English Championship

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

Richmond 7-27 Cornish Pirates: Impressive Pirates power on with bonus win

14 March 2021 0 comments

CORNISH Pirates continued their strong start to the season with a bonus point win over Richmond. An early score from JB Bruzulier was followed up […]

Tyro Saints help Blues withstand late rally

14 March 2021 2 comments

By ANDREW BEACHAM Bedford …………..33pts Tries: Lane 19, Atkinson 39, Fish 48 Conversions: Maisey 20, 40, 49 Penalties: Maisey 11, 34, 42, 79 Hartpury …………25pts […]

Lost lineout at the death leaves Cov a point short

14 March 2021 0 comments

By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster ……..20pts Tries: Evans 15, Kelly 20, Foley 31 Conversions: Olver 20 Penalties: Olver 35 Coventry ……….19pts Tries: Dolly 7, Nutley 60, Stevenson […]

Josh Caulfield beats nerves to strike blow for Cornish Pirates

14 March 2021 1 comment

Jon Newcombe talks to the former Wasps man now making an impression at Cornish Pirates

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 […]

Nottingham launch fundraising campaign with £400,000 target

10 March 2021 1 comment

Nottingham chairman Alistair Bow urges supporters and local business to get behind the club with new fundraiser launch

Saracens get welcome worthy of the Championship’s resolve

7 March 2021 0 comments

Mark McCall and Juan Pablo Socino share their thoughts after Saracens tasted defeat in their first match in the Championship away at Cornish Pirates

Gordon will swap Edinburgh for Ealing

7 March 2021 2 comments

EALING Trailfinders have agreed a deal that will see Edinburgh centre Matt Gordon move to west London. The crash ball Australian, 26, played for Queensland […]

Hampson: Ealing Trailfinders believe it’s mission possible

7 March 2021 0 comments

Ealing scrum-half Craig Hampson answers whether Trailfinders can be a legitimate threat to Saracens’ hopes of bouncing back to the Premiership

Ampthill v Doncaster: Turner gives new recruits their chance to impress

7 March 2021 0 comments

Ampthill head coach Paul Turner has named 14 debutants for the visit of Knights on opening weekend in the Championship

Pirates 25-17 Saracens: Sarries crash in wild west showdown

7 March 2021 2 comments

Cornish Pirates stun Saracens on their first match in the Championship

Coventry 10-9 Bedford Blues: Fenner fires late winner as Blues pay for ill-discipline

7 March 2021 1 comment

Bedford Blues left to rue sin-bins to their trio of Connor Tupai, Will Carrick Smith and Lewis Bean

Hartpury 38-15 Richmond: Foley flies in for hat-trick as Hartpury begin in style

7 March 2021 2 comments

HARTPURY ripped into the long-awaited Championship season with a five-try win over promoted Richmond. Winger Ben Foley stood out with a hattrick on his return […]

Nottingham v Ealing: Nottingham name ten debutants for opener

7 March 2021 0 comments

Nottingham head coach Neil Fowkes and Trailfinders lock Bobby de Wee preview Sunday’s clash at The Bay

Richmond 24-33 Ealing: Trailfinders survive late scare for derby win

28 February 2021 1 comment

Simon Uzokwe starred for Trailfinders in a pre-season London derby win over Richmond, prior to Championship kick-off next week

Cornish Pirates 26-13 Jersey: Pumped-up Pirates get prepared for Sarries

28 February 2021 0 comments

New arrival Luke Scully appears to be one to watch for Cornish Pirates based on this pre-season hit-out against Jersey

Championship 2021 season preview: Shoot-out for the Premiership has Saracens as favourites

28 February 2021 0 comments

Jon Newcombe finds Matt Challinor excited to get a tilt at the best in his swansong season IT may have been a long time coming […]

They will all be coming for us but we’re ready, says Saracens’ Wray

28 February 2021 0 comments

Club stalwart Wray tells Neale Harvey how all Saracens players are aware of the target on their backs in the Championship

‘I’ve been playing rubbish’ says England No.8 Billy Vunipola

24 February 2021 1 comment

The Saracens star opens up on how fatigue has led to his slump in form in an England shirt this Six Nations

Ex-Saracens flanker Kelly Brown to leave Glasgow Warriors this month

23 February 2021 2 comments

The specialist ruck coach will return to London after moving to Glasgow last summer with his family

BT Sport favourites to show key Championship games

21 February 2021 0 comments

A source tells TRP how close the Championship is to getting a TV broadcast partner

Ealing Trailfinders back row Adam Korczyk inspired by Jordy’s promotion

17 February 2021 1 comment

Neale Harvey meets the Ealing Trailfinders back row who was so highly-rated Down Under within the development pathway at the Queensland Reds

