2023 RFL Championship

{{Short description|Rugby league competition in the United Kingdom}}

{{Infobox rugby football league season

| title = 2023 Betfred Championship

| duration = 4 February – 15 October 2023

| no_of_teams = 14

| matches = 194

| highest_attendance = 4,879
Bradford Bulls v Keighley Cougars {{small|(2 July 2023)}}

| lowest_attendance = 684
Newcastle Thunder v Keighley Cougars {{small|(18 June 2023)}}

| attendance = 380,375

| avg_attendance = 2,012

| points = 8,875

| TV = Viaplay Sports

| season = 2023 season

| season_champ_name = Promoted to Super League

| season_champs = London Broncos

| season_champs_count =

| league_leaders_name = League Leaders' Shield

| league_leaders = Featherstone Rovers

| league_leaders_count =

| wooden_spoon_name = Relegated to League One

| wooden_spoon = Newcastle Thunder
Keighley Cougars

| biggest_home_win = Featherstone Rovers 76–4 Whitehaven {{small|(19 February 2023)}}

| biggest_away_win = Whitehaven 0–60 Featherstone Rovers {{small|(2 July 2023)}}

| top_scorer = Cory Aston {{small|Sheffield Eagles}} (182)

| top try scorer = Lachlan Walmsley {{small|Halifax Panthers}} (30)

| prevseason_link = 2022 RFL Championship

| prevseason_year = 2022

| nextseason_link = 2024 RFL Championship

| nextseason_year = 2024

}}

The 2023 RFL Championship, (officially known as the Betfred Championship for sponsorship reasons), was a professional rugby league club competition. Fourteen clubs – thirteen from England and one from France – competed to gain promotion to the 2024 Super League, while avoiding relegation to the 2024 League One season.

The seasons comprised 27 rounds in the regular season with the top six teams taking part in the play-offs.

The champions were London Broncos who after finishing fifth in the regular season, won the play-off grand final against Toulouse Olympique.

Featherstone Rovers won the League Leader's Shield finishing the regular season 12 points ahead of their nearest rivals, Toulouse.

Newcastle Thunder and Keighley Cougars were relegated to League One.

Teams

=Team changes=

The following teams changed division since the 2022 season:

==To Championship ==

Promoted from League One

Relegated from the Super League

Toulouse Olympique

==From Championship ==

Promoted to the Super League

Leigh Leopards

Relegated to League One

=Clubs=

{{location map+|England|float=right|width=350|caption=Locations of teams competing in the 2023 Championship.|places=

{{location map~|England|lat=53.707222|long=-1.631667|label_size=80|label=West Yorkshire}}

{{location map~|England|lat=54.115|long=-3.235278|label_size=80|label=Barrow|position=left}}

{{location map~|England|lat=51.525|long=-0.330278|label_size=80|label=London|position=left}}

{{location map~|England|lat=54.978472|long=-1.618835|label_size=80|label=Newcastle}}

{{location map~|England|lat=53.395949|long=-1.425828|label_size=80|label=Sheffield}}

{{location map~|England|lat=53.416075|long=-2.321261|label_size=80|label=Swinton|position=top}}

{{location map~|England|lat=54.539722|long=-3.584167|label_size=80|label=Whitehaven}}

{{location map~|England|lat=53.365300|long=-2.738512|label_size=80|label=Widnes|position=left}}

{{location map~|England|lat=53.953764|long=-1.075902|label_size=80|label=York}}

}}

{{location map+ |West Yorkshire |float=right |width=350 |caption=Locations of the 2023 RFL Championship teams in West Yorkshire |places=

{{location map~ |West Yorkshire |lat=53.765 |long=-1.756944 |label=Bradford |label_size=100 |position=right}}

{{location map~ |West Yorkshire |lat=53.707222 |long=-1.631667 |label=Batley |label_size=100 |position=left}}

