2012–13 RFU Championship explained

2012–13 RFU Championship
Countries:
Date:31 August 2012 – 29 May 2013
Champions:Newcastle Falcons
Runnersup:Bedford Blues
Relegated:Doncaster Knights
Matches:138
Highest Attendance:7,651 Newcastle Falcons at home to Bedford Blues on 29 May 2013
Lowest Attendance:653 London Scottish at home to Moseley on 24 November 2012
Top Point Scorer:Jimmy Gopperth
(Newcastle Falcons) 298 points[1] [2] [3]
Top Try Scorer:Matt Evans
(Cornish Pirates) 14 tries[4] [5] [6]
Prevseason:2011–12
Nextseason:2013–14

The 2012–13 RFU Championship is the fourth season of the professionalised format of the RFU Championship,[7] the second tier of English domestic rugby union competitions, played between August 2012 and May 2013.

After an appeal, last seasons champions, London Welsh were promoted to the Aviva Premiership and subsequently Newcastle Falcons relegated, due to finishing bottom of the Aviva Premiership during the 2011–12 season.[8] [9] On 8 May 2012 it was announced that only Bristol and London Welsh (subject to further developments) were eligible for promotion under the RFU's minimum standards criteria;[10] London Welsh advanced to the Championship final,[11] whilst Bristol were defeated in their semi-final by the Cornish Pirates, a club that could not meet the standards criteria.[12] However, on 23 May, the day of the first leg of the final, the RFU announced that London Welsh would not be eligible for promotion due to "various failures". London Welsh's appeal was heard by an Independent Panel on 29 June which ruled ″... that the Exiles should be promoted on the basis that they play their home games at Oxford's Kassam Stadium and that the club meet the minimum entry criteria to the league as imposed by the Professional Game Board.″ Chief Executive Officer of the RFU, Ian Richie, subsequently announced that there would be a full review of the Minimum Standard Criteria.[13] Esher dropped out of the Championship after being relegated to the 2013–14 National League 1 and they will be replaced by a club from the Channel Islands, Jersey who won National League 1 last season and will compete in the Championship for the first time after three consecutive promotions.[14] [15] [16]

The twelve clubs in the 2012–13 Championship will also participate in the 2012–13 edition of the British and Irish Cup along with clubs from Wales, Scotland and Ireland.[17]

On 30 August the RFU announced that, for the first time, a team coached by Mike Rayer of Bedford Blues and consisting of English Qualified Players from RFU Championship teams will play a touring team. The match took place on 17 November at Castle Park, Doncaster against the Māori All Blacks with the New Zealand team winning 52 – 21.

Structure

The Championship's structure has all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis. The play–off structure has been changed dramatically for the 2012–13 season. Previously, the top eight teams entered into a complex mixture of pool and knockout play to determine promotion to the Premiership, whilst the bottom four entered into a pool whose last–placed team was relegated to National League 1.[18] The play–off pools have been abolished beginning with this season. On the promotion side, the knockout stage, involving two–legged semi–finals followed by a two–legged final, will remain in place. Now, 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. There will be no relegation play–offs; the bottom team will now be automatically relegated.[18]

Competition funding

The RFU Championship clubs were in dispute with the RFU over funding for the competition and claimed that each club was owed £77,000 for the past three seasons and will be owed a further £120,000 over the next four seasons. The clubs also believed they should have received £295,000 in 2009–10, rising to £400,000 by 2015–16 and further believed there was a breach of contract on the part of the RFU. The RFU stated that the original funding was an estimate and by 2015–16 the figure will be £359,400.[13] On 21 August the RFU unveiled the Championship funding structure for the next four seasons to 2015–16. The funding is based on the continuation of the "English Qualified Players scheme", where clubs are required to field fifteen English qualified players in the 22-man squad on each matchday. (In previous seasons teams were required to field fourteen.) Although the amount is not given in the press release, the RFU also stated they will "increase its financial underwritings in relation to a title sponsorship while efforts continue to secure a partner".

