Since its inception in 1996 St Helens have been the most successful side in the Super League.

In its 13-year existence St Helens have topped the League on six occasions and won the Grand Final five times.

Indeed, the first ever Super League winners were St Helens as they finished top of the table. That system stayed in place for two years before the play-offs and Grand Final were introduced.

In 1998 Wigan finished top of the table and went on to make the Grand Final, where they beat the Leeds Rhinos 10-4.

A year later the Bradford Bulls topped the league, but lost in the Grand Final to St Helens – making them the first Super League champions not to finish top of the table.

In 2005 the Rugby Football League announced plans to bring in a new licensing agreement, which came into play from 2009.

Promotion and relegation were suspended and instead three-year licences were awarded to clubs, who were judged on stadium facilities, finance and business performance, and commercial, marketing and playing strength, including junior production and development.

The League was expanded from 12 clubs to 14, with Celtic Crusaders being one of the sides to be introduced to the competition for the first time and in doing so becoming the first team from Wales to compete in the European Super League.

In the League's early days French club Paris Saint Germain had been invited to take part in the first competition, as it was meant to be a European tournament, but they lasted just two years before resigning.