Championship clubs reject deal with Premier Sports

14 February 2021 1 comment

Warren Muggleton reports on the Championship’s search for a TV broadcast partner to source a much-needed cash injection ahead of the new season

Saracens 29-10 Doncaster: Ruthless Sarries go back to basics

14 February 2021 0 comments

Daniel Gallan reports on the penultimate round of the Trailfinders Challenge Cup

Alex Schwarz gets his chance in top flight at Wasps

14 February 2021 1 comment

The Cornish Pirates prop has signed a short-term deal to switch to Wasps weeks away from the Championship kick off

Rowland Winter adds new recruits for Coventry’s campaign

14 February 2021 0 comments

Coventry recruit from the Premiership ahead of the Championship’s March 6 kick-off date

Scotland ace Duncan Taylor commits future to Saracens

14 February 2021 1 comment

The Scotland centre joined Saracens a decade ago

Confirmed: RFU Council votes to scrap relegation from Premiership

12 February 2021 1 comment

As revealed by TRP last month, the RFU has voted to scrap relegation from the Premiership this season

PRL delay decision on freezing relegation

7 February 2021 0 comments

BT Sport share reservations over ring-fencing, leading to PRL requesting a delay on crucial vote by RFU Council

Exeter Chiefs No.9 Joe Snow to head on loan to Championship

7 February 2021 1 comment

The scrum-half will join Coventry for this season’s Championship season

London Scottish withdrawal delays Tuilagi return

7 February 2021 0 comments

A new arrival at the Exiles last summer, Brian Tuilagi will have to wait to mark his return to English rugby after stints in France and Italy

Marlen Walker bolsters Wasps front row

7 February 2021 1 comment

WASPS have signed prop Marlen Walker from Championship side Cornish Pirates on a short-term loan deal. The 32-year-old New Zealander has been brought in as […]

Tier Two clubs set to pull out of season

3 February 2021 1 comment

Neale Harvey reports on the perilous state facing some of the Championship’s 12 clubs

Lions prop Johannes Jonker agrees Ealing move

2 February 2021 1 comment

Director of rugby Ben Ward adds South Africa tighthead to Trailfinders’ front row options

Crossdale jumps ship for Wasps

31 January 2021 1 comment

Wasps secure the signing of a player who has been on Eddie Jones’ radar

Smid: Don’t stop us, we’re only getting started

29 January 2021 0 comments

Ealing Trailfinders captain Rayn Smid reveals he would not move to any Premiership club for fear of the Championship winning promotion

Rotherham and Jersey Reds sing praises for Ed Robinson

24 January 2021 0 comments

Jon Newcombe speak to the coaches who know Ed Robinson, the Jersey Reds coach who will join up with Eddie Jones

Fight to save Championship: Nick Cain talks to Coventry director Nick Johnston

22 January 2021 0 comments

The managing director of the Championship club fumes over the lack of collective agreement over the TEC and the absence of RFU directive

French system is set up for success – Adamson

22 January 2021 1 comment

Former Bedford Blues wing Dean Adamson is settling in well to life in the second tier of French rugby at Pro D2 club Rouen

Newcastle show the importance of the Championship, says Pirates’ O’Meara

21 January 2021 0 comments

Alex O’Meara believes Newcastle’s time in the Championship has served them well for their strong return to the Premiership

Exclusive: Relegation scrapped in Premiership this season

19 January 2021 39 comments

Jon Newcombe reports on the increased likelihood that the Premiership will revert to a 13-team league at the end of the season

Ealing 27-26 Saracens: Passionate Trailfinders prove their point again

17 January 2021 0 comments

Daniel Gallan reports from Vallis Way where Ealing Trailfinders proved their were a match for the three-time champions of Europe

Wasps grab Doncaster Knight stalwart Robin Hislop

16 January 2021 1 comment

Hislop spent the end of last season in the Premiership on loan at Saracens

Saracens agree to release Alex Sanderson to become new Sale Sharks DoR

15 January 2021 0 comments

Sale Sharks formally announce appointment of former captain Sanderson as their director of rugby with immediate effect

Saracens scrum-half Tom Whiteley to make Bristol switch

12 January 2021 1 comment

A former Millfield School teammate of Bristol fly-half Callum Sheedy

Stream all Championship games live to grow the league says Judge

8 January 2021 2 comments

Ex-Cornish Pirates and Saracens prop Christian Judge expects there to be an adjustment period for Championship newcomers

Saracens, Ealing and Doncaster to take part in Triangular Cup competition

7 January 2021 0 comments

Trio of Championship clubs to contest pre-season Trailfinders Challenge Cup, with January 16 kick-off date

Exclusive: Saracens looking to arrange friendlies with incoming South African franchises to PRO14

30 December 2020 7 comments

Neil Fissler reports on Saracens seeking to prepare for the Championship’s kick off in March with a series of friendlies against the top South African sides