Rugby union competition in England
Countries England Date 20 October 2023 — 25 May 2024 Matches played 90 Attendance 143,060 Highest attendance 5,047 — Coventry v Nottingham, 26 December 2023 Lowest attendance 481 – London Scottish v Doncaster Knights, 9 March 2024 Tries scored 724 Top point scorer 143 – Patrick Pellegrini , Coventry Top try scorer 13 – Matt Cornish , Ealing Trailfinders, Seán French , Bedford Blues
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]
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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 .[2]
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
Caldy
Paton Field
4,000
Thurstaston , Wirral , Merseyside
10th
Cambridge
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[3]
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
Athletic Ground
4,500 (1,000 seats)
Richmond , London
11th
Nottingham
Lady Bay Sports Ground
3,500
Nottingham , Nottinghamshire
9th
Locations of the 2023–24 RFU Championship teams
Table
Club
Played
Won
Drawn
Lost
Points for
Points against
Points diff
Try bonus
Losing bonus
Points
1
Ealing Trailfinders 16
13
0
3
646
353
293
13
2
67
2
Coventry 17
12
0
5
605
373
232
13
2
63
3
Cornish Pirates 16
11
1
4
456
343
113
9
1
56
3
Bedford Blues 16
10
0
6
493
390
103
11
4
55
5
Doncaster Knights 16
10
1
5
437
393
44
8
1
51
6
Ampthill 16
8
0
8
437
469
-32
11
2
45
7
Hartpury University 17
8
0
9
483
465
18
8
4
44
8
Nottingham 17
7
0
10
425
533
-108
11
2
41
9
London Scottish 16
3
1
12
392
489
-97
7
6
27
10
Caldy 16
4
1
11
322
513
-191
6
1
25
11
Cambridge 17
2
0
15
308
683
-375
5
4
17
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
Green background Champions (qualify for Promotion play-off if eligible).Updated: 14 April 2024 "The Championship" . England Rugby.
Fixtures & results Fixtures for the season was announced by the RFU on 29 June 2023.[4]
Round 1 Cornish Pirates 21 – 0 London Scottish
Mennaye Field George Selwood
(1 BP) Ampthill 28 – 26 Cambridge (2 BP)
Dillingham Park Dan Rhys Jones
Doncaster Knights 20 – 18 Hartpury (1 BP)
Castle Park Hamish Grant
Bedford Blues 21 – 41 Ealing Trailfinders (1 BP)
Goldington Road Mike Hudson
(1 BP) Caldy 31 – 41 Nottingham (1 BP)
Paton Field Joe James
[5]
Round 2 (1 BP) Cornish Pirates 18 – 20 Bedford Blues
Mennaye Fields Jonathan Cook
Hartpury 28 – 36 Ealing Trailfinders (1 BP)
ALPAS Arena Richard Gordon
Cambridge 14 – 61 Doncaster Knights (1 BP)
Grantchester Road Alexander Thomas
(1 BP) Nottingham 41 – 28 Ampthill (1 BP)
Lady Bay Sports Ground Andrew Wigley
(1 BP) Coventry 45 – 5 Caldy
Butts Park Arena Harry Walbaum
[6]
Round 3 (1 BP) Ampthill 34 – 24 Coventry (1 BP)
Dillingham Park Andrew Wigley
(1 BP) Caldy 29 – 19 London Scottish
Paton Field Michael Hudson
(1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 64 – 7 Cambridge
Trailfinders Sports Ground Jonathan Cook
(1 BP) Doncaster Knights 30 – 19 Nottingham
Castle Park Simon Harding
(1 BP) Bedford Blues 53 – 12 Hartpury
Goldington Road Alex Thomas
[7] [8]
Round 4 London Scottish 10 – 36 Ampthill (1 BP)
Athletic Ground Jonathan Cook
(1 BP) Nottingham 26 – 38 Ealing Trailfinders (1 BP)
Lady Bay Sports Ground Andrew Jackson
(1 BP) Cambridge 22 – 40 Hartpury (1 BP)
Grantchester Road Hamish Grant
(1 BP) Cornish Pirates 49 – 22 Caldy
Mennaye Fields George Selwood
(1 BP) Coventry 51 – 7 Doncaster Knights
Butts Park Arena Sara Cox
[9]
Round 5 Hartpury 20 – 32 Nottingham (1 BP)
ALPAS Arena Mike Hudson
Ampthill 24 – 46 Cornish Pirates (1 BP)
Dillingham Park Harry Walbaum
