2019–20 RFU Championship

The 2019–20 RFU Championship, known as the 2019–20 Greene King IPA Championship for sponsorship reasons, was the eleventh season of the RFU Championship, the professional second tier of rugby union in England. It featured eleven English teams and one from Jersey. The competition was sponsored by Greene King for the seventh successive season.[1]

2019–20 Greene King IPA Championship
Countries England
 Jersey
Date11 October 2019 - 14 March 2020
ChampionsNewcastle Falcons (3rd title)
Runners-upEaling Trailfinders
RelegatedYorkshire Carnegie
Matches played87
Attendance139,760
(average 1,606 per match)
Highest attendance6,315
Newcastle Falcons v Cornish Pirates
16 February 2020
Lowest attendance300
Yorkshire Carnegie v Ampthill
22 February 2020
Tries scored523
(average 6 per match)
Top point scorer Louis Grimoldby
(Ampthill)
Rory Jennings
(Coventry)
Sam Olver
(Doncaster Knights)
112 points each
Top try scorer George McGuigan
(Newcastle Falcons)
Adam Radwan
(Newcastle Falcons)
10 tries each

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the Rugby Football Union officially cancelled the season on 20 March 2020, after initially postponing all rugby in England including training from 17 March until 14 April 2020.[2][3] As a result, Newcastle Falcons were declared champions for the season, and promoted to the Premiership on 2 April 2020 on the basis of a best playing record formula, having been undefeated and top of the table when the league was suspended, while Yorkshire Carnegie were relegated to National League 1 at the bottom.[4][5]

Structure

The team that finishes first will be promoted to Premiership Rugby providing their ground meets the RFU Minimum Standards Criteria. The team that finishes last will be relegated to National League 1. Each club will receive £530,000 in funding from the RFU in the last year of a deal with the RFU.[6]

Plans to expand Premiership Rugby from 12 to 13 teams for the 2019-20 season, which would have reprieved Newcastle Falcons from being relegated to the Championship, were blocked by the RFU.[7] Plans to abolish promotion and relegation were under discussion prior to the season,[7] and drew complaints and threats of legal action from the Cornish Pirates.[8] There are also plans for the RFU Championship to have a delayed start until October due to the 2019 Rugby World Cup.[9]

The season began on 20 September 2019 with the Championship Rugby Cup after which the first round of matches started on 11 October 2019 and the final round of matches were scheduled to be played on 9 May 2020.

Teams

Richmond were relegated to National League 1 after finishing bottom of the 2018-19 RFU Championship.[10] They are replaced by Ampthill who were promoted from 2018-19 National League 1 in their fifth promotion in twelve years, playing in the Championship for the first time.[11][12] London Irish were promoted back to Premiership Rugby at the first attempt.[6] They are replaced in the RFU Championship by Newcastle Falcons who were relegated after finishing last in 2018-19 Premiership Rugby.[13]

Tables

Fixtures & Results

Round 1

12 October 2019
14:30
Hartpury 8 – 20 Doncaster Knights
Report
Gillman's Ground
Attendance: 935
Referee: Greg MacDonald
12 October 2019
15:00
Ampthill 20 – 44 Nottingham (1 BP)
Report
Dillingham Park
Attendance: 762
Referee: George Selwood
12 October 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Jersey Reds 22 – 15 Coventry (1 BP)
Report
Stade Santander International
Attendance: 1,135
Referee: Mathew Turvey
12 October 2019
15:00
(1 BP) London Scottish 13 – 17 Newcastle Falcons
Report
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 1,014
Referee: Jack Makepeace
13 October 2019
14:30
(1 BP) Cornish Pirates 30 – 10 Ealing Trailfinders
Report
Mennaye Field
Attendance: 1,772
Referee: Adam Leal
13 October 2019
15:00
Yorkshire Carnegie 14 – 34 Bedford Blues (1 BP)
Report
Emerald Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 750
Referee: Hamish Smales

[15]


Round 2

18 October 2019
19:45
Nottingham 17 – 14 London Scottish (1 BP)
Report
Lady Bay Sports Ground
Attendance: 854
Referee: Greg MacDonald
18 October 2019
20:00
(1 BP) Newcastle Falcons 45 – 7 Hartpury
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 4,206
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
19 October 2019
14:00
(1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 52 – 38 Jersey Reds (1 BP)
Report
Trailfinders Sports Ground
Attendance: 750
Referee: Sara Cox
19 October 2019
14:30
Doncaster Knights 25 – 47 Cornish Pirates (1 BP)
Report
Castle Park
Attendance: 1,089
Referee: Fergus Kirby
19 October 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Ampthill 53 – 22 Yorkshire Carnegie
Report
Dillingham Park
Attendance: 640
Referee: Michael Hudson
19 October 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Coventry 26 – 19 Bedford Blues (1 BP)
Report
Butts Park Arena
Attendance: 2,128
Referee: Neil Chivers

