County Championship (rugby union) explained

Current Season:2023 Bill Beaumont Championship Division 1
Last Season:2023 Bill Beaumont Cup
Upcoming Season:2024 Bill Beaumont Cup
Sport:Rugby union
Teams:12
Country:England
Champion:Kent (2024) (5th title)
Most Champs:Lancashire (25)
Owner:Rugby Football Union

The County Championship is an annual rugby union competition in England between teams representing English counties. After restructuring in 2007 the top tier of the Championship has been known as the Bill Beaumont Cup, after the trophy awarded to the competition winners was named in honour of Bill Beaumont, a former England and British & Irish Lions captain.[1] In 2017 the competition was officially known as Bill Beaumont Division 1, with teams also competing in Division 2 and Division 3, which prior to 2017 were known as the Plate and Shield competitions.[2]

The Championship has a long history, being first officially recognised by the Rugby Football Union in 1889. The 2018 Championship was the 118th competition. The most successful county, Lancashire, has won the competition 25 times, followed by Gloucestershire (17) and Yorkshire (15). Lancashire (34) & Gloucestershire (33) have made the most appearances in contested finals.

On four occasions the tournament final has been tied at full-time and a second leg rematch has been played. Two of these rematches were also tied and on these occasions (1907 and 1967) the finalists were declared joint winners. In 1991 the final match between Cornwall and Yorkshire was tied at full-time and extra time was played, with Cornwall winning 29–20.In 2001 the Championship did not take place due to the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak; instead Yorkshire and Cornwall were invited to play at Twickenham.

The 2015 final was contested by Lancashire and Cornwall, with the teams meeting in the final for the third consecutive year.[3] Cornwall won the championship with an 18-13 victory, their fourth title overall and their first since 1999.[4] Cornwall retained their title in 2016, this time beating Cheshire, 35–13.[5] In 2017 Cornwall and Lancashire met in the final for the fourth time in five seasons. Lancashire won 19-8 and prevented Cornwall from completing a hat-trick of county titles.[6]

Structure

There was little formal structure to the first official years of the competition, with teams playing different numbers of matches and different opposition from across England. The winners were determined by a panel of judges from the RFU Committee. From 1891–1895, the four winners of four regional Championships (North East, North West, South East and South West) played a round-robin tournament to determine the overall winner of the County Championship.

A restructure in 1896, led to the creation of North and South regions only, the winners of these regional competitions playing a final for the County Championship. Another restructure in 1921 saw the formation of five regions and the knock-out stage of the championship extend to semi-finals and a final. The winners of the North East, North West and South East regions were entered into a semi-final draw along with the winners of a play-off between the winners of the South and South West regions.

From 2007 to 2016, the top eight counties were split into two regions of four teams, North and South, who played a round-robin tournament. The winners of each region competed for the English County Championship in the final. This format was repeated for the eight counties that competed for the County Championship Plate. The eleven counties which competed for the County Championship Shield were split into three pools from which the winners and the runner-up with the best record met in semi-final matches.

In 2017 the competition was given a new structure, with the top tier comprising twelve teams and the second and third tiers having eight teams each. Each tier has a final each year, but promotion and relegation between tiers is decided on a two-year basis.[7]

Past winners

1889-1895

YearWinnerRegional Winners
1889Yorkshire
1890Yorkshire
1891LancashireGloucestershire, Surrey, Yorkshire
1892YorkshireKent, Lancashire, Midland Counties
1893YorkshireCumberland, Devon, Middlesex
1894YorkshireLancashire, Midland Counties, Somerset
1895YorkshireCumberland, Devon, Midland Counties

