2017–18 RFU Championship explained

2017–18 Green King IPA Championship
Countries:
Date:2 September 2017 – 28 April 2018
Champions:Bristol (4th title)
Runnersup:Ealing Trailfinders
Relegated:Rotherham Titans
Matches:132
Highest Attendance:13,100
Bristol v Doncaster Knights
13 April 2018
Lowest Attendance:426
Hartpury College v Nottingham
10 February 2018
Top Point Scorer: Ian Madigan
(Bristol)
232 points
Top Try Scorer: Luke Morahan
(Bristol)
17 tries
Prevseason:2016–17
Nextseason:2018–19

The 2017–18 RFU Championship, known for sponsorship reasons as the Greene King IPA Championship, was the ninth 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 was contested by eleven English clubs and one from Jersey in the Channel Islands. The competition was sponsored by Greene King for a fifth successive season.[1] The twelve teams in the RFU Championship also competed in the British and Irish Cup, along with clubs from Ireland and Wales.

On 24 March 2018 Rotherham Titans were relegated with 3 games to go, after losing away to Jersey Reds. Despite seeing some improvements in the second half of the season, the Yorkshire club were easily the weakest side in the division, dropping to 2018–19 National League 1, the lowest level the club have played at for 14 seasons.[2]

On 7 April 2018 Bristol were crowned champions with 2 games to go following title rivals Ealing Trailfinders defeat that day to Doncaster Knights. They met the minimum criteria and therefore were promoted into Premiership Rugby.[3] In winning the championship Bristol also became the most decorated tier 2 side in English league history with 4 league titles to-date.

Structure

The Championship's structure has all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis. The play-offs for promotion have been abolished and replaced by the first ranked team being promoted; providing that club's ground fulfills the Rugby Football Union's Minimum Standards Criteria.[4] Under the play-off system some clubs qualified for the play-offs but did not meet the RFU's Minimum Standards Criteria which meant they could not be promoted. The change was made to allow the promoted team additional time to prepare for playing in the English Premiership. As part of an agreement with the RFU, each club will receive £530,000 funding.[5] [6]

Teams

In January 2017, London Welsh was expelled from the RFU Championship and then liquidated due to debt.[7] [8] As a result, Rotherham Titans, who finished bottom of the league, were not relegated; a decision which former Championship club Plymouth Albion contested.[9] [10] Promoted in place of London Welsh were the winners of 2016–17 National League 1, Hartpury College, who have moved from Gloucester 3 North, at the bottom of the English rugby pyramid, to the second tier within thirteen years of their founding.[11] [12] London Irish was promoted as champions and play-off winners of the 2016–17 RFU Championship and were replaced by Bristol following their last place in the 2016–17 English Premiership.[13] [14]

ClubStadiumCapacityArea
Bedford BluesGoldington Road6,000Bedford, Bedfordshire
BristolAshton Gate Stadiumalign=left 27,000Bristol
Cornish PiratesMennaye Field4,000 (2,200 Seats)Penzance, Cornwall
Doncaster KnightsCastle Park5,000Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Ealing TrailfindersTrailfinders Sports Ground3,020 (1,020 seats)West Ealing, London
Hartpury CollegeCollege Stadium2,000Hartpury, Gloucestershire
Jersey RedsStade Santander International4,000Saint Peter, Jersey
London ScottishAthletic Ground, Richmond4,500Richmond, London
NottinghamLady Bay Sports Ground3,000Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
RichmondAthletic Ground, Richmond4,500Richmond, London
Rotherham TitansClifton Lane2,500Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Yorkshire CarnegieHeadingley Carnegie Stadium13,000Leeds, West Yorkshire

Fixtures

Fixtures for the season were announced by the RFU on 9 June 2017.[15]

Round 1

[16] ----

Round 2

[17] ----

Round 3

[18] ----

Round 4

[19] ----

Round 5

[20] ----

Round 6

[21] ----

Round 7

[22] ----

Round 8

[23] ----

Round 9

[24] ----

Round 10

[25] ----

Round 11

[26] ----

Round 12

[27] ----

Round 13

[28] ----

Round 14

[29] ----

Round 15

[31] ----

Round 16

[32] ----

Round 15 (rescheduled game)

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Round 17

[33] ----

Round 17 (rescheduled games)

[34] ----

Round 18

[37] ----

Round 19

[38] ----

Round 17 (rescheduled game)

[39] ----

Round 20

[40] ----

Round 21

[41] ----

Round 18 (rescheduled games)

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Round 22

[42]

