English Championship

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

Hardwick power has Ealing storming past Coventry

26 November 2023 0 comments

■By PAUL SMITH Ealing Trailfinders……… 31pts Tries: Collins 19, Goodrick-Clark 44, Bird-Tulloch 51, Hardwick 73 Conversions: Willis 19, 44, 51, 73 Penalties: Willis 65 Coventry […]

Scottish go so close but Digby snatches it for Doncaster

26 November 2023 0 comments

■By GUY Doncaster K …..29pts Tries: Conversions: Morris 21, Simpson 60, 72, Digby 79 Olver 21, 60, Bennett 79 Penalties: Olver 30 London Scots . […]

Blues hit 50 again as they overwhelm Cambridge

26 November 2023 0 comments

■By IAN ROBSON Bedford Blues .59pts Bedford Blues .59pts Cambridge ……. 19pts Tries: French 9, 67, 79; King 28, Le Bourgeois 41, Conway 48, Maisey […]

Sweeney’s PGP plan facing big obstacles

19 November 2023 0 comments

By NICK CAIN The Championship’s unanimous rejection of the RFU’s plans to turn it into a ‘Premiership 2’ franchise league is a serious obstacle to […]

Welfare of rugby in England is at stake

19 November 2023 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK The Championship clubs are standing up to be counted by sticking an iron bar through the spokes […]

Cambridge set to make up for tough opening

19 November 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Cambridge have had a difficult start to their first season in the Championship and but director of rugby Richie Williams believes they […]

Williams shines but Ealing take the spoils

19 November 2023 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Nottingham……26pts Tries: Williams 18, 39, 58, 80 Conversions: Bunting 18, 39, Hollingsworth 58 E Trailfinders ..38pts Tries: Willemse 21, Goodrick-Clarke 28, Hardwick […]

Hartpury’s early has Cambridge

19 November 2023 0 comments

By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge ………………… 22pts Tries: Ellwood 32, Veness 41, Caven 62, 70 Conversion: Benson 33 Hartpury University…. 40pts Conversion: Tries: Benson 33 Smith […]

Rigg and Wilson combine to lead Cov in eight-try romp

19 November 2023 0 comments

By PAUL SMITH Coventry ……….. 51pts Tries: Rigg 2, 42; Wand 11, Tyas 23, Martin 53, Wilson 60, Hutler 66, Titherington 80 Conversions: Pellegrini 11, […]

Five-star Ampthill claim first away win

19 November 2023 0 comments

By BEN CONEYBEARE L Scottish ……… 10pts Tries: Trenholm 10, Talbot-Davies 27 Ampthill …………36pts Tries: Jackson-Richards 3, 53; Eliot 34, Pifeleti 64, Chapman 80 Conversions: […]

No problem for Houston as Pirates take control

19 November 2023 0 comments

By MIKE Cornish P ……… 49pts Tries: Bokenham 3, McNab 6, Penalty 18, Schwarz 22, Evans 47, 65; Houston 61 Conversions: Houston 3, 6, 22, […]

Anderson aims to be a starter

19 November 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Harlequins full-back Cameron Anderson believes doing the hard yards in London Scottish’s survival fight last season will help him in his hunt […]

Lack of jeopardy is costing us, says Davies

12 November 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Caldy director of rugby Gareth Davies says the sting has been taken from this season’s Championship due to a lack of jeopardy […]

Hat-trick for Adamson as Blues find rhythm

12 November 2023 0 comments

■By LUKE JARMYN Bedford ………….53pts Tries: Day 21, French 31, Adamson 34, 56, 69; Onojaife 43, Conway 60, 79 Conversions: Grimoldby 32, 35, Maisey 57, […]

Redpath: We could support top two tiers

5 November 2023 0 comments

By NICK POWELL London Scottish director of rugby Bryan Redpath believes that with a fairer funding model across the top two tiers of English rugby, […]

White working hard to put Doncaster on the map

5 November 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Doncaster Knights took an encouraging first step towards new MD Emma White’s goal of making them the talk of the town with […]

