2010–11 RFU Championship explained

2010–11 RFU Championship
Champions:Worcester Warriors
Runnersup:Cornish Pirates
Relegated:Birmingham & Solihull
Highest Attendance:12,024 Worcester Warriors at home to Cornish Pirates on 18 May 2011
Attendance:378,950 (average 2,216 per match)
Lowest Attendance:317 Birmingham & Solihull at home to Doncaster Knights on 9 January 2011
Top Point Scorer: Andy Goode
(Worcester Warriors) 381 points
Top Try Scorer: Miles Benjamin
(Worcester Warriors) 26 tries
Prevseason:2009–10
Nextseason:2011–12

The 2010–11 RFU Championship was the 2nd season (of the professionalised format) of the second division of the English domestic rugby union competitions, played between August 2010 and May 2011. New teams to the division included Worcester Warriors who were relegated from the Guinness Premiership 2009–10 and Esher who were promoted from the 2009–10 National League 1.[1] [2] The league maintained the three stage system with the league including promotion/relegation pools and playoffs to determine the champion and promoted team.

Worcester Warriors topped the regular season league table, their play-off group table and then won the Championship after they defeated Cornish Pirates over two legs in the Championship final at Sixways Stadium (46–32) on 18 May 2011 to make an instant return to the Premiership.[3] Birmingham & Solihull were relegated to the 2011–12 National League 1 at the end of this season.[4]

Participating teams

width=25%Team width=25%Stadium width=25%Capacitywidth=25%City/Area
Bedford BluesGoldington Road6,000Bedford, Bedfordshire
Birmingham & SolihullDamson Park /
Sharmans Cross
3,050 /
2,500
Solihull, West Midlands
BristolMemorial Stadium12,100Bristol
Cornish PiratesMennaye Field4,000 (2,200 seats)Penzance
Doncaster KnightsCastle Park3,075Doncaster
EsherMolesey Road3,000Hersham, Surrey
London WelshOld Deer Park5,850Richmond, London
MoseleyBillesley Common3,000+ Birmingham
NottinghamMeadow Lane19,588Nottingham
Plymouth AlbionThe Brickfields6,500Plymouth
Rotherham TitansClifton Lane2,500Rotherham
Worcester WarriorsSixways Stadium12,088Worcester

Results

Round 1

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Round 2

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Round 3

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Round 4

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Round 5

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Round 6

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Round 7

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Round 8

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Round 9

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Round 10

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Round 11

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Round 12

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Round 13

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Round 14

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Round 15

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Round 14 & Round 15 (rescheduled games)

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Round 16

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Round 17

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Round 18

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Round 15 (rescheduled games)

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Round 14 (rescheduled game)

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Round 19

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Round 16 (rescheduled game)

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Round 20

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Round 16 (rescheduled game)

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Round 21

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Round 22

Stage 2 - Play-offs

Round 1

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Round 2

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Round 3

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Round 4

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Round 5

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Round 6

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Round 1

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Round 2

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Round 3

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Round 4

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Round 5

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Round 6

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Round 1

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Round 2

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Round 3

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Round 4

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Round 5

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Round 6

Stage 3

Semi-finals

FB 15 Tom Arscott
RW 14 Marcel Garvey
OC 13
IC 12 Dale Rasmussen
LW 11 Miles Benjamin
FH 10
SH 9 Jonny Arr
N8 8 Kai Horstmann (c)
OF 7
BF 6 Neil Best
RL 5
LL 4
TP 3
HK 2
LP 1 Adam Black
Replacements:
HK 16
PR 17
LK 18
FL 19
SH 20 Ollie Frost
FH 21
CE 22
Coach: Richard Hill
FB 15 Edd Thrower
RW 14 Handre Schmidt
OC 13 Myles Dorrian
IC 12 Tom Bedford
LW 11 James Pritchard (c)
FH 10
SH 9 Will Chudley
N8 8
OF 7
BF 6 Gregor Gillanders
RL 5 George Kruis
LL 4
TP 3
HK 2 Dan Richmond
LP 1 Dan Seal
Replacements:
HK 16 Chris Locke
PR 17
LK 18
N8 19
FL 20
SH 20 Darryl Veenendaal
CE 22
Coach: Mike Rayer
Touch judges:
Chris Sharp
Eric Woodmason
Television match official:
Dave Matthews
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FB 15 Rob Cook
RW 14 Nick Jackson
OC 13 Matt Hopper
IC 12
LW 11 Rhodri McAtee
FH 10 Johnny Bentley
SH 9 Gavin Cattle (c)
N8 8 Laurie McGlone
OF 7
BF 6 Chris Morgan
RL 5
LL 4 Mike Myerscough
TP 3
HK 2
LP 1 Paul Andrew
Replacements:
PR 16
HK 17
FL 18
N8 19
CE 20 Steve Winn
CE 21
SH 22 James Doherty
Coach: Chris Stirling
FB 15
RW 14 Liam Gibson
OC 13 Hudson Tongaʻuiha
IC 12 Simon Whatling
LW 11
FH 10 Gordon Ross
SH 9
N8 8
OF 7 Michael Hills
BF 6 Jonathan Mills (c)
RL 5 Matt Corker
LL 4
TP 3 Lorne Ward
HK 2
LP 1
Replacements:
HK 16
PR 17
LK 18
N8 19
SH 20
CE 20 Dominic Shabbo
WG 22
Coach: Phil Greening
Touch judges:
Steve Leyshon
Peter Parker-Sedgemore
Television match official:
Geoff Warren

