English Championship

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

Wasps better off with URC – Sharp

3 March 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Coventry chairman Jon Sharp is convinced that Wasps’ future, if it has one, lies in the United Rugby Championship, not the RFU […]

Tonkin gets the call to join Ealing

3 March 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE By JON NEWCOMBE Ealing Trailfinders have moved quickly to find a new forwards coach following the news that Cornel van Zyl has […]

Dream Team with Michael Le Bourgeois

3 March 2024 0 comments

The Bedford Blues player-coach and former Wasps and Jersey Reds centre chooses the best XV he has played with or against 1. Joe Marler – […]

Bristol go on the rampage

3 March 2024 0 comments

Bedford Blues….. 33pts Bristol Bears……. 54pts BRISTOL Bears ran in eight tries as they put on show at Goldington Road on Friday night. There were […]

Browne out to give Scottish an extra edge

3 March 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Upon his return from England U20s camp, London Scottish loanee Harry Browne is determined to help his side stop the rot and […]

Houston in control to take Caldy to cleaners

3 March 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Caldy ……………… 14pts Tries: Penalty 50, Sproston 79 Conversions: Barker 80 Cornish P ……….32pts Tries: Stevens 7, Trewin 22, Johnson 29, Georgiou […]

Cornish hits treble top to keep Ealing top of the pile

3 March 2024 0 comments

By EDDIE McATEER Ealing T ………….52pts Tries: Twelvetrees 4, Cornish 29, 38 58; Penalty 44, Alo 53, Kernohan 63, Holmes 70 Nottingham……26pts Conversions: Twelvetrees 5, […]

Smith’s masterclass has Hartpury firing on all cylinders

3 March 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Hartpury………… 61pts Tries: Adderly-Jones 4, R Smith 12, 24, 73, Morgan 19, Hillman-Cooper 35, Austin 42, Short 59, JJ Williams 76 Conversions: […]

Coventry show McGeechan there’s a lot of work to do

3 March 2024 0 comments

By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster…………………….. 12pts Tries: McBryde 66, Greenwood 78 Conversion: Bennett 66 Coventry ……………………….27pts Tries: Ball 38, Penalty 61, Hitchcock 80 Conversions: Pellegrini 38, […]

Mob weather early storm for first win in four months

3 March 2024 0 comments

By BEN WHITE Ampthill …………35pts Tries: Jackson 9, Elliott 25, Adejimi 53, Strong 70, Hallett 80 L Scottish ……… 12pts Tries: Lloyd-Seed 2, Marshall 4 […]

McHenry grabs his lifeline from Dax

3 March 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Alex McHenry scored Jersey’s third try against Exeter in September, yet eight days later was selling nearly all his possessions and left […]

McGeechan named Doncaster director of rugby

29 February 2024 0 comments

Coaching legend Sir Ian McGeechan has taken up the position of consultant director of rugby at Doncaster Knights. The Yorkshire-born ex-Scotland international boasts a CV […]

Boden quits Knights over lack of funding

25 February 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Fatigued by the ongoing uncertainty over funding and the direction of the Championship, Steve Boden has explained that the need to explore […]

Yet again, Ealing prove they have what it takes

25 February 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK Ealing Trailfinders’ narrow defeat by Leicester in the Premiership Cup semi-final last weekend has blown most of […]

Merit on the pitch should be decisive

25 February 2024 0 comments

There has been a long-standing tradition in rugby union that everyone is entitled to their opinion, and when Ealing Trailfinders hosted Leicester last weekend TV […]

Ealing showed they are worthy

25 February 2024 0 comments

Ealing Trailfinders knew it was a big day and they gave it a proper lash. A single point behind Leicester with 90 seconds left on […]

Doncaster keep their mind on the job in hand

25 February 2024 0 comments

■By LUKE JARMYN Nottingham…… 14pts Tries: Graham 7, Sylvester 17 Conversions: Arden 8, 18 Doncaster……… 20pts Tries: Wilson 3, Metcalf 13, Brown 20 Conversions: Bennett […]

Martin leads the way for Coventry to take control

25 February 2024 0 comments

■By PAUL SMITH Coventry ………. 34pts Tries: Wilson 2, Martin 41, 62; Poole 46, Wand 70 Conversions: Pellegrini 41, 46, 70 Penalties: Pellegrini 50 Ampthill […]

