English Championship

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

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Ampthill

Bedford Blues

Caldy

Cornish Pirates

Coventry

Doncaster Knights

Ealing Trailfinders

Hartpury University

Jersey Reds

London Scottish

Nottingham

Richmond

Cov’s chief: We’ll drop to Nat leagues

16 June 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Coventry chief executive Nick Johnston says the Championship club remains prepared to drop down to the national leagues if they can’t reach […]

Fresh calls to get rid of the caterpillar ruck

16 June 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Hartpury’s director of rugby John Barnes has called for the eradication of the caterpillar ruck – and for scrums to be left […]

Return of relegation is reason to cheer

16 June 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN The restoration of promotion and relegation, which this column has advocated non-stop since the RFU’s ring-fence moratorium in 2021, is cause for celebration. […]

Championship clubs seeking more talks

9 June 2024 0 comments

Championship clubs have called for more talks with the RFU and claim they face being pushed into bankruptcy unless they receive a fairer deal in […]

Hampson can keep on playing and coaching

9 June 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Craig Hampson has come to an agreement that will allow him to continue playing with Ealing Trailfinders while also remaining as head […]

Pirates move for prop Andrews

2 June 2024 0 comments

Cornish Pirates have signed Coventry prop Ollie Andrews. The 24-year-old spent two years at Coventry having come through Exeter’s academy. “We expect Ollie to be […]

Coventry half-backs the heartbeat with Ealing muscle to add power

2 June 2024 0 comments

CHAMPIONSHIP DREAM TEAM >> THE BEST XV FROM 2023-24 AS VOTED FOR BY OUR REPORTERS Now that the Championship season has run its course, Ben […]

Deadeye Bazalgette on target to steer Hartpury home

26 May 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Hartpury……….. 43pts Tries: Morgan 18, Forrester 33, Short 37, S Smith 79 Conversions: Bazalgette 19, 34, 38, 80 Penalties: Bazalgette 16, 53, […]

Champion Trailfinders cut Blues to shreds

26 May 2024 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Ealing Trailfinders…… 59pts Tries: Uzokwe 9, Bird-Tulloch 21, 30, 72; Kernaghan 28, 51; Terry 60, Collins 67, Sleightholme 76 Conversions: Lancaster 9, […]

Pirates seal runners-up spot with strong finish

26 May 2024 0 comments

By DAVID BALLHEIMER L Scottish ………27pts Tries: Ransom 10, Wilkinson 26, Brown 29, Hobson 41 Conversions: Lloyd-Seed 26, 31 Penalties: Lloyd-Seed 35 C Pirates ………..38pts […]

Mee makes his mark as Nottingham end on high

26 May 2024 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Nottingham……28pts Tries: Mee 26, Graham 32, Stapley 35, Cherry 43 Conversions: Arden 26, 32, 35, 43 Caldy ……………….. 8pts Tries: Barker 18 […]

Parks finds his range to swing it for Ampthill

26 May 2024 0 comments

By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge …….28pts Tries: Asiedu 15, Brownlie 25, Merigan 59, Veness 76 Conversions: James 16, 26, 60, 77 Ampthill …………37pts Tries: Bracken 7, […]

Uzokwe: Championship has got tougher to win

19 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Despite not getting the chance to secure promotion to the Premiership, back rower Simon Uzokwe says Ealing Trailfinders’ Championship title win means […]

Cattle prods for a proper pathway

19 May 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Cornish Pirates’ coach Gavin Cattle believes this season’s success for the Penzance-based club is a clear indicator that Cornwall could sustain a […]

Tiueti out to make most of Cov move

12 May 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Inspired by his old Uni mate Will Rigg, Dafydd-Rhys Tiueti is hoping that joining Coventry this summer will do wonders for his […]

Morgan has final say to make sure for Hartpury

12 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN WHITE Ampthill …………36pts Tries: Elliott 3, 27; Bracken 24, Jackson 32, 59 Conversions: Parks 4, 25, 28, 33 Penalty: Parks 52 Hartpury……….. 44pts […]

Coventry denied by powerful Pirates

12 May 2024 0 comments

By MIKE SINCLAIR Cornish Pirates ………… 22pts Tries: Hocking 69, Johnson 79 Coventry ……………………..12pts Penalties: Tries: Houston 15, 18, 22, 51 Martin 5, Trinder 32 […]