{{location map~ |West Yorkshire |lat=53.867767|long=-1.912512 |label=Keighley |label_size=100|position=right}}

{{location map~ |West Yorkshire |lat=53.678611 |long=-1.354722 |label={{nowrap|Featherstone}} |label_size=100|position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |West Yorkshire |lat=53.716111 |long=-1.859167 |label=Halifax |label_size=100 |position=left}}

}}

{{location map+ |France|float=right |width=350 |caption=Locations of 2023 RFL Championship teams in France |places=

{{Location map~ |France |lat=43.7198 |long=1.4093 |label=

Toulouse

|position=right}}

}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%;"
Team ! Location ! Stadium ! Capacity
{{leagueicon\|Barrow\|14}} Barrow Raiders \| Barrow-in-Furness \| Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium \| 6,000
{{leagueicon\|Batley\|14}} Batley Bulldogs \| Batley \| Mount Pleasant \| 7,500
{{leagueicon\|Bradford\|14}} Bradford Bulls \| Bradford \| Odsal Stadium \| 22,000
{{leagueicon\|Featherstone\|14}} Featherstone Rovers \| Featherstone \| Millennium Stadium \| 8,000
{{leagueicon\|Halifax\|14}} Halifax Panthers \| Halifax \| The Shay \| 10,401
{{leagueicon\|Keighley\|14}} Keighley Cougars \| Keighley \| Cougar Park \| 7,800
{{leagueicon\|London\|14}} London Broncos \| Wimbledon \| Plough Lane \| 9,215
{{leagueicon\|Gateshead\|14}} Newcastle Thunder \| Newcastle upon Tyne \| Kingston Park \| 10,200
{{leagueicon\|Sheffield\|14}} Sheffield Eagles \| Sheffield \| Olympic Legacy Park \| 1,320
{{leagueicon\|Swinton\|14}} Swinton Lions \| Sale \| Heywood Road \| 3,387
{{leagueicon\|Toulouse\|14}} Toulouse Olympique \| Toulouse \| Stade Ernest-Wallon \| 19,500
{{leagueicon\|Whitehaven\|14}} Whitehaven \| Whitehaven \| Recreation Ground \| 7,500
{{leagueicon\|Widnes\|14}} Widnes Vikings \| Widnes \| DCBL Stadium \| 13,350
{{leagueicon\|york rlfc\|14}} York Knights \| York \| York Community Stadium \| 8,005

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%;"

