The 2017 Super 8s were the third season of the Rugby Football League domestic competition in which the format of splitting teams after a certain number of games have been played.
The format was employed across all three divisions and was used to decide championships, promotion and relegation.
For the clubs in Super League XXII the split came after 23 games. The top eight clubs played each other once more before the top four team entered the playoffs for a place in the Super League Grand Final. In this group, points amassed during the regular season were carried forward to the Super 8 stage.
The four teams finishing bottom of the Super League after 23 rounds went into a group of eight with the four teams who finished top of the Championship. Again the teams played each other once with the top three finishers after this stage plus the club who finished fifth (Catalans Dragons) playing in Super League XXIII while the other four will play in the 2018 Championship. This group of eight was also known as the Qualifiers and was the only Super 8 group in which points amassed during the regular season were not carried forward to the group stage.
The other eight teams in the Championship competed for the Championship Shield with the top four going through to the Shield play-off semi-finals. The two teams finishing bottom of this group were relegated to League 1.
In League 1 the top eight teams after the regular season of 15 games formed a group. The format for 2017 has been varied slightly from previous years in that the team finishing top of this Super 8 group will automatically be promoted to the Championship with the next four teams going through to the play-off semi-finals. Previously the top two teams played in the League 1 Grand Final with the winner being promoted and the loser going into the play-off semi-finals with the teams finishing third, fourth and fifth.
The bottom eight teams in League 1 played each other for the League 1 Shield in a format identical to the Championship Shield except that there is no relegation from League 1.
Super League Super 8's
The Super League Super 8s sees the top eight teams from the Super League play seven games each. Each team's points are carried over and after seven rounds the top four teams will contest the play off semi-finals with the team finishing first hosting the team in fourth, and the team finishing second hosting the third placed team; the winners of these semi-finals will contest the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford.
Final standings
Play-offs
#HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereeAttendance Semi-finals SF1 Castleford Tigers23–22 St. Helens28 September 2017, 19:45 BSTMend-A-Hose JungleJames Child11,235SF2 Leeds Rhinos18–16 Hull29 September 2017, 19:45 BSTHeadingley CarnegiePhil Bentham12,500 Grand finalF Castleford Tigers6–24 Leeds Rhinos7 October 2017, 18:00 BSTOld TraffordJames Child72,827
The Qualifiers
The Qualifiers Super 8s sees the bottom 4 teams from Super League table join the top 4 teams from the Championship. The points totals are reset to zero and each team plays seven games each, playing every other team once. After seven games each the teams finishing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd will gain qualification to the 2018 Super League season. The teams finishing 4th and 5th will play in the "Million Pound Game" at the home of the 4th place team which will earn the winner a place in Super League XXIII; the loser, along with teams finishing 6th, 7th and 8th, will be relegated to the Championship for 2018.
