Tuesday 1 August 2017 15:16, UK
Now the regular season has finished, the 24 Super League and Championship clubs have split into three Super 8s groups.
These places are based on league positions.
The top eight will continue as Super League, the middle eight will be the Qualifiers and the third eight will be the Championship Shield with fixtures announced on Wednesday, July 26.
Super 8s Teams
Super League Teams - Top 8:
Castleford Tigers, Leeds Rhinos, Hull FC, Salford Red Devils, Wakefield Trinity, St Helens, Wigan Warriors, Huddersfield Giants.
Qualifiers Teams - Middle 8:
Warrington Wolves, Catalans Dragons, Hull KR, London Broncos, Leigh Centurions, Widnes Vikings, Halifax, Featherstone Rovers.
Championship Shield Teams - Third 8:
Toulouse, Batley Bulldogs, Sheffield Eagles, Dewsbury Rams, Rochdale Hornets, Swinton Lions, Oldham, Bradford Bulls.
How do the Super 8s Work?
Clubs will each play seven fixtures on a league basis across the Super 8s.
The top four Super League clubs will play four home matches. So for this season that is Castleford, Leeds, Hull FC and Salford.
In the Qualifiers, the teams finishing ninth and 10th in Super League and the top two teams from the Championship will have four home matches. So for this season that is Warrington and Catalans from Super League, and Hull KR and London Broncos from the Championship. The top two in the Championship have the advantage over the bottom two from Super League.
In the Championship Shield, clubs finishing the regular Championship season in fifth to eighth place will have four home fixtures. So for this season that is Toulouse, Batley, Sheffield and Dewsbury.
In the Super 8s and Championship Shield, the competing clubs will carry over the points and scoring records from the regular season, whereas the Qualifiers will start with zero points because the eight clubs are drawn from two different competitions.
How are teams ranked to determine fixtures?
After the Super 8s fixtures, the top four clubs in Super League will go into the semi-finals: first v fourth and second v third. The winners of those two matches will contest the Super League Grand Final.
All eight Super League clubs are guaranteed top-flight status for the following season, as are the top three clubs in the Qualifiers.
The final place in Super League for the following season will be determined by the Million Pound Game - a play-off between the fourth and fifth-placed clubs in the Qualifiers, played at the home of the fourth-placed club.
In the Championship Shield, the top four clubs enter the semi-finals: first v fourth and second v third with the winners contesting the Championship Shield final.
