2023–24 RFU Championship explained
2023–24 RFU Championship |
Date: | 20 October 2023 — 25 May 2024 |
Champions: | Ealing Trailfinders (2nd title) |
Matches: | 110 |
Highest Attendance: | 5,047 — Coventry v Nottingham, 26 December 2023 |
Lowest Attendance: | 481 – London Scottish v Doncaster Knights, 9 March 2024 |
Top Point Scorer: | 184 – Patrick Pellegrini, Coventry |
Top Try Scorer: | 16 – Matt Cornish, Ealing Trailfinders |
Prevseason: | 2022–23 |
Nextseason: | 2024–25 |
The 2023–24 RFU Championship is the fifteen season of the RFU Championship, the professional second tier of rugby union in England. It features eleven English teams, with the 12th team, and reigning champions, Jersey Reds, withdrawing from the competition at the start of the season after going into liquidation.[1]
Ealing Trailfinders were crowned champions on 11 May 2024 with a game still to play, despite losing away to Doncaster Knights, thanks to Cornish Pirates defeating Coventry on the same day.[2] It would be Ealing's second Championship title in three years, but once again they would be denied promotion to the Premiership due to the minimum standard criteria.[3] No teams would be relegated this season due to Jersey's liquidation.
Structure
The eleven teams will play each of the other teams twice.
The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:
- 4 points are awarded for a win
- 2 points are awarded for a draw
- 0 points are awarded for a loss, however
- 1 losing (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
- 1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.
Promotion and relegation
Subject to meeting the minimum standards criteria the team finishing top of the league will qualify for a promotion playoff against the bottom side in Premiership Rugby. Due to Jersey Reds dropping out of the league, and there being only eleven teams, there will be no relegation to National League 1, although the champions of National League will be promoted to become the twelfth team for the 2024–25 season.
Teams
Ten of the eleven teams played in last season's competition. Cambridge were promoted into the division as the champions of 2022–23 National League 1, replacing bottom placed Richmond who dropped down to the 2023–24 National League 1.[4]
Club | Stadium | Capacity | Area | Previous season |
---|
Ampthill | Dillingham Park | 3,000 | Ampthill, Bedfordshire | 8th |
Bedford Blues | Goldington Road | 5,000 (1,700 seats) | Bedford, Bedfordshire | 4th |
| | 4,000 | Thurstaston, Wirral, Merseyside | 10th |
| Grantchester Road | 2,200 (200 seats) | Cambridge, Cambridgeshire | Promoted from National League 1 |
Cornish Pirates | Mennaye Field | 4,000 (2,200 seats) | Penzance, Cornwall | 5th |
Coventry | Butts Park Arena | 5,200 (3,000 seats) | Coventry, West Midlands | 3rd |
Doncaster Knights | Castle Park | 5,183[5] (1,926 seats) | Doncaster, South Yorkshire | 6th |
Ealing Trailfinders | Trailfinders Sports Ground | 5,000 (2,115 seats) | West Ealing, London | 2nd |
Hartpury University | ALPAS Arena | 2,000 | Hartpury, Gloucestershire | 7th |
London Scottish | | 4,500 (1,000 seats) | Richmond, London | 11th |
Nottingham | Lady Bay Sports Ground | 3,500 | Nottingham, Nottinghamshire | 9th |
|
Fixtures & results
Fixtures for the season was announced by the RFU on 29 June 2023.[6]
Round 1
[7]
Round 2
[8]
Round 3
[9] [10]
Round 4
[11]
Round 5
[12]
Round 6
- Postponed due to frozen pitch. Game to be rescheduled for 10 February 2024.[13]
[14]
Round 7
- Abandoned due to player suffering serious injury. Game to be rescheduled for 10 February 2024.[15]
[16]
Round 8
[17] [18]
Round 9
- Postponed due to severe flooding causing Lady Bay Sports Ground to be closed for the foreseeable future. Game to be rescheduled for 15 March 2024.[19] [20]
[21] [22]
Round 10
- Game postponed due to frozen pitch. Game to be rescheduled for 30 March 2024.[23]
[24]
Round 11
[25]
Round 12
[26]
Rounds 6 & 7 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 2 December 2023.
- Game rescheduled from 16 December 2023.
[27] ----
Round 13
[28]
Round 14
[29]
Round 15
[30]
Round 9 (rescheduled game)
- Game rescheduled from 12 January 2024.
[31] ----
Round 16
[32]
Round 10 (rescheduled game)
- Game rescheduled from 20 January 2024.
