The 2009–10 Guinness Premiership was the 23rd season of the top flight English domestic rugby union competition and the fifth and final one to be sponsored by Guinness . The reigning champions entering the season were Leicester Tigers , who had claimed their eighth title after defeating London Irish in the 2009 final . Leeds Carnege had been promoted as champions from the 2008–09 National Division One at the first attempt.
Summary Leicester Tigers won their ninth title after defeating Saracens in the final at Twickenham having also topped the regular season table. Worcester Warriors were relegated on the last day of the season. It was the first time that Worcester have been relegated from the top flight since they first achieved promotion.
As usual, round 1 included the London Double Header at Twickenham , the sixth instance since its inception in 2004.
Teams Twelve teams compete in the league – the top eleven teams from the previous season and Leeds Carnege who were promoted from the 2008–09 National Division One after a top flight absence of one year. They replaced Bristol Bears who were relegated after four years in the top flight.
Stadiums and locations 2009–10 Guinness Premiership Teams
Club
Captain
Kit Supplier
Stadium
Capacity
City/Area
Bath
Michael Claassens
Puma
The Recreation Ground
11,700
Bath
Gloucester
Mike Tindall Gareth Delve
RugbyTech
Kingsholm
16,500
Gloucester
Harlequins
Will Skinner
KooGa
Twickenham Stoop [ a]
14,282
Twickenham , Greater London
Leeds Carnegie
Marco Wentzel
ISC
Headingley Stadium
22,250
Leeds
Leicester Tigers
Geordan Murphy
Cotton Traders
Welford Road
24,000
Leicester
London Irish
Bob Casey
RugbyTech
Madejski Stadium [ b]
24,161
Reading
London Wasps
Tom Rees
Canterbury
Adams Park [ c]
10,516
High Wycombe
Newcastle Falcons
Carl Hayman
Cotton Traders
Kingston Park
10,200
Newcastle upon Tyne
Northampton Saints
Dylan Hartley
Rhino Sportswear
Franklin's Gardens
13,591
Northampton
Sale Sharks
Dean Schofield
Cotton Traders
Edgeley Park
10,852
Stockport , Greater Manchester
Saracens
Steve Borthwick
KooGa
Vicarage Road [ d]
19,920
Watford
Worcester Warriors
Pat Sanderson
Kukri
Sixways Stadium
12,068
Worcester
Table Source:
Premiership Rugby Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
(C) Champions;
(RU) Runners-up;
(SF) Losing semi-finalists;
(R) Relegated
Notes:
Results
Round 1 Sale Sharks 15 – 12 Leicester Tigers
Edgeley Park Attendance: 8,751
Saracens 18 – 14 London Irish
Twickenham Attendance: 67,684
London Wasps 26 – 15 Harlequins
Twickenham Attendance: 67,684
Northampton Saints 20 – 17 Worcester Warriors
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 12,073
Leeds Carnegie 9 – 9 Newcastle Falcons
Headingley Attendance: 7,144
Kingsholm Attendance: 12,815
Round 2 Worcester Warriors 27 – 7 Leeds Carnegie
Sixways Attendance: 10,094
Recreation Ground Attendance: 11,300
Saracens 19 – 16 Northampton Saints
Wembley Stadium Attendance: 44,832
Harlequins 9 – 15 Leicester Tigers
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 9,805
London Irish 40 – 10 Gloucester
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 12,309
Newcastle Falcons 16 – 16 Sale Sharks
Kingston Park Attendance: 5,155
Round 3 Edgeley Park Attendance: 7,028
Gloucester 14 – 27 Northampton Saints
Kingsholm Attendance: 11,365
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 9,209
Leicester Tigers 15 – 6 Newcastle Falcons
Welford Road Attendance: 24,000
Leeds Carnegie 7 – 56 London Irish
Headingley Attendance: 6,047
London Wasps 23 – 3 Worcester Warriors
Adams Park Attendance: 7,654
Round 4 Newcastle Falcons 17 – 17 Harlequins
Kingston Park Attendance: 5,714
Northampton Saints 30 – 10 Leeds Carnegie
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 12,441
Worcester Warriors 24 – 18 Sale Sharks
Bath 20 – 20 Leicester Tigers
Recreation Ground Attendance: 11,700
London Irish 28 – 16 London Wasps
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 13,967
Saracens 19 – 16 Gloucester
Vicarage Road Attendance: 7,776
Round 5 Sale Sharks 8 – 11 London Irish
Edgeley Park Attendance: 6,924
Leicester Tigers 19 – 14 Worcester Warriors
Welford Road Attendance: 17,974
