English Championship

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

stdClass Object ( [id] => 11 [league_name] => English Championship [league_logo_id] => 0 [league_logo_url] => [parent_league_id] => 0 [wp_league_id] => 65 )

Ampthill

Bedford Blues

Caldy

Cornish Pirates

Coventry

Doncaster Knights

Ealing Trailfinders

Hartpury University

Jersey Reds

London Scottish

Nottingham

Richmond

Leeds figure it out with two sevens like Wales

7 May 2013 1 comment

Just as two opensides helped Wales to Six Nations glory against England, Leeds’ own magnificent sevens – Jacob Rowan and Chris Walker – have handed […]

Mike Cudmore vows to stick with Ealing Trailfinders attacking philosophy

30 April 2013 0 comments

Ealing Trailfinders have become one of the best attacking sides in the land scoring over a thousand points in the past four National League seasons. […]

Second tier expect end to ‘cartel’ of Premiership

23 April 2013 1 comment

The Championship expect a deal to be thrashed out soon that will put promoted clubs on equal central funding with the existing Premiership elite. The […]

James Shanahan looks to transform Plymouth Albion fortunes

22 April 2013 0 comments

New Plymouth Albion boss James Shanahan wants to make Brickfields a fortress as he bids to realise the potential of the fallen Championship outfit. Shanahan, […]

Andy Robinson: “I could not face Scotland’s fans after failures”

27 February 2013 1 comment

Andy Robinson has revealed the deep-seated sense of frustration that led to him resigning as head coach of Scotland in November. Robinson starts as director […]

Oxford claim Varsity treble with win over Cambridge

6 December 2012 0 comments

Oxford scored 20 unanswered second half points to claim the 131st Varsity Match with a 26-19 win over Cambridge at Twickenham today. Five days ago, […]

Cattle thrilled to be facing the Haka for the first time

17 November 2012 1 comment

Cornish Pirates scrum-half Gavin Cattle describes his inclusion in the RFU Championship squad to take on the Maori All Blacks at Doncaster this Saturday as […]

Rotherham Titans want Alex Codling after coach Andre Bester walks out

9 November 2012 0 comments

Alex Codling has confirmed his interest in becoming Andre Bester’s full-time replacement at Rotherham Titans. Bester resigned from his post on Thursday after a breakdown […]

‘Brilliant’ Bedford Blues have Newcastle Falcons in their sights

24 October 2012 3 comments

James Pritchard believes Bedford can do the Championship a favour and knock leaders Newcastle off their perch, when the Falcons visit Goldington Road in a […]

Redruth move fast in race abuse row

24 October 2012 2 comments

The RFU have praised Redruth‘s handling of an incident of suspected racial abuse which involved a visiting black player being jeered by a minority of […]

Bedford Blues’ attacking style pays off for Ben Ransom

22 October 2012 0 comments

Ben Ransom says there is no better place to be than Bedford Blues as he awaits his Saracens first-team chance. Full-back Ranson, 20, who has […]

RFU Championship Preview: team by team

31 August 2012 0 comments

Bedford Blues The shortening of the play-off format from a top eight to a top four will assist part-time outfit Bedford Blues’ quest for promotion […]

“We’ll have fun rising to challenge,” says Newcastle’s Dean Richards

30 August 2012 0 comments

Dean Richards will warn his Newcastle troops to expect the unexpected when they finally get their Championship campaign up and running at Bristol on September […]

SSE National Leagues preview

29 August 2012 1 comment

With the National Leagues competitions starting on Saturday, we take a look at how Fylde, Ealing, Caldy and Redruth are preparing. SSE National League One […]

Championship winners must go up says chairman Geoff Irvine

29 August 2012 0 comments

Championship clubs’ chairman Geoff Irvine, right, says their Premiership counterparts need worry about only one thing – to avoid finishing bottom of the table – […]

Falcons have strength in depth to make a quick return says Glen Delaney

24 August 2012 1 comment

With the honourable exception of Bedford’s Mike Rayer, there is no coach with more experience of English rugby‘s second tier than Glenn Delaney who left […]

