The 2019 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2 was the 18th version of the competition that is part of the annual English rugby union County Championship organised by the RFU for the tier 2 English counties. Each county drew its players from rugby union clubs from the third tier and below of the English rugby union league system (typically National League 1, National League 2 North or National League 2 South). The counties were divided into two regional sections with the winners of each meeting in the final held at Twickenham Stadium.
At the end of the group stage, Leicestershire were dominant in Pool 1, winning all three games (albeit one which was a walkover), including an impressive win against a strong East Midlands side, while Surrey were equally impressive in topping Pool 2, also winning three out of three. In the final, Leicestershire finished as convincing winners with an emphatic 38 – 13 victory over Surrey, in what was their second division title in three years.
Competition format The competition format is two regional group stages divided into north and south with four teams in each group. This means that two teams in the pool had two home games, while the other two had just one. The RFU have taken fixtures from the previous year into account so that county sides that only played one home game in that competition now get two games and vice versa. At the end of the group stage the top teams with the best record from each group (north and south) advance to the final held on 2 June 2019 at Twickenham Stadium.
Promotion and relegation occurs every two seasons, with accumulated points taken into consideration. At the end of the 2017–18 season, Durham (north) and Hampshire (south) were promoted to Division 1, replacing East Midlands (north) and Surrey (south) who dropped down into Division 2. Cumbria and North Midlands were relegated into Division 3, being replaced by promoted sides, Essex and Sussex. There will now be no promotion or relegation until the end of the 2020 competition.
Participating Counties and ground locations
CountyStadium(s) CapacityCity/Area East Midlands Waverley Road 2,000 Kettering, Northamptonshire Essex Latton ParkIlford Wanderers Sports Ground Harlow, EssexIlford, London Leicestershire Memorial GroundVipers Ground Coalville, LeicestershireWhetstone, Leicestershire Somerset Commsplus Stadium 2,000 (198 seats) Taunton, Somerset Staffordshire Cooke FieldsHartwell Lane Lichfield, StaffordshireBarlaston, Staffordshire Surrey Molesey Road 3,500 (1,200 seats) Hersham, Surrey Sussex Roundstone Lane 1,500 (100 seats) Angmering, West Sussex Warwickshire Liberty Way 4,314 (514 seats) Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Group stage
Division 2 North
2019 Bill Beaumont Division 2 North TableCountyPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTry BonusLosing BonusPoints 1 Leicestershire (Q) 3 3 0 0 107 20 87 2 0 15 2 East Midlands 3 2 0 1 107 56 51 2 0 10 3 Warwickshire 3 1 0 2 90 172 -82 1 0 5 4 Staffordshire 3 0 0 3 52 108 -56 1 0 -4If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled Green background means the county qualified for the final. Updated: 18 May 2019Source:
Round 1
The match was scratched and Leicestershire were awarded a five point win after Staffordshire could not raise a side; Staffordshire were also deducted five points.
Round 2
Round 3
Division 2 South
2019 Bill Beaumont Division 2 South TableCountyPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTry BonusLosing BonusPoints 1 Surrey (Q) 3 3 0 0 144 57 87 3 0 15 2 Somerset 3 1 0 2 104 102 2 3 1 8 3 Sussex 3 1 0 2 90 90 0 1 0 5 4 Essex 3 1 0 2 49 138 -89 1 0 5If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled Green background means the county qualified for the final. Updated: 18 May 2019Source:
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Final
Individual statistics Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals. Appearance figures also include coming on as substitutes (unused substitutes not included). Statistics also include final. Unfortunately due to poor press reporting the majority of scorers outside of the East Midlands, Leicestershire and Surrey teams are unknown.
Top points scorers Rank Player County Club Side Points 1 Joe Wilson Leicestershire Hinckley 44 2 Greg Lound Surrey Rosslyn Park 29 3 Charlie Reed East Midlands Loughborough Students 22 4 Callum Dacey Leicestershire Hinckley 20 5 Jac Lloyd Evans Staffordshire Keele University 17
Top try scorers Rank Player County Club Side Tries 1 Callum Dacey Leicestershire Hinckley 4 2 Nick Defeo East Midlands Peterborough Lions 3 Rory Mitchell Surrey Dorking 3 Ed Sumpter Leicestershire Leicester Lions 3 Callum Watson Surrey Dorking 3
Competition records
Team Largest home win — 44 points 47 – 3 Sussex at home to Essex on 11 May 2019 Largest away win — 78 points 78 – 0 Leicestershire away to Warwickshire on 11 May 2019 Most points scored — 42 78 – 0 Leicestershire away to Warwickshire on 11 May 2019 Most tries in a match — 12 Leicestershire away to Warwickshire on 11 May 2019 Most conversions in a match — 9 Leicestershire away to Warwickshire on 11 May 2019 Most penalties in a match — 3 East Midlands at home to Warwickshire on 4 May 2019 Most drop goals in a match — 1 Warwickshire away to East Midlands on 4 May 2019
Player Most points in a match — 24 Joe Wilson for Leicestershire away to Warwickshire on 11 May 2019 Most tries in a match — 2 Multiple players Most conversions in a match — 8 Carlie Carter for Somerset at home to Sussex on 18 May 2019 Most penalties in a match — 3 Charlie Reed for East Midlands at home to Warwickshire on 4 May 2019 Most drop goals in a match — 1 Dan O'Brien for Warwickshire away to East Midlands on 4 May 2019
Notes
See also English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References
External links NCA Rugby