The 2002-03 Zurich Premiership was the 16th season of the top flight of the English domestic rugby union competitions.
The Zurich Championship which had been competed for in seasons 2000–01 and 2001–02 was dropped from this season.
Table of Contents
Participating teams[edit]
Locations of the 2002-03 Zurich Premiership teams
Team
Stadium
Capacity
City/Area
Bath
Bath
8,200
Bath, Somerset
Bristol Shoguns
Memorial Stadium[n 1]
12,100
Bristol
Gloucester
Kingsholm
11,000
Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Harlequins
The Stoop
8,500
Twickenham, London
Leeds Tykes
Headingley Stadium
22,250
Leeds, West Yorkshire
Leicester Tigers
Welford Road
16,815
Leicester, Leicestershire
London Irish
Madejski Stadium
24,161
Reading, Berkshire
London Wasps
Adams Park
10,000
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Newcastle Falcons
Kingston Park
10,000
Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
Northampton Saints
Franklin’s Gardens
12,500
Northampton, Northamptonshire
Sale
Heywood Road
5,700
Sale, Greater Manchester
Saracens
Vicarage Road
22,000
Watford, Hertfordshire
Notes
Wasps won the 2002–03 Parker Pen Challenge Cup therefore automatically qualifying for the 2003–04 Heineken Cup. With Leicester Tigers winning the Zurich Wildcard Final, the final 2003–04 Heineken Cup berth was awarded to Leeds Tykes, placed fifth in the league.[1]
Results[edit]
Week 1[edit]
Sale Sharks
24 – 21
Northampton Saints
Leeds Tykes
26 – 13
Leicester Tigers
Headingley Attendance: 4,301
NEC Harlequins
19 – 25
Gloucester
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 7,015
Newcastle Falcons
24 – 17
London Wasps
Kingston Park Attendance: 5,263
Bristol Shoguns
30 – 45
Saracens
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 4,761
London Irish
22 – 24
Bath
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 9,203
Week 2[edit]
Northampton Saints
31 – 13
Newcastle Falcons
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 10,213
Gloucester
44 – 8
Sale Sharks
Kingsholm Attendance: 9,544
Leicester Tigers
30 – 6
Harlequins
Welford Road Attendance: 15,387
Leeds Tykes
41 – 16
London Irish
Headingley Attendance: 3,190
London Wasps
38 – 35
Bristol Shoguns
Adams Park Attendance: 7,171
Vicarage Road Attendance: 10,068
Week 3[edit]
Sale Sharks
29 – 16
Leicester Tigers
Heywood Road Attendance: 5,678
Bath Rugby
27 – 27
London Wasps
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,200
NEC Harlequins
23 – 33
Leeds Tykes
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 5,352
Newcastle Falcons
19 – 22
Gloucester
Kingston Park Attendance: 5,304
Bristol Shoguns
28 – 36
Northampton Saints
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 4,674
London Irish
32 – 10
Saracens
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 7,177
Week 4[edit]
Leeds Tykes
29 – 29
Sale Sharks
Headingley Attendance: 5,123
Gloucester
45 – 18
Bristol Shoguns
Kingsholm Attendance: 10,117
Leicester Tigers
52 – 9
Newcastle Falcons
Welford Road Attendance: 15,656
NEC Harlequins
29 – 19
London Irish
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 7,223
Northampton Saints
24 – 3
Bath
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 9,560
London Wasps
51 – 23
Saracens
Adams Park Attendance: 8,512
Week 5[edit]
Sale Sharks
20 – 16
Harlequins
Heywood Road Attendance: 5,613
Saracens
31 – 19
Northampton Saints
Vicarage Road Attendance: 6,289
Bath Rugby
21 – 21
Gloucester
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,200
Newcastle Falcons
27 – 20
Leeds Tykes
Kingston Park Attendance: 5,457
Bristol Shoguns
25 – 20
Leicester Tigers
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 6,237
London Irish
21 – 31
London Wasps
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 9,267
Week 6[edit]
Sale Sharks
36 – 14
London Irish
Heywood Road Attendance: 4,514
Gloucester
44 – 14
Saracens
Kingsholm Attendance: 10,439
Leicester Tigers
22 – 20
Bath
Welford Road Attendance: 16,811
NEC Harlequins
47 – 23
Newcastle Falcons
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 7,923
Northampton Saints
34 – 20
London Wasps
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 9,888
