2024–25 RFU Championship
| 2024–25 RFU Championship | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  England |
| Date | 20 September 2024 – May 2025 |
| Matches played | 30 |
| Attendance | 42,740 (average 1,425 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 3,197 – Coventry v Chinnor, 12 October 2024 |
| Lowest attendance | 752 – Ampthill v Caldy, 12 October 2024 |
| Tries scored | 240 (average 8 per match) |
| Top point scorer | 54 – Harry Bazalgette (Hartpury) |
| Top try scorer | 7 – Kehinde Olowofela (Doncaster) |
The 2024–25 RFU Championship is the sixteenth season of the RFU Championship, the professional second tier of rugby union in England. It features twelve English teams. Ealing Trailfinders are the reigning champions, having been refused promotion to the Premiership due to failing to meet minimum standards.
Structure
[edit]The twelve 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
[edit]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 while the team that finishes bottom will be relegated to National League 1.
Teams
[edit]
Locations of the 2024–25 RFU Championship teams
Eleven of the twelve teams played in last season's competition. Chinnor were promoted as the champions of the 2023–24 National League 1 with no side being relegated the opposite way due to Jersey Reds going into liquidation in September 2023 and there only being eleven sides.[1][2]
| Club | Stadium | Capacity | Area | Previous season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ampthill | Dillingham Park | 3,000 | Ampthill, Bedfordshire | 7th |
| Bedford Blues | Goldington Road | 5,000 (1,700 seats) | Bedford, Bedfordshire | 4th |
| Caldy | Paton Field | 4,000 | Thurstaston, Wirral, Merseyside | 10th |
| Cambridge | Grantchester Road | 2,200 (200 seats) | Cambridge, Cambridgeshire | 11th |
| Chinnor | Kingsey Road | 2,500 | Thame, Oxfordshire | Promoted from National League 1 (champions) |
| Cornish Pirates | Mennaye Field | 4,000 (2,200 seats) | Penzance, Cornwall | Runners up |
| Coventry | Butts Park Arena | 5,200 (3,000 seats) | Coventry, West Midlands | 3rd |
| Doncaster Knights | Castle Park | 5,183[3] (1,926 seats) | Doncaster, South Yorkshire | 6th |
| Ealing Trailfinders | Trailfinders Sports Ground | 5,000 (2,115 seats) | West Ealing, London | Champions (not promoted) |
| Hartpury University | 4ED Hartpury Stadium, with Vodafone[4] | 2,000 | Hartpury, Gloucestershire | 5th |
| London Scottish | Athletic Ground | 4,500 (1,000 seats) | Richmond, London | 9th |
| Nottingham | Lady Bay Sports Ground | 3,500 | Nottingham, Nottinghamshire | 8th |
Table
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 171 | 74 | +97 | 4 | 0 | 24 | Promotion place |
| 2 | Ealing Trailfinders | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 247 | 102 | +145 | 5 | 1 | 22 | |
| 3 | Bedford Blues | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 149 | 138 | +11 | 4 | 0 | 20 | |
| 4 | Hartpury University | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 164 | 152 | +12 | 4 | 1 | 17 | |
| 5 | Nottingham | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 155 | 102 | +53 | 3 | 1 | 16 | |
| 6 | Chinnor | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 150 | 134 | +16 | 3 | 1 | 12 | |
| 7 | London Scottish | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 104 | 142 | −38 | 2 | 1 | 11 | |
| 8 | Ampthill | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 109 | 223 | −114 | 3 | 0 | 11 | |
| 9 | Doncaster Knights | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 113 | 142 | −29 | 2 | 0 | 10 | |