Attendances

ClubHome
Games		TotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity
Bedford Blues 11 27,833 2,530 3,401 1,743 42%
Bristol 11 93,356 8,487 13,100 6,509 31%
Cornish Pirates 11 16,715 1,520 2,236 1,112 38%
Doncaster Knights 11 14,318 1,302 2,002 887 26%
Ealing Trailfinders 11 8,955 814 1,589 574 27%
Hartpury College 11 10,095 918 2,400 426 44%
Jersey Reds 11 16,328 1,484 2,174 1,103 37%
London Scottish 11 13,376 1,216 1,863 800 27%
Nottingham 11 12,496 1,136 1,575 463 38%
Richmond 11 10,276 934 1,798 468 21%
Rotherham Titans 11 9,028 821 1,607 609 33%
Yorkshire Carnegie 11 19,177 1,743 2,478 1,274 13%
[43]

Individual statistics

Top points scorers

Rank Player Team Appearances Points
1 20 232
2 20 184
3 20 178
4 21 174
5 19 156
6 19 139
7 19 137
8 20 123
9 11 113
10 18 112
[42] [44]

Top try scorers

Rank Player Team Appearances Tries
1 19 17
2 19 16
3 21 15
4 19 14
5 19 12
21 12
22 12
6 19 11
21 11
22 11
[42] [45]

Season records

Team

Largest home win — 60 points72 - 12 Ealing Trailfinders at home to London Scottish on 24 September 2017
  • Largest away win — 43 points60 - 17 Bristol away to Nottingham on 6 April 2018
  • Most points scored — 72 points72 - 12 Ealing Trailfinders at home to London Scottish on 24 September 2017
  • Most tries in a match — 10 (2)Ealing Trailfinders at home to London Scottish on 24 September 2017
    Bristol at home to Doncaster Knights on 13 April 2018
  • Most conversions in a match — 9Bristol at home to Doncaster Knights on 13 April 2018
  • Most penalties in a match — 6Bristol at home to Yorkshire Carnegie on 23 March 2018
  • Most drop goals in a match — 2Nottingham at home to Hartpury College on 29 September 2017

    • [46] [47] [48] [49]

    Attendances

    Highest — 13,100Bristol at home to Cornish Pirates on 13 April 2018
  • Lowest — 426Hartpury College at home to Nottingham on 10 February 2018
  • Highest average attendance — 8,487 Bristol
  • Lowest average attendance — 814Ealing Trailfinders

    • [43]

    Player

    Most points in a match — 25 Laurence May for Cornish Pirates at home to London Scottish on 25 March 2018
  • Most tries in a match — 4 (2) Max Crumpton for Bristol at home to Richmond on 17 September 2017
    Luke Morahan for Bristol at home to Doncaster Knights on 13 April 2018
  • Most conversions in a match — 9 Ian Madigan for Bristol at home to Doncaster Knights on 13 April 2018
  • Most penalties in a match — 6 Ian Madigan for Bristol at home to Yorkshire Carnegie on 23 March 2018
  • Most drop goals in a match — 2 Tiff Eden for Nottingham at home to Hartpury College on 29 September 2017

    • [50] [51] [52] [53] [54]