Doubles all round as Ealing keep up pressure

5 November 2023 0 comments

By WILLIAM THURTLE Ealing T ………… 64pts Tries: Davidson 4, Smid 14, Montgomery 18, 79, Hardwick 25, 77, Cornish 32, Uzokwe 57, 62, Willemse 65 […]

Knights recover from slow start to serve up a treble

5 November 2023 0 comments

By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster Knights .. 30pts Tries: Edwards 23, Wilson 40, Tait 48, Olver 53 Conversions: Olver 40, 53 Penalties: Olver 15, 34 Nottingham……………..19pts […]

Caldy’s pack make the most of poor weather to tame Scots

5 November 2023 0 comments

By JOHN LYON Caldy ………………29pts Tries: Booth 10, Gallagher 20, Wilkinson 57, Hearn 70 Conversions: Rogers 11, 21 Barker 71 Penalties: Barker 80 London Scots […]

Ampthill take control to keep Cov at arm’s length

5 November 2023 0 comments

By BEN WHITE Ampthill ……….. 34pts Tries: Hartley 31, Elliott 38, Michelow 67, Adejemi 78 Conversions: Parks 32, 39: Vunipola 68, 79 Penalties: Parks 45, […]

Joussain on a mission to speak out at Nottingham

5 November 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Frenchman Come Joussain is relishing the environment at Nottingham and the ethos of encouraging every player to speak their mind, irrespective of […]

Campbell training with Fury

29 October 2023 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Former Glasgow Warriors and Jersey Reds lock Nick Campbell, the current Scottish heavyweight boxing champion, has been in a […]

Caldy aiming to be best of part-timers

29 October 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Having comfortably held their own as newcomers in the Championship last season, Caldy have set high aspirations of finishing as the highest […]

£2m on wages? That’s not us, says Cattle

29 October 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Cornish Pirates’ Gavin Cattle has called it “dangerous” for the Championship after a government minister quoted unsubstantiated figures around player salaries at […]

Coventry show how it should be done…

29 October 2023 0 comments

Paul Smith takes a look at rugby values…and which club in particular is walking the walk while England talk the talk To those for whom […]

Battling Blues cling on to find a way to win

29 October 2023 0 comments

By MIKE SINCLAIR Cornish P ………. 18pts Tries: Nelson 61, Dugmore 79 Conversions: Jenkins 61 Penalties: Jenkins 16, 67 Bedford B ……….20pts Tries: Day 36, […]

Twelvetrees shows his class to put Ealing on top

29 October 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Hartpury Uni ….26pts Tries: Short 32, Austin 61, 74 Conversions: Bazalgette 62 Penalties: Bazalgette 5, 21, 27 Ealing T ………….36pts Tries: Smid […]

Kvesic the star as Coventry take Caldy to the cleaners

29 October 2023 0 comments

By PAUL SMITH Coventry ……………………… 45pts Tries: Hutler 16, 75, Kvesic 40, Smith 43, 80, James 48, Ball 51 Conversions: Mitchell 16, 40, Pellegrini 43, […]

Hat-trick man Dolly leads the charge to floor Cambridge

29 October 2023 0 comments

By STEVEJACKSON Cambridge …….14pts Tries Conversions Caven 47, Collins 80 Benson 48, 80 Doncaster K ….. 61pts Tries: Dolly 3, 21, 43, McBryde 9, Metcalfe […]

Nottingham fight back to snatch the honours

29 October 2023 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Nottingham……41pts Tries: Woodward 8, Graham 29, Bunting 37, Ramage 38, 70, Clayton 76, Joussain 80 Conversions: Bunting 29, 37, 40 Ampthill …………28pts […]

Webber still hurting

29 October 2023 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Former Jersey Reds head coach Rob Webber says the circumstances around the collapse of the Championship champions is still very raw to […]

Woollett gets his chance at Leicester

22 October 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN New Leicester Tigers recruit Ben Woollett is ‘buzzing to play footy’ with Handré Pollard and Freddie Steward and make the most of […]