1896-1983

YearWinnersHome TeamScoreAway TeamVenueAttendance/Notes
1896YorkshireSurrey4-16YorkshireAthletic Ground, Richmond
1897KentCumberland3-9KentCarlisle
1898NorthumberlandMidland Counties3-24NorthumberlandCoventry
1899DevonNorthumberland0-5DevonJesmond, Newcastle6,000 [8]
1900Durham CountyDevon3–11Durham CountyExeter10,000-13,000 [9] [10]
1901DevonDurham County3-14DevonVictoria Park (Hartlepool)
1902Durham CountyGloucestershire3-9Durham CountyKingsholm Stadium, Gloucester6,000 [11]
1903Durham CountyDurham County4-3KentVictoria Park (Hartlepool)
1904KentKent8-6Durham CountyBlackheath
1905Durham CountyDurham County9-8MiddlesexVictoria Park (Hartlepool)
1906DevonDevon16-3Durham CountyExeter12,000 [12]
1907Title shared after replay drawnDurham County3-3DevonVictoria Park (Hartlepool)
Devon0-0Durham CountyExeterReplay
1908CornwallCornwall17-3Durham CountyRedruth
1909Durham CountyDurham County12-0CornwallOld Friarage, Hartlepool
1910GloucestershireGloucestershire23-0YorkshireKingsholm Stadium, Gloucester10,000 [13]
1911DevonYorkshire3-12DevonClarence Cricket and Football Ground, Kirkstall[14] 8,000
1912DevonDevon29-0NorthumberlandRectory Ground, Devonport [15] 12,000
1913GloucestershireCumberland3-14GloucestershireCarlisle10,000
1914Midland CountiesMidland Counties22-5Durham CountyWelford Road Stadium, Leicester
1915-19Competition suspended for WWI
1920GloucestershireYorkshire3-27GloucestershireLidget Green, Bradford8,000
1921GloucestershireGloucestershire31-4LeicestershireKingsholm, Gloucester10,701
1922GloucestershireNorth Midlands0-19GloucestershireVilla Park, Birmingham
1923SomersetSomerset8-6LeicestershireBridgwater Albion ground10,000
1924CumberlandCumberland14-3KentCarlisle
1925LeicestershireGloucestershire6-14LeicestershireMemorial Ground, Bristol
1926YorkshireYorkshire15-14HampshireBradford
1927KentKent22-12LeicestershireRectory Field, Blackheath
1928YorkshireYorkshire12–8CornwallLidget Green, Bradford[16]
1929MiddlesexMiddlesex8-8LancashireTwickenham12,000
Lancashire8-9MiddlesexSt Anthony's Road, Blundellsands8,000 Replay match
1930GloucestershireLancashire7-13GloucestershireSt Anthony's Road, Blundellsands10,000+
1931GloucestershireGloucestershire10-9WarwickshireKingsholm Stadium, Gloucester
1932GloucestershireDurham County3-9GloucestershireBlaydon-on-Tyne12,000
1933HampshireHampshire18-7LancashireDean Court, Boscombe
1934East MidlandsEast Midlands10-0GloucestershireFranklin's Gardens, Northampton
1935LancashireSomerset0-14LancashireRecreation Ground (Bath)
1936HampshireNorthumberland6-13HampshireGosforth
1937GloucestershireGloucestershire5-0East MidlandsBristol
1938LancashireLancashire24-12SurreySt Anthony's Road, Blundellsands
1939WarwickshireSomerset3-8WarwickshireWeston-super-Mare
1940-46Competition suspended for World War II
1947LancashireLancashire8-8GloucestershireSt Anthony's Road, Blundellsands5,000
Gloucestershire3-14LancashireKingsholm Stadium, Gloucester20,000 Replay match
1948LancashireEastern Counties0-5LancashireUniversity Ground, Cambridge
1949LancashireLancashire9-3GloucestershireSt Anthony's Road, Blundellsands
1950CheshireCheshire5-0East MidlandsUpper Park, Birkenhead Park
1951East MidlandsEast Midlands10-0MiddlesexFranklin's Gardens, Northampton
1952MiddlesexMiddlesex9-6LancashireTwickenham
1953YorkshireYorkshire11-3East MidlandsBradford
1954MiddlesexLancashire6-24MiddlesexSt Anthony's Road, Blundellsands12,000
1955LancashireMiddlesex8-14LancashireTwickenham
1956MiddlesexMiddlesex13-9DevonTwickenham
1957DevonDevon12-3YorkshireHome Park, Plymouth
1958WarwickshireWarwickshire16-8CornwallCoundon Road, Coventry
1959WarwickshireGloucestershire9-14WarwickshireMemorial Ground, Bristol
1960WarwickshireWarwickshire9-6SurreyCoundon Road, Coventry
1961CheshireDevon0-0CheshireHome Park, Plymouth
Cheshire5-3DevonUpper Park, Birkenhead ParkReplay match
1962WarwickshireHampshire6-11WarwickshireTwickenham
1963WarwickshireWarwickshire13-10YorkshireCoundon Road, Coventry
1964WarwickshireWarwickshire8-6LancashireCoundon Road, Coventry
1965WarwickshireDurham County9-15WarwickshireNew Friarage, Hartlepool
1966MiddlesexLancashire0-6MiddlesexSt Anthony's Road, Blundellsands
1967Title shared after replay drawnSurrey14-14Durham CountyTwickenham
Durham County0-0SurreyHartlepool
1968MiddlesexMiddlesex9-6WarwickshireTwickenham
1969LancashireCornwall9-11LancashireRecreation Ground, Redruth23-25,000 (estimated)
1970StaffordshireStaffordshire11-9GloucestershirePeel Croft, Burton-on-Trent
1971SurreyGloucestershire3-14SurreyKingsholm Stadium, Gloucester
1972GloucestershireWarwickshire6-11GloucestershireCoundon Road, Coventry
1973LancashireGloucestershire12-17LancashireMemorial Ground, Bristol
1974GloucestershireLancashire12-22GloucestershireSt Anthony's Road, Blundellsands
1975GloucestershireGloucestershire13-9Eastern CountiesKingsholm Stadium, Gloucester
1976GloucestershireMiddlesex9-24GloucestershireRichmond Athletic Ground
1977LancashireLancashire17-6MiddlesexSt Anthony's Road, Blundellsands
1978North MidlandsNorth Midlands10-7GloucestershireThe Reddings, Moseley
1979MiddlesexMiddlesex19-6NorthumberlandTwickenham
1980LancashireLancashire21-15GloucestershirePowderhouse Lane, Vale of Lune10,000 (estimated) [17]
1981NorthumberlandGloucestershire6-15NorthumberlandKingsholm Stadium, Gloucester
1982LancashireNorth Midlands3-7LancashireThe Reddings, Moseley
1983GloucestershireGloucestershire19-7YorkshireMemorial Ground, Bristol