(1 BP) Doncaster Knights 29 – 24 London Scottish (1 BP)
Castle Park Richard Gordon
(1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 31 – 13 Coventry
Trailfinders Sports Ground Matthew Carley
(1 BP) Bedford Blues 59 – 19 Cambridge
Goldington Road Craig Maxwell-Keys
[10]
Round 6 (1 BP) Nottingham 22 – 19 Cambridge (1 BP)
Lady Bay Sports Ground Hamish Smales
Postponed due to frozen pitch. Game to be rescheduled for 10 February 2024.[11] (1 BP) Coventry 29 – 47 Hartpury (1 BP)
Butts Park Arena Jonathan Cook
London Scottish 19 – 17 Ealing Trailfinders (1 BP)
Athletic Ground Luke Pearce
(1 BP) Cornish Pirates 28 – 39 Doncaster Knights (1 BP)
Mennaye Field Joe James
[12]
Round 7 (1 BP) Ampthill 21 – 26 Caldy (1 BP)
Dillingham Park Jack Makepeace
Cambridge 19 – 33 Coventry (1 BP)
Grantchester Road Jonathan Cook
(1 BP) Hartpury 33 – 31 London Scottish (2 BP)
ALPAS Arena Alexander Thomas
(1 BP) Bedford Blues 49 – 24 Nottingham (1 BP)
Goldington Road Andrew Wigley
Ealing Trailfinders A – A Cornish Pirates
Trailfinders Sports Ground
Abandoned due to player suffering serious injury. Game to be rescheduled for 10 February 2024.[13] [14]
Round 8 Ampthill 22 – 31 Bedford Blues (1 BP)
Dillingham Park Alex Thomas
Caldy 24 – 19 Doncaster Knights (1 BP)
Paton Field Dan Rhys Jones
Cornish Pirates 14 – 7 Hartpury (1 BP)
Mennaye Field Joe James
(2 BP) London Scottish 26 – 28 Cambridge (1 BP)
Athletic Ground Mike Hudson
(1 BP) Coventry 37 – 21 Nottingham
Butts Park Arena Harry Walbaum
[15] [16]
Bye/s : Ealing Trailfinders
Round 9 Bedford Blues 19 – 34 Coventry (1 BP)
Goldington Road Andrew Jackson
Nottingham P – P London Scottish
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.[17] [18] (2 BP) Cambridge 33 – 40 Cornish Pirates (1 BP)
Grantchester Road Harry Walbaum
Doncaster Knights 24 – 32 Ampthill (1 BP)
Castle Park Andrew Jackson
(1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 54 – 28 Caldy (1 BP)
Trailfinders Sports Ground Craig Maxwell Keys
[19] [20]
Round 10 Ampthill P – P Ealing Trailfinders
Game postponed due to frozen pitch. Game to be rescheduled for 30 March 2024.[21] Caldy 7 – 31 Hartpury (1 BP)
Paton Field Charles Gayther
(1 BP) Cornish Pirates 41 – 12 Nottingham
Mennaye Field Hamish Grant
Doncaster Knights 26 – 20 Bedford Blues (2 BP)
Castle Park Joe James
(2 BP) London Scottish 38 – 40 Coventry (1 BP)
Athletic Ground Richard Gordon
[22]
Round 11 (1 BP) Bedford Blues 32 – 25 London Scottish
Goldington Road Hamish Smales
(1 BP) Cambridge 33 – 14 Caldy
Grantchester Road George Selwood
(1 BP) Hartpury 54 – 34 Ampthill (1 BP)
ALPAS Arena Alex Thomas
(1 BP) Coventry 19 – 21 Cornish Pirates
Butts Park Arena Joe James
(1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 49 – 31 Doncaster Knights (1 BP)
Trailfinders Sports Ground Dan Rhys Jones
[23]
Round 12 (1 BP) Doncaster Knights 29 – 19 Cambridge
Castle Park Hamish Grant
(2 BP) Ampthill 36 – 43 Nottingham (1 BP)
Dillingham Park Andrew Wigley
(1 BP) Caldy 26 – 22 Coventry (1 BP)
Paton Field Craig Maxwell-Keys
(1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 36 – 20 Hartpury
Trailfinders Sports Ground Michael Hudson
(1 BP) Bedford Blues 21 – 27 Cornish Pirates
Goldington Road Andrew Jackson
[24]
Rounds 6 & 7 (rescheduled games) (1 BP) Caldy 22 – 26 Bedford Blues
Paton Field Dan Rhys Jones
Game rescheduled from 2 December 2023. (1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 40 – 12 Cornish Pirates
Trailfinders Sports Ground Alexander Thomas
Game rescheduled from 16 December 2023. [25]
Round 13 (1 BP) Nottingham 14 – 20 Doncaster Knights