Leeds Tykes
25 – 13
Bristol Shoguns
Headingley Attendance: 4,420
Week 7[edit]
London Wasps
23 – 16
Gloucester
Adams Park Attendance: 8,768
Bath Rugby
20 – 22
Leeds Tykes
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,200
Newcastle Falcons
31 – 20
Sale Sharks
Kingston Park Attendance: 4,245
London Irish
12 – 14
Northampton Saints
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 7,579
Saracens
18 – 26
Leicester Tigers
Vicarage Road Attendance: 10,531
Week 8[edit]
Sale Sharks
28 – 14
Bristol Shoguns
Heywood Road Attendance: 4,688
NEC Harlequins
18 – 9
Bath
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 8,311
Gloucester
18 – 9
Northampton Saints
Kingsholm Attendance: 11,000
Leicester Tigers
9 – 6
London Wasps
Welford Road Attendance: 16,845
Leeds Tykes
27 – 18
Saracens
Headingley Attendance: 5,015
Newcastle Falcons
16 – 24
London Irish
Kingston Park Attendance: 4,515
Week 9[edit]
Northampton Saints
3 – 16
Leicester Tigers
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 12,600
Bath Rugby
24 – 18
Sale Sharks
Recreation Ground Attendance: 7,430
London Irish
19 – 40
Gloucester
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 8,449
Bristol Shoguns
38 – 10
Newcastle Falcons
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 4,342
London Wasps
27 – 27
Leeds Tykes
Adams Park Attendance: 4,475
Saracens
36 – 30
Harlequins
Vicarage Road Attendance: 6,634
Week 10[edit]
Leicester Tigers
20 – 15
Gloucester
Welford Road Attendance: 16,845
Sale Sharks
37 – 26
Saracens
Heywood Road Attendance: 5,196
Leeds Tykes
26 – 19
Northampton Saints
Headingley Attendance: 4,017
Newcastle Falcons
20 – 24
Bath
Kingston Park Attendance: 4,532
Bristol Shoguns
32 – 32
London Irish
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 5,005
NEC Harlequins
27 – 14
London Wasps
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 7,252
Week 11[edit]
Northampton Saints
35 – 7
Harlequins
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 8,296
Bath Rugby
19 – 30
Bristol Shoguns
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,200
Gloucester
28 – 10
Leeds Tykes
Kingsholm Attendance: 10,276
London Irish
27 – 7
Leicester Tigers
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 10,605
London Wasps
25 – 32
Sale Sharks
Adams Park Attendance: 5,242
Saracens
17 – 13
Newcastle Falcons
Vicarage Road Attendance: 5,742
Week 12[edit]
Heywood Road Attendance: 5,700
Gloucester
25 – 20
London Irish
Kingsholm Attendance: 10,217
NEC Harlequins
36 – 32
Saracens
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 7,714
Leicester Tigers
12 – 25
Northampton Saints
Welford Road Attendance: 16,875
Leeds Tykes
15 – 18
London Wasps
Headingley Attendance: 4,751
Newcastle Falcons
12 – 20
Bristol Shoguns
Kingston Park Attendance: 3,273
Week 13[edit]
London Wasps
26 – 13
Leicester Tigers
Adams Park Attendance: 10,000
Bath Rugby
23 – 9
Harlequins
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,200
Northampton Saints
13 – 16
Gloucester
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 12,500
Bristol Shoguns
18 – 6
Sale Sharks
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 5,642
London Irish
20 – 0
Newcastle Falcons
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 10,877
Saracens
11 – 6
Leeds Tykes
Vicarage Road Attendance: 9,328
Week 14[edit]
Headingley Attendance: 4,553
Sale Sharks
38 – 3
Newcastle Falcons
Heywood Road Attendance: 5,678
Gloucester
24 – 17
London Wasps
Kingsholm Attendance: 11,000
Leicester Tigers
23 – 18
Saracens
Welford Road Attendance: 16,845
NEC Harlequins
26 – 17
Bristol Shoguns
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 7,123
Northampton Saints
10 – 22
London Irish
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 10,604
Week 15[edit]
Newcastle Falcons
32 – 17
Harlequins
Kingston Park Attendance: 6,109
Bath Rugby
8 – 15
Leicester Tigers
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,200
Bristol Shoguns
12 – 17
Leeds Tykes
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 5,032
London Irish
11 – 23
Sale Sharks
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 7,565
London Wasps
16 – 9
Northampton Saints
