The 2014–15 RFU Championship, known for sponsorship reasons as the Greene King IPA Championship, is the sixth season of the professionalised format of the RFU Championship, the second tier of the English rugby union league system run by the Rugby Football Union. It is contested by eleven English clubs and one from Jersey in the Channel Islands. This is the second year of the competition's sponsorship with Greene King Brewery, which runs until 2017. The twelve teams in the RFU Championship also competed in the British and Irish Cup, along with clubs from Ireland and Wales. Matches in the RFU Championship were broadcast on Sky Sports.
Worcester Warriors finished second during the regular season and became champions after beating Bristol 59 – 58 in the two-legged final. The Warriors overcame third-place London Scottish in the semifinal play-off, while Bristol (who finished first in the league table) beat fourth-place Rotherham Titans in the other semi-final. After thirteen seasons in the second tier of English rugby union, Plymouth Albion are relegated to the 2015–16 National League 1 for next season, after finishing in last place.
Structure The Championship's structure has all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis. The play–off structure will remain the same as the previous year. The top four teams at the end of the home–and–away season qualify for the promotion play–offs which follow a 1 v 4, 2 v 3 system. The winners have to meet the RFU's Minimum Standards Criteria in order to be promoted to the Premiership. If they fail to meet the criteria then there is no promotion. There are no relegation play–offs; the bottom team is automatically relegated. Following an agreement with the RFU in 2012, each RFU Championship club will receive £365,000 in funding from the RFU for the season.
Participating teams and locations Ten of the teams that competed in the 2013–14 RFU Championship remain in the competition for the 2014–15 RFU Championship. London Welsh were promoted back into the English Premiership after defeating Bristol in the play-off final after being relegated into the RFU Championship the previous year. They are replaced by Worcester Warriors after they were relegated to the RFU Championship after finishing last in the 2013–14 English Premiership. Ealing Trailfinders were relegated into National League 1 after finishing bottom of the 2013–14 RFU Championship by one point. They are replaced by Doncaster Knights, who returned to the RFU Championship at the first opportunity by finishing top of the 2013–14 National League 1 after being relegated in 2013. This was the first time that a relegated team returned to the RFU Championship after being relegated the previous season since the RFU Championship was formed.
Below is a list of the teams participating in the 2014–15 RFU Championship.
Club Stadium Capacity Area Captain DOR/Head CoachBedford BluesGoldington Road5,000 (1,700 seats)Bedford, Bedfordshire Nick Fenton-Wells Mike RaynerBristolAshton Gate Stadium21,497Bristol Dwayne Peel Andy RobinsonCornish PiratesMennaye Field4,000 (2,200 Seats)Penzance, Cornwall Chris Morgan Ian DaviesDoncaster KnightsCastle Park rugby stadium5,000Doncaster, South Yorkshire Michael Hills Clive Griffiths Jersey St. Peter5,000Saint Peter, Jersey Alex Rae Harvey Biljon London Scottish Athletic Ground, Richmond4,500 (1,000 seats)Richmond, London Mark Bright Mike FridayMoseleyBillesley Common3,000+Birmingham, West Midlands Mike Powell Kevin MaggsNottingham RugbyMeadow LaneLady Bay Sports Ground19,5882,000 (est)Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Brent Wilson Martin HaagPlymouth AlbionThe Brickfields8,500Plymouth, Devon Iain Grieve Graham DaweRotherham TitansClifton LaneAbbeydale Park2,5003,300 (100 seats)Rotherham, South YorkshireSheffield, South Yorkshire Tom Holmes Lee BlackettWorcester WarriorsSixways Stadium12,024Worcester, Worcestershire GJ van Velze Dean Ryan Yorkshire Carnegie Headingley Carnegie Stadium21,062 Leeds, West Yorkshire Ryan Burrows Ian McGeechan
League table
Fixtures
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
Round 20
Round 21
Round 22
Play-offs
Semi-finals The semifinals followed a 1 v 4, 2 v 3 system – with the games being played over two-legs with the higher placed team deciding who played at home in the first leg.