Lady Bay Sports Ground Alex Thomas
Cambridge 7 – 57 Ealing Trailfinders (1 BP)
Grantchester Road Joe James
(1 BP) Coventry 34 – 6 Ampthill
Butts Park Arena Dan Jones
(1 BP) Hartpury 41 – 35 Bedford Blues (2 BP)
ALPAS Arena Richard Gordon
London Scottish 33 – 33 Caldy (1 BP)
Athletic Ground Sara Cox
[26]
Round 14 (1 BP) Hartpury 61 – 10 Cambridge
ALPAS Arena Sara Cox
(1 BP) Ampthill 35 – 12 London Scottish
Dillingham Park Christophe Ridley
Caldy 14 – 32 Cornish Pirates (1 BP)
Paton Field Ian Tempest
Doncaster Knights 12 – 27 Coventry
Castle Park Luke Pearce
(1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 52 – 26 Nottingham (1 BP)
Trailfinder Sports Ground Adam Leal
[27]
Round 15 (1 BP) Nottingham 0 – 3 Hartpury
Lady Bay Sports Ground Hamish Grant
London Scottish 20 – 34 Doncaster Knights
Athletic Ground Matthew Carley
(1 BP) Coventry 34 – 32 Ealing Trailfinders (2 BP)
Butts Park Arena Tom Foley
Cambridge 12 – 22 Bedford Blues (1 BP)
Grantchester Road Anthony Woodthorpe
(1 BP) Cornish Pirates 33 – 14 Ampthill
Mennaye Field Hamish Grant
[28]
Round 9 (rescheduled game) (1 BP) Nottingham 31 – 28 London Scottish (2 BP)
Lady Bay Sports Ground Craig Maxwell-Keys
Game rescheduled from 12 January 2024. [29]
Round 16 Doncaster Knights 27 – 27 Cornish Pirates (1 BP)
Castle Park George Selwood
Hartpury 17 – 47 Coventry (1 BP)
ALPAS Arena Dan Jones
(1 BP) Bedford Blues 27 – 14 Caldy
Goldington Road Hamish Grant
(1 BP) Cambridge 15 – 20 Nottingham
Grantchester Road Alexander Thomas
(1 BP) Ealing Trailfinders 52 – 35 London Scottish (1 BP)
Trailfinders Sports Ground Charles Gayther
[30]
Round 10 (rescheduled game) (1 BP) Ampthill 29 – 21 Ealing Trailfinders
Dillingham Park Harry Walbaum
Game rescheduled from 20 January 2024. [31]
Round 17 Cornish Pirates 17 – 26 Ealing Trailfinders
Mennaye Field Dan Jones
(1 BP) London Scottish 29 – 26 Hartpury (2 BP)
Athletic Ground Michael Hudson
Nottingham 24 – 34 Bedford Blues (1 BP)
Lady Bay Sports Ground Richard Gordon
(1 BP) Coventry 64 – 12 Cambridge
Butts Park Arena Hamish Grant
Caldy 20 – 29 Ampthill (1 BP)
Paton Field Alexander Thomas
[32]
Round 18 (1 BP) Hartpury 25 – 30 Cornish Pirates (1 BP)
ALPAS Arena Alex Thomas
(2 BP) Bedford Blues 24 – 29 Ampthill (1 BP)
Goldington Road Jack Makepeace
Cambridge 13 – 43 London Scottish (1 BP)
Grantchester Road Richard Gordon
(1 BP) Doncaster Knights 29 – 7 Caldy
Castle Park
(1 BP) Nottingham 26 – 52 Coventry (1 BP)
[33]
Bye/s : Ealing Trailfinders
Round 19 Ampthill v Doncaster Knights
Caldy v Ealing Trailfinders
London Scottish v Nottingham
Cornish Pirates v Cambridge
[34]
Round 20 Nottingham v Cornish Pirates
Bedford Blues v Doncaster Knights
Ealing Trailfinders v Ampthill
Trailfinders Sports Ground
[35]
Round 21 Doncaster Knights v Ealing Trailfinders
London Scottish v Bedford Blues
[36]
Round 22 Ealing Trailfinders v Bedford Blues
Trailfinders Sports Ground
Hartpury v Doncaster Knights
London Scottish v Cornish Pirates
[37]
Attendances
Club
Home
Total
Average
Highest
Lowest
% Capacity
Ampthill
8
8,573
1,072
2,837
523
36%
Bedford Blues
9
27,584
3,065
5,000
2,380
61%
Caldy
8
9,267
1,158
1,500
895
29%
Cambridge
9
12,703
1,411
2,054
1,085
64%
Cornish Pirates
8
12,526
1,566
2,474
1,143
39%
Coventry
8
27,181
3,398
5,047
2,507
65%
Doncaster Knights
9
16,960
1,884
2,264
1,382
36%
Ealing Trailfinders
8
8,043
1,005
1,560
732
20%
Hartpury
8
7,950
994
1,603
486
50%
London Scottish
7
4,531
647
835
481
14%
Nottingham
7
7,742
1,106
1,286
938
32%
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.