1984-present

Since 1984 all Championship finals have been played at Twickenham .

YearWinnersScoreRunners upAttendance/Notes
1984Gloucestershire36-18Somerset
1985Middlesex12-9Notts, Lincs & Derby
1986Warwickshire16-6Kent
1987Yorkshire22-11Middlesex10,000 [18]
1988Lancashire23-18Warwickshire2,000 [19]
1989Durham County13-9Cornwall27,500 [20]
1990Lancashire32-9Middlesex7,000 [21]
1991Cornwall29-20YorkshireAET, 56,000[22]
1992Lancashire9-6Cornwall50,000[23]
1993Lancashire9-6Yorkshire18,700[24]
1994Yorkshire26-3Durham County16,000[25]
1995Warwickshire15-9Northumberland6,000[26]
1996Gloucestershire17-13Warwickshire7,750[27]
1997Cumbria21-13Somerset8,150[28]
1998Cheshire21-14Cornwall35,250[29]
1999Cornwall25-15Gloucestershire25,000[30]
2000Yorkshire16-9Devon4,000[31]
2001Yorkshire47-19CornwallChallenge match, 4,000[32]
2002Gloucestershire26-23Cheshire
2003Lancashire24-18Gloucestershire1,000 [33]
2004Devon43-14Gloucestershire
2005Devon22-16Lancashire
2006Lancashire32-26Devon
2007Devon27-6Lancashire
2008Yorkshire33-13Devon
2009Lancashire32-18Gloucestershire
2010Lancashire36-6Gloucestershire
2011Lancashire32-23Hertfordshire
2012Hertfordshire38-20Lancashire
2013Lancashire35-26Cornwall20,000
2014Lancashire36-26Cornwall4,000
2015Cornwall18-13Lancashire1,500
2016Cornwall35-13Cheshire3,000
2017Lancashire19-8Cornwall7,000
2018Lancashire31-16Hertfordshire
2019Cornwall14-12Cheshire3,500
2020-2021No Competition due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[34]
2022Cornwall37-24Cheshire
2023Kent39-37[35] Lancashire
2024Kent31-30[36] Yorkshire

Championships by county

Correct as of 10 July 2023

CountyOutrightSharedTotalRunners-upLast won
3 3 3 1998
7 7 9 2022
1 1 2 1924
1 1 0 1997
9 1 10 6 2007
6 2 8 8 1989
2 2 3 1951
0 0 2
17 17 16 2002
2 2 2 1936
1 1 1 2012
4 5 3 2024
25 25 10 2018
1 1 3 1925
8 8 7 1985
1 1 1 1914
1 1 2 1978
2 2 5 1981
0 0 1
1 1 4 1923
1 1 0 1970
1 1 2 3 1971
10 10 5 1995
15 15 9 2008

Cumbria, a 1974 amalgamation of the former counties of Cumberland, Westmorland and the Furness part of Lancashire, is shown separately from Cumberland and Lancashire.

Eastern Counties and Notts, Lincs & Derby have reached the final, but have never won the championship.

Gloucestershire are the only county to have completed a "hat-trick of hat-trick" of county titles: this was achieved in 1920–1922, 1930-1932 and 1974-1976.