Final

FB 15 Rob Cook
RW 14
OC 13 Matt Hopper
IC 12
LW 11 Rhodri McAtee
FH 10 Johnny Bentley
SH 9 Gavin Cattle (c)
N8 8
OF 7 Phil Burgess
BF 6 Chris Morgan
RL 5 Mike Myerscough
LL 4 Ian Nimmo
TP 3
HK 2
LP 1
Replacements:
PR 16
HK 17
PR 18
FL 19
N8 20
CE 21
SH 22 James Doherty
Coach: Chris Stirling
FB 15 Chris Pennell (c)
RW 14 Marcel Garvey
OC 13
IC 12 Dale Rasmussen
LW 11 Miles Benjamin
FH 10
SH 9 Jonny Arr
N8 8 Kai Horstmann
OF 7 Jake Abbott
BF 6
RL 5 Craig Gillies
LL 4
TP 3
HK 2
LP 1 Adam Black
Replacements:
HK 16
PR 17
LK 18
N8 19
SH 20 Ollie Frost
FH 21
CE 22
Coach: Richard Hill
Touch judges:
Gareth Copsey
Chris Sharp
Television match official:
Steve Leyshon
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FB 15 Chris Pennell (c)
RW 14
OC 13 Alex Grove
IC 12
LW 11 Miles Benjamin
FH 10
SH 9 Jonny Arr
N8 8 Kai Horstmann
OF 7 Jake Abbott
BF 6
RL 5 Craig Gillies
LL 4
TP 3
HK 2
LP 1 Adam Black
Replacements:
HK 16
PR 17
LK 18
N8 19 Adam Balding
SH 20
FH 21
CE 22
Coach: Richard Hill
FB 15 Rob Cook
RW 14 Nick Jackson
OC 13 Matt Hopper
IC 12 Drew Locke
LW 11
FH 10 Johnny Bentley
SH 9 Gavin Cattle (c)
N8 8 Kyle Marriott
OF 7
BF 6 Chris Morgan
RL 5 Mike Myerscough
LL 4
TP 3
HK 2
LP 1
Replacements:
PR 16
HK 17
PR 18
LK 19
FL 20
CE 21
SH 22
Coach: Chris Stirling
Touch judges:
Gareth Copsey
Chris Sharp
Television match official:
Steve Leyshon

Total Season Attendances

ClubHome
Games
TotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity
Bedford Blues 14 37,150 2,654 4,150 1,954 44%
Birmingham & Solihull 14 8,261 590 1,277 317 24%
Bristol 14 57,647 4,118 5,768 2,238 34%
Cornish Pirates 16 39,195 2,450 3,500 1,737 61%
Doncaster Knights 14 16,548 1,182 1,830 901 38%
Esher 14 18,228 1,302 2,500 712 43%
London Welsh 14 17,348 1,239 2,057 720 21%
Moseley 13 11,624 894 1,308 651 30%
Nottingham 14 21,117 1,508 2,349 801 8%
Plymouth Albion 14 30,692 2,192 4,847 1,521 34%
Rotherham Titans 14 16,755 1,289 1,921 903 48%
Worcester Warriors 16 104,385 6,524 12,024 4,712 54%
[6] [7]

Individual statistics

Top points scorers

Rank Player Team Appearances Points
1 29 381
2 30 366
3 27 309
4 24 296
5 21 280
6 27 275
7 26 237
8 25 236
9 22 205
10 19 197
[8] [9]

Top try scorers

Rank Player Team Appearances Tries
1 28 26
2 29 19
3 20 17
4 21 15
23 15
26 15
5 21 14
6 27 13
7 23 12
25 12
25 12
29 12
[10] [11]