See also References
^ "Jersey Reds' financial challenges lead to club ceasing trading" . Jersey Reds. 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2023-09-28 .^ "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. Retrieved 2023-10-19 .^ "A right mess entirely of the RFU's making". The RugbyPaper . No. 703. 6 March 2022. p. 11. ^ "2023/24 FIXTURES ANNOUNCED" . Championship Rugby . 29 June 2023.^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 788. 22 October 2023. p. 32-33, 39. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 789. 29 October 2023. p. 36-37, 41. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 790. 5 November 2023. p. 28-29, 38. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 791. 12 November 2023. p. 20, 34. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 792. 19 November 2023. p. 28-29, 38. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 793. 26 November 2023. p. 24-25, 36. ^ "OFFICIAL STATEMENT- CALDY V BEDFORD BLUES" . Caldy Rugby Club. 2023-12-02. Retrieved 2023-12-02 .^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 794. 3 December 2023. p. 24-25, 36. ^ "MATCH POSTPONED - EALING TRAILFINDERS V CORNISH PIRATES" . Ealing Trailfinders. 16 December 2023.^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 796. 17 December 2023. p. 22-23, 40. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 797. 24 December 2023. p. 22-23, 28. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 798. 27 December 2023. p. 30-31, 38. ^ "MATCH POSTPONED!" . Nottingham Rugby. 8 January 2024.^ "NOTTINGHAM RUGBY NEEDS YOUR HELP AT A VERY DIFFICULT TIME" . Nottingham Rugby. 8 January 2024.^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 799. 7 January 2024. p. 14, 32. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 800. 14 January 2024. p. 22-23, 40. ^ "MATCH POSTPONED - AMPTHILL V EALING TRAILFINDERS" . Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club. 20 January 2024.^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 801. 21 January 2024. p. 24-25, 36. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 802. 28 January 2024. p. 16-17, 40. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 803. 4 February 2024. p. 26-27, 40. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 804. 11 February 2024. p. 26, 40. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 806. 25 February 2024. p. 20-21, 40. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 807. 3 March 2024. p. 14-15, 32. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 808. 10 March 2024. p. 18-19, 40. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 809. 17 March 2024. p. 18, 40. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 810. 24 March 2024. p. 20-21, 40. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 811. 31 March 2024. p. 24, 34. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 812. 7 April 2024. p. 20-21, 40. ^ a b c "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 813. 14 April 2024. p. 20-21, 40. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 814. 21 April 2024. p. 30-31, 38. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 816. 5 May 2024. p. 30-31, 38. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 817. 12 May 2024. p. 30-31, 38. ^ "Results". The RugbyPaper . No. 819. 26 May 2024. p. 30-31, 38.
2023–24 teams Former clubs Seasons
Representative team
Current grounds Previous grounds
Governing body National teams
International competitions
Competition divisions
European competitions National competitions London and South East Midland competitions Northern competitions South West competitions County competitions Discontinued competitions Related articles Other
This page was last edited on 14 April 2024, at 18:41
England
This page was last edited on 14 April 2024, at 18:41