First leg
Second leg
Worcester Warriors won 65 – 37 on aggregate
Bristol Rugby won 56 – 36 on aggregate
Final The final is played over two legs – with the higher placed team deciding who played at home in the first leg.
First leg
FB 15 Jack WallaceRW 14 Charlie AmesburyOC 13 Gareth MauleIC 12 Gavin Henson LW 11 David LemiFH 10 Matthew Morgan SH 9 Dwayne Peel (c) N8 8 Mitch EadieOF 7 Jack LamBF 6 Ryan Jones RL 5 Mark SorensonLL 4 Glen Townson TP 3 Gaston Cortes HK 2 Chris Brooker LP 1 Kyle TraynorReplacements:HK 16 Max Crumpton TP 17 Anthony Perenise LK 18 Ben Glynn FL 19 Marco Mama SH 20 Tom Kessell FB 21 Nicky Robinson CE 22 Jack Tovey Coach: Andy Robinson FB 15 Chris PennellRW 14 Tom BiggsOC 13 Alex GroveIC 12 Ryan MillsLW 11 Cooper Vuna FH 10 Ryan LambSH 9 Jean-Baptiste BruzulierN8 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze (c)OF 7 Sam BettyBF 6 Mike WilliamsRL 5 Jonathan ThomasLL 4 James Percival TP 3 Nick Schonert HK 2 Agustín Creevy LP 1 Val Rapava-Ruskin Replacements:HK 16 Niall Annett LP 17 Ryan Bower TP 18 Joe Rees FL 19 Leonardo Senatore SH 20 Jamie ShillcottCE 21 Ravai FatiakiWG 22 Ben Howard Coach: Dean Ryan Touch judges: Luke Pearce Ian Tempest Television match official: Graham Hughes
Second leg
FB 15 Chris PennellRW 14 Tom BiggsOC 13 Alex Grove IC 12 Ryan MillsLW 11 Cooper Vuna FH 10 Ryan LambSH 9 Jean-Baptiste BruzulierN8 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze (c)OF 7 Sam Betty BF 6 Mike WilliamsRL 5 Jonathan ThomasLL 4 James PercivalTP 3 Nick Schonert HK 2 Agustín Creevy LP 1 Val Rapava-Ruskin Replacements:HK 16 Niall Annett LP 17 Ryan Bower TP 18 Joe Rees FL 19 Leonardo Senatore SH 20 Jamie ShillcottCE 21 Ravai FatiakiFB 22 Ben Howard Coach: Dean Ryan FB 15 Jack Wallace RW 14 Charlie AmesburyOC 13 Jack ToveyIC 12 Ben MossesLW 11 David LemiFH 10 Nicky RobinsonSH 9 Dwayne Peel (c) N8 8 Mitch EadieOF 7 Jack Lam BF 6 Marco MamaRL 5 Mark Sorenson LL 4 Ben GlynnTP 3 Gaston Cortes HK 2 Chris Brooker LP 1 Kyle TraynorReplacements:HK 16 Max Crumpton TP 17 Anthony Perenise LK 18 Glen Townson FL 19 Olly RobinsonSH 20 Tom KessellFB 21 Matthew Morgan CE 22 Gareth MauleCoach: Andy Robinson Touch judges: Luke Pearce Greg Garner Television match official: David Grashoff
Worcester win 59 – 58 on aggregate
Attendances Includes play-off games where applicable
ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Bedford Blues 11 27,454 2,496 4,401 1,833 50% Bristol Rugby 13 104,710 8,055 12,010 6,428 37% Cornish Pirates 11 16,270 1,479 2,390 1,010 37% Doncaster Knights 11 18,024 1,639 3,676 1,252 33% Jersey 11 22,997 2,091 2,909 1,630 42% London Scottish 12 19,935 1,661 2,108 1,087 37% Moseley 11 12,077 1,098 2,306 631 37% Nottingham Rugby 11 14,053 1,278 1,650 1,046 34% Plymouth Albion 11 18,727 1,702 3,982 1,175 20% Rotherham Titans 12 18,885 1,574 3,227 1,018 63% Worcester Warriors 13 84,376 6,490 12,024 3,826 54% Yorkshire Carnegie 11 20,286 1,844 2,705 1,145 9%
Individual statistics Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals. Stats also include promotion play-offs.