John Fidler, former Gloucester, Gloucestershire and England lock forward, still holds the record for the most County Championship Final appearances, nine in all, from 1971 to 1984.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2007 County Championship Renamed In Honour Of Bill Beaumont. 13 May 2007. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070428100903/http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.Community_Detail/StoryID/13896. 28 April 2007.
  2. Web site: County Championships renamed to honour rugby legends . England Rugby. 27 March 2017.
  3. News: County Championship: Cornwall 25–18 Hertfordshire. BBC Sport . 27 May 2015.
  4. News: County Championship final: Cornwall 18–13 Lancashire. BBC Sport . 26 February 2016.
  5. Web site: County Championship final 2016: Cornwall beat Cheshire to retain title at Twickenham. BBC Sport. 29 May 2016.
  6. Web site: Lancashire win Bill Beaumont County Champs final. England Rugby. 26 April 2018.
  7. Web site: Fixtures confirmed for restructured 2017 County Championships. England Rugby. 11 December 2016.
  8. News: "FOOTBALL NOTES." York Herald, 10 Apr. 1899, p. 8. York Herald . 10 April 1899 . 8 . British Library Newspaper Archives.
  9. News: Rugby County Championship . The Cornishman . 1136 . 12 April 1900 . 12.
  10. News: ""TO-DAY'S FOOTBALL." Trewman's Exeter Flying Post, 7 Apr. 1900. Trewman's Exeter Flying Post . 7 April 1900 . British Library Newspaper Archives.
  11. News: "The Rugby County Championship." Times, 7 Apr. 1902, p. 9. The Times . 7 April 1902 . 9 . Times Digital Archives.
  12. Web site: 1906 - Durham County v Devon. Hartlepool History.
  13. News: "Football." Times, 11 Apr. 1910, p. 20. The Times . 11 April 1910 . 20 . Times Digital Archives.
  14. Web site: OS Town Plan, Leeds 1911. Old Maps.
  15. News: Football, 24 February. 1912. Western Times - Exeter.
  16. Book: Pelmear . Kenneth . Rugby In the Duchy (Rugby Heritage) 1884–1959: An Official History of the Game In Cornwall . 1960 . Cornwall Rugby Football Union . 1.
  17. Web site: 100 CLUB OF THE DAY: VALE OF LUNE RUFC. Sale Sharks.
  18. News: Hands, David. "Harrison is on song in Yorkshire's timely march to title success." Times, 13 Apr. 1987, p. 29. The Times . 13 April 1987 . 29 . Times Digital Archives. Hands . David .
  19. News: Stiles, Bryan. "Lancashire defence stands firm after." Times, 11 Apr. 1988, p. 31. The Times . 11 April 1988 . 31 . Times Digital Archives. Stiles . Bryan .
  20. News: Hands, David. "Cornwall lose by looking a gift horse in the mouth." Times, 3 Apr. 1989, p. 34. The Times . 3 April 1989 . 34 . Times Digital Archives. Hands . David .
  21. Book: Jones, Stephen. Rothmans Rugby Yearbook. 1990–91. 147–153. Rothmans Publications Ltd. 0-356-19162-1.
  22. Web site: Cheshire v Cornwall (1998 County Championship Final Programme). Cheshire RFU. 18 April 1998.
  23. Web site: England ... the 'utterly inept April Fools'. ESPN. 6 February 2019.
  24. Web site: Rugby Union: End of era for wild bunch of Roses. The Independent. 19 April 1993.
  25. Web site: Rugby Union: Evergreen Harrison steals the final show. The Independent. 18 April 1994.
  26. Web site: Quantrill wins kicking duel. The Independent. 24 April 1995.
  27. Web site: Rugby Union: Warr effort not enough. The Independent. 21 April 1996.
  28. Web site: Rugby Union: Cumbria capitalise on the Twickenham experience. The Independent. 21 April 1997.
  29. Web site: Cheshire set Twickenham alight!. Wirral Globe. 23 April 1998.
  30. Web site: Rugby Union: Saumi savours grand occasion. The Independent. 23 May 1999.
  31. Web site: Yorkshire bloom on the big stage. The Guardian. 5 June 2000.
  32. Web site: Kirkby puts the fizz into seven-up Yorkshire. The Guardian. 28 May 2001.
  33. Web site: Hitchmough's glittering show. 26 May 2003 . The Telegraph.
  34. News: No Championship until 2022. "County Championship: Rugby Football Union cancels competition until 2022.". BBC Sport .
  35. Web site: RFU .
  36. Web site: RFU .