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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Twelvetrees keen to get Ealing firing

6 August 2023 0 comments

Ben Jaycock talks to the former England star as he prepares to help his new club fight to regain the title from Jersey Reds Title […]

Bercis buzzing for a shot at big boys

6 August 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Joe Bercis is set to become the all-time appearance holder for Ampthill this season and aims to put a torrid time with […]

Cov sign up new talent to fill academy void

4 August 2023 0 comments

Coventry Rugby have stepped in to prevent the career hopes of aspiring teenage rugby players in the West Midlands being dashed by the collapse of […]

Cambridge confident they can match Caldy

23 July 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Championship newcomers Cambridge are using Caldy’s performance last season as inspiration ahead of their debut campaign in tier two. Cambridge stole the […]

Series 2 Episode 26: Championship future, U20 World Cup and building up to the main event

5 July 2023 0 comments

On this week’s edition of the podcast, Brendan and Chris assess Simon Halliday’s comments on the future of the English second tier, which featured on […]

Halliday’s collective ultimatum

2 July 2023 0 comments

By NICK CAIN New Championship chairman Simon Halliday says the survival of many of the clubs in the second-tier professional league depends on the RFU/Premiership […]

Reds to kick off their defence against Cov

2 July 2023 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Champions Jersey Reds will begin the defence of their Championship crown against third-placed Coventry when league action starts on October 22. The […]

Ealing add Collins to list of star recruits

25 June 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE EXCLUSIVE Big-spending Ealing Trailfinders have come to the rescue of Tom Collins who had been left high and dry by the collapse […]

Charalambous on Scottish mission

25 June 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK After aiding the club’s survival bid last term, London Scottish new signing Rhys Charalambous is hoping to use the final three games […]

Champ clubs refuse to delay new deal

18 June 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Furious Championship clubs have voted against proposals to push back the new Professional Game Agreement (PGA) by another year, to 2025-26. Earlier […]

Woollett keen to see repeat performance

18 June 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Australian Ben Woollett got a reputation as the joker in Jersey Reds ranks, playing practical jokes and winding up teammates, but there’s […]

Sirker’s glad he’s moved Down Under

18 June 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Callum Sirker feels Championship players are a victim of Premiership clubs’ financial mismanagement, so decided midway through last season to leave Cornish […]

Ealing confirm deal with Williams

18 June 2023 0 comments

Ealing Trailfinders have confirmed their signing of Wales scrumhalf Lloyd Williams from Cardiff. The 33-year-old ends a 13-year career at Cardiff Arms Park which has […]

Tyro Warrior Tait signs for Knights

11 June 2023 0 comments

Doncaster have signed former Scotland U20s captain Rhys Tait, 20, from Glasgow Warriors, having featured on loan for the Knights at the tail end of […]

Ealing look to pick up Caulfield

4 June 2023 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE – NEIL FISSLER Ealing Trailfinders are still looking to strengthen their squad for next season despite finding their path to the Premiership […]

Hill leaves Richmond after 13 years as DoR

28 May 2023 0 comments

Steve Hill has left Richmond after 13 years as director of rugby. The Richmond board have decided to make the DoR position redundant following their […]

Kvesic: I want to get my teeth stuck into Cov

28 May 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Matt Kvesic gets constant reminders of what went wrong at Worcester but rather than looking back on events gone by, the 31-year-old […]

Doughty and Fox are on the Doncaster radar

28 May 2023 0 comments

EXCLUSIVE By JON NEWCOMBE Doncaster are thought to be well down the line in their player recruitment for next season with a number of exciting […]

Cambriani ready for his next shot in the pro ranks

28 May 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Zebre-bound winger Ben Cambriani is relishing the opportunity to return to professional full-time rugby and face his former side Ospreys next season […]

Saracen Obinna Nkwocha Signs for Coventry

25 May 2023 0 comments

Second row Obinna Nkwocha will join Coventry Rugby from Premiership finalists Saracens ahead of the 2023/24 season. The 20-year-old Saracens Academy product appeared in the […]

Coventry bolster squad with Kvesic signing

22 May 2023 0 comments

Coventry Rugby have confirmed the signing of highly-experienced former England forward Matt Kvesic. The 31-year-old back-rower joins from Italian side Zebre Parma, where he finished […]

Ealing and Jersey unite in criticism of cup coverage

21 May 2023 1 comment

By LUKE JARMYN Players and coaches from both Ealing and Jersey have criticised the RFU for the lack of coverage of the Championship Cup final. […]

Reds should have had a shot at the Prem – Allen

21 May 2023 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Double-winning coach Anthony Allen admits he feels for Jersey after his Cambridge side were allowed to go up and the Reds were […]

Teen Ogden hails impact of veteran star Chudley

21 May 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Tyro Coventry scrumhalf Fin Ogden has been taken under the wing of Premiership veteran Will Chudley this season. The 19-year-old livewire has […]

Morgan: Move away from culture of debt

14 May 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Jersey Reds chairman Mark Morgan has called for a complete refocus so rugby can move away from a culture of debt and […]

Second tier clubs are ready to play tough

14 May 2023 1 comment

The Championship clubs have taken a long time to become a coherent collective voice for change – with promotion and relegation at its core – […]

Now it’s Ealing’s turn to celebrate

14 May 2023 0 comments

By XANDER CHEVALLIER For the second year in the row, Ealing Trailfinders were crowned Championship Cup winners after a thrilling victory over Jersey at Trailfinders […]

Worcester loan deal means Wasps can play at Sixways next season

7 May 2023 1 comment

Wasps owner Chris Holland has made a loan to new Worcester owners Atlas to help secure a lease to play Championship rugby at Sixways from […]

