{{Use British English|date=May 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox rugby football league season |title= 2011 Championship 1 |league=Championship 1 |logo= |pixels= 255px |caption=Championship 1 logo |duration= 18 games each |no_of_teams=10 |attendance= |TV= SKY Sports |season=2011 Season |league_leaders= 16px Swinton Lions |league_leaders_name= Champions |season_champs= 16px Keighley Cougars |season_champ_name= Play-off Winners |second_place= |MVP= |MVP_link=Man of Steel Award |top_scorer= 16px Ian Mort (292) |top_scorer_link= |top try scorer= 16px Ian Mort (21) |top try scorer_link= |promotion= |relegate= |relegate_to= |playoffs= 16px Keighley Cougars |playoffs_link= |conf1= |conf1_link= |conf1_champ= |conf1-runner-up= |conf2= |conf2_link= |conf2_champ= |conf2-runner-up= |playoffs_MVP= |playoffs_MVP_link= |finals= |finals_link= |finals_champ= |finals-runner-up= |finals_MVP= |finals_MVP_link= |prevseason_link= 2010 Championship 1 |prevseason_year=2010 |nextseason_link= 2012 Championship 1 |nextseason_year=2012 }} The '''2011 Championship 1''' was a semi-professional rugby league football competition played in England and Wales, the third tier of the sport in the country. The winner of this league, along with the play-off winners will be promoted to the 2012 Rugby Football League Championship. There is no relegation from this league as it is the lowest tier of professional rugby league.
All of the teams competed in the 2011 Challenge Cup but the South Wales Scorpions did not compete in the 2011 National League Cup.
== 2011 structure==
The competition features mainly the same teams as it did in 2010. The exceptions being that the Hunslet Hawks and the York City Knights were both promoted to compete in the 2011 RFL Championship. The Keighley Cougars and Whitehaven were relegated from the 2010 RFL Championship. The competition was to contain 11 teams, however, the Blackpool Panthers went into administration <ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/9063388.stm |title=Blackpool Panthers go into administration |work=BBC Sport |date=5 October 2010 |access-date=11 May 2026}}</ref> and were thus omitted from the competition for 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/9181759.stm |title=Blackpool Panthers omitted from 2011 Championship One |work=BBC Sport |date=11 November 2010 |access-date=11 May 2026}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |+Championship 1 |- !Team !2010 Season !Stadium !Capacity !City/Area |- | 16px '''Doncaster''' | 9th | Keepmoat Stadium | 15,231 | Doncaster, South Yorkshire |- | 16px '''Gateshead Thunder''' | 11th | Thunderdome | 11,800 | Gateshead, Tyne and Wear |- | 16px '''Keighley Cougars''' | 10th (Championship) | Cougar Park | 6,800 | Keighley, West Yorkshire |- | 16px '''London Skolars''' | 10th | New River Stadium | 5,000 | Haringey, London |- | 16px '''Oldham''' | 2nd | Whitebank Stadium | 1500 | Limeside, Oldham Greater Manchester |- | 16px '''Rochdale Hornets''' | 5th | Spotland Stadium | 10,249 | Rochdale, Greater Manchester |- | 16px '''South Wales Scorpions''' | 6th | The Gnoll | 6,000 | Neath, West Glamorgan, Wales |- | 16px '''Swinton Lions''' | 8th | The Willows <br />(Shared with Salford for this season) | N/A | Swinton, Greater Manchester |- | 16px''' Whitehaven''' | 11th (Championship) | Recreation Ground | 7,500 | Whitehaven, Cumbria |- | 16px '''Workington Town''' | 7th | Derwent Park | 10,000 | Workington, Cumbria |}
== Season table == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+2011 Championship 1 |- !{{Tooltip|<nowiki/>#|Position}} !Team !{{Tooltip|Pld|Games played}} !{{Tooltip|W|Won}} !{{Tooltip|D|Drawn}} !{{Tooltip|L|Lost}} !{{Tooltip|PF|Points for (total points scored)}} !{{Tooltip|PA|Points against (total points conceded)}} !{{Tooltip|PD|Points difference (points scored minus points conceded)}} !{{Tooltip|Bns|Bonus points}} !{{Tooltip|Pts|Competition points}}