Participating teams

width=22%Teamwidth=35%Stadiumwidth=12%Capacitywidth=25%City/Area
Bedford BluesGoldington Road6,000Bedford, Bedfordshire
BristolMemorial Stadium12,100Bristol
Cornish PiratesMennaye Field4,000 (2,200 Seats)Penzance, Cornwall
Doncaster KnightsCastle Park3,075Doncaster, South Yorkshire
JerseySt. Peter5,000Saint Peter, Jersey
Leeds CarnegieHeadingley Rugby Stadium20,250Leeds, West Yorkshire
London ScottishAthletic Ground, Richmond4,500Richmond, London
MoseleyBillesley Common3,000+Birmingham, West Midlands
Newcastle FalconsKingston Park10,200Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
NottinghamMeadow Lane19,588Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Plymouth AlbionThe Brickfields8,500Plymouth, Devon
Rotherham TitansClifton Lane2,500Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Notes

Regular season

The 2012–13 RFU Championship kicked off on 31 August with Nottingham defeating Leeds Carnegie and will finish on 20 April 2013. Each team will play the other twice on a home and away basis with the top four qualifying for the promotion phase.[19]

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 16

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Round 14 catch up

Round 17

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Round 18

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Round 15 and 16 catch up

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Round 19

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Round 20

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Round 19 postponed games

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Round 21

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Round 19 postponed game

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Round 22

Play–offs

Semi–finals

The semi–finals followed a 1 v 4, 2 v 3 system - with the games being played over two legs and the higher placed team deciding who played at home in the first leg.

Newcastle Falcons finished the regular season in first place and played fourth-placed finishers Leeds Carnegie, with both matches being shown on SkySports. The other semi–final was between second placed Nottingham and Bedford who finished third.[30]

Following the findings of an independent audit report, Leeds Carnegie, Newcastle Falcons and Nottingham Rugby met the "Minimum Standards Criteria" (MSC), and were eligible for promotion to the 2013–14 Aviva Premiership should they win the RFU Championship. Bedford Blues failed to meet the MSC but have the right to an appeal.[31]

First leg

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Second leg

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Final

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Total attendances

ClubHome MatchesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity
Bedford Blues 13 39,667 3,051 4,588 1,552 51%
Bristol 11 53,410 4,855 6,045 4,070 40%
Cornish Pirates 11 20,480 1,862 2,954 1,223 47%
Doncaster Knights 11 13,639 1,240 1,702 872 40%
Jersey 11 24,152 2,196 3,154 1,410 44%
Leeds Carnegie 12 23,694 1,975 4,259 1,261 29%
London Scottish 11 13,325 1,211 1,705 653 27%
Moseley 11 10,678 971 1,455 722 32%
Newcastle Falcons 13 53,748 4,134 7,651 2,208 41%
Nottingham 12 22,609 1,884 3,070 1,187 10%
Plymouth Albion 11 19,991 1,817 3,058 1,303 21%
Rotherham Titans 11 14,589 1,326 1,890 935 53%
[32] [33]

Top scorers

Top points scorers

RankPlayerTeamPoints
1 298
2 246
3 222
4 218
5 182
6 159
7 155
8 154
9 144
10 142

Top try scorers

RankPlayerTeamTries
align=center 1 14
2 13
Nottingham
align=center 4 11
align=center 5 10
6 8
Plymouth Albion
Newcastle Falcons
Leeds Carnegie
Bedford Blues

RFU Championship XV

The RFU Championship fielded a representative team for the first time against the Maori All Blacks, a touring team from New Zealand.[34]

Other tour match

Newcastle Falcons played a match against Tonga on Tuesday 13 November 2012 winning 24 – 13.[35]

Season records

Team

Largest home win – 56 pts63 – 7 Nottingham at home to Bristol on 4 November 2012
  • Largest away win – 40 pts53 - 13 Newcastle Falcons away to Moseley on 6 October 2012
  • Most points scored – 63 pts63 – 7 Nottingham at home to Bristol on 4 November 2012
  • Most tries in a match – 9Nottingham at home to Bristol on 4 November 2012
  • Most conversions in a match – 9Nottingham at home to Bristol on 4 November 2012
  • Most penalties in a match – 7 (x3)London Scottish at home to Rotherham Titans on 2 September 2012
    Bedford Blues away to Newcastle Falcons on 29 April 2013
    Newcastle Falcons at home to Bedford Blues on 29 April 2013
  • Most drop goals in a match – 2 (x2)Rotherham Titans away to Cornish Pirates on 11 November 2012
    Bedford Blues away to Newcastle Falcons on 8 March 2013

    • [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43]