[33] ----
Round 17
[34]
Round 18
[35]
Round 19
[36]
Round 20
[37]
Round 21
- Ealing Trailfinders are champions.[2]
[38]
Round 22
[39]
Attendances
Club | Home Games | Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
---|
Ampthill | 10 | 10,598 | 1,060 | 2,837 | 523 | 35% |
Bedford Blues | 10 | 30,621 | 3,062 | 5,000 | 2,380 | 61% |
Caldy | 10 | 11,816 | 1,182 | 1,500 | 895 | 30% |
Cambridge | 10 | 14,192 | 1,419 | 2,054 | 1,085 | 65% |
Cornish Pirates | 10 | 16,242 | 1,624 | 2,474 | 1,143 | 41% |
Coventry | 10 | 33,733 | 3,373 | 5,047 | 2,507 | 65% |
Doncaster Knights | 10 | 18,512 | 1,851 | 2,264 | 1,382 | 36% |
Ealing Trailfinders | 10 | 11,354 | 1,135 | 2,155 | 732 | 23% |
Hartpury | 10 | 9,340 | 934 | 1,603 | 486 | 47% |
London Scottish | 10 | 7,322 | 732 | 1,053 | 481 | 16% |
Nottingham | 10 | 11,612 | 1,161 | 1,417 | 938 | 33% |
|
Leading scorers
Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not yet earned international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-WR nationalities.
Most points
Source: [39]
Rank | Player | Club | Points |
---|
1 | | Coventry | 184 |
2 | | Hartpury | 181 |
3 | | Ealing Trailfinders | 144 |
4 | | Bedford Blues | 138 |
5 | | Doncaster Knights | 115 |
6 | | Ampthill | 105 |
7 | | Cornish Pirates | 101 |
8 | | London Scottish | 85 |
9 | | Ealing Trailfinders | 80 |
|
Most tries
Source: [39]
Rank | Player | Club | Tries |
---|
1 | | Ealing Trailfinders | 16 |
2 | | Bedford Blues | 15 |
| Coventry |
3 | | Ampthill | 14 |
4 | | Bedford Blues | 13 |
5 | | Ampthill | 12 |
| Caldy |
| Coventry |
| Coventry |
| Nottingham |
|
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Jersey Reds’ financial challenges lead to club ceasing trading . Jersey Reds . 28 September 2023 . 28 September 2023 .
- News: Doncaster win the battle but Ealing are champions. . The RugbyPaper . 817 . 12 May 2024 . 22-23.
- Web site: Doncaster Knights has met the Minimum Standards Criteria for promotion. . Championship Rugby . 20 March 2024.
- Web site: Cambridge Rugby Club celebrate being crowned National League 1 champions and a place in the RFU Championship after Birmingham Moseley victory . Cambridge Independent . 2023-04-29 . 2023-10-19.
- News: A right mess entirely of the RFU's making . The RugbyPaper . 703 . 6 March 2022 . 11.
- Web site: 2023/24 FIXTURES ANNOUNCED . Championship Rugby . 29 June 2023.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 788 . 22 October 2023 . 32-33, 39.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 789 . 29 October 2023 . 36-37, 41.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 790 . 5 November 2023 . 28-29, 38.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 791 . 12 November 2023 . 20, 34.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 792 . 19 November 2023 . 28-29, 38.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 793 . 26 November 2023 . 24-25, 36.
- Web site: OFFICIAL STATEMENT- CALDY V BEDFORD BLUES . Caldy Rugby Club . 2023-12-02 . 2023-12-02.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 794 . 3 December 2023 . 24-25, 36.
- Web site: MATCH POSTPONED - EALING TRAILFINDERS V CORNISH PIRATES . Ealing Trailfinders . 16 December 2023 .
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 796 . 17 December 2023 . 22-23, 40.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 797 . 24 December 2023 . 22-23, 28.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 798 . 27 December 2023 . 30-31, 38.
- Web site: MATCH POSTPONED! . Nottingham Rugby . 8 January 2024 .
- Web site: NOTTINGHAM RUGBY NEEDS YOUR HELP AT A VERY DIFFICULT TIME . Nottingham Rugby . 8 January 2024 .
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 799 . 7 January 2024 . 14, 32.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 800 . 14 January 2024 . 22-23, 40.
- Web site: MATCH POSTPONED - AMPTHILL V EALING TRAILFINDERS . Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club . 20 January 2024 .
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 801 . 21 January 2024 . 24-25, 36.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 802 . 28 January 2024 . 16-17, 40.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 803 . 4 February 2024 . 26-27, 40.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 804 . 11 February 2024 . 26, 40.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 806 . 25 February 2024 . 20-21, 40.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 807 . 3 March 2024 . 14-15, 32.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 808 . 10 March 2024 . 18-19, 40.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 809 . 17 March 2024 . 18, 40.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 810 . 24 March 2024 . 20-21, 40.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 811 . 31 March 2024 . 24, 34.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 812 . 7 April 2024 . 20-21, 40.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 813 . 14 April 2024 . 20-21, 40.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 814 . 21 April 2024 . 24-25, 35.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 816 . 5 May 2024 . 16-17, 32.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 817 . 12 May 2024 . 22-23, 32.
- News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 819 . 26 May 2024 . 16-17, 38.