Season records

Team

Largest home win — 68 pts81 - 13 Worcester Warriors at home to Bristol on 16 April 2011
  • Largest away win — 46 pts68 - 22 London Welsh away to Moseley on 16 October 2010
  • Most points scored — 81 pts81 - 13 Worcester Warriors at home to Bristol on 16 April 2011
  • Most tries in a match — 12 Bedford Blues at home to Rotherham Titans on 16 April 2011
  • Most conversions in a match — 10 (x2)Bedford Blues at home to Rotherham Titans on 16 April 2011
    Worcester Warriors at home to Bristol on 16 April 2011
  • Most penalties in a match — 7 (x5)Nottingham at home to London Welsh on 29 August 2011
    Nottingham away to Doncaster Knights on 2 October 2011
    Esher at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 1 January 2011
    Rotherham Titans at home to Doncaster Knights on 5 February 2012
    Plymouth Albion at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 25 March 2012
  • Most drop goals in a match — 3Worcester Warriors away to Bedford Blues on 16 October 2010
  • [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]

    Player

    Most points in a match — 30 James Pritchard for Bedford Blues at home to Rotherham Titans on 16 April 2011
  • Most tries in a match — 4 (x2) James Short for Bedford Blues at home to Moseley on 25 September 2010
    Josh Drauniniu for London Welsh away to Moseley on 16 October 2010
  • Most conversions in a match — 10 James Pritchard for Bedford Blues at home to Rotherham Titans on 16 April 2011
  • Most penalties in a match — 7 (x5) James Arlidge for Nottingham at home to London Welsh on 29 August 2011
    James Arlidge for Nottingham away to Doncaster Knights on 2 October 2011
    Sam Ulph for Esher at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 1 January 2011
    Juan Pablo Socino for Rotherham Titans at home to Doncaster Knights on 5 February 2012
    Alex Davies for Plymouth Albion at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 25 March 2011
  • Most drop goals in a match — 3 Andy Goode for Exeter Chiefs away to Bristol on 26 May 2010
  • [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29]

    Attendances

    Highest — 12,024 Worcester Warriors at home to Cornish Pirates on 18 May 2011
  • Lowest — 317 Birmingham & Solihull at home to Doncaster Knights on 9 January 2011
  • Highest Average Attendance — 6,524Worcester Warriors
  • Lowest Average Attendance — 590Birmingham & Solihull
  • [30] [31]

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Leeds Carnegie 12 Worcester Warriors 10 . The Telegraph . 25 April 2010 .
    2. Web site: Rugby: Esher up as champions with room to spare . Get Surrey . 12 April 2010 .
    3. Web site: Worcester Warriors 25-20 Cornish Pirates (agg 46-32) . BBC Sport . 18 May 2011 .
    4. Web site: "Not good enough Bees" relegated by Moseley . Solihull News . 10 April 2011 .
    5. Web site: Birmingham & Solihull 35 Doncaster Knights 29 . Doncaster Free Press . 11 January 2011 . 1 February 2016 . 26 October 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161026173143/http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/birmingham-amp-solihull-35-doncaster-knights-29-1-3004734 . dead .
    6. Web site: Championship 10/11 Home attendance . Rugby Statbunker. 19 February 2011.
    7. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Home attendance . Rugby Statbunker. 18 May 2011.
    8. Web site: Championship 10/11 Leading top scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 19 February 2011.
    9. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Leading top scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 18 May 2011.
    10. Web site: Championship 10/11 Leading try scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 19 February 2011.
    11. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Leading try scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 18 May 2011.
    12. Web site: Championship 10/11 Most tries in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 19 February 2011 .
    13. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Most tries in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 18 May 2011 .
    14. Web site: Championship 10/11 Most conversions in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 19 February 2011 .
    15. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Most conversions in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 18 May 2011 .
    16. Web site: Championship 10/11 Most penalties in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 19 February 2011 .
    17. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Most penalties in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 18 May 2011 .
    18. Web site: Championship 10/11 Most drop goals in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 19 February 2011 .
    19. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Most drop goals in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 18 May 2011 .
    20. Web site: Championship 10/11 Most points in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 19 February 2011.
    21. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Most points in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 18 May 2011 .
    22. Web site: Championship 10/11 Most tries in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 19 February 2011 .
    23. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Most tries in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 18 May 2011 .
    24. Web site: Championship 10/11 Most conversions in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 19 February 2011 .
    25. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Most conversions in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 18 May 2011 .
    26. Web site: Championship 10/11 Most penalties in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 19 February 2011 .
    27. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Most penalties in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 18 May 2011 .
    28. Web site: Championship 10/11 Most drop goals in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 19 February 2011 .
    29. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Most drop goals in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 18 May 2011 .
    30. Web site: Championship 10/11 Home attendance . Rugby Statbunker. 19 February 2011.
    31. Web site: Championship Playoffs 10/11 Home attendance . Rugby Statbunker. 18 May 2011.