby Spielpläne - 2012/2013 – 1. Bundesliga Nord www.rugbyweb.de, accessed: 16 September 2012Herren: Bundesliga Nord DRV website, accessed: 16 September 2012
ClubPlayedWDLPFPADiffBPPoints 1 DSV 78 Hannover 4 4 0 0 319 8 311 420 2 FC St. Pauli Rugby 4 3 0 1 146 102 44 315 3 SC Germania List 4 2 0 1 81 142 –61 19 4 TSV Victoria Linden 4 1 0 2 44 138 –94 15 5 Hamburger RC 4 0 0 4 27 227 –200 00 Relegated: None Promoted: 08 Ricklingen/Wunstorf
Club DSV STP GER VIC HRC DSV 78 Hannover— 62–5 65–0 106–0 FC St. Pauli Rugby— 43–10 SC Germania List 3–86— 34–0 TSV Victoria Linden 22–33— 22–6 Hamburger RC 8–65 13–34—
East The table and results of the division:Rugby Spielpläne - 2012/2013 – 1. Bundesliga Ost www.rugbyweb.de, accessed: 16 September 2012Herren: Bundesliga Ost DRV website, accessed: 16 September 2012
ClubPlayedWDLPFPADiffBPPoints 1 Berliner Rugby Club 4 4 0 0 317 25 292 420 2 RK 03 Berlin 4 3 0 1 258 76 182 315 3 USV Potsdam Rugby 4 2 0 2 137 121 16 210 4 Berliner SV 92 Rugby 4 1 0 3 76 289 –213 15 5 RC Leipzig 4 0 0 4 16 293 –277 00 Relegated: None Promoted: Veltener RC
Club BRC RKB USV BSV RCL Berliner Rugby Club — 61–10 138–7 RK 03 Berlin — 42–7 116–0 USV Potsdam Rugby 5–42 — 58–27 Berliner SV 92 Rugby 8–90 — 34–3 RC Leipzig 3–76 10–67 —
West The table and results of the division:Rugby Spielpläne - 2012/2013 – 1. Bundesliga West www.rugbyweb.de, accessed: 16 September 2012Herren: Bundesliga West DRV website, accessed: 16 September 2012
ClubPlayedWDLPFPADiffBPPoints 1 SC 1880 Frankfurt 5 5 0 0 264 47 217 525 2 RK Heusenstamm 5 4 0 1 290 43 247 521 3 RC Mainz 5 2 0 3 127 156 –29 210 4 ASV Köln Rugby 5 2 0 2 72 251 –179 28 5 RC Luxembourg 5 1 0 3 68 248 –180 02 6 RC Aachen 5 0 0 5 29 205 –176 11 Relegated: RC Luxembourg (withdrawn) Promoted: TuS 95 Düsseldorf
Club SCF RKH ASV RCM RCL RCA SC 1880 Frankfurt — 22–20 81–0 62–15 RK Heusenstamm — 93–5 73–6 62–10 ASV Köln Rugby — 38–22 0–0 29–5 RC Mainz 0–42 — 77–7 RC Luxembourg 5–48 — 50–0 RC Aachen 7–51 7–13 —
The game between RC Luxembourg and RC Aachen initially ended in a 21–0 win for Aachen but was later changed to a 50–0 victory for Luxembourg because RCA fielded two underaged players.TotalRugby Vorschau: 1. Bundesliga - 4. Spieltag totalrugby.de, published: 13 September 2012, accessed: 16 September 2012 The game between RC Luxembourg and ASV Köln Rugby was cancelled by both teams with both clubs being deducted two points.TotalRugby Review: 1. Bundesliga - 5. Spieltag totalrugby.de, published: 23 September 2012, accessed: 29 September 2012
South The table and results of the division:Rugby Spielpläne - 2012/2013 – 1. Bundesliga Süd www.rugbyweb.de, accessed: 16 September 2012Herren: Bundesliga Süd DRV website, accessed: 16 September 2012
ClubPlayedWDLPFPADiffBPPoints 1 Heidelberger RK 5 5 0 0 338 41 297 525 2 SC Neuenheim 5 3 1 1 130 109 21 116 3 RG Heidelberg 5 2 1 2 166 153 13 313 4 TV Pforzheim 5 2 0 3 195 137 22 412 5 TSV Handschuhsheim 5 2 0 3 104 136 –32 19 6 Heidelberger TV 5 0 0 5 41 362 –321 00 Relegated: None Promoted: None
Club HRK RGH TVP SCN TSV HTV Heidelberger RK — 66–22 42–0 61–7 RG Heidelberg — 23–23 11–15 71–17 TV Pforzheim 12–72 32–39 — 28–41 SC Neuenheim — 27–13 39–3 TSV Handschuhsheim 13–24 — 56–13 Heidelberger TV 0–97 8–99 —
Second stage In the second stage sixteen clubs played in two groups of eight clubs each. Within each group each team played the others home and away except for the match-ups that already had been played in the first round. The results of those were carried over. All teams in this stage qualified for the play-offs and were seeded according to the final standings.