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Greene King to be title sponsors of RFU Championship . The Rugby Paper . 2017-05-25.
    2. Web site: Titans officially relegated after defeat. Rotherham Advertiser. 24 March 2018.
    3. Web site: Champions! Bristol Rugby win promotion to the Aviva Premiership. Bristol Post. 7 April 2018 .
    4. Web site: Premiership: RFU Championship promotion play-off scrapped . BBC Sport . 2017-03-03 . 2017-05-25.
    5. Web site: 3 March 2017 . Championship play-offs to be scrapped with top team promoted automatically . Sky Sports . 2017-05-25.
    6. Web site: 'The RFU Championship has become the wild west of professional rugby' . The Guardian . 2014-03-13 . 2017-05-25.
    7. Web site: London Welsh: RFU refuses permission for Exiles to stay in Championship . BBC Sport . 2017-01-24 . 2017-05-25.
    8. Web site: Press Association . London Welsh kicked out of professional rugby by RFU . The Guardian . 2017-05-25.
    9. Web site: Hello . London Irish 82 Rotherham Titans 3: Worst ever defeat as Titans finish bottom . The Star . 2017-04-10 . 2017-05-25.
    10. Web site: Metcalf . Rupert . RFU makes it clear what London Welsh's demise means for Plymouth Albion and National One . Plymouth Herald . 2017-01-24 . 2017-05-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170201075014/http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/rfu-makes-it-clear-what-london-welsh-s-demise-means-for-plymouth-albion-and-national-one/story-30083848-detail/story.html . 2017-02-01 .
    11. Web site: Steven Cotton . Eves relishing potential reunion with Bristol Rugby as Hartpury College close in on Championship . Bristol Post . 2017-03-10 . 2017-05-25.
    12. Web site: Heal . Chris . Hartpury on the edge of history . Talkingrugbyunion.co.uk . 2017-03-10 . 2017-05-25.
    13. Web site: Charlie Morgan, Madejski Stadium . London Irish 55 Yorkshire Carnegie 48: Irish back in the Premiership after action-packed victory . Telegraph . 2017-05-25.
    14. Web site: Premiership: Bristol Rugby 21–36 Wasps – Bristol relegated to Championship . BBC Sport . 2017-04-16 . 2017-05-25.
    15. Web site: Greene King IPA Championship fixtures confirmed for 2017/18. England Rugby. RFU. 19 June 2017.
    16. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 468. Rugby Paper Ltd. 3 September 2017. 30–31 & 40.
    17. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 469. Rugby Paper Ltd. 10 September 2017. 28–29 & 38.
    18. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 470. Rugby Paper Ltd. 17 September 2017. 26–27 & 38.
    19. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 471. Rugby Paper Ltd. 24 September 2017. 28–29 & 38.
    20. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 472. Rugby Paper Ltd. 1 October 2017. 22–23 & 38.
    21. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 473. Rugby Paper Ltd. 8 October 2017. 22–23 & 38.
    22. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 476. Rugby Paper Ltd. 29 October 2017. 26–27 & 38.
    23. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 478. Rugby Paper Ltd. 12 November 2017. 26–27 & 38.
    24. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 479. Rugby Paper Ltd. 19 November 2017. 28–29 & 34.
    25. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 480. Rugby Paper Ltd. 26 November 2017. 26–27 & 38.
    26. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 481. Rugby Paper Ltd. 3 December 2017. 26–27 & 38.
    27. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 484. Rugby Paper Ltd. 24 December 2017. 24–25 & 34.
    28. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 485. Rugby Paper Ltd. 31 December 2017. 22–23 & 26.
    29. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 489. Rugby Paper Ltd. 28 January 2018. 12–13 & 38.
    30. Web site: Cornish Pirates v Yorkshire Carnegie – Match Postponed. Cornish Pirates. 9 February 2018.
    31. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 491. Rugby Paper Ltd. 11 February 2018. 28–29 & 40.
    32. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 492. Rugby Paper Ltd. 18 February 2018. 28–29 & 38.
    33. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 494. Rugby Paper Ltd. 4 March 2018. 30 & 38.
    34. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 495. Rugby Paper Ltd. 11 March 2018. 28–29 & 38.
    35. Web site: Bedford game postponed due to poor weather. Nottingham Rugby. 18 March 2018. 18 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180319004244/http://www.nottinghamrugby.co.uk/bedford-game-postponed-due-poor-weather/. 19 March 2018. dead. dmy-all.
    36. Web site: YORKSHIRE CARNEGIE V EALING TRAILFINDERS POSTPONED. Ealing Trailfinders. 18 March 2018.
    37. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 496. Rugby Paper Ltd. 18 March 2018. 28–29 & 38.
    38. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 497. Rugby Paper Ltd. 25 March 2018. 28–29 & 38.
    39. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 498. Rugby Paper Ltd. 1 April 2018. 18 & 32.
    40. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 499. Rugby Paper Ltd. 8 April 2018. 28–29 & 38.
    41. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 500. Rugby Paper Ltd. 15 April 2018. 28–30 & 38.
    42. News: RFU Championship. The RUGBYPaper. 502. Rugby Paper Ltd. 29 April 2018. 26–27 & 38.
    43. Web site: Championship 17/18 Home attendances . Rugby Statbunker. 28 April 2018.
    44. Web site: Championship 17/18 Leading top scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 28 April 2018 .
    45. Web site: Championship 17/18 Leading try scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 28 April 2018 .
    46. Web site: Championship 17/18 Most tries in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2018 .
    47. Web site: Championship 17/18 Most conversions in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2018 .
    48. Web site: Championship 17/18 Most penalties in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2018 .
    49. Web site: Championship 17/18 Most drop goals in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2018 .
    50. Web site: Championship 17/18 Most points in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2018 .
    51. Web site: Championship 17/18 Most tries in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2018 .
    52. Web site: Championship 17/18 Most conversions in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2018 .
    53. Web site: Championship 17/18 Most penalties in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2018 .
    54. Web site: Championship 17/18 Most drop goals in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2018 .

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