|- align=center style="background:#FFFFAA;" | 1 ||style="text-align:left;"| {{leagueicon|Swinton|16}} Swinton Lions | 20 || 14 || 1 || 5 || 720 || 479 || +241 || 3 || '''47'''
|- align=center style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 2 ||style="text-align:left;"| {{leagueicon|Keighley|16}} Keighley Cougars | 20 || 13 || 0 || 7 || 663 || 412 || +251 || 4 || '''43'''
|- align=center style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 3 ||style="text-align:left"| {{leagueicon|Workington|16}} Workington Town | 20 || 11 || 1 || 8 || 659 || 443 || +216 || 6 || '''41'''
|- align=center style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 4 ||style="text-align:left;"| {{leagueicon|Rochdale|16}} Rochdale Hornets | 20 || 12 || 0 || 8 || 652 || 498 || +154 || 4 || '''40'''
|- align=center style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 5 ||style="text-align:left;"| {{leagueicon|Doncaster|16}} Doncaster | 20 || 12 || 0 || 8 || 531 || 433 || +98 || 4 || '''40'''
|- align=center style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 6 ||style="text-align:left;"| {{leagueicon|Whitehaven|16}} Whitehaven | 20 || 13 || 2 || 5 || 566 || 425 || +141 || 2 || '''36'''{{#tag:ref|Whitehaven were deducted 9 points for entering administration.|group=lower-alpha|name=Whitehaven}}
|- align=center style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 7 ||style="text-align:left;"| {{leagueicon|Oldham|16}} Oldham | 20 || 11 || 0 || 9 || 641 || 533 || +108 || 3 || '''36'''
|- align=center | 8 ||style="text-align:left;"| {{leagueicon|South Wales Scorpions|16}} South Wales Scorpions | 20 || 6 || 0 || 14 || 536 || 674 || −138 || 4 || '''22'''
|- align=center | 9||style="text-align:left;"| {{leagueicon|London Skolars|16}} London Skolars | 20 || 5 || 1 || 14 || 433 || 678 || −245 || 4 || '''21'''
|- align=center | 10 ||style="text-align:left;"| {{leagueicon|Gateshead|16}} Gateshead Thunder | 20 || 0 || 1 || 19 || 268 || 1094 || −826 || 0 || '''2''' |- |}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%" |bgcolor="#FFFFAA" width="20" | |width=200|Teams qualifying for promotion |- |bgcolor="#CCFFCC" width="20" | |Teams qualifying for the Play-offs |}
{{smalldiv|1= updated 7 October 2011 Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20111005000040/http://www.cooperativechampionship.co.uk/table_nl2.php
Competition points: For win = 3; For draw = 2; For loss by 12 points or fewer = 1. }}
==Season Results==
===Round 1=== {| class="wikitable" !rowspan=2 |Home !rowspan=2 |Score !rowspan=2 |Away ! colspan="3" |Match Information |- !Date and time !Venue !Attendance
|- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Whitehaven|22}} Whitehaven |30–22 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Rochdale|22}} Rochdale Hornets |13 March, 15:00 GMT |Recreation Ground{{Ref|A|A}} |704 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Swinton|22}} Swinton Lions |22–10 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Workington Town|22}} Workington Town |13 March, 15:00 GMT |The Willows |681 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Oldham|22}} Oldham R.L.F.C. |66–12 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Gateshead|22}} Gateshead Thunder |13 March, 15:00 GMT |Whitebank Stadium |562 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Keighley|22}} Keighley Cougars |66–6 |align=left | {{leagueicon|London Skolars|22}} London Skolars |13 March, 15:00 GMT |Cougar Park |640 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Doncaster|22}} Doncaster |40–10 |align=left | {{leagueicon|South Wales Scorpions|22}} South Wales Scorpions |13 March, 15:00 GMT |Keepmoat Stadium |895 |- ! colspan="6" | Source:<ref name="www.cooperativechampionship.co.uk results_nl1">[http://www.cooperativechampionship.co.uk/results_nl1.php"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403220544/http://www.cooperativechampionship.co.uk/results_nl1.php?s=2011 |title=Championship results: 2011 |date=3 April 2012 }} Cooperative Championship</ref> |}
