This set uses an era-specific double range for drop goals, and two sets of control charts – one for home-and-away matches, and one for matches played at a neutral venue.
 
In the first year of a playoff that would decide the champions, Gloucester would be the class of the field in the regular season with a 15-point lead over second-placed London W by the end of the league stage. They would be joined in the playoffs by third-placed Northampton, who finished ahead of Sale on points difference. But after beating Northampton in the semi-final, London W would rout Gloucester in the Twickenham final, with a 39-3 demolition. 
 
The bottom of the table was equally tightly fought over with the last six teams within eight points of each other, and Bristol being relegated on points difference by their local rivals Bath.