Team

! Location

! Stadium

! Capacity

{{leagueicon|Barrow|14}} Barrow Raiders

| Barrow-in-Furness

| Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium

| 6,000

{{leagueicon|Batley|14}} Batley Bulldogs

| Batley

| Mount Pleasant

| 7,500

{{leagueicon|Bradford|14}} Bradford Bulls

| Bradford

| Odsal Stadium

| 22,000

{{leagueicon|Featherstone|14}} Featherstone Rovers

| Featherstone

| Millennium Stadium

| 8,000

{{leagueicon|Halifax|14}} Halifax Panthers

| Halifax

| The Shay

| 10,401

{{leagueicon|Keighley|14}} Keighley Cougars

| Keighley

| Cougar Park

| 7,800

{{leagueicon|London|14}} London Broncos

| Wimbledon

| Plough Lane

| 9,215

{{leagueicon|Gateshead|14}} Newcastle Thunder

| Newcastle upon Tyne

| Kingston Park

| 10,200

{{leagueicon|Sheffield|14}} Sheffield Eagles

| Sheffield

| Olympic Legacy Park

| 1,320

{{leagueicon|Swinton|14}} Swinton Lions

| Sale

| Heywood Road

| 3,387

{{leagueicon|Toulouse|14}} Toulouse Olympique

| Toulouse

| Stade Ernest-Wallon

| 19,500

{{leagueicon|Whitehaven|14}} Whitehaven

| Whitehaven

| Recreation Ground

| 7,500

{{leagueicon|Widnes|14}} Widnes Vikings

| Widnes

| DCBL Stadium

| 13,350

{{leagueicon|york rlfc|14}} York Knights

| York

| York Community Stadium

| 8,005

Rule changes

Changes in the operational rules were announced on 1 February 2023.{{cite web |title=Law changes, new faces and ref-cams – what’s new in Rugby League in 2023 |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/61370/law-changes,-new-faces-and-ref-cams-%E2%80%93-whats-new-in-rugby-league-in-2023 |website=www.rugby-league.com |publisher=RFL |access-date=1 February 2023 |date=1 February 2023}}

On-field, the main change is that teams awarded a penalty for an offence at a scrum can now kick for goal. Previously such penalties were differential precluding the team from kicking for goal. The green card process has been clarified so that if the referee calls "time off" for a player to receive medical attention, the player must leave the pitch for two minutes. Teams will be allowed to name an 18th player (fifth interchange player) in the squad who can play if three or more players are withdrawn due to failing a head injury assessment (HIA).

Off-field the graduated return to play process that applies after a player has suffered a concussion will be a minimum of 12 days (up from 11 in 2022).

Changes have also been made to the disciplinary process where the periods of suspension for the various grade of offences have been reduced but the use of fines increased.{{cite web |last1=Gordon |first1=James |title=Former Super League ref, GB Lioness & France prop join RFL disciplinary |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/former-super-league-ref-ex-gb-lioness-and-france-international-join-rfl-disciplinary-panels/ |website=LoveRugbyLeague |access-date=1 February 2023 |date=1 February 2023}}

Results

Table

Play-offs

=Team bracket=

=Week 1: Eliminators=

=Week 2: Semi-finals=

=Week 3: Grand Final=

Broadcasting

The 2023 Championship season was the second of two seasons televised under a broadcasting deal between the Rugby Football League and Premier Media Broadcasting agreed in October 2021. In late 2022, Viaplay Group acquired Premier Media Broadcasting for £30 million, and subsequently took over operations of Premier Media Broadcasting's channels and rebranded them to Viaplay Sports.{{cite web |last1=Whittock |first1=Jesse |last2=Tartaglione |first2=Nancy |title=Viaplay Sets UK Launch Date; Cambodia Oscars Entry; 'Agatha Christie’s Hjerson' Drama Sells; Fifth Season Format; 'That’s My Jam' Spreads; Antenna Studios Drama — Global Briefs |url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/paramount-viaplay-set-launch-dates-cambodia-oscars-entry-global-briefs-1235147728/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=3 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018091816/https://deadline.com/2022/10/paramount-viaplay-set-launch-dates-cambodia-oscars-entry-global-briefs-1235147728/ |archive-date=18 October 2022 |date=18 October 2022 |url-status=live}} Viaplay Group broadcast the Championship's Monday evening games, along with two Summer Bash games and all five play-off games, via their Viaplay Sports channels in the United Kingdom and Ireland.{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Callum |title=Monday night rugby league set for return from 2022 |url=https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/monday-night-rugby-league-set-for-return-from-2022-43950/ |website=Serious About Rugby League |access-date=3 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006111330/https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/monday-night-rugby-league-set-for-return-from-2022-43950/ |archive-date=6 October 2021 |date=6 October 2021 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Darbyshire |first1=Drew |title=Championship set for Monday night TV slot |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/championship-set-for-monday-night-tv-slot/ |website=Love Rugby League |access-date=3 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102161132/https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/championship-set-for-monday-night-tv-slot/ |archive-date=2 November 2021 |date=6 October 2021 |url-status=live}}

All matches broadcast on Viaplay Sports, including the Championship Grand Final, were broadcast on Fox League in Australia throughout the season.

References

External links

[https://www.rugby-league.com/competitions/pro-national/betfred-championship Betfred Championship] at Rugby Football League

Category:Rugby Football League Championship

Championship

RFL Championship