===Round 2=== {| class="wikitable" !rowspan=2| Home !rowspan=2| Score !rowspan=2| Away ! colspan="3" |Match Information |- !Date and time !Venue !Attendance |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Workington Town|22}} Workington Town |31–12 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Oldham|22}} Oldham R.L.F.C. |20 March, 15:00 GMT |Derwent Park{{Ref|A|A}} |473 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|South Wales Scorpions|22}} South Wales Scorpions |18–22 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Whitehaven|22}} Whitehaven |20 March, 13:00 GMT |The Gnoll |271 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Rochdale|22}} Rochdale Hornets |26–46 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Swinton|22}} Swinton Lions |20 March, 15:00 GMT |Spotland Stadium |743 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|London Skolars|22}} London Skolars |22–42 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Doncaster|22}} Doncaster |20 March, 15:00 GMT |New River Stadium |326 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Gateshead|22}} Gateshead Thunder |10–44 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Keighley|22}} Keighley Cougars |20 March, 15:00 GMT |Gateshead International Stadium |305 |- ! colspan="6" | Source:<ref name=RLP>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/championship-1-2011/results-league.html |title=2011 Co-operative Championship 1: Results |website=Rugby League Project |access-date=11 May 2026}}</ref> |}
===Round 3=== {| class="wikitable" !rowspan=2|Home !rowspan=2|Score !rowspan=2|Away ! colspan="3" |Match Information |- !Date and time !Venue !Attendance |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Whitehaven|22}} Whitehaven |24–10 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Keighley|22}} Keighley Cougars |27 March, 15:00 GMT |Recreation Ground{{Ref|A|A}} |754 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|South Wales Scorpions|22}} South Wales Scorpions |60–20 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Gateshead|22}} Gateshead Thunder |27 March, 13:00 GMT |The Gnoll |302 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Rochdale|22}} Rochdale Hornets |40–20 |align=left | {{leagueicon|London Skolars|22}} London Skolars |27 March, 15:00 GMT |Spotland Stadium |434 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Oldham|22}} Oldham R.L.F.C. |24–68 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Swinton|22}} Swinton Lions |27 March, 15:00 GMT |Whitebank Stadium |744 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Doncaster|22}} Doncaster |26–16 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Workington Town|22}} Workington Town |27 March, 15:00 GMT |Keepmoat Stadium |493 |- ! colspan="6" | Source:<ref name="www.cooperativechampionship.co.uk results_nl1"/> |}
===Round 4=== {| class="wikitable" !rowspan=2|Home !rowspan=2|Score !rowspan=2|Away ! colspan="3" |Match Information |- !Date and time !Venue !Attendance
|- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Workington Town|22}} Workington Town |38–24 |align=left | {{leagueicon|South Wales Scorpions|22}} South Wales Scorpions |3 April, 13:00 GMT |Derwent Park{{Ref|A|A}} |376 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Swinton|22}} Swinton Lions |48–24 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Gateshead|22}} Gateshead Thunder |3 April, 15:00 GMT |The Willows |493 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|London Skolars|22}} London Skolars |16–48 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Whitehaven|22}} Whitehaven |3 April, 15:00 GMT |New River Stadium |542 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Keighley|22}} Keighley Cougars |40–14 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Oldham|22}} Oldham R.L.F.C. |3 April, 15:00 GMT |Cougar Park |995 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Doncaster|22}} Doncaster |8–24 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Rochdale|22}} Rochdale Hornets |3 April, 15:00 GMT |Keepmoat Stadium |589 |- ! colspan="6" | Source:<ref name="www.cooperativechampionship.co.uk results_nl1"/> |}