    Player

    Most points in a match – 29 Gary Law for Rotherham Titans at home to Jersey on 22 September 2012
  • Most tries in a match – 3 (x6) Matt Evans for Cornish Pirates away to Jersey on 1 September 2012
    Ally Hogg for Newcastle Falcons away to London Scottish on 8 September 2012
    James Stephenson for Bedford Blues at home to London Scottish on 15 September 2012
    Charlie Hayter for Moseley away to Jersey on 15 September 2012
    Phil Burgess for Cornish Pirates at home to Rotherham Titans on 11 November 2012
    Johny Harris for Nottingham at home to Plymouth Albion on 3 March 2013
  • Most conversions in a match – 9 James Arlidge for Nottingham at home to Bristol on 4 November 2012
  • Most penalties in a match — 7 (x3) James Love for London Scottish at home to Rotherham Titans on 2 September 2012
    Jake Sharp for Bedford Blues away to Newcastle Falcons on 29 April 2013
    Jimmy Gopperth for Newcastle Falcons at home to Bedford Blues on 29 April 2013
  • Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x2) Gary Law for Rotherham Titans away to Cornish Pirates on 11 November 2012
    Mark Atkinson for Bedford Blues away to Newcastle Falcons on 8 March 2013

    • [44] [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51] [52] [53]

    Attendances

    Highest – 7,651Newcastle Falcons at home to Bedford Blues on 29 May 2013
  • Lowest – 653London Scottish at home to Moseley on 24 November 2012
  • Highest Average Attendance – 4,855Bristol
  • Lowest Average Attendance – 971Moseley

    • [32] [33]

