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. 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. Birmingham & Solihull were relegated to the 2011–12 National League 1 at the end of this season.
Participating teams
Team Stadium CapacityCity/Area Bedford BluesGoldington Road5,000 (1,700 seats)Bedford, BedfordshireBirmingham & SolihullDamson ParkSharmans Cross3,0503,500 (1,000 seats)Solihull, West MidlandsBristolMemorial Stadium12,100BristolCornish PiratesMennaye Field4,000 (2,200 seats)PenzanceDoncaster KnightsCastle Park3,075Doncaster Esher Molesey Road3,000 Hersham, SurreyLondon WelshOld Deer Park5,850 (1,000 seats)Richmond, LondonMoseleyBillesley Common3,000+ BirminghamNottinghamMeadow Lane19,588NottinghamPlymouth AlbionThe Brickfields6,500PlymouthRotherham TitansClifton Lane2,500RotherhamWorcester WarriorsSixways Stadium12,088Worcester
Stage 1 league table
Results
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 25 January 2011.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 December 2010.
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.
Round 14 & Round 15 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 4 December 2010.
Game rescheduled from 27 November 2010.
Game rescheduled from 4 December 2010.
Round 16
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 9 February 2011.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 February 2011.
Round 17
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.
Round 15 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 4 December 2010.
Game rescheduled from 4 December 2010.
Round 14 (rescheduled game)
Game rescheduled from 27 November 2010.
Round 19
Round 16 (rescheduled game)
Game rescheduled from 12 December 2010.
Round 20
Round 16 (rescheduled game)
Game rescheduled from 12 December 2010.
Round 21
Round 22
Stage 2 - Play-offs
Group A (Promotion)
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Group B (Promotion)
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Group C (Relegation)
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Stage 3
Semi-finals
FB 15 Tom ArscottRW 14 Marcel GarveyOC 13 Alex Crockett IC 12 Dale RasmussenLW 11 Miles BenjaminFH 10 Andy Goode SH 9 Jonny ArrN8 8 Kai Horstmann (c)OF 7 Matt Kvesic BF 6 Neil BestRL 5 Craig Gillies LL 4 Greg Rawlinson TP 3 Tevita Taumoepeau HK 2 Aleki Lutui LP 1 Adam BlackReplacements:HK 16 Chris Fortey PR 17 Bruce Douglas LK 18 Graham Kitchener FL 19 Jake Abbott SH 20 Ollie FrostFH 21 Joe Carlisle CE 22 Alex Grove Coach: Richard Hill FB 15 Edd ThrowerRW 14 Handre SchmidtOC 13 Myles DorrianIC 12 Tom BedfordLW 11 James Pritchard (c)FH 10 Jake Sharp SH 9 Will ChudleyN8 8 Paul Tupai OF 7 Alex Rae BF 6 Gregor GillandersRL 5 George KruisLL 4 Mike Howard TP 3 Phil Boulton HK 2 Dan RichmondLP 1 Dan SealReplacements:HK 16 Chris LockePR 17 Sam Walsh LK 18 Sean Tomes N8 19 Chris Goodman FL 20 William Fraser SH 20 Darryl VeenendaalCE 22 Duncan Taylor Coach: Mike Rayer Touch judges: Chris Sharp Eric Woodmason Television match official: Dave Matthews
FB 15 Rob CookRW 14 Nick JacksonOC 13 Matt HopperIC 12 Tom Luke LW 11 Rhodri McAteeFH 10 Johnny BentleySH 9 Gavin Cattle (c)N8 8 Laurie McGloneOF 7 Sam Betty BF 6 Chris MorganRL 5 Ben Gulliver LL 4 Mike MyerscoughTP 3 Alan Paver HK 2 Dave Ward LP 1 Paul AndrewReplacements:PR 16 Carl Rimmer HK 17 Rob Elloway FL 18 Phil Burgess N8 19 Kyle Marriott CE 20 Steve WinnCE 21 Drew Locke SH 22 James DohertyCoach: Chris Stirling FB 15 Aled Thomas RW 14 Liam GibsonOC 13 Hudson TongaʻuihaIC 12 Simon WhatlingLW 11 Errie Claassens FH 10 Gordon RossSH 9 Robert Lewis N8 8 Ben Russell OF 7 Michael HillsBF 6 Jonathan Mills (c)RL 5 Matt CorkerLL 4 Mike Powell TP 3 Lorne WardHK 2 Viliami Ma'asi LP 1 Shawn Pittman Replacements:HK 16 Saul Nelson PR 17 Max Lahiff LK 18 Martin Purdy N8 19 Lee Beach SH 20 Ben Stevenson CE 20 Dominic Shabbo WG 22 Marland Yarde Coach: Phil Greening Touch judges: Steve Leyshon Peter Parker-Sedgemore Television match official: Geoff Warren