[16]


Round 3

25 October 2019
19:45
Bedford Blues 5 – 18 Ealing Trailfinders
Report
Goldington Road
Attendance: 2,162
Referee: Greg Macdonald
25 October 2019
19:45
Hartpury 12 – 6 Nottingham (1 BP)
Report
Gillman's Ground
Attendance: 1,146
Referee: Simon Harding
25 October 2019
19:45
(1 BP) Jersey Reds 27 – 0 Doncaster Knights
Report
Stade Santander International
Attendance: 1,223
Referee: Neil Chivers
26 October 2019
15:00
London Scottish 6 – 6 Ampthill
Report
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 788
Referee: Karl Dickson
27 October 2019
14:30
Cornish Pirates 9 – 18 Newcastle Falcons
Report
Mennaye Field
Attendance: 2,975
Referee: Matt Turvey
27 October 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Yorkshire Carnegie 26 – 66 Coventry (1 BP)
Report
Emerald Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 600
Referee: Andrew Jackson

[17]


Round 4

1 November 2019
19:45
(1 BP) London Scottish 30 – 10 Yorkshire Carnegie
Report
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 622
Referee: Neil Chivers
1 November 2019
19:45
Nottingham 14 – 23 Cornish Pirates
Report
Lady Bay Sports Ground
Attendance: 1,023
Referee: Greg Macdonald
2 November 2019
13:00
(1 BP) Newcastle Falcons 42 – 19 Jersey Reds
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 3,795
Referee: Karl Dickson
2 November 2019
14:15
Ampthill 19 – 13 Hartpury (1 BP)
Report
Dillingham Park
Attendance: 701
Referee: Matthew Turvey
2 November 2019
14:30
Doncaster Knights 22 – 18 Bedford Blues (1 BP)
Report
Castle Park
Attendance: 781
Referee: Andrew Jackson
2 November 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 28 – 28 Coventry (1 BP)
Report
Trailfinders Sports Ground
Attendance: 625
Referee: Matthew Carley

[18]


Round 5

8 November 2019
19:45
(1 BP) Hartpury 44 – 17 London Scottish
Report
Gillman's Ground
Attendance: 785
Referee: Hamish Smales
9 November 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Bedford Blues 6 – 11 Newcastle Falcons
Report
Goldington Road
Attendance: 2,772
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
9 November 2019
15:00
Coventry 18 – 6 Doncaster Knights
Report
Butts Park Arena
Attendance: 2,386
Referee: Michael Hudson
9 November 2019
15:00
Jersey Reds 19 – 10 Nottingham
Stade Santander International
Attendance: 848
Referee: George Selwood
10 November 2019
14:30
(1 BP) Cornish Pirates 40 – 11 Ampthill
Report
Mennaye Field
Attendance: 1,664
Referee: Dean Richards
10 November 2019
15:00
Yorkshire Carnegie 13 – 66 Ealing Trailfinders (1 BP)
Report
Emerald Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 500
Referee: Jack Makepeace

[19]


Round 6

15 November 2019
19:45
London Scottish 25 – 24 Cornish Pirates (1 BP)
Report
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 1,136
Referee: Matt Turvey
16 November 2019
14:15
(1 BP) Ampthill 38 – 47 Jersey Reds (1 BP)
Report
Dillingham Park
Attendance: 790
Referee: Luke Pearce
16 November 2019
14:30
(1 BP) Hartpury 45 – 12 Yorkshire Carnegie
Report
Gillman's Ground
Attendance: 878
Referee: Luke Pearce
16 November 2019
14:30
Doncaster Knights 9 – 24 Ealing Trailfinders
Report
Castle Park
Attendance: 988
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth
17 November 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Newcastle Falcons 47 – 7 Coventry
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 4,909
Referee: Fergus Kirby
17 November 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Nottingham 29 – 14 Bedford Blues
Report
Lady Bay Sports Ground
Attendance: 1,055
Referee: Michael Hudson

[20]