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 11,203
Leeds Carnegie 10 – 26 Gloucester
Headingley Attendance: 5,371
London Wasps 20 – 15 Northampton Saints
Adams Park Attendance: 8,913
Newcastle Falcons 15 – 22 Saracens
Kingston Park Attendance: 5,453
Round 6 Bath 16 – 27 Newcastle Falcons
Recreation Ground Attendance: 11,700
Northampton Saints 21 – 16 Sale Sharks
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 13,055
Worcester Warriors 22 – 26 Harlequins
Sixways Attendance: 10,010
London Irish 18 – 12 Leicester Tigers
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 16,199
Gloucester 6 – 35 London Wasps
Kingsholm Attendance: 11,982
Saracens 21 – 15 Leeds Carnegie
Vicarage Road Attendance: 7,123
Round 7 Sale Sharks 28 – 23 Gloucester
Edgeley Park Attendance: 7,222
Recreation Ground Attendance: 11,700
Harlequins 9 – 9 London Irish
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 14,282
Leicester Tigers 29 – 15 Northampton Saints
Welford Road Attendance: 23,641
London Wasps 9 – 15 Leeds Carnegie
Adams Park Attendance: 7,616
Newcastle Falcons 14 – 3 Worcester Warriors
Kingston Park Attendance: 4,924
Round 8 Gloucester 12 – 9 Leicester Tigers
Kingsholm Attendance: 12,521
Worcester Warriors 12 – 12 Bath
Sixways Attendance: 10,194
Northampton Saints 26 – 17 Harlequins
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 13,040
Leeds Carnegie 17 – 24 Sale Sharks
Headingley Attendance: 5,955
London Irish 11 – 15 Newcastle Falcons
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 9,425
Saracens 22 – 6 London Wasps
Vicarage Road Attendance: 9,786
Round 9 Newcastle Falcons 8 – 28 Northampton Saints
Kingston Park Attendance: 6,522
Worcester Warriors 12 – 12 Saracens
Sixways Attendance: 10,027
Harlequins 35 – 29 Gloucester
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 11,854
Leicester Tigers 39 – 6 Leeds Carnegie
Welford Road Attendance: 18,408
Recreation Ground Attendance: 11,700
Round 10 Leeds Carnegie 27 – 30 Harlequins
Headingley Attendance: 5,090
Gloucester 25 – 13 Newcastle Falcons
Kingsholm Attendance: 11,410
London Irish 16 – 16 Worcester Warriors
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 8,561
Northampton Saints 15 – 13 Bath
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 13,101
Saracens 15 – 13 Sale Sharks
Vicarage Road Attendance: 7,101
London Wasps 24 – 22 Leicester Tigers
Adams Park Attendance: 10,116
Round 11 Worcester Warriors 6 – 26 Northampton Saints
Sixways Attendance: 12,024
Leicester Tigers 32 – 6 Sale Sharks
Welford Road Attendance: 24,000
Recreation Ground Attendance: 11,700
London Irish 23 – 19 Saracens
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 19,734
Newcastle Falcons 15 – 16 Leeds Carnegie
Kingston Park Attendance: 8,766
Harlequins 20 – 21 London Wasps
Twickenham Attendance: 76,716
Round 12 Sale Sharks 21 – 16 Harlequins
Edgeley Park Attendance: 8,172
Gloucester 13 – 13 Worcester Warriors
Kingsholm Attendance: 16,500
Leeds Carnegie 15 – 20 Bath
Headingley Attendance: 7,593
Northampton Saints 24 – 22 London Irish
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 13,457
Saracens 15 – 22 Leicester Tigers
Vicarage Road Attendance: 14,013
London Wasps 6 – 12 Newcastle Falcons
Adams Park Attendance: 8,416
Round 13 Leicester Tigers 34 – 8 London Wasps
Welford Road Attendance: 24,000
Round 14 Gloucester 46 – 6 Harlequins
Kingsholm Attendance: 11,125
Northampton Saints 25 – 13 Newcastle Falcons
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 13,189
Saracens 25 – 20 Worcester Warriors
Wembley Stadium Attendance: 40,163
Leeds Carnegie 9 – 14 Leicester Tigers
Headingley Attendance: 5,265
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 10,033
London Wasps 22 – 16 Sale Sharks
Adams Park Attendance: 7,173
Round 15 Sale Sharks 10 – 19 Leeds Carnegie
Edgeley Park Attendance: 7,426
Bath 37 – 13 Worcester Warriors
Recreation Ground Attendance: 11,700
Harlequins 13 – 6 Northampton Saints
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 12,935
Leicester Tigers 33 – 11 Gloucester
Welford Road Attendance: 22,320
Newcastle Falcons 12 – 12 London Irish
Kingston Park Attendance: 5,168
London Wasps 9 – 0 Saracens
Adams Park Attendance: 8,530