Final
FB 15 Rob CookRW 14 Wes Davies OC 13 Matt HopperIC 12 Tom Luke LW 11 Rhodri McAteeFH 10 Johnny BentleySH 9 Gavin Cattle (c)N8 8 Laurie McGlone OF 7 Phil BurgessBF 6 Chris MorganRL 5 Mike MyerscoughLL 4 Ian NimmoTP 3 Alan Paver HK 2 Dave Ward LP 1 Paul Andrew Replacements:PR 16 Ryan Storer HK 17 Rob Elloway PR 18 Carl Rimmer FL 19 Tyrone Holmes N8 20 Kyle Marriott CE 21 Drew Locke SH 22 James DohertyCoach: Chris Stirling FB 15 Chris Pennell (c)RW 14 Marcel GarveyOC 13 Alex Crockett IC 12 Dale RasmussenLW 11 Miles BenjaminFH 10 Andy Goode SH 9 Jonny ArrN8 8 Kai HorstmannOF 7 Jake AbbottBF 6 Neil Best RL 5 Craig GilliesLL 4 Greg Rawlinson TP 3 Tevita Taumoepeau HK 2 Chris Fortey LP 1 Adam BlackReplacements:HK 16 Aleki Lutui PR 17 Bruce Douglas LK 18 Graham Kitchener N8 19 Adam Balding SH 20 Ollie FrostFH 21 Joe Carlisle CE 22 Alex Grove Coach: Richard Hill Touch judges: Gareth Copsey Chris Sharp Television match official: Steve Leyshon
FB 15 Chris Pennell (c)RW 14 Marcel Garvey OC 13 Alex GroveIC 12 Dale Rasmussen LW 11 Miles BenjaminFH 10 Andy Goode SH 9 Jonny ArrN8 8 Kai HorstmannOF 7 Jake AbbottBF 6 Neil Best RL 5 Craig GilliesLL 4 Greg Rawlinson TP 3 Tevita Taumoepeau HK 2 Chris Fortey LP 1 Adam BlackReplacements:HK 16 Aleki Lutui PR 17 Bruce Douglas LK 18 Graham Kitchener N8 19 Adam BaldingSH 20 Ollie Frost FH 21 Joe Carlisle CE 22 Alex Crockett Coach: Richard Hill FB 15 Rob CookRW 14 Nick JacksonOC 13 Matt HopperIC 12 Drew LockeLW 11 Rhodri McAtee FH 10 Johnny BentleySH 9 Gavin Cattle (c) N8 8 Kyle MarriottOF 7 Phil Burgess BF 6 Chris MorganRL 5 Mike MyerscoughLL 4 Laurie McGlone TP 3 Carl Rimmer HK 2 Rob Elloway LP 1 Ryan Storer Replacements:PR 16 Paul Andrew HK 17 Dave Ward PR 18 Alan Paver LK 19 Ian Nimmo FL 20 Sam Betty CE 21 Tom Luke SH 22 James Doherty Coach: Chris Stirling Touch judges: Gareth Copsey Chris Sharp Television match official: Steve Leyshon
Total Season Attendances
Includes playoff games.
ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% CapacityBedford Blues 14 37,150 2,654 4,150 1,954 53% Birmingham & Solihull 14 8,261 590 1,277 317 19% 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%
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 Andy Goode Worcester Warriors 29 381 2 Rob Cook Cornish Pirates 30 366 3 Tristan Roberts Doncaster Knights 27 309 4 James Arlidge Nottingham 24 296 5 James Pritchard Bedford Blues 21 280 6 Juan Pablo Socino Rotherham Titans 27 275 7 Sam Ulph Esher 26 237 8 Alex Davies Plymouth Albion 25 236 9 Ollie Thomas Moseley 22 205 10 Gordon Ross London Welsh 19 197
Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Miles Benjamin Worcester Warriors 28 26 2 Marcel Garvey Worcester Warriors 29 19 3 Simon Hunt Birmingham & Solihull 20 17 4 Edd Thrower Bedford Blues 21 15 Josh Drauniniu London Welsh 23 15 Matty Williams Doncaster Knights 26 15 5 Johannes Schmidt Bedford Blues 21 14 6 Stephen McColl Doncaster Knights 27 13 7 Tim Streather Cornish Pirates 23 12 Phil Burgess Cornish Pirates 25 12 David Jackson Nottingham 25 12 Andy Goode Worcester Warriors 29 12
Season records
Team Largest home win — 68 pts 81 - 13 Worcester Warriors at home to Bristol on 16 April 2011 Largest away win — 46 pts 68 - 22 London Welsh away to Moseley on 16 October 2010 Most points scored — 81 pts 81 - 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 — 3 Worcester Warriors away to Bedford Blues on 16 October 2010
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
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 — 6,524 Worcester Warriors Lowest Average Attendance — 590 Birmingham & Solihull
References
External links Official site Fixtures & Results