Premiership Cup a great success, says Matson

22 October 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Harlequins’ Tabai Matson is calling on English rugby’s ‘powers that be’ to recognise how the new format Premiership Cup has been healthy […]

Gutsy Scots make Pirates work hard for victory

22 October 2023 0 comments

By MIKE SINCLAIR Cornish P ………. 21pts Tries: Nelson 29, John 74, Williams 80 Conversions: Jenkins 29, 74, 80 London Scots …. 0pts TWO late […]

Warren wins it late to get Ampthill up and running

22 October 2023 0 comments

By BEN WHITE Ampthill …………28pts Cambridge …….26pts Tries: Harris 9, Strong 44, Chapman 55, Warren 80 Conversions: Parks 10, 45, 56, 80 Tries: Duffin 34, […]

Ealing hit six to run rings around battling Bedford

22 October 2023 0 comments

By CONOR O’HARA Bedford Blues ……………… 21pts Tries: French 4, Curran 33, Grayson 63 Conversions: Maisey 5, 34, 64 Ealing Trailfinders………41pts Tries: Kelleher 18, 30; […]

Nottingham hit back to edge out Caldy in 12-try thriller

22 October 2023 0 comments

By MOSHER SHER Caldy ……………… 31pts Tries: Robinson 7, 61, J Dickinson 51, Barker 53, Gallagher 79 Conversions: Jones 52, Barker 62, Rogers 80 Nottingham….. […]

Doncaster win despite Hartpury’s gritty display

22 October 2023 0 comments

By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster K …..20pts Hartpury Uni …. 18pts Tries: Fox 25, Simpson 44 Conversions: Olver 25, 44 Penalties: Olver 63 Drop goals: Olver […]

Ealing will still be team to beat

15 October 2023 0 comments

With the sudden demise of champions Jersey Reds, the race for the Championship is more open than ever, Ben Jaycock reports Many have suggested that […]

Sweeney backing for a strong second tier

8 October 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bill Sweeney has pledged Twickenham’s support for the Championship but said the level of funding for the second tier, which will be […]

Championship clubs raise RFU concerns

8 October 2023 0 comments

The Championship clubs held an emergency session on Wednesday to discuss the way ahead in the context of both the progress of the Professional Game […]

Banking analysis causes uproar

8 October 2023 0 comments

Santander, the Spanish-owned British banking giants, has caused fury among leading Championship clubs after producing a report to attract investment for stricken Jersey Reds. According […]

Championship clubs look to Cohen to raise profile

8 October 2023 0 comments

Championship clubs have asked former Leicester Tigers chief executive, players agent and legal eagle Simon Cohen to help them maximise their commercial and broadcast rights […]

Dream Team with Alex Dolly

8 October 2023 0 comments

Alex Dolly, the Doncaster Knights and former Fylde, Rotherham, Jersey & Nottingham scrum-half, chooses the best XV he has played with or against… 1. Connor […]

Pellegrini shows the depth of talent

8 October 2023 0 comments

Pat Pellegrini’s beautifully taken chip-and-chase try for Tonga against South Africa in last weekend’s World Cup clash in Marseille was a great showcase not just […]

Saracens go on rampage to cut down Hartpury

8 October 2023 0 comments

By MO SHER Saracens ……….68pts Tries: Segun 16, 32; Hartley 47, Adejimi 51, 58, Davies 54, Knight 61, 78; Stonham 73, Parton 80 Conversions: Lozowski […]

Anderson hits the heights to steer Quins home

8 October 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Nottingham…… 21pts Tries: Valentine 26, Tiueti 38, Stronge 41 Conversions: Hollingsworth 27, 39, 42 Harlequins …… 45pts Tries: Browne 2, White 11, […]

Blues tame the Tigers for first time in over 40 years

8 October 2023 0 comments

By DAVID THOMPSON Bedford ………… 47pts Tries: Litchfield 3, Howard 13, Adamson 47, Worley 49, King 60, Conway 70, French 80 Conversions: Maisey 4, 48, […]