===Round 5=== {| class="wikitable" !rowspan=2|Home !rowspan=2|Score !rowspan=2|Away ! colspan="3" |Match Information |- !Date and time !Venue !Attendance
|- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Swinton|22}} Swinton Lions |38–30 |align=left | {{leagueicon|London Skolars|22}} London Skolars |9 April, 17:00 GMT |The Willows{{Ref|A|A}} |395 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Rochdale|22}} Rochdale Hornets |49–18 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Whitehaven|22}} Whitehaven |10 April, 15:00 GMT |Spotland Stadium{{Ref|A|A}} |457 |- ! colspan="6" | Source:<ref name="www.cooperativechampionship.co.uk results_nl1"/> |}
===Round 6=== {| class="wikitable" !rowspan=2|Home !rowspan=2|Score !rowspan=2|Away ! colspan="3" |Match Information |- !Date and time !Venue !Attendance
|- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Whitehaven|22}} Whitehaven |26–16 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Doncaster|22}} Doncaster |17 April, 15:00 GMT |Recreation Ground{{Ref|A|A}} |727 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|South Wales Scorpions|22}} South Wales Scorpions |22–74 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Swinton|22}} Swinton Lions |17 April, 15:00 GMT |The Gnoll |370 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Rochdale|22}} Rochdale Hornets |32–40 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Keighley|22}} Keighley Cougars |17 April, 15:00 GMT |Spotland Stadium |515 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Oldham|22}} Oldham R.L.F.C. |52–26 |align=left | {{leagueicon|London Skolars|22}} London Skolars |17 April, 15:00 GMT |Whitebank Stadium |566 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Gateshead|22}} Gateshead Thunder |0–64 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Workington Town|22}} Workington Town |17 April, 15:00 GMT |Gateshead International Stadium |273 |- ! colspan="6" | Source:<ref name="www.cooperativechampionship.co.uk results_nl1"/> |}
===Round 7=== {| class="wikitable" !rowspan=2|Home !rowspan=2|Score !rowspan=2|Away ! colspan="3" |Match Information |- !Date and time !Venue !Attendance
|- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Doncaster|22}} Doncaster |32–36 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Swinton|22}} Swinton Lions |25 April, 15:00 GMT |Keepmoat Stadium{{Ref|A|A}} |649 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Keighley|22}} Keighley Cougars |38–18 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Workington Town|22}} Workington Town |25 April, 15:00 GMT |Cougar Park |892 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|London Skolars|22}} London Skolars |32–32 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Gateshead|22}} Gateshead Thunder |25 April, 14:00 GMT |New River Stadium |263 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Rochdale|22}} Rochdale Hornets |40–18 |align=left | {{leagueicon|South Wales Scorpions|22}} South Wales Scorpions |25 April, 15:00 GMT |Spotland Stadium |402 |- |align=left | {{leagueicon|Whitehaven|22}} Whitehaven |40–24 |align=left | {{leagueicon|Oldham|22}} Oldham R.L.F.C. |25 April, 15:00 GMT |Recreation Ground |946 |- ! colspan="6" | Source:<ref name=RLP/> |}
=== Play-offs === {{6TeamBracket-McIntyre | boldwinner=y | RD1 = Elimination play-offs | RD2 = Qualifying/Elimination semifinal | RD3 = Elimination final | team-width = 200 | score-width = 30 | RD4 = Grand Final | RD1-text1 = 11 September 2010 | RD1-team1 = {{leagueicon|Rochdale|12}} Rochdale Hornets | RD1-score1 = 39 | RD1-team2 = {{leagueicon|oldham|12}} Oldham | RD1-score2 = 18