Doncaster win the battle but Ealing take the title

12 May 2024 0 comments

By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster……… 20pts Tries: Fox 25, Margetts 59 Conversions: Bennett 25, 59 Penalties: Bennett 40, 68 Ealing T …………. 12pts Tries: Cornish 9, […]

Barker steps up to snatch it for Caldy at the death

12 May 2024 0 comments

■By JOHN LYON Caldy ……………… 31pts Tries: Royle 9, 23; Gerrard 19, Booth 75 Conversions: Kilcourse 10, 20, 24; Barker 76 Penalties: Barker 80 Cambridge […]

Blues take the honours to land top four finish

12 May 2024 0 comments

By MO SHER L Scottish ……… 31pts Tries: Nutton 3, Ferdinand 14, Musk 40, Osborne 48, Ingall 79 Conversions: Lloyd-Seed 4, 15, Law 80 Bedford […]

Don’t only blame RFU for lack of confidence

12 May 2024 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME IT WAS interesting to read last week’s comments by Simon Halliday in The Rugby Paper and […]

Blame RFU for lack of confidence – Halliday

5 May 2024 0 comments

By NICK CAIN The Cornish Pirates statement that the future of professional rugby in Cornwall is in jeopardy – citing RFU prevarication over promotion as […]

RFU’s still killing the dreams of investors

5 May 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK The RFU’s indecision is final. It does not know what to do about promotion-relegation – or, if […]

Pirates take control to close down Nottingham

5 May 2024 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Nottingham…….. 7pts Tries: van der Flier 22 Conversions: Arden 22 Cornish P ……….29pts Tries: Hocking 12, Schwarz 38, Stevens 58, King 64 […]

Eadie has the last laugh for Hartpury

5 May 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Hartpury…………………….. 57pts Tries: Short 4, 14; Morgan 9, Austin 30, 42; Eadie 51, 62; Hunt 74 Conversions: Bazalgette 5, 15, 31, 43, […]

Scottish made us fight all the way, says Cov coach Rae

5 May 2024 0 comments

By PAUL SMITH Coventry ………..27pts Tries: Anstey 16, Wand 35, Chudley 44, Ma’asi 73 Conversions: Mitchell 44, 73 Penalty: Mitchell 27 London Scots ..14pts Tries: […]

Grimoldby drops late winner to stun Knights

5 May 2024 0 comments

By MICKY TAYLOR Bedford Blues..32pts Tries: Howard 14, King 56, O’Connor 62, Woolford 78 Conversions: Maisey 15, 63; Grimoldby 79 Penalty: Maisey 21 Drop Goal: […]

Trailfinders show class in nine-try rampage

5 May 2024 0 comments

By RICKY WESTABY Ealing T………….57pts Tries: Cornish 2, 49; Cordy-Redden 6, Willis 20, O’Brien 27, Willemse 63, Smid 67, Kelleher 72, Williams 77 Conversions: Willis […]

Worboys: I’m aiming to be first-choice 10 at Ealing

5 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK George Worboys endured ‘the most testing five years of his life’ at Bath but is looking forward to linking up with his […]

I’ll never stop looking for hidden gems – Lam

28 April 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Pat Lam says he will never stop plundering the rugby mine of the Championship and the leagues below it as he searches […]

Dream Team with Ben Adams

28 April 2024 0 comments

The Cambridge and former Coventry, Bedford Blues, Queensland Country & Australia Sevens back rower, chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. […]

Flyer Hutler haunts old Blues mates with hat-trick

21 April 2024 0 comments

By NICK TAYLOR Coventry………. 54pts Tries: Hutler 7, 50, 57; Ball 19, Pellegrini 41, Nkwocha 48, Martin 65, Wand 78 Conversions: Pellegrini 8, 42, 49, […]

Bracken makes it safe for Ampthill

21 April 2024 0 comments

By KEVIN MILLER Ampthill……………………..49pts Tries: Bacon 32, 76; Bracken 38, Elliot 61, 80; Hallett 69, Moore-Aiono 74 Conversions: Barton 33, 39, 62, 70, 75, 77, […]

Pirates aiming for a three-peat over lowly Cambridge

21 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW Cornish Pirates v Cambridge Today. Kick-off 2.30pm, Mennaye Field CORNISH Pirates and Cambridge meet for the third time this season today […]