Top points scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Points 1 Dougie Flockhart Doncaster Knights 22 229 2 Peter Lydon London Scottish 24 216 3 Kieran Hallett Cornish Pirates 21 196 4 Harry Leonard Yorkshire Carnegie 22 170 5 James McKinney Rotherham Titans 20 158 6 Matthew Morgan Bristol 21 157 7 Mark Bright London Scottish 23 130 8 Ryan Lamb Worcester Warriors 15 128 9 James Pritchard Bedford Blues 15 117 10 Andy Symons Worcester Warriors 18 115
Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Mark Bright London Scottish 23 26 2 Max Stelling Worcester Warriors 20 15 3 Sam Smith Worcester Warriors 17 14 Tom Biggs Worcester Warriors 22 14 4 Sam Betty Worcester Warriors 19 13 5 David Lemi Bristol 18 12 Brent Wilson Nottingham Rugby 18 12 6 Oliver Robinson Bristol 14 11 Patrick Tapley Bedford Blues 21 11 Matt Williams London Scottish 23 11 Mitch Eadie Bristol 24 11
RFU Dream Team XV The RFU Dream Team is picked by the coaches of the twelve championship teams. Bristol playmaker Morgan attracted the highest number of votes for an individual player with eight, one more than Cornish Pirates pair Tom Kessell and Darren Barry and Nottingham's Shaun Malton. Meanwhile, London Scottish number 8 Bright makes the Dream Team for the third year in a row and is the only player to retain his place from last season.
15 Paul Jarvis (Doncaster Knights) 14 Sam Smith (Worcester Warriors) 13 Max Stelling (Worcester Warriors) 12 Andy Symons (Worcester Warriors) 11 David Lemi (Bristol Rugby) 10 Matthew Morgan (Bristol Rugby) 9 Tom Kessell (Cornish Pirates) 1 Sam Lockwood (Jersey) 2 Shaun Malton (Nottingham Rugby) 3 Harry Williams (Jersey) 4 Mike Williams (Worcester Warriors) 5 Darren Barry (Cornish Pirates) 6 Alex Rieder (Rotherham Titans) 7 Jack Preece (Rotherham Titans) 8 Mark Bright (London Scottish)
Season records
Team Largest home win — 51 pts 65 - 14 Cornish Pirates at home to Bedford Blues on 23 November 2014 Largest away win — 61 pts 69 - 8 Worcester Warriors away to Cornish Pirates on 18 April 2015 Most points scored — 69 pts 69 - 8 Worcester Warriors away to Cornish Pirates on 18 April 2015 Most tries in a match — 10 (x2) London Scottish at home to Plymouth Albion on 4 October 2014 Worcester Warriors away to Cornish Pirates on 18 April 2015 Most conversions in a match — 8 Worcester Warriors away to Cornish Pirates on 18 April 2015 Most penalties in a match — 7 (x2) Moseley away to Doncaster Knights on 15 November 2014 London Scottish away to Nottingham Rugby on 4 January 2015 Most drop goals in a match — 1 N/A - multiple teams
Player Most points in a match — 25 Lawrence Rayner for Plymouth Albion away to Rotherham Titans on 20 September 2014 Most tries in a match — 4 (x2) Sam Smith for Worcester Warriors away to Yorkshire Carnegie on 27 December 2014 Olly Robinson for Bristol Rugby away to Plymouth Albion on 11 April 2015 Most conversions in a match — 8 Andy Symons for Worcester Warriors away to Cornish Pirates on 18 April 2015 Most penalties in a match — 7 (x2) Sam Olver for Moseley away to Doncaster Knights on 15 November 2014 Peter Lydon for London Scottish away to Nottingham Rugby on 4 January 2015 Most drop goals in a match — 1 N/A - multiple players
Attendances Highest — 12,024 Worcester Warriors at home to Bristol on 27 May 2015 Lowest — 631 Moseley at home to London Scottish on 8 November 2014 Highest Average Attendance — 8,055 Bristol Rugby Lowest Average Attendance — 1,098 Moseley
References
External links RFU Championship news