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%	Capacity	width=25%	City/Area
Bedford Blues	Goldington Road	6,000	Bedford, Bedfordshire
Birmingham & Solihull	Damson Park / Sharmans Cross	3,050 / 2,500	Solihull, West Midlands
Bristol	Memorial Stadium	12,100	Bristol
Cornish Pirates	Mennaye Field	4,000 (2,200 seats)	Penzance
Doncaster Knights	Castle Park	3,075	Doncaster
Esher	Molesey Road	3,000	Hersham, Surrey
London Welsh	Old Deer Park	5,850	Richmond, London
Moseley	Billesley Common	3,000+	Birmingham
Nottingham	Meadow Lane	19,588	Nottingham
Plymouth Albion	The Brickfields	6,500	Plymouth
Rotherham Titans	Clifton Lane	2,500	Rotherham
Worcester Warriors	Sixways Stadium	12,088	Worcester

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

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 25 January 2011.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 December 2010.

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Round 15

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 December 2010.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 14 December 2010.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 19 January 2011.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 18 January 2011.

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Round 14 & Round 15 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 4 December 2010.

• Game rescheduled from 27 November 2010.

• Game rescheduled from 4 December 2010.

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Round 16

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 9 February 2011.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 February 2011.

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Round 17

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Round 18

• This fixture would double up as a league and 2010–11 British and Irish Cup game after the corresponding cup game was postponed.^[5]

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Round 15 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 4 December 2010.

• Game rescheduled from 4 December 2010.

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Round 14 (rescheduled game)

• Game rescheduled from 27 November 2010.

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Round 19

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Round 16 (rescheduled game)

• Game rescheduled from 12 December 2010.

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Round 20

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Round 16 (rescheduled game)

• Game rescheduled from 12 December 2010.

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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

• Includes playoff games.

Club	Home Games	Total	Average	Highest	Lowest	% 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

• Player stats include playoff games as well as regular season games. Also note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.

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

• Official site
• Fixtures & Results

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.