Age is no worry for new Esher coach Ollie Smith

23 August 2012 1 comment

Having made his Leicester debut a few months after leaving school and toured with the Lions, aged 22, Ollie Smith’s appointment as Esher head coach […]

New funding deal for Championship clubs revealed

22 August 2012 0 comments

As revealed in our The Rugby Paper on August 5th, the RFU has unveiled today a new four-year funding deal for Championship clubs. Each club […]

Final offer from RFU would see Championship clubs receive £4.3m backing

7 August 2012 0 comments

Championship clubs are close to agreeing a funding deal for the next four seasons after receiving what has been described by one insider as a […]

I was fed up facing the same teams all the time says Jersey new boy Richard Haughton

31 July 2012 1 comment

Richard Haughton has revealed how he turned down offers to remain in the Premiership in favour of a move to Championship newcomers Jersey. The 31-year-old […]

New Leeds boss Ian McGeechan keen to embrace Leeds Rhinos

31 July 2012 2 comments

John Bentley has hailed the appointment of Sir Ian McGeechan as being massive for the profile of Leeds Carnegie. Bentley, selected by McGeechan for the […]

Coventry Nathan Jones: “Some Championship players earn no more than minimum-wage”

24 July 2012 0 comments

Coventry‘s new signing Nathan Jones has hit out at Championship clubs’ pay structures, revealing some of his former Nottingham teammates earn no more than minimum […]

Cornish Pirates Aaron Penberthy ready to unleash full range of skills

24 July 2012 1 comment

Cornish Pirates supporters might have thought they had seen Aaron Penberthy’s full range last season, but the 20-year-old fly-half has said they have not seen […]

We’re doing things even better than the Natal Sharks says Bristol head coach Liam Middleton

24 July 2012 0 comments

Bristol head coach Liam Middleton hopes a recent fact-finding mission to South Africa will make the difference as his side targets Championship glory. Middleton spent […]

New Nottingham boss Marting Haag can make the step up says Ian McGeechan

24 July 2012 1 comment

Sir Ian McGeechan has backed Martin Haag to be a big hit in his first head coach role after Nottingham appointed the former England lock […]

Newcastle Falcons revival will be key for Jon Golding’s England call

24 July 2012 2 comments

A Newcastle pack getting the better of their Wasps counterparts at Adams Park sounds a familiar tale but this scene took place two years ago […]

Newcastle Falcons wanted to swoop on Gavin Henson

20 July 2012 0 comments

Newcastle made a bid to sign Gavin Henson before the RFU reversed their decision barring London Welsh from promotion to the English Premiership. Their offer […]

Diccon Edwards ‘got it wrong’ with Leeds’ youth policy says departing Lee Blackett

20 July 2012 0 comments

Lee Blackett has revealed his anger at the way senior players were jettisoned at Leeds by Diccon Edwards’ youth-based policy. The versatile Blackett has crossed […]

New Bristol signing James Grindal gears up for big time again

20 July 2012 1 comment

James Grindal ended a 13-year consecutive run in the top flight when he swapped Leicester for Bristol this summer, but such is the first impression […]

Rugby League legend Keith Senior returns to rugby Union 20 years later

10 July 2012 1 comment

Talk to anyone in either code about legendary Rugby League centre Keith Senior and the soundbites are always the same. “Great player for Leeds Rhinos […]

Dean Richards’s tough love will revive Newcastle Falcons says Simon Keogh

10 July 2012 2 comments

Newcastle players had better get ready to roll up their sleeves on the field – and in training – under Dean Richards, according to members […]

Give our tier-two English coaches a chance says coaching guru Kevin Bowring

3 July 2012 0 comments

The RFU’s Head of Elite Coach Development, Kevin Bowring, wants to see more English-qualified coaches follow Glenn Delaney’s example and make the step up from […]

Nottingham fly-half James Arlidge plans farewell to remember

3 July 2012 0 comments

James Arlidge wants to set alarm bells ringing in opposition defences, as well as airport security. The 32-year-old Nottingham fly-half is refreshed ahead of what […]

Former Lion tourist Andy Titterrell still has what it takes

26 June 2012 0 comments

Former Lion Andy Titterrell insists he hasn’t given up hope on his playing career despite finding himself without a club in pre-season. The 31-year-old captained […]