English Championship

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s English Championship news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

Preview: Alex Rae aims to spoil Fowkes’ send off

23 May 2021 0 comments

ALEX RAE believes Bedford’s run of just one win in six games is not a fair reflection of the squad’s development over recent weeks as […]

Ampthill feature: They’re only human… just far stronger and fitter!

23 May 2021 0 comments

Ampthill head coach Paul Turner and captain Billy Johnson are drawing on the pasts of Exeter Chiefs and Worcester to dream big in the Championship

Jersey 10-34 Coventry: Butt bags four tries to give Reds a spanking

16 May 2021 1 comment

Coventry director of rugby Rowland Winter was delighted by his team’s bonus-point win on the island

Richmond 17-34 Nottingham: Williams brace lifts Nottingham off bottom

16 May 2021 0 comments

Nottingham come out on top in the bottom-of-the-table clash at the RAG, with David Williams clinical out wide for the visitors

Bedford Blues 17-40 Ealing: Six-try Trailfinders gear up for play-off decider

16 May 2021 0 comments

Max Bodilly, Alun Walker and Jordan Burns all keep up their try-scoring form for Ealing on their travels to Goldington Road

Preview: Alex Goode on bench as Saracens up ante

16 May 2021 0 comments

Saracens welcome back Alex Goode from his time in Japan’s Top League with NEC Green Rockets for their clash against Ampthill

Cornish Pirates 52-26 Hartpury: Robson sets platform for Pirates pack to dominate

16 May 2021 0 comments

Hat-tricks for Dan Frost and Tom Duncan put Pirates on course for big win over Hartpury at the Mennaye

Wasps sign member of TRP’s Championship Dream Team

12 May 2021 0 comments

Skipper Robin Hislop will leave Doncaster Knights to join Wasps at the end of the season

Sam Graham has got recipe for success at Doncaster Knights

2 May 2021 0 comments

The Doncaster Knights flanker knows how to wield a knife in the kitchen, while making the cut in the Championship

Ward: Defeat hasn’t dampened expectations at Trailfinders

2 May 2021 0 comments

Daniel Gallan talks to Trailfinders director of rugby Ben Ward about the loss to rivals Saracens last month ending their unbeaten run in the Championship

Springbok prop Vincent Koch backs his Sarries mates to step up

2 May 2021 1 comment

Vincent Koch believes Saracens will not be omitted from Warren Gatland’s Lions squad announcement this Thursday, after their relegation to the Championship

Exclusive: BT Sport land rights to air second leg of Championship final

2 May 2021 1 comment

Premier Sport will broadcast the first leg of the shootout to see who will be promoted to the Premiership

Preview: Bedford Blues target first away win of season at Castle Park

2 May 2021 1 comment

AFTER a week off, Bedford Blues go in search of a first away victory of the campaign at Castle Park –a venue they have not […]

Ampthill 14-29 Jersey: Barnes’ brace seals win as Amps pay for ill discipline

2 May 2021 0 comments

Ampthill count the cost of giving away 18 penalties in loss to Jersey Reds

Nottingham 0-56 Saracens: Full steam ahead for Sarries

2 May 2021 0 comments

Saracens score eight tries against winless Nottingham, but head coach Neil Fowkes maintains pride in squad

Ealing 69-7 Richmond: Trailfinders respond in style with 11-try shellacking

2 May 2021 1 comment

Max Bodilly stars for Trailfinders in convincing win one week on from Ealing’s unbeaten start was ended by rivals Saracens

Coventry 19-30 Cornish Pirates: Pirates claim big away-day win despite double yellow

2 May 2021 0 comments

Pirates come through two sin-bins to leave Butts Park with the win

Bedford Blues chairman Geoff Irvine to stand down after 20 years

29 April 2021 1 comment

David Gunner will replace Irvine, who took the chair in 2001 at Goldington Road

Neil Fowkes to join Wasps full-time as scrum coach

28 April 2021 1 comment

Nottingham announced their head coach would be leaving earlier this month

Preview: We’re fully charged up, McCall tells Trailfinders

25 April 2021 1 comment

MARK McCALL hopes to celebrate his new four-year Saracens contract by taking a huge step towards promotion back to the Premiership against their biggest Championship […]

Jersey 55-12 Nottingham: Ten-try Reds enjoy happy homecoming in front of fans

25 April 2021 0 comments

JERSEY marked their return to home turf after a 60-week absence by turning on the style in a nine-try demolition of Nottingham. To make matters […]

Richmond 12-40 Doncaster: Rampaging Knights put Richmond to slaughter

25 April 2021 0 comments

Two tries for centre Howard Packman sees Knights back to winning ways after their mauling by Saracens a week ago

Cornish Pirates 18-20 Ampthill: Off-colour Pirates are defied by Amps 13 men

25 April 2021 0 comments

The Dave Ward derby saw the hooker’s current team edge his old employers at the Mennaye

Joe Ford’s arrival helps Sam Olver keep big dream in focus

25 April 2021 1 comment

The Doncaster Knights fly-half was one of the players brought to Castle Park by head coach Steve Boden after Clive Griffiths’ departure

Mark McCall among ten coaching staff to sign new Saracens contracts

20 April 2021 0 comments

Ten senior coaching staff have committed their futures to the 2024-25 season at Saracens