Hartpury leave it late to snatch it from Bedford

25 February 2024 0 comments

■By LUKE JARMYN Hartpury……………………….. 41pts Tries: Short 6, 55; Adderly-Jones 11, Morgan 25, Hillman-Cooper 79 Conversions: Bazalgette 7, 12, 26, 56, 80 Penalties: Bazalgette 40+1, […]

Clinical Twelvetrees calls the shots for Ealing

25 February 2024 0 comments

■By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge ……… 7pts E Trailfinders ..57pts Tries: Conversions: Asiedu 2 James 3 Conversions: Twelvetrees 13, 30, 36, 45, 60, 71 Tries: Alo […]

Hearn steps up to pluck draw from the jaws of defeat

25 February 2024 0 comments

■By MO SHER L Scottish ………33pts Tries: Davies 19, Nutton 24, Sheppard 34 Conversions: Lloyd-Seed 20, 25, 35 Penalties: Lloyd-Seed 16, 48, 50, 66 Caldy […]

Dugmore and King star for Pirates

25 February 2024 0 comments

■By PHIL WESTREN C Pirates ……….33 Royal Navy…….. 0 PIRATES ran five tries past the Royal Navy with a number of players making their mark […]

A new spirit of unity is in the air

18 February 2024 0 comments

NICK CAIN For the moment it is jaw-jaw rather than war-war in the Championship’s dispute with the RFU over their right to be part of […]

Long breaks do us no favours – Rayer

18 February 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Bedford Blues have made a promising start to this season’s truncated Championship but director of rugby Mike Rayer says the lengthy breaks […]

University rugby should be part of RFU pathway

18 February 2024 0 comments

Coach to Coach Former Richmond director of rugby Steve Hill puts the questions to John Barnes, below, director of rugby at Hartpury RFC Why did […]

High five as Nottingham put on show at Lady Bay

11 February 2024 0 comments

FRIENDLIES By ROB WILDMAN Nottingham……27pts Tries: Dickinson 8, Graham 47, Shine 65, J Olowofela 70, Green 75 Conversion: Annand 75 Leicester ………… 0pts A TRIUMPHANT […]

Quins get in the mood for Munster challenge

11 February 2024 0 comments

FRIENDLIES By MO SHER L Scottish ………12pts Tries: Nutton 35, Mehson 69 Conversion: Sheppard 70 Harlequins …….22pts Tries: Jibulu 5, 38; Anyanwu 21, Lawday 40 […]

Gallagher delight as Caldy down Cov

11 February 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Coming off the bench to score a hat-trick and spearhead Caldy’s upset victory over title fighting Coventry last weekend was the highlight […]

Poor Caldy discipline lets Blues sneak home

11 February 2024 0 comments

By JOHN LYON Caldy ………………22pts Tries: Ma’asi-White 7, Gallagher 52, JJ Dickinson 80 Conversions: Barker 7, Rogers 80 Penalty: Barker 20 Bedford…………..26pts Tries: Heffernan 24, […]

Dominant Ealing make it look easy

11 February 2024 0 comments

By TOM JOHNSON Ealing Trailfinders.. 40pts Tries: Cornish 4, Holmes 12, Bird-Tulloch 19, Cordy-Redden 35, 53; O’Brien 80 Conversions: Twelvetrees 4, 12, 19, 55; Bird-Tulloch […]

Diamond’s dual role can’t be right

4 February 2024 0 comments

The Twickenham suits are also not averse to turning a blind eye when a conflict-of-interests is involved. Perhaps the RFU’s performance director, Conor O’Shea, can […]

Pirates go clear in second as Ealing heave into view

4 February 2024 0 comments

By PHIL JOSEPH Bedford Blues ……………… 21pts Tries: Day 17, Adamson 49, Lennon 75 Conversions: Maisey 18, 50, 76 Cornish Pirates ……………27pts Tries: Schwarz 25, […]

Doncaster’s 14 men dig in after red to Margetts

4 February 2024 0 comments

By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster K …..29pts Tries: McBryde 10, Davidson 18, Metcalf 20, Bedlow 35 Conversions: Bennett 10, 18, 35 Penalties: Bennett 66 Cambridge ……. […]