Round 7

21 December 2019
14:00
(1 BP) Jersey Reds 10 – 13 London Scottish
Report
Stade Santander International
Attendance: 1,002
Referee: Fergus Kirby
21 December 2019
15:00
Ealing Trailfinders 14 – 26 Newcastle Falcons (1 BP)
Report
Trailfinders Sports Ground
Attendance: 1,950
Referee: Adam Leal
21 December 2019
17:30
Coventry 25 – 11 Nottingham
Report
Butts Park Arena
Attendance: 3,117
Referee: Hamish Smales
22 December 2019
14:30
Cornish Pirates 6 – 0 Hartpury (1 BP)
Report
Mennaye Field
Attendance: 1,928
Referee: Dean Richards
22 December 2019
15:00
Yorkshire Carnegie 19 – 40 Doncaster Knights (1 BP)
26 December 2019
15:00
Bedford Blues 10 – 23 Ampthill
Report
Goldington Road
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe

[21]


Round 8

10 January 2020
19:45
(1 BP) London Scottish 17 – 24 Bedford Blues
Report
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 906
Referee: Simon Harding
10 January 2020
19:45
Nottingham 10 – 18 Ealing Trailfinders
Report
Lady Bay Sports Ground
Attendance: 850
Referee: Alex Thomas
10 January 2020
20:00
(1 BP) Newcastle Falcons 34 – 10 Doncaster Knights
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 4,820
Referee: Hamish Smales
11 January 2020
13:30
(1 BP) Hartpury 9 – 10 Jersey Reds
Report
Gillman's Ground
Attendance: 943
Referee: George Selwood
11 January 2020
14:15
Ampthill 19 – 17 Coventry (1 BP)
Report
Dillingham Park
Attendance: 1,016
Referee: Dean Richards
12 January 2020
14:30
(1 BP) Cornish Pirates 52 – 0 Yorkshire Carnegie
Report
Mennaye Field
Attendance: 1,572
Referee: Fergus Kirby

[22]


Round 9

18 January 2020
14:00
Jersey Reds 10 – 23 Cornish Pirates
Report
Stade Santander International
Attendance: 1,501
Referee: Adam Leal
18 January 2020
14:30
Doncaster Knights 16 – 15 Nottingham (1 BP)
Report
Castle Park
Attendance: 1,203
Referee: Dean Richards
18 January 2020
15:00
Bedford Blues 28 – 23 Hartpury (1 BP)
Report
Goldington Road
Attendance: 2,474
Referee: Wayne Barnes
18 January 2020
15:00
(1 BP) Coventry 36 – 30 London Scottish (2 BP)
Report
Butts Park Arena
Attendance: 2,545
Referee: Greg MacDonald
18 January 2020
15:00
(1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 77 – 26 Ampthill (1 BP)
Report
Trailfinders Sports Ground
Attendance: 680
Referee: Neil Chivers
19 January 2020
15:00
Yorkshire Carnegie 10 – 36 Newcastle Falcons (1 BP)
Report
Emerald Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 2,121
Referee: Joe James

[23]


Round 10

24 January 2020
19:45
(1 BP) Jersey Reds 56 – 17 Yorkshire Carnegie
Report
Stade Santander International
Attendance: 1,312
Referee: Simon Harding
24 January 2020
19:45
(1 BP) London Scottish 26 – 42 Ealing Trailfinders (1 BP)
Report
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 918
Referee: Fergus Kirby
24 January 2020
19:45
(1 BP) Nottingham 12 – 19 Newcastle Falcons
Report
Lady Bay Sports Ground
Attendance: 2,092
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth
25 January 2020
14:15
(1 BP) Ampthill 30 – 26 Doncaster Knights (2 BP)
Report
Dillingham Park
Attendance: 980
Referee: Greg McDonald
25 January 2020
14:30
Hartpury 23 – 20 Coventry (1 BP)
Report
Gillman's Ground
Attendance: 920
Referee: Sara Cox
26 January 2020
14:30
Cornish Pirates 18 – 15 Bedford Blues (1 BP)
Report
Mennaye Field
Attendance: 1,635
Referee: Christophe Ridley

[24]


Round 11

31 January 2020
19:45
Yorkshire Carnegie 10 – 62 Nottingham (1 BP)
Report
Emerald Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 882[lower-alpha 2]
Referee: Andrew Jackson
1 February 2020
14:30
Doncaster Knights 15 – 13 London Scottish (1 BP)
Report
Castle Park
Attendance: 1,075
Referee: Jack Makepeace
1 February 2020
15:00
(1 BP) Bedford Blues 27 – 25 Jersey Reds (1 BP)
Report
Goldington Road
Attendance: 2,132
Referee: Hamish Smales
1 February 2020
15:00
Coventry 28 – 23 Cornish Pirates (1 BP)
Report
Butts Park Arena
Attendance: 2,786
Referee: Neil Chivers
1 February 2020
15:00
(1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 59 – 5 Hartpury
Report
Trailfinders Sports Ground
Attendance: 630
Referee: Hamish Grant
2 February 2020
13:00
(1 BP) Newcastle Falcons 45 – 29 Ampthill (1 BP)
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 4,906
Referee: George Selwood