North-East The table and results of the division:Rugby Spielpläne - 2012/2013 – BL Meisterrunde Nord/Ost www.rugbyweb.de, accessed: 29 September 2012
ClubPlayedWDLPFPADiffBPPoints 1 DSV 78 Hannover 14 14 0 0 1040 89 951 1369 2 Berliner Rugby Club 14 12 0 2 771 137 634 1159 3 RK 03 Berlin 14 9 0 5 459 317 142 844 4 FC St. Pauli Rugby 14 8 0 6 382 361 21 941 5 SC Germania List 14 6 0 8 449 442 7 428 6 USV Potsdam Rugby 14 3 0 11 243 747 –504 519 7 TSV Victoria Linden 14 2 0 12 179 592 –413 513 8 Berliner SV 92 Rugby 14 2 0 12 147 985 –838 08
Club DSV STP GER VIC BRC RKB USV BSV DSV 78 Hannover — 62–5 74–11 65–0 24–10 32–14 168–0 119–5 FC St. Pauli Rugby 3–32 — 43–10 42–10 10–47 15–20 25–24 70–7 SC Germania List 3–86 16–32 — 34–0 16–50 46–31 101–3 83–5 TSV Victoria Linden 0–102 22–33 0–13 — 14–36 26–46 28–24 41–10 Berliner Rugby Club 16–30 62–0 52–5 67–0 — 61–10 94–0 138–7 RK 03 Berlin 13–33 22–19 36–13 54–5 11–28 — 42–7 46–13 USV Potsdam Rugby 6–99 20–49 20–8 47–19 5–42 11–24 — 58–27 Berliner SV 92 Rugby 3–114 7–36 10–90 19–14 5–68 8–90 21–18 —
South-West The table and results of the division:Rugby Spielpläne - 2012/2013 – BL Meisterrunde Süd/West www.rugbyweb.de, accessed: 29 September 2012
ClubPlayedWDLPFPADiffBPPoints 1 Heidelberger RK 14 14 0 0 1100 104 996 1365 2 SC Neuenheim 14 10 1 3 709 221 488 951 3 TV Pforzheim 14 10 0 4 944 290 654 1147 4 RG Heidelberg 14 8 1 5 555 401 154 943 5 SC 1880 Frankfurt 14 7 0 7 408 506 –98 735 6 RK Heusenstamm 14 4 0 10 361 695 –334 925 7 ASV Köln Rugby 14 2 0 12 133 998 –865 19 8 RC Mainz 14 0 0 14 106 1101 –995 22
Club SCF RKH ASV RCM HRK RGH TVP SCN SC 1880 Frankfurt — 22–20 81–0 62–15 3–57 36–31 17–37 15–59 RK Heusenstamm 24–40 — 93–5 58–10 12–76 28–32 5–123 0–81 ASV Köln Rugby 0–27 17–38 — 38–22 8–95 12–64 5–109 9–60 RC Mainz 6–60 0–42 16–22 — 6–90 0–91 0–149 10–69 Heidelberger RK 97–0 74–7 129–0 161–0 — 66–22 40–22 42–0 RG Heidelberg 57–16 72–27 52–12 50–0 5–64 — 12–63 23–23 TV Pforzheim 48–22 64–7 131–0 93–15 12–72 32–39 — 28–41 SC Neuenheim 55–7 79–0 81–5 116–6 7–38 22–5 16–33 —
Denotes results carried over from first stage Heusenstamm's home game against Mainz was played in Mainz as Heusenstamm's home ground was unfit to be played on due to weather conditions.TotalRugby Review: Meisterrunde - 6. Spieltag totalrugby.de, published: 3 March 2013, accessed: 5 March 2013 Both games between Heusenstamm and Heidelberger RK were played at Heusenstamm.