Stapley fires late winner for Archers in 12-try thriller

4 February 2024 0 comments

By BEN WHITE Ampthill …………36pts Tries: Harris 5, Adejimi 29, 56; Elliot 35, Strong 63, Skelcey 68 Conversions: Parks 30, 36; Barton 69 Nottingham….. 43pts […]

Trailfinders show grit to weather triple yellow card storm

4 February 2024 0 comments

By TOM JOHNSON Ealing T ………….36pts Tries: Conversions: Collins 2, 31; Cornish 22, 35; Hampson 46 Willis 23, Twelvetrees 32, 36, 47 Penalties: Twelvetrees 80 […]

Super-sub Gallagher drives over for hat-trick

4 February 2024 0 comments

By JOHN LYON Caldy ………………26pts Tries: Wilkinson 23, Gallagher 35, 60, 69 Conversions: Barker 36, 61, 70 Coventry ………..22pts Tries: Nkwocha 5, Poole 18, Anstey […]

Dream Team with Robbie Smith

4 February 2024 0 comments

The Hartpury and former Doncaster Knights centre, chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. Joe Wrafter – Had great times with […]

Rams would be happy to play in RFU’s new Tier 2

28 January 2024 1 comment

By JON NEWCOMBE National One leaders Rams are among the clubs to have submitted an expression of interest to join the new Tier 2 League […]

Kvesic backing Cov to push Ealing all the way

28 January 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Coventry went top of the Championship table last weekend following their dramatic win over London Scottish and star flanker Matt Kvesic is […]

Champ clubs look set for battle

28 January 2024 1 comment

NICK CAIN The Championship clubs appear to be in no mood for turning, typified by their stand-off with an RFU bureaucracy headed by chief executive […]

Ealing go back on top in 12-try showstopper

28 January 2024 0 comments

By RICKY WESTABY Ealing Trailfinders…….. 49pts Tries: Cornish 15, 43, Smid 19, 56, Collins 24, Hardwick 40, Holmes 74 Conversions: Willis 15, 19, 24, 43, […]

Bazalgette celebrates his birthday in fine style

28 January 2024 0 comments

Hartpury……….. 54pts Tries: A Benz-Solomon 8, Morgan 21, 79, Lewis 27, 57, Short 47, Crane 62, Penalty 71 Conversions: Bazalgette 9, 22, 28, 48, 58, […]

Dawson snatches chance to down Coventry

28 January 2024 0 comments

By PAUL SMITH Coventry ……….. 19pts Tries: Rigg 19, Martin 65, Lane 80 Conversions: Pellegrini 19, 80 Cornish P ………. 21pts Tries: Elderkin 26, Stevens […]

Cambridge break their duck with battling show

28 January 2024 0 comments

By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge …….33pts Tries: Merigan 1, Caven 30, Hanks 45, Veness 67, 76 Conversions: James 31, 46, 68, 77 Caldy ……………… 14pts Tries: […]

Adamson redeems himself after Knights error

28 January 2024 0 comments

By BRIAN WILLIAMS Bedford ………….32pts Tries: Worley 8, Le Bourgeois 26, French 31, Adamson 41, Howard 61 Conversions: Grimoldby 27, 62 Penalties: Grimoldby 78 L […]

Goosen puts the boot in to kill Lions

28 January 2024 0 comments

URC By BEN JAYCOCK Bulls ……………… 30 Lions………………28 JOHAN Goosen’s monster penalty from inside his own half sent the Bulls into the URC top four […]

Paver: Championship a great launchpad

21 January 2024 0 comments

By MARK STEVENS Alan Paver insists the Championship still remains the ‘perfect launchpad’ for young players and coaches to reach the very pinnacle of the […]

Smith chases his American dream

21 January 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Wales star Louis Rees-Zammit is not the only rugby player from the English leagues set to try his luck in America. Despite […]

Pack power sees Pirates sail the sea of success

21 January 2024 0 comments

■ By MIKE SINCLAIR CORNISH Pirates capitalised on a dominant pack performance to register seven tries and extend their Championship winning run to three matches. […]

Knights cling on as Blues miss chance to steal game

21 January 2024 0 comments

■By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster K …..26pts Tries: Metcalf 2, Courtney 42, Holden 72 Conversions: Bennett 72 Penalties: Bennett: 15, 40, 60 Bedford Blues .20pts Tries: […]

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