    See also

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: RFU Championship Statistics. rugbyroundup.com. 22 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131006171557/http://www.rugbyroundup.com/stats.php?leagueID=2&statType=topPointScorers&limit=20. 6 October 2013. dead.
    2. Web site: Championship Semi-Finals Statistics. rugbyroundup.com. 23 May 2013. https://archive.today/20130616053259/http://www.rugbyroundup.com/stats.php?leagueID=60&statType=topPointScorers. 16 June 2013. dead.
    3. Web site: Championship finals Statistics. rugbyroundup.com. 30 May 2013. https://archive.today/20130616053056/http://www.rugbyroundup.com/stats.php?leagueID=139&statType=topPointScorers. 16 June 2013. dead.
    4. Web site: RFU Championship Statistics. rugbyroundup.com. 22 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131005024224/http://www.rugbyroundup.com/stats.php?leagueID=2&statType=topTryScorers&limit=20. 5 October 2013. dead.
    5. Web site: Championship Semi-Finals Statistics. rugbyroundup.com. 23 May 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130913014708/http://www.rugbyroundup.com/stats.php?leagueID=60. 13 September 2013. dead.
    6. Web site: Championship finals Statistics. rugbyroundup.com. 30 May 2013. https://archive.today/20130616053030/http://www.rugbyroundup.com/stats.php?leagueID=139&statType=topTryScorers. 16 June 2013. dead.
    7. Web site: Competitions & Tournaments . Rugby Football Union. 11 May 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090930005701/http://www.rfu.com/ManagingRugby/CompetitionsAndTournaments.aspx . 30 September 2009 . dead .
    8. Web site: London Welsh win Premiership promotion, Newcastle relegated. BBC Sport. 29 June 2012. 29 June 2012.
    9. Web site: Wasps 10–14 Newcastle . BBC Sport. 5 May 2012 . 11 May 2012.
    10. Web site: Newcastle Falcons half-back Chris Pilgrim extends contract . BBC Sport. 8 May 2012 . 11 May 2012.
    11. News: London Welsh 17-24 Bedford Blues (agg 30-27) . BBC Sport. 13 May 2012 . 13 May 2012.
    12. News: Championship semi-final play-off: Bristol 29-18 Cornish Pirates . BBC Sport. 13 May 2012 . 13 May 2012.
    13. News: Straughan. Dick. Falcons relegated as Welsh win RFU promotion appleal. The Cornishman. 5 July 2012. 80.
    14. Web site: Esher RFC president says club will cope with relegation . BBC Sport. 23 April 2012 . 27 April 2012.
    15. Web site: Jersey promoted to Championship by beating Coventry . BBC Sport. 21 April 2012 . 27 April 2012.
    16. Web site: Tim Pryor . Jersey promoted: The rise and rise of an island side . BBC Sport. 23 April 2012 . 11 May 2012.
    17. News: Rugby Football Union to fund travel for Cup games . BBC Sport. 4 November 2010 . 27 May 2012.
    18. News: Championship: RFU to abolish play-off pool stages . BBC Sport. 17 May 2012 . 17 May 2012.
    19. Web site: RFU Championship Fixtures & Results. https://archive.today/20130208183910/http://www.rugbyroundup.com/league.php?league_id=2&mode=fixtures_and_results%23leagueInfo. dead. 8 February 2013. rugby round up. 23 September 2012.
    20. Web site: Leeds Carnegie 34 Plymouth Albion 16. https://web.archive.org/web/20160712072320/http://www.yorkshirecarnegie.com/news/19451.php. usurped. 12 July 2016. Leeds Carnegie. 6 January 2013. 21 July 2016.
    21. Web site: 6th January 2013 Leeds. Plymouth Albion. 6 January 2013. 10 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20160922183844/http://www.plymouthalbion.com/6th-january-2013-leeds/. 22 September 2016. dead.
    22. Web site: Championship Organising Committee rules on Leeds Carnegie v Plymouth Albion game. Rugby Football Union. 17 January 2013. 21 July 2016.
    23. Web site: Cornish Pirates match postponed. newcastlefalcons.co.uk. 23 January 2013. 24 January 2013.
    24. Web site: Doncaster Knights v London Scottish postponed to next Friday. Doncaster RFC. 25 January 2013. 25 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130127171028/http://www.drfc.co.uk/About-Us/News/2013/January/Tonights-match-postponed-4196. 27 January 2013. dead.
    25. Web site: Billesley Common Fixture Postponed. bristolrugby.co.uk. 9 February 2013. 9 February 2013.
    26. Web site: POSTPONED: Jersey Vs Nottingham Rugby. nottinghamrugby.co.uk. 16 February 2013. 16 February 2013. https://archive.today/20130421083937/http://www.nottinghamrugby.co.uk/news-events/jersey-v-nottingham-postponed.aspx. 21 April 2013. dead.
    27. Web site: Newcastle v Cornish Pirates Game Postponed. cornish-pirates.com. 23 January 2013. 24 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130202072848/http://www.cornish-pirates.com/12-13_news/newcastle_game_off.html. 2 February 2013. dead.
    28. Web site: Moseley Rearranged Fixture Date Confirmed. bristolrugby.co.uk. 13 February 2013. 17 February 2013.
    29. Web site: Re-arranged fixture v Nottingham. jrfc.je. 21 February 2013. 23 February 2013.
    30. Web site: Play off update. Leeds Carnegie. 21 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130424054414/http://www.leedscarnegie.com/news/20252.php. 24 April 2013. dead.
    31. Web site: Minimum Standards Criteria Audit results. Rugby Football Union. 29 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130508220915/http://www.rfu.com/news/2013/april/news-articles/29041_msc_audit. 8 May 2013. dead.
    32. Web site: Championship 12/13 Home attendance . Rugby Statbunker. 20 April 2013.
    33. Web site: Championship Playoffs 12/13 Home attendance . Rugby Statbunker. 29 May 2013.
    34. Web site: Cornish Pirates boss Ian Davies to coach Championship XV. BBC. 26 September 2012. 29 September 2012.
    35. Web site: FALCONS 24 TONGA 13. The Journal. 14 November 2012. 15 November 2012.
    36. Web site: Championship 12/13 Most tries in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 20 April 2013 .
    37. Web site: Championship Playoffs 12/13 Most tries in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 29 May 2013 .
    38. Web site: Championship 12/13 Most conversions in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 20 April 2013 .
    39. Web site: Championship Playoffs 12/13 Most conversions in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 29 May 2013 .
    40. Web site: Championship 12/13 Most penalties in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 20 April 2013 .
    41. Web site: Championship Playoffs 12/13 Most penalties in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 29 May 2013 .
    42. Web site: Championship 12/13 Most drop goals in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 20 April 2013 .
    43. Web site: Championship Playoffs 12/13 Most drop goals in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 29 May 2013 .
    44. Web site: Championship 12/13 Most points in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 20 April 2013.
    45. Web site: Championship Playoffs 12/13 Most points in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 29 May 2013 .
    46. Web site: Championship 12/13 Most tries in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 20 April 2013 .
    47. Web site: Championship Playoffs 12/13 Most tries in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 29 May 2013 .
    48. Web site: Championship 12/13 Most conversions in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 20 April 2013 .
    49. Web site: Championship Playoffs 12/13 Most conversions in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 29 May 2013 .
    50. Web site: Championship 12/13 Most penalties in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 20 April 2013 .
    51. Web site: Championship Playoffs 12/13 Most penalties in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 29 May 2013 .
    52. Web site: Championship 12/13 Most drop goals in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 20 April 2013.
    53. Web site: Championship Playoffs 12/13 Most drop goals in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 29 May 2013 .

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