Preview: Amps expect arm-wrestle against improving Hartpury

18 April 2021 0 comments

AMPTHILL welcome old National One rivals Hartpury back to Dillingham Park for the second time in the Championship, with director of rugby Mark Lavery expecting […]

Versatile Tom Hudson attracting interest at Ampthill

18 April 2021 1 comment

And an update on the future of Mark Atkinson amid interest from Bristol Bears in the Gloucester centre

Ealing 64-17 Jersey: Trailfinders crush Reds to continue their perfect run

18 April 2021 1 comment

Trailfinders score six tries in the second half to blow away Jersey Reds

Nottingham 22-33 Cornish Pirates: High-speed Pirates get bonus point they need

18 April 2021 0 comments

CORNISH Pirates, challenged to take five points from every remaining match to keep their play-off hopes alive, secured the bonus score before half-time but then […]

Proud son Billy ready to run rule over Lions

18 April 2021 1 comment

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Doncaster v Saracens Today, April 18. Kick-off 3pm, Castle Park DONCASTER full-back Billy McBryde admits beating star-studded Saracens would cap what has […]

Stylish Blues smash big six with brace from supersub Fields

18 April 2021 1 comment

By XANDER CHEVALLIER Bedford …………38pts Tries: Tapley 9, Lane 14, Robinson 22, Gillespie 42, Fields 54, 75 Conversions: Maisey 15, 42, 54, 75 Richmond……….10pts Tries: […]

Adam Peters dreams of being next Coventry star to hit big time

18 April 2021 1 comment

Daniel Gallan meets the Coventry captain and managing director Nick Johnston see talk about finding the means to match their ambitions of reaching the Premiership

Saracens gather all their on-loan stars back in the fold

11 April 2021 0 comments

Saracens head coach Mark McCall reveals the likelihood of having Nick Isiekwe and Ben Earl back at the club next season

Hartpury 15-13 Nottingham: Max is the hero for Hartpury with last-play winner

11 April 2021 0 comments

Nottingham let their lead slip in the final minute as first win of the season eludes Midlanders at the Alpas Arena

Cornish Pirates 10-38 Ealing: Six-hitting Trailfinders get ready for Sarries

11 April 2021 1 comment

Sin bins to Tom Duncan and Shae Tucker open up room for Trailfinders to score two tries in bonus point win

Jersey 10-22 Doncaster: Knights weather the early storm to ride for victory

11 April 2021 0 comments

Steve Boden’s men keep up their strong start to the Championship season, but he saw some faults in their win over Jersey

Preview: McCall brings in heavies to avoid more slip-ups

11 April 2021 0 comments

MARK McCall has named a side with almost 400 Test caps admitting Saracens cannot afford another slipup if they are to make a quick return […]

Preview: Bath boys primed for Championhip debuts for Coventry

11 April 2021 0 comments

COVENTRY have added two more promising players from the Premiership ahead of today’s match against Ampthill. Director of rugby Rowland Winter has recruited hooker Tom […]

Richmond v Saracens: Student Torpey set for big test with Jamie George

28 March 2021 1 comment

RICHMOND hooker Callum Torpey is relishing the prospect of going head to head with England and Lions star Jamie George when Saracens come to the […]

Kyle Evans is on rampage at Doncaster Knights after Rhinos blow

28 March 2021 0 comments

Jon Newcombe meets the Doncaster Knights who has hit the ground running in the Championship this season

Biljon: Feels like RFU are trying to grow the divide

28 March 2021 0 comments

Jersey Reds boss Harvey Biljon has something to say about clubs receiving almost £400,000 less this season from the RFU than they had two years ago

Preview: Ben Ward wants big response after first-half failings at Coventry

28 March 2021 0 comments

EALING Trailfinders are looking to end the first block of league matches on a high and continue their fine start to the season which has […]

Doncaster 17-15 Cornish Pirates: Knights go top with fourth win on the spin

28 March 2021 1 comment

DONCASTER’S stellar start to this Championship campaign gathered pace at Castle Park with their fourth successive victory – and their first win against Cornish Pirates […]

Nottingham 24-36 Coventry: Nayalo’s quickfire double gets Coventry off to flier

28 March 2021 1 comment

COVENTRY shrugged off two enforced changes in the warm-up to just about retain control of this ninetry thriller at The Bay. With a […]

Bedford 20-25 Jersey: Blues’ yellow fever sets up Reds first win of the season

28 March 2021 1 comment

A DOMINANT display by the Jersey forwards saw the islanders end their nine-game winless drought in style against ill-disciplined Bedford. A late try by Bath-loanee […]

Coventry 19-55 Ealing: Big scoring Trailfinders smash third 50 in a row

21 March 2021 3 comments

Trailfinders remain potent in attack as their uphold their unbeaten record at Butts Park Arena

Richmond 23-15 Jersey: Richmond delight at first win in 13 months

21 March 2021 0 comments

TRIES by scrum-half Luc Jones and wing Dan Kelly in an eightminute purple patch early in the second half secured Richmond’s first win in over […]

Cornish Pirates v Bedford: Pirates will keep ‘edge’ but with fewer penalties

21 March 2021 2 comments

CORNISH Pirates are aiming to extend their Championship start to three wins out of three when Bedford Blues visit the Mennaye Field today. But they […]

Saracens go already planning ahead for Premiership return

14 March 2021 0 comments

SARACENS are looking to bolster their front row next season ahead of a potential return to the Premiership. The fallen Premiership and European champions, playing […]