Round 1 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Widnes Vikings14–28 Warrington Wolves4 August 2017, 20:00Select Security StadiumPhil Bentham6,202 Featherstone Rovers12–38 Leigh Centurions5 August 2017, 15:15Post Office RoadJames Child2,679 Catalans Dragons20–18 London Broncos5 August 2017, 17:15Stade Gilbert BrutusChris Kendall7,102 Hull Kingston Rovers26–22 Halifax6 August 2017, 15:00KC Lightstream StadiumLiam Moore7,706 Source:
Round 2 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Warrington Wolves52–24 Catalans Dragons12 August 2017, 15:00Halliwell Jones StadiumRobert Hicks8,595 Leigh Centurions16–20 Hull Kingston Rovers12 August 2017, 15:15Leigh Sports VillageJack Smith5,335 Halifax12–36 Widnes Vikings13 August 2017, 15:00The MBI ShayGareth Hewer 2,291 London Broncos32–32 Featherstone Rovers13 August 2017, 15:00Trailfinders Sports GroundLiam Moore926 Source:
Round 3 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Warrington Wolves22–8 Halifax19 August 2017, 15:15Halliwell Jones StadiumRobert Hicks8,353 Catalans Dragons6–30 Leigh Centurions19 August 2017, 17:15Stade Gilbert BrutusPhil Bentham6,632 Hull Kingston Rovers35–30 London Broncos20 August 2017, 15:00KC Lightstream StadiumChris Campbell7,235 Widnes Vikings58–10 Featherstone Rovers20 August 2017, 15:00Select Security StadiumGareth Hewer4,373 Source:
Round 4 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance London Broncos38–40 Warrington Wolves2 September 2017, 20:00Trailfinders Sports GroundLiam Moore1,577 Featherstone Rovers18–30 Hull Kingston Rovers3 September 2017, 15:00Post Office RoadGareth Hewer4,583 Halifax RLFC0–24 Catalans Dragons3 September 2017, 15:00The MBI ShayChris Kendall 1,853 Leigh Centurions8–24 Widnes Vikings3 September 2017, 15:00Leigh Sports VillageBen Thaler 6,209 Source:
Round 5 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Warrington Wolves32–30 Leigh Centurions9 September 2017, 15:00Halliwell Jones StadiumPhil Bentham9,798 Hull Kingston Rovers12–6 Widnes Vikings9 September 2017, 15:15KC Lightstream StadiumGareth Hewer8,227 Catalans Dragons26–12 Featherstone Rovers9 September 2017, 17:15Stade Gilbert BrutusLiam Moore8,649 London Broncos36–14 Halifax RLFC10 September 2017, 15:00Trailfinders Sports GroundScott Mikalauskas794 Source:
Round 6 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Hull Kingston Rovers19–20 Catalans Dragons15 September 2017, 20:00KC Lightstream StadiumRobert Hicks7,405 Leigh Centurions40–6 Halifax15 September 2017, 20:00Leigh Sports VillageChris Kendall4,341 Widnes Vikings38–16 London Broncos16 September 2017, 15:15Select Security StadiumJames Child4,341 Featherstone Rovers0–68 Warrington Wolves17 September 2017, 15:00Post Office RoadScott Mikalauskas2,441 Source:
Round 7 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance London Broncos4–41 Leigh Centurions22 September 2017, 20:00Trailfinders Sports GroundChris Kendall 1,234 Warrington Wolves46–24 Hull Kingston Rovers23 September 2017, 15:00Halliwell Jones StadiumGareth Hewer10,466 Catalans Dragons10–12 Widnes Vikings23 September 2017, 17:15Stade Gilbert BrutusPhil Bentham10,245 Halifax 20-26 Featherstone Rovers24 September 2017, 15:00The MBI Shay Tom Grant 2,057 Source:
Final standings
Million Pound Game
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Leigh Centurions 10–26 Catalans Dragons30 September 2017, 15:00Leigh Sports Village Ben Thaler 6,888
Championship Shield
At the end of the regular season the bottom 8 Championship teams play each other once more, home or away. The bottom two teams are then relegated to League 1 and the top four teams qualify for the play-offs for the Championship Shield.