[25]


Round 12

7 February 2020
19:45
Bedford Blues 19 – 15 Coventry (1 BP)
Report
Goldington Road
Attendance: 2,612
Referee: Karl Dickson
7 February 2020
19:45
London Scottish 17 – 30 Nottingham
Report
Athletic Ground
Attendance: 640
Referee: Adam Leal
8 February 2020
14:00
(1 BP) Jersey Reds 24 – 28 Ealing Trailfinders
Report
Stade Santander International
Attendance: 1,016
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
8 February 2020
14:30
Hartpury 5 – 26 Newcastle Falcons (1 BP)
Report
Gillman's Ground
Attendance: 1,473
Referee: Fergus Kirby
9 February 2020
14:30
(1 BP) Cornish Pirates 27 – 10 Doncaster Knights
Report
Mennaye Field
Attendance: 1,285
Referee: Alexander Thomas
  • Game postponed due to bad weather (storm). Game to be rescheduled to 22 February 2020.[26][27]

[28]


Round 13

14 February 2020
19:45
(1 BP) Nottingham 33 – 26 Hartpury (2 BP)
Report
Lady Bay Sports Ground
Attendance: 865
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth
15 February 2020
14:15
Ampthill 13 – 5 London Scottish
Report
Dillingham Park
Attendance: 467
Referee: Jack Makepeace
15 February 2020
14:30
Doncaster Knights 38 – 10 Jersey Reds
Report
Castle Park
Attendance: 1,048
Referee: Sara Cox
15 February 2020
15:00
(1 BP) Coventry 55 – 3 Yorkshire Carnegie
Butts Park Arena
Attendance: 1,932
Referee: Joe James
15 February 2020
15:00
(1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 38 – 5 Bedford Blues
Report
Trailfinders Sports Ground
Attendance: 780[lower-alpha 3]
Referee: Andrew Jackson
16 February 2020
15:00
(1 BP) Newcastle Falcons 40 – 7 Cornish Pirates
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 6,315
Referee: Adam Leal

[29]


Round 12 (rescheduled game)

22 February 2020
14:00
Yorkshire Carnegie 10 – 52 Ampthill (1 BP)
Report
Emerald Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 300
Referee: Alex Thomas
  • Game rescheduled from 9 February 2020.

[30]


Round 14

28 February 2020
19:45
Coventry 8 – 17 Ealing Trailfinders
Report
Butts Park Arena
Attendance: 2,231
Referee: George Selwood
28 February 2020
19:45
Hartpury 5 – 16 Ampthill
Report
Gillman's Ground
Attendance: 578
Referee: Dean Richards
29 February 2020
15:00
(1 BP) Bedford Blues 29 – 5 Doncaster Knights
Report
Goldington Road
Attendance: 2,324
Referee: Simon Harding
29 February 2020
15:00
Jersey Reds 3 – 38 Newcastle Falcons (1 BP)
Report
Stade Santander International
Attendance: 1,892
Referee: Karl Dickson
1 March 2020
14:30
Cornish Pirates 21 – 15 Nottingham (1 BP)
Report
Mennaye Field
Attendance: 1,541
Referee: Sara Cox
1 March 2020
15:00
(1 BP) Yorkshire Carnegie 26 – 73 London Scottish (1 BP)
Report
Emerald Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 306
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe

[31]


Round 15

13 March 2020
20:00
(1 BP) Newcastle Falcons 41 – 0 Bedford Blues
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 3,999
Referee: Andrew Jackson
14 March 2020
14:15
Ampthill 13 – 30 Cornish Pirates (1 BP)
Report
Dillingham Park
Attendance: 1,208
Referee: Simon Harding
14 March 2020
14:30
Doncaster Knights 26 – 35 Coventry (1 BP)
Report
Castle Park
Attendance: 1,115
Referee: Mike Hudson
14 March 2020
14:30
Nottingham P – P Jersey Reds
Lady Bay Sports Ground
14 March 2020
15:00
Hartpury P – P London Scottish
Gillman's Ground

[32]

