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

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: […]

Killer wing Adamson hunts down club record

7 April 2024 0 comments

■By ROB WILDMAN @therugbypape Nottingham….. 24pts Tries: van der Flier 19, Ferreira 19, R Olowofela 44, Ramage 80 Conversions: Stronge 35, 45 Bedford Blues 34pts […]

Bring back rucking and kill the jackal

7 April 2024 0 comments

Coach to coach Former Richmond director of rugby Steve Hill puts the questions to Paul Turner, below, coach of Championship club Ampthill RFC Why did […]

Halliday: New deal is within our reach

1 April 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Calls for a further relaxation of Premiership ground capacity rules appear to be gathering momentum as the protracted discussions over the new […]

Bazalgette dreaming of shot at big time

1 April 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Hartpury playmaker Harry Bazalgette believes he’s put himself in the shop window for Premiership outfits as he aims to follow in his […]

Fearn’s in line to boost Knights

31 March 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Darren Fearn is thought to be Doncaster Knights’ first-choice as new forwards coach as the Championship club continue to reshape their coaching […]

Ampthill overcome 14-point deficit to beat Ealing

31 March 2024 0 comments

Championship ■ By BEN WHITE AMPTHILL secured their second straight Championship home win, spectacularly coming back from a 14-point deficit at halftime to defeat league […]

Hammond’s happy to take the points home

24 March 2024 0 comments

■By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge ……. 15pts Tries: Edwards 43, Caven 74 Conversion: James 44 Penalty: James 80 Nottingham…… 20pts Tries: Olowofela 12, Williams 14, 48 […]

Adamson leads from the front to keep Bedford in the running

24 March 2024 0 comments

■By MICK JACOBS Bedford ………….27pts Tries: Adamson 7, 78; Conway 13, Worley 29 Conversions: Maisey 14, 30 Penalties: Maisey 50 Caldy ……………… 14pts Tries: Kilcourse […]

Knights make the most of lifelines

24 March 2024 0 comments

■By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster………………….. 27pts Tries: Margett 53, Simpson 57, 77 Conversions: Bennett 53, 57, 77 Penalties: Bennett 42, 75 Cornish Pirates ………… 27pts Tries: […]

Ealing keep their heads to take down brave Scots

24 March 2024 0 comments

■By RICHARD WESTABY Ealing T ………….52pts Tries: Cornish 3, Holgate 12, De Wee 15, Willis 24, Alo 51, Holmes 55, Newman 71, Bird-Tulloch 75 Conversions: […]

Record for Wand as Coventry move on up

24 March 2024 0 comments

■By LUKE JARMYN Hartpury………… 17pts Tries: Ward 57, 77; Smith 75 Conversions: Bazalgette 77 Coventry ………. 47pts Tries: Wand 5, 40, 62, 69; Wilson 8, […]

I’m ambitious. I want to coach as high as I can

24 March 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Alex Rae – The former Northampton Saints, Saracens, Wasps and Bedford Blues lock, now head coach at Coventry, talks about […]

Dream Team with Alex Day

17 March 2024 0 comments

The Bedford and former Cornish Pirates, Northampton & Saracens scrum-half chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. Paul Andrew – I […]

Relief for Nottingham as Exiles fall short

17 March 2024 0 comments

■By ROB WILDMAN Nottingham…… 31pts Tries: J Olowofela 13, Stronge 18, 33; R Olowofela 30, Valentine 40 Conversions: Arden 18, 30, 34 L Scottish ………28pts […]

Pirates duo happy for top sides to do the plundering

17 March 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Over the years, the Cornish Pirates coaching duo of Gavin Cattle and Alan Paver have unearthed some real gems when it comes […]

Beating Ealing proves anything is possible

17 March 2024 0 comments

Matthew Luddington talks to London Scottish flanker Jack Ingall about combining work and play in the Championship ANECDOTES from rugby’s amateur era paint a vivid […]

Baxter turns his attention to top Ealing pair

10 March 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE – EXCLUSIVE By JON NEWCOMBE Having already snapped up Coventry’s star centre Will Rigg in a mid-season swoop, Exeter are going back […]

Blues dodge a few bullets to take down Cambridge

10 March 2024 0 comments

By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge …….12pts Tries: M Williams 64, 80 Conversions: Benson 80 Bedford ………….22pts Tries: French 16, Adamson 41, Maisey 46, L Frost 73 […]

Ealing are stunned by brave Coventry

10 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL SMITH Coventry………………….. 34pts Ealing Trailfinders…..32pts Tries: Betteridge 12, Poole 17, 40; Martin 64 Conversions: Pellegrini 12, 17, 40, 64 Penalties: Pellegrini 43, Wilson […]

Austin nails chance for bizarre win at Lady Bay

10 March 2024 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Nottingham…….. 0pts Hartpury………….. 3pts Penalty: Austin 61 BIZARRE. That was one way of describing how Hartpury squeezed to a fifth win from […]

Masterclass from Bennett gives Knights the edge

10 March 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN L Scottish ………20pts Doncaster…….. 34pts Tries: Brown 23, Ingall 54, Ferdinand 71 Conversions: Lloyd-Seed 55 Penalties: Lloyd-Seed 75 Tries: penalty 18, Roberts […]