Round 16 Worcester Warriors 13 – 0 Newcastle Falcons
Sixways Attendance: 10,255
Gloucester 47 – 3 Sale Sharks
Kingsholm Attendance: 10,548
Northampton Saints 19 – 3 Leicester Tigers
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 13,538
Leeds Carnegie 26 – 10 London Wasps
Headingley Attendance: 4,135
London Irish 29 – 14 Harlequins
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 12,373
Vicarage Road Attendance: 8,864
Round 17 Harlequins 14 – 11 Worcester Warriors
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 11,274
Leicester Tigers 35 – 19 London Irish
Welford Road Attendance: 23,314
Sale Sharks 7 – 15 Northampton Saints
Edgeley Park Attendance: 7,109
Leeds Carnegie 19 – 12 Saracens
Headingley Attendance: 4,031
London Wasps 24 – 19 Gloucester
Adams Park Attendance: 8,541
Newcastle Falcons 13 – 17 Bath
Kingston Park Attendance: 7,745
Rearranged fixture Sale Sharks 19 – 8 London Wasps
Edgeley Park Attendance: 7,493
Round 18 Recreation Ground Attendance: 11,700
Gloucester 19 – 0 Leeds Carnegie
Kingsholm Attendance: 11,751
Worcester Warriors 18 – 39 Leicester Tigers
Sixways Attendance: 11,530
Northampton Saints 14 – 9 London Wasps
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 13,451
London Irish 38 – 0 Sale Sharks
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 21,535
Saracens 58 – 15 Newcastle Falcons
Vicarage Road Attendance: 8,565
Rearranged fixture Newcastle Falcons 25 – 13 Gloucester
Kingston Park Attendance: 4,275
Round 19 Sale Sharks 17 – 3 Worcester Warriors
Edgeley Park Attendance: 7,291
Harlequins 23 – 14 Newcastle Falcons
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 10,391
Leeds Carnegie 7 – 14 Northampton Saints
Headingley Attendance: 5,724
Leicester Tigers 43 – 20 Bath
Welford Road Attendance: 22,811
Gloucester 29 – 28 Saracens
Kingsholm Attendance: 13,338
London Wasps 33 – 22 London Irish
Adams Park Attendance: 9,924
Rearranged fixtures Sale Sharks 19 – 30 Saracens
Edgeley Park Attendance: 6,952
Harlequins 46 – 11 Leeds Carnegie
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 10,237
Worcester Warriors 13 – 23 London Irish
Round 20 Recreation Ground Attendance: 11,700
Northampton Saints 38 – 23 Gloucester
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 13,460
Worcester Warriors 20 – 24 London Wasps
Sixways Attendance: 10,428
Saracens 37 – 18 Harlequins
Wembley Stadium Attendance: 47,106
London Irish 13 – 23 Leeds Carnegie
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 8,898
Newcastle Falcons 7 – 31 Leicester Tigers
Kingston Park Attendance: 6,825
Rearranged fixture Bath 21 – 20 Northampton Saints
Recreation Ground Attendance: 11,615
Round 21 Sale Sharks 30 – 32 Newcastle Falcons
Edgeley Park Attendance: 9,336
Gloucester 34 – 20 London Irish
Kingsholm Attendance: 15,090
Leicester Tigers 40 – 22 Harlequins
Welford Road Attendance: 22,604
Northampton Saints 27 – 28 Saracens
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 13,541
Twickenham Attendance: 60,208
Leeds Carnegie 12 – 10 Worcester Warriors
Headingley Attendance: 10,146
Round 22 Recreation Ground Attendance: 11,700
Harlequins 35 – 20 Sale Sharks
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 12,795
Leicester Tigers 23 – 32 Saracens
Welford Road Attendance: 24,000
London Irish 7 – 31 Northampton Saints
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 14,300
Newcastle Falcons 21 – 25 London Wasps
Kingston Park Attendance: 6,412
Worcester Warriors 22 – 23 Gloucester
Sixways Attendance: 12,024
Play-offs As in previous seasons, the top four teams in the Premiership table, following the conclusion of the regular season, contest the play-off semi-finals in a 1st vs 4th and 2nd vs 3rd format, with the higher ranking team having home advantage. The two winners of the semi-finals then meet in the Premiership Final at Twickenham on 29 May 2010.
Bracket
Semi-finals Leicester Tigers 15 – 6 Bath Pen: Flood (5/6) 22', 36', 59', 63', 72'Report Pen: Barkley (2/4) 11', 20'
Final
Leading scorers Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
Most points Source:[ 2]
Most tries Source:[ 3]
References
External links
2024–25 teams Former clubs Seasons
National Division One Premiership Rugby
Other