Champions Reds keep the double dream alive

7 May 2023 0 comments

By MIKE SINCLAIR C Pirates ………. 24pts Tries: Crane 10, Relton 40, Parata 54, Schwarz 79 Cons: Robson 40, 54 Jersey ……………35pts Tries: Brown 2, […]

Ealing on fire to set up Jersey ‘cracker’

7 May 2023 0 comments

By XANDER CHEVALLIER Ealing……………………32pts Tries: Bird-Tulloch 8, 33, Holmes 29, 71 Conversions: Daniels 8, 29, 33 Penalties: Daniels 25, 38 Doncaster……………….0pts Try doubles for Reuben […]

Power and pace led by Chudley

7 May 2023 0 comments

Now that the Championship season has run its course, Ben Jaycock canvassed the views of our reporters to compile The Rugby Paper’s 2022-23 Team of […]

RFU should capitalise on success of Reds – Biljon

7 May 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Harvey Biljon fears the RFU’s strict policy on promotion may come back to haunt them as he believes they’ve missed an opportunity […]

Reynolds: Don’t prop up failures like Wasps

30 April 2023 1 comment

By PAUL REES Wasps’ presence in the Championship next season after going bust with debts of more than £100m will send out the wrong signal […]

Barnes welcomes Champ clubs in Prem Cup

30 April 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK The Premiership Cup will involve Championship teams next season and Hartpury director of rugby John Barnes believes it’s a great move for […]

Jersey cut out cake and find extra edge

30 April 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Swapping ‘Bake Off ’ for Dojang on a Thursday is one of many things Jersey have done to notch up performances and […]

Versatile prop gets hand from Genge & Sinckler

30 April 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Bristol’s Rhys Charalambous believes spending time with Ellis Genge and Kyle Sinckler this season is helping to drive his development. The prop, […]

Let’s hope this new-look Cup has meaning

30 April 2023 0 comments

So the Premiership Cup is to remuster in yet another guise this autumn as a joint competition with the Championship sides which I would greet […]

Coventry in control with Chudley at the helm

30 April 2023 0 comments

By LUKE MARSH Bedford …………. 19pts Tries: Lane 32, 45; Adamson 56 Conversions: Maisey 33, 57 Coventry ………. 43pts Tries: Ma’asi 9, Chudley 29, Peters […]

Richmond keep the faith but Pirates take the points

30 April 2023 0 comments

By TIM FORRESTER Richmond ……..29pts Tries: Conversions: Vajner 9, Lennon 34, Patel 54, Stafford 57, Post 74 Burrage 35, 55 C Pirates ……… 34pts Tries: […]

Champion finish for Red island in the sun

30 April 2023 0 comments

By TOM INNES Jersey …………………………. 43pts Tries: Clarke 9, Lewis 14, Brown 24, H Owen 39, B Owen 47, Hadfield 65, Nicol 70 Conversions: Bennett […]

Scottish complete their great escape

30 April 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Nottingham…… 19pts Tries: Valentine 24, Pohe 39, J Olowofela 54 Conversions: Hollingsworth 40, Bunting 55 L Scottish ………20pts Tries: Anderson 13, Anyanwu […]

Morgan hits form to keep Hartpury on right track

30 April 2023 0 comments

By ANDY FLEMING Hartpury………..35pts Tries: Morgan 17, Tarling 37, Morgan 42, 72; Reeves 47 Conversions: Barton 18, 38, 43, 48, 73 Caldy …………….. 13pts Tries: […]

No title but Ealing back in winners’ enclosure

30 April 2023 0 comments

By GUY WILLIAMS Doncaster………14pts Tries: R Smith 20, Simpson 29 Conversions: McBryde: 20, 29 Ealing……………..35pts Tries: De Wee 35, 46; Daniels 14, Bird-Tulloch 54, Davis […]

Bedford centre aiming for Wasps revenge

30 April 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Michael Le Bourgeois has enjoyed regular game time at Bedford after being cut by Wasps and is looking forward to locking horns […]

Premiership-Championship Cup confirmed

24 April 2023 0 comments

The addition of Championship teams to the Premiership Rugby Cup, first reported in The Rugby Paper on 9th April, has been confirmed by Premiership Rugby, […]

Williams: Give more to the Championship

23 April 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Bristol centre James Williams believes the Championship is overlooked by Premiership clubs and deserves more funding from the RFU. Williams topped the […]

Exiles take control in battle for survival

23 April 2023 0 comments

By MO SHER L Scottish …….. 49pts Tries: King 18, 27; Wallis 22, Mehson 37, Cleaves 62, Anderson 76, Charalambous 78 Conversions: Chamberlain 23, 63, […]

French fires hat-trick to gets Blues over the line

23 April 2023 0 comments

By LUKE MARSH Ampthill ………..27pts Tries: Gallagher 4, Finlay 9, Sproston 46, Bacon 58 Conversions: Hardwick 10, 59 Penalties: Hardwick 29 Bedford …………33pts Tries: French […]

Reds take the spoils in clash of the titans

23 April 2023 0 comments

By TOM INNES Jersey ………………………….. 19pts Tries: McHenry 15, Grahamslaw 29, Brown 65 Conversions: Bennett 15, 65 Ealing……………………………. 13pts Try: Farrar 22 Conversion: Shingler 22 […]

Five-star Knights put Caldy to the sword

23 April 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Caldy ……………….. 7pts Tries: Sanders 33 Conversions: Gourlay 34 Doncaster………38pts Tries: Margetts 2, Holden 42, Roberts 56, Edwards 75, Smith 80 Conversions: Dolly […]

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