Round 1 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Batley Bulldogs62–10 Swinton Lions6 August 2017, 15:00Fox's Biscuits StadiumGareth Hewer544 Bradford Bulls10–26 Toulouse Olympique6 August 2017, 15:00Provident StadiumJohn McMullen2,753 Dewsbury Rams56–8 Rochdale Hornets6 August 2017, 15:00Tetley's StadiumChris Campbell629 Sheffield Eagles 56–16 Oldham6 August 2017, 15:00Belle VueAndy Sweet305 Source:
Round 2 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Dewsbury Rams36–34 Toulouse Olympique13 August 2017, 15:00Tetley's StadiumScott Mikalauskas628 Oldham16–20 Bradford Bulls13 August 2017, 15:00Bower FoldJohn McMullen853 Rochdale Hornets14–34 Batley Bulldogs13 August 2017, 15:00Spotland StadiumTom Grant453 Swinton Lions30–32 Sheffield Eagles13 August 2017, 15:00Heywood RoadChris Campbell434 Source:
Round 3 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Toulouse Olympique50–12 Rochdale Hornets19 August 2017, 19:00Stade Ernest-ArgelèsLiam Moore612 Batley Bulldogs 22–22 Oldham20 August 2017, 15:00Fox's Biscuits StadiumJack Smith675 Sheffield Eagles28–35 Dewsbury Rams20 August 2017, 15:00Belle VueN Bennett363 Swinton Lions16–30 Bradford Bulls20 August 2017, 15:00Heywood RoadAndy Sweet660 Source:
Round 4 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Bradford Bulls18–44 Batley Bulldogs28 August 2017, 15:00Provident StadiumCallum Straw2,609 Dewsbury Rams 28–35 Swinton Lions28 August 2017, 15:00Tetley's StadiumJohn McMullen812 Rochdale Hornets24–30 Oldham28 August 2017, 15:00Spotland StadiumGareth Hewer927 Toulouse Olympique32–16 Sheffield Eagles28 August 2017, 19:00Stade Ernest-ArgelèsS Race1,855 Source:
Round 5 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Batley Bulldogs38–0 Dewsbury Rams 3 September 2017, 15:00Fox's Biscuits StadiumJohn McMullen906 Oldham18–24 Toulouse Olympique3 September 2017, 15:00Bower FoldAndy Sweet581 Rochdale Hornets16–8 Swinton Lions3 September 2017, 15:00Spotland StadiumJack Smith606 Sheffield Eagles 18–32 Bradford Bulls3 September 2017, 15:00Beaumont Legal StadiumTom Grant896 Source:
Round 6 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Toulouse Olympique56-14 Batley Bulldogs9 September 2017, 15:00Stade Ernest-ArgelèsM Rossleigh868 Dewsbury Rams 12–16 Bradford Bulls 10 September 2017, 15:00Tetley's StadiumN Bennett1,369 Sheffield Eagles 26–22 Rochdale Hornets 10 September 2017, 15:00Beaumont Legal StadiumGary Dolan297 Swinton Lions29–6 Oldham R.L.F.C.10 September 2017, 15:00Heywood RoadChris Kendall1,051 Source:
Round 7 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Toulouse Olympique28–24 Swinton Lions16 September 2017, 18:00Stade Ernest-ArgelèsM Rossleigh1,073 Batley Bulldogs 34–18 Sheffield Eagles 17 September 2017, 15:00Fox's Biscuits StadiumS Race650 Bradford Bulls 72–16 Rochdale Hornets17 September 2017, 15:00Provident StadiumAndy Sweet3,604 Oldham 22–29 Dewsbury Rams 17 September 2017, 15:00Bower FoldGary Dolan429 Source:
Final standings
Play-offs HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereeAttendance Semi-finals Toulouse Olympique36–22 Dewsbury Rams23 September 2017, 15:30Stade Ernest-ArgelèsJ Smith1,208 Batley Bulldogs 26–28 Sheffield Eagles24 September 2017, 15:00Fox's Biscuits StadiumM Rossleigh550 Source: Championship Shield Final Toulouse Olympique44–14 Sheffield Eagles30 September 2017, 14:30 BSTStade Ernest-ArgelèsG Hewer 1,528 Source:
League 1 Super 8s
The top eight teams in League 1 carry points forward and play each other once more home or away. After seven games the top team will be promoted to the Championship for 2018 while the teams finishing second to fifth will enter the playoffs.
Final standings
Play-offs HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereeAttendance Semi-finals Barrow Raiders60–0 Newcastle Thunder24 September 2017, 15:00Craven ParkG Dolan 1,090 Whitehaven 21–20 York City Knights24 September 2017, 15:00Recreation GroundJ McMullen 853 Championship Shield Final Barrow Raiders 10-6 Whitehaven1 October 2017, 15:00Craven ParkS Mikalauskas 3,128
League 1 Shield
The bottom eight teams compete in the League 1 Shield where they play each other once more home or away. The top two teams compete for the League 1 Shield.
Standings
Final HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance Hunslet32–12 London Skolars24 September 2017, 15:00South Leeds StadiumN. Bennett 516
References