Adams Park Attendance: 9,400
Saracens
22 – 29
Gloucester
Vicarage Road Attendance: 9,089
Week 16[edit]
Leeds Tykes
12 – 17
Newcastle Falcons
Headingley Attendance: 7,207
Leicester Tigers
40 – 6
Bristol Shoguns
Welford Road Attendance: 16,875
Kingsholm Attendance: 11,000
NEC Harlequins
0 – 45
Sale Sharks
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 6,823
Northampton Saints
34 – 25
Saracens
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 12,500
London Wasps
35 – 11
London Irish
Adams Park Attendance: 8,590
Week 17[edit]
Bath Rugby
30 – 9
Saracens
Recreation Ground Attendance: 7,290
London Wasps
13 – 12
Newcastle Falcons
Adams Park Attendance: 6,199
Bristol Shoguns
48 – 41
Harlequins
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 5,205
Week 18[edit]
Bath Rugby
10 – 27
Northampton Saints
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,200
Sale Sharks
32 – 20
Leeds Tykes
Heywood Road Attendance: 5,700
London Irish
6 – 16
Harlequins
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 18,585
Newcastle Falcons
24 – 22
Leicester Tigers
Kingston Park Attendance: 9,105
Bristol Shoguns
21 – 38
Gloucester
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 10,693
Saracens
31 – 42
London Wasps
Vicarage Road Attendance: 8,912
Week 19[edit]
Leeds Tykes
23 – 22
Harlequins
Headingley Attendance: 4,305
London Wasps
36 – 17
Bath
Adams Park Attendance: 8,231
Saracens
12 – 14
London Irish
Vicarage Road Attendance: 6,089
Leicester Tigers
33 – 20
Sale Sharks
Welford Road Attendance: 16,815
Week 20[edit]
Bath Rugby
18 – 15
London Irish
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,200
Gloucester
25 – 23
Newcastle Falcons
Kingsholm Attendance: 10,404
Week 21[edit]
Northampton Saints
43 – 13
Bristol Shoguns
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 8,805
Sale Sharks
30 – 30
Gloucester
Heywood Road Attendance: 5,800
NEC Harlequins
17 – 9
Leicester Tigers
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 7,123
Bristol Shoguns
19 – 34
London Wasps
Memorial Stadium Attendance: 4,866
London Irish
14 – 26
Leeds Tykes
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 7,125
Newcastle Falcons
22 – 20
Northampton Saints
Kingston Park Attendance: 7,428
Week 22[edit]
Gloucester
29 – 11
Harlequins
Kingsholm Attendance: 11,000
Leicester Tigers
18 – 17
Leeds Tykes
Welford Road Attendance: 16,815
Northampton Saints
27 – 17
Sale Sharks
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 9,202
Saracens
17 – 16
Bristol Shoguns
Vicarage Road Attendance: 5,090
Week 23[edit]
NEC Harlequins
19 – 31
Northampton Saints
Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 6,423
Leicester Tigers
19 – 20
London Irish
Welford Road Attendance: 16,815
Sale Sharks
9 – 16
London Wasps
Heywood Road Attendance: 5,800
Leeds Tykes
30 – 23
Gloucester
Headingley Attendance: 6,088
Bristol Shoguns
30 – 20
Bath
Ashton Gate Attendance: 20,793
Newcastle Falcons
26 – 22
Saracens
Kingston Park Attendance: 9,127
Week 24[edit]
Bath Rugby
24 – 12
Newcastle Falcons
Recreation Ground Attendance: 8,200
Gloucester
31 – 13
Leicester Tigers
Kingsholm Attendance: 11,000
London Irish
41 – 21
Bristol Shoguns
Madejski Stadium Attendance: 12,696
London Wasps
21 – 25
Harlequins
Adams Park Attendance: 8,747
Northampton Saints
28 – 6
Leeds Tykes
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 12,500
Saracens
34 – 19
Sale Sharks
Vicarage Road Attendance: 6,211
Play-offs[edit]
Semi final[edit]
London Wasps
19 – 10
Northampton Saints
Adams Park Attendance: 7,398
Final[edit]
Zurich Wildcard[edit]
Meanwhile, Leeds (5th place), Leicester (6th), Harlequins (7th), Saracens (8th) played for a Zurich Wildcard to the 2003–04 Heineken Cup:
Headingley Attendance: 1,407 Referee: Tony Spreadbury
Saracens advanced to the wildcard final due to a superior aggregate score of 70-48
Final[edit]
Leicester Tigers
27 – 20 (a.e.t.)
Saracens
[ Report]
Franklin’s Gardens Attendance: 8,066
Leading scorers[edit]
Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not earned international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-WR nationalities.
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