| RD1-text2 = 11 September 2010 | RD1-team3 = {{leagueicon|doncaster|12}} Doncaster | RD1-score3 = 34 | RD1-team4 = {{leagueicon|whitehaven|12}} Whitehaven | RD1-score4 = 16 | RD2-text1 = 18 September 2010 | RD2-team1 = {{leagueicon|keighley|12}} Keighley Cougars | RD2-score1 = 10 | RD2-team2 = {{leagueicon|workington|12}} Workington Town | RD2-score2 = 19 | RD2-text2 = 18 September 2010 | RD2-team3 = {{leagueicon|Rochdale|12}} Rochdale Hornets | RD2-score3 = 26 | RD2-team4 = {{leagueicon|doncaster|12}} Doncaster | RD2-score4 = 18 | RD3-text1 = 25 September 2010 | RD3-team1 = {{leagueicon|keighley|12}} Keighley Cougars | RD3-score1 = 38 | RD3-team2 = {{leagueicon|Rochdale|12}} Rochdale Hornets | RD3-score2 = 23 | RD4-text1 = 2 October 2010, Halliwell Jones Stadium | RD4-team1 = {{leagueicon|workington|12}} Workington Town | RD4-score1 = 12 | RD4-team2 = {{leagueicon|keighley|12}} Keighley Cougars | RD4-score2 = 32 }} :Source:<ref name=RLP/>
==Statistics== The following are the top points scorers in Championship 1 during the 2011 season. Statistics also include tries and goals scored in the play-offs.<ref>{{cite book|title=Gillette Rugby League Yearbook 2011–12|publisher=League Publications Limited|isbn=978-1-901347-24-1|author=Tim Butcher|author2=Daniel Spencer}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; display:inline-table;" |+Most tries ! Player ! Team ! Tries |- | Andy Saywell || Rochdale Hornets || 22 |- | Ian Mort || Swinton Lions || 21 |- | Scott Kaighan || Workington Town || 21 |- | Dale Bloomfield || Rochdale Hornets || 19 |- | Gavin Dodd || Swinton Lions || 17 |- | Andrew Gay || South Wales Scorpions || 16 |- | Craig Calvert || Whitehaven || 15 |- | Chris Spurr || Doncaster || 13 |- | Mark Brocklehurst || Oldham R.L.F.C. || 13 |- | Ben Heaton || Oldham R.L.F.C. || 13 |- | Steve Parry || South Wales Scorpions || 13 |- | Neil Frazer || Workington Town || 13 |} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:centre; display:inline-table;" |+Most goals ! Player ! Team ! Goals |- | Ian Mort || Swinton Lions || 104 |- | Paul Crook || Rochdale Hornets || 100 |- | Darren Holt || Workington Town || 73 |- | Scott Spaven || Doncaster || 70 |- | Carl Forber || Oldham R.L.F.C. || 63 |- | Danny Lawton || Keighley Cougars || 58 |- | Lewis Palfrey || Whitehaven || 56 |- | Lewis Reece || South Wales Scorpions || 54 |- | Dylan Skee || London Skolars || 36 |- | Chris Baines || Keighley Cougars || 33 |} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:centre; display:inline-table;" |+Most points ! Player ! Team ! Tries ! Goals ! DGs ! Points |- | Ian Mort || Swinton Lions || 21 || 104 || 0 || 292 |- | Paul Crook || Rochdale Hornets || 10 || 100 || 5 || 245 |- | Scott Spaven || Doncaster || 7 || 70 || 1 || 169 |- | Darren Holt || Workington Town || 1 || 73 || 5 || 155 |- | Danny Lawton || Keighley Cougars || 9 || 58 || 0 || 152 |- | Carl Forber || Oldham R.L.F.C. || 5 || 63 || 0 || 146 |- | Lewis Palfrey || Whitehaven || 5 || 56 || 0 || 132 |- | Lewis Reece || South Wales Scorpions || 5 || 54 || 0 || 128 |- | Scott Kaighan || Workington Town || 21 || 16 || 1 || 117 |- | Dylan Skee || London Skolars || 6 || 36 || 1 || 97 |}
==See also== * Co-operative Championship * 2011 RFL Championship * RFL League 1 * 2011 National League Cup
==Notes== {{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
== References == {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120203053133/http://www.cooperativechampionship.co.uk/ Official Championship website] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20140824184924/http://www.therfl.co.uk/championship/ RFL Championship coverage] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090907080441/http://home.skysports.com/livescores/rugbyleague/ Scores from Sky Sports] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20211019203219/http://www.rugbyleague.org/index.php?showforum=98/ RugbyLeague.org Championship 1 Fans Forums]
{{League 1}} {{2011 in Rugby League}}
Category:RFL League One Category:Rugby Football League Championship Category:2011 in English rugby league Category:2011 in Welsh rugby league