| 10 | Cambridge | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 108 | 179 | −71 | 2 | 0 | 10 | |
| 11 | Cornish Pirates | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 109 | 130 | −21 | 2 | 3 | 9 | |
| 12 | Caldy | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 91 | 152 | −61 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Relegation place |
Updated to match(es) played on 19 October 2024. Source: Source: RFU Championship [5]
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
- Number of matches won
- Difference between points for and against
- Total number of points for
- Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
- Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Fixtures & results
[edit]Round 1
[edit]| 20 September 2024 19:45 |
| London Scottish | 19 – 45 | Coventry (1 BP) |
| Athletic Ground Attendance: 852 Referee: Hamish Grant |
| 20 September 2024 19:45 |
| (1 BP) Nottingham | 18 – 24 | Cornish Pirates (1 BP) |
| Lady Bay Sports Ground Attendance: 935 Referee: Jack Makepeace |
| 21 September 2024 14:30 |
| (1 BP) Doncaster Knights | 45 – 31 | Ampthill (1 BP) |
| Castle Park Attendance: 1,110 Referee: Mike Hudson |
| 21 September 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Bedford Blues | 45 – 19 | Caldy |
| Goldington Road Attendance: 2,012 Referee: Harry Walbaum |
| 21 September 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Cambridge | 24 – 57 | Chinnor (1 BP) |
| Grantchester Road Attendance: 1,497 Referee: Richard Gordon |
| 21 September 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders | 55 – 21 | Hartpury University |
| Trailfinders Sports Ground Attendance: 850 Referee: Alex Thomas |
Round 2
[edit]| 27 September 2024 20:30 |
| (1 BP) Cornish Pirates | 24 – 29 | Ealing Trailfinders (1 BP) |
| Mennaye Field Attendance: 1,540 Referee: George Selwood |
| 28 September 2024 14:30 |
| Doncaster Knights | 14 – 30 | Nottingham (1 BP) |
| Castle Park Attendance: 1,131 Referee: Andrew Wigley |
| 28 September 2024 14:30 |
| (1 BP) Hartpury University | 34 – 33 | London Scottish (2 BP) |
| 4ED Hartpury Stadium, with Vodafone Attendance: 1,034 Referee: Richard Gordon |
| 28 September 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Ampthill | 31 – 29 | Chinnor (2 BP) |
| Dillingham Park Attendance: 902 Referee: Harry Walbaum |
| 28 September 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Coventry | 45 – 7 | Bedford Blues |
| Butts Park Arena Attendance: 3,035 Referee: Hamish Smales |
| 28 September 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Caldy | 21 – 26 | Cambridge |
| Paton Field Attendance: 1,167 Referee: Joe James |
Round 3
[edit]| 4 October 2024 19:45 |
| (1 BP) London Scottish | 26 – 15 | Cornish Pirates |
| Athletic Ground Attendance: 991 Referee: Harry Walbaum |
| 4 October 2024 19:45 |
| (1 BP) Nottingham | 38 – 14 | Ampthill |
| Lady Bay Sports Ground Attendance: 1,013 Referee: Jonathan Cook |
| 5 October 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Bedford Blues | 35 – 32 | Hartpury University (2 BP) |
| Goldington Road Attendance: 2,265 Referee: Hamish Grant |
| 5 October 2024 15:00 |
| Cambridge | 19 – 36 | Coventry (1 BP) |
| Grantchester Road Attendance: 1,534 Referee: Alex Thomas |
| 5 October 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Chinnor | 31 – 17 | Caldy |
| Kingsey Road Attendance: 2,125 Referee: Andrew Jackson |
| 5 October 2024 15:00 |
| (2 BP) Ealing Trailfinders | 35 – 36 | Doncaster Knights (1 BP) |
| Trailfinders Sports Ground Attendance: 1,012 Referee: Tom Foley |
Round 4
[edit]| 11 October 2024 19:45 |
| (1 BP) Hartpury University | 43 – 10 | Cambridge |