Attendances

Club Home
Games
Total Average Highest Lowest % Capacity
Ampthill86,5648211,20846727%
Bedford Blues719,4762,7825,0002,13256%
Cornish Pirates814,3721,7972,9751,28545%
Coventry717,1252,4463,1171,93261%
Doncaster Knights77,2991,0431,20378121%
Ealing Trailfinders65,4159031,95062523%
Hartpury87,6589571,47357848%
Jersey Reds89,9291,2411,89284831%
London Scottish76,0248611,13662219%
Newcastle Falcons732,9504,7076,3153,79546%
Nottingham66,7391,1232,09285032%
Yorkshire Carnegie86,2097762,1213004%

Individual statistics

  • Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals. Appearance figures also include coming on as substitutes (unused substitutes not included).

Season records

Notes

  1. Goldington Road's capacity down from 6,000 to 5,000.
  2. Yorkshire Carnegie's attendance v Nottingham on 31 January 2020 was incorrectly given as 826 in The Rugby Paper, with the official figure provided by Yorkshire Carnegie instead being 882.
  3. Ealing Trailfinders attendance v Bedford Blues on 15 February 2020 was incorrectly given as 680 in The Rugby Paper, with the official figure provided by Ealing instead being 780.

References

  1. "Greene King IPA extends RFU partnership". SportsPro Media. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  2. "Greene King IPA Championship games postponed". Green King Championship. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  3. "RFU". www.championshiprugby.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  4. "RFU confirms league positions". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  5. Newcastle Falcons' promotion to Premiership confirmed by RFU, from BBC Sport.
  6. Kitson, Robert. "'The RFU Championship has become the wild west of professional rugby'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  7. "RFU warned of 'internal revolt' over plans to increase Premiership to 13 clubs and end relegation". Daily Telegraph. 2019-05-14. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  8. Daniel Schofield (2019-01-07). "Exclusive: Cornish Pirates vow to fight 'tooth and nail' against Premiership clubs' plans to scrap promotion and relegation". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  9. "Premiership 'P Shares' system is cartel, says Doncaster Knights chief Tony De Mulder". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  10. "London Irish's top-flight return highlights gulf between rugby's rich and poor". The Guardian. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  11. Anthony Woolford (2019-04-29). "Welsh rugby's winners and losers amid high drama and one town's humiliation". Wales Online. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  12. "Ampthill hope to continue 'inspiring' rise up rugby pyramid". BBC Sport. 2019-04-26. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  13. Harrison, Paul (2019-05-04). "Premiership: Newcastle Falcons relegated from Premiership with 28-19 defeat at Gloucester". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  14. FINAL LEAGUE STANDINGS 2019/20
  15. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (578). Rugby Paper Ltd. 13 October 2019. pp. 28–29 & 38.
  16. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (579). Rugby Paper Ltd. 20 October 2019. pp. 28–29 & 38.
  17. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (580). Rugby Paper Ltd. 27 October 2019. pp. 28–29 & 38.
  18. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (581). Rugby Paper Ltd. 3 November 2019. pp. 34–35 & 42.
  19. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (582). Rugby Paper Ltd. 10 November 2019. pp. 28–29 & 38.
  20. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (583). Rugby Paper Ltd. 17 November 2019. pp. 28–29 & 38.
  21. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (588). Rugby Paper Ltd. 22 December 2019. pp. 26–27 & 38.
  22. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (591). Rugby Paper Ltd. 12 January 2020. pp. 26–27 & 38.
  23. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (592). Rugby Paper Ltd. 19 January 2020. pp. 26–27 & 38.
  24. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (593). Rugby Paper Ltd. 26 January 2020. pp. 16–17 & 39.
  25. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (594). Rugby Paper Ltd. 2 February 2020. pp. 26–27 & 38.
  26. "Yorkshire Carnegie v Ampthill game postponed". Yorkshire Carnegie. 9 February 2020.
  27. "Fixture Rescheduled – Yorkshire Carnegie v 1st XV". Ampthill RUFC. 11 February 2020.
  28. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (595). Rugby Paper Ltd. 9 February 2020. pp. 22–23 & 32.
  29. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (596). Rugby Paper Ltd. 16 February 2020. pp. 28–29 & 36.
  30. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (597). Rugby Paper Ltd. 23 February 2020. pp. 31 & 39.
  31. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (598). Rugby Paper Ltd. 1 March 2020. pp. 28–29 & 38.
  32. "RFU Championship". The RUGBYPaper (600). Rugby Paper Ltd. 15 March 2020. pp. 16–17 & 27.
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