Trailfinders make sure they get it right this time

21 April 2024 0 comments

By JOHN LYON Caldy………………18pts Tries: Sproston 60, Hearn 70 Conversions: Kilcourse 70 Penalties: Jones 2, 17 Ealing T………… 49pts Tries: De Wee 3, Bird-Tulloch 9, […]

Scottish on a roll with three wins in a row

21 April 2024 0 comments

By MO SHER @therugbypape L Scottish …….. 45pts Tries: Ingall 4, Musk 11, 15, 69; Huis 29, Nutton 63, Wilkinson 74 Conversions: Sheppard 5, 30; […]

Chudley to retire at the end of the season

18 April 2024 0 comments

Will Chudley has decided to bring the curtain down on his lengthy and storied rugby career at the end of the current campaign. The 36-year-old […]

Exeter confirm swoop for Ealing’s Roots

14 April 2024 0 comments

Exeter Chiefs have confirmed the signing of Ealing Trailfinders prop Jimmy Roots, as revealed in The Rugby Paper last month. The 24-year-old tighthead is the […]

RFU needs a sense of proportion

14 April 2024 0 comments

The RFU has always maintained that promotion-relegation is sacrosanct, even though the RFU Council agreed in February 2021 to a so-called “moratorium” to suspend it […]

Pirates keep Hartpury at bay to stay in the race

14 April 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Hartpury RFC …25pts Tries: Barton 4, Penalty 44, Hunt 68 Conversions: Bazalgette 69 Penalties: Bazalgette 30, 72 Cornish P ……….30pts Tries: Hocking […]

Ampthill hold on to deny Bedford

14 April 2024 0 comments

By SHAWN TAYLOR Bedford Blues……………24pts Tries: Worley 15, French 28, Adamson 41, 70 Conversions: Maisey 16, 42 Ampthill…………………….. 29pts Tries: Jackson 10, Stonham 22, Adejimi […]

Doncaster looking for revenge after Caldy’s December win

14 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW… Doncaster v Caldy Today. Kick-off 2.30pm, Castle Park DONCASTER Knights are out for revenge after the Merseysiders secured an upset victory […]

Scottish find their feet in second-half comeback

14 April 2024 0 comments

By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge …….13pts Try: Hanks 19 Conversion: James 20 Penalties: James 26, Caven 32 London Scots.. 43pts Tries: White 51, Ferdinand 54, Waghorn […]

Coventry get set for a battle in the mud

14 April 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW… Nott’mv Coventry Today. Kick-off 3pm, Lady Bay Return: Will Chudley starts for Coventry COVENTRY head coach Alex Rae is gearing up […]

We need a fairer deal for all levels

14 April 2024 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME I cannot believe that there is any way an agreement between the Championship, Premiership and the […]

Pirates sign Harris on loan

14 April 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Cornish Pirates have signed Exeter Chiefs hooker Iestyn Harris on loan to cover injuries. The 25-year-old former Wales age-grade international moves to […]

Masterful Willis leads Trailfinders fightback

7 April 2024 0 comments

■By MIKE SINCLAIR C Pirates ……….. 17pts Tries: Walker 10, Stevens 25, McNab 63 Conversions: Houston 25 E Trailfinders ..26pts Tries: Kernohan 32, de Vee […]

Barton’s second try pivotal for Ampthill

7 April 2024 0 comments

■By JOHN LYON Caldy ………………………….. 20pts Tries: Hayes 15, Pilgrim 20, Hearn 27 Conversions: Barker 16 Penalty: Barker 11 Ampthill …………………….. 29pts Tries: Barton 2, […]

Oustanding Venner grabs hat-trick as Coventry run riot

7 April 2024 0 comments

■By PAUL SMITH Coventry ………. 64pts Tries: Venner 4, 22, 41; Salt 28, Poole 32, Hitchcock 38, 49, Wand 68, Wilson 76, Martin 78 Conversions: […]

Ingall stars as Scottish hold firm for brave victory

7 April 2024 0 comments

■By MO SHER L Scottish ………29pts Tries: Brown 13, Ingall 35, Wallis 38, Ferdinand 43 Conversions: Sheppard 14, 36, 39 Penalty: Sheppard 55 Hartpury…………26pts Tries: […]