| 4ED Hartpury Stadium, with Vodafone Attendance: 910 Referee: Joe James |
| 11 October 2024 19:45 |
| Nottingham | 21 – 36 | Ealing Trailfinders (1 BP) |
| Lady Bay Sports Ground Attendance: 1,017 Referee: Mike Hudson |
| 12 October 2024 14:00 |
| (1 BP) Ampthill | 33 – 19 | Caldy |
| Dillingham Park Attendance: 752 Referee: Richard Gordon |
| 12 October 2024 14:30 |
| (2 BP) Cornish Pirates | 24 – 28 | Bedford Blues (1 BP) |
| Mennaye Field Attendance: 1,639 Referee: Andy Wigley |
| 12 October 2024 14:30 |
| Doncaster Knights | 0 – 12 | London Scottish |
| Castle Park Attendance: 1,058 Referee: Hamish Smales |
| 12 October 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Coventry | 28 – 14 | Chinnor |
| Butts Park Arena Attendance: 3,197 Referee: Joe James |
Round 5
[edit]| 18 October 2024 19:45 |
| London Scottish | 14 – 48 | Nottingham (1 BP) |
| Athletic Ground Attendance: 853 Referee: Sara Cox |
| 19 October 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Bedford Blues | 34 – 18 | Doncaster Knights |
| Goldington Road Attendance: 2,613 Referee: Joe James |
| 19 October 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Caldy | 15 – 17 | Coventry |
| Paton Field Attendance: 1,330 Referee: Ian Tempest |
| 19 October 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Cambridge | 29 – 22 | Cornish Pirates (1 BP) |
| Grantchester Road Attendance: 1,794 Referee: Charles Gayther |
| 19 October 2024 15:00 |
| Chinnor | 19 – 34 | Hartpury University (1 BP) |
| Kingsey Road Attendance: 1,669 Referee: Dan Jones |
| 19 October 2024 15:00 |
| (1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders | 92 – 0 | Ampthill |
| Trailfinders Sports Ground Attendance: 903 Referee: Alex Thomas |
Attendances
[edit]| Club | Home Games |
Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ampthill | 2 | 1,654 | 827 | 902 | 752 | 28% |
| Bedford Blues | 3 | 6,890 | 2,297 | 2,613 | 2,012 | 46% |
| Caldy | 2 | 2,497 | 1,249 | 1,330 | 1,167 | 31% |
| Cambridge | 3 | 4,825 | 1,608 | 1,794 | 1,497 | 73% |
| Chinnor | 2 | 3,794 | 1,897 | 2,125 | 1,669 | 76% |
| Cornish Pirates | 2 | 3,179 | 1,590 | 1,639 | 1,540 | 40% |
| Coventry | 2 | 6,232 | 3,116 | 3,197 | 3,035 | 60% |
| Doncaster Knights | 3 | 3,299 | 1,100 | 1,131 | 1,058 | 21% |
| Ealing Trailfinders | 3 | 2,765 | 922 | 1,012 | 850 | 18% |
| Hartpury University | 2 | 1,944 | 972 | 1,034 | 910 | 49% |
| London Scottish | 3 | 2,696 | 899 | 991 | 852 | 20% |
| Nottingham | 3 | 2,965 | 988 | 1,017 | 935 | 28% |
Leading scorers
[edit]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[edit]
|
Most tries[edit]
|
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Champions! Chinnor celebrate in fine style". The RugbyPaper. No. 813. 14 April 2024. pp. 28–29.
- ^ "Jersey Reds' financial challenges lead to club ceasing trading". Jersey Reds. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- ^ "A right mess entirely of the RFU's making". The RugbyPaper. No. 703. 6 March 2022. p. 11.
- ^ "Hartpury Stadium renamed as Vodafone and 4Ed Foundation partnership unveiled". Hartpury University & College. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
- ^ "RFU Championship". England Rugby.
- ^ a b c d "Results". The RugbyPaper. No. 836. 22 September 2024. pp. 18–19, 38.
- ^ a b c d "Results". The RugbyPaper. No. 837. 29 September 2024. pp. 18–19, 38.
- ^ a b c d "Results". The RugbyPaper. No. 838. 6 October 2024. pp. 18–19, 40.
- ^ a b c d "Results". The RugbyPaper. No. 839. 13 October 2024. pp. 18–19, 38.
- ^ a b c d "Results". The RugbyPaper. No. 840. 20 October 2024. pp. 20–21, 38.