The 2011–12 RFU Championship was the third season (of the professionalised format) of the
second tier of the English domestic
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
competition, played between August 2011 and May 2012. New teams to the division included
Leeds Carnegie
Leeds Carnegie was a brand name used by several sports teams associated with the Carnegie School of Physical Education, now part of Leeds Beckett University. These include:
Current
* Leeds Carnegie Handball Club
Changed name
* Leeds Carnegie (ba ...
who were relegated from the
Aviva Premiership 2010–11 and
London Scottish who were promoted from
2010–11 National League 1
The 2010–11 National League 1 is the second season of the National League 1, third division of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the RFU Championship, second division was introduced. Coventry R. ...
. The first stage was won by
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
and the final by
London Welsh
London Welsh Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Cymry Llundain) was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, ...
who, after an appeal, won promotion to the
Aviva Premiership 2012–13.
Esher
Esher ( ) is a town in Surrey, England, to the east of the River Mole.
Esher is an outlying suburb of London near the London-Surrey Border, and with Esher Commons at its southern end, the town marks one limit of the Greater London Built-Up Ar ...
were relegated to the
2012–13 National League 1
The 2012–13 National League 1 was the fourth season of the third tier of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. New teams to the division included Esher who were r ...
.
On 8 May 2012 it was announced that only Bristol was eligible for promotion under the RFU's minimum standards criteria. They were subsequently beaten by the Cornish Pirates in the semi–finals who in turn lost to the eventual champions, London Welsh. London Welsh had announced on 14 May that they would meet the RFU's eligibility test to play in the Premiership if they should win promotion and two days later announced they would play at the
Kassam Stadium
The Kassam Stadium (also known as Grenoble Road) is the home of Oxford United Football Club, and is named after the ground's owner and former chairman of the football club, Firoz Kassam.
The Kassam Stadium currently hosts League One (third t ...
in
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
if successful. 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''". The appeal by London Welsh was heard by an Independent Panel on 29 June who upheld it stating ″... ''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.
Participating teams
This season saw
Leeds Carnegie
Leeds Carnegie was a brand name used by several sports teams associated with the Carnegie School of Physical Education, now part of Leeds Beckett University. These include:
Current
* Leeds Carnegie Handball Club
Changed name
* Leeds Carnegie (ba ...
back in the Championship following relegation from the
Aviva Premiership
Premiership Rugby, officially known as Gallagher Premiership Rugby, or the Gallagher Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is an English professional rugby union competition. The Premiership has consisted of thirteen clubs since 2021, and is the ...
during the 2010–11 season, as well as
London Scottish, who won promotion to the Championship from the National League 1 during the same season.
Stage one
League table
League results
The Home Team is listed on the left column.
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 17
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Round 18
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 February 2012.
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Round 19
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Round 20
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 February 2012.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 February 2012.
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Round 18 (Rescheduled Game)
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Round 21
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Round 20 (Rescheduled Games)
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Round 22
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Attendances
A total of 251,542 people watched the 132 stage one matches to give an average of 1,903 per match. The highest attendance was 8,067 on Sunday, 8 January 2012 at the match between Bristol and Bedford Blues which Bristol won 26–6.
Stage two Play–offs
Group A (promotion)
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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Group A Attendances
Group B (promotion)
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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Group B Attendances
Group C (relegation)
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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Group C Attendances
* (Adj) Refers to adjustment for the number of points awarded before the start of the play-offs.
Stage three
Going into the final stage, only one of the four semi–finalists
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
, reportedly met the RFU's standards for promotion to the Premiership. According to some reports,
London Welsh
London Welsh Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Cymry Llundain) was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, ...
were also pursuing promotion, and announced on 14 May they would attempt a legal challenge to the Premiership's entry criteria if they won the play–offs. The
Cornish Pirates
The Cornish Pirates ( kw, An Vorladron Gernewek) are a professional rugby union team who play in the Championship, the second level of the English rugby union pyramid, and are the premier Cornish rugby club. Formerly known as Penzance & Newlyn ...
could not meet the criteria due to deficiencies at their home ground at the
Mennaye Field
The Mennaye Field is a sports stadium located in Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The ground was provided by the Borough of Penzance for the Penzance and Newlyn RFC formed on Tuesday, 12 December 1944 with the amalgamation of Penzance RFC and Newlyn RFC ...
.
Semi–finals
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----
* Cornish Pirates progressed to the Championship final, winning on aggregate 63-53.
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* London Welsh progressed to the Championship final, winning on aggregate 30-27.
Final
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* London Welsh win 66–41 on aggregate.
Total season attendances
*Includes playoff games.
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. Statistics come from Stages 1, 2 and 3 of the Championship season.
Top points scorers
Top try scorers
RFU Dream Team XV
The RFU Dream Team is picked by the coaches of the twelve championship teams with Robin Copeland (Rotherham Titans) voted in by seven of the twelve teams. The Cornish Pirates and Bristol both have four players in the team, whilst Gavin Cattle and Dave Ward (both Cornish Pirates) are in the team for the third season in a row. Mark Irish, James Merriman (both Bristol), Juan Pablo Socino (Nottingham) and Rob Cook (Cornish Pirates) are in the team for a second season.
*15 Rob Cook (Cornish Pirates)
*14 Jack Tovey (Bristol)
*13 Ian Thornley (Leeds Carnegie)
*12 Juan Pablo Socino (Nottingham)
*11 Josh Bassett (Bedford Blues)
*10 Garry Law (Rotherham Titans)
* 9
Gavin Cattle (Cornish Pirates)
* 1 Mark Irish (Bristol)
* 2 Dave Ward (Cornish Pirates)
* 3
Aaron Liffchak
Aaron Liffchak (born 18 June 1985), London is a rugby union footballer who previously played at prop for Saracens, London Welsh and London Scottish. He also represented England Students and played for England at Under 18 and Under 16 levels. ...
(London Scottish)
* 4
Roy Winters
Royston "Roy" Winters (born 13 December 1975) is a former English rugby union player. A lock, Winters last played in the Aviva Championship for Bristol. (Bristol)
* 5 Ian Nimmo (Cornish Pirates)
* 6 Robin Copeland (Rotherham Titans)
* 7
James Merriman (Bristol)
* 8
Semisi Taulava (Rotherham Titans)
Season records
Team
;Largest home win — 42 pts
62 - 20 Nottingham at home to Moseley on 27 November 2011
;Largest away win — 62 pts
65 - 3 Bristol away to Doncaster Knights on 9 March 2012
;Most points scored — 65 pts
65 - 3 Bristol away to Doncaster Knights on 9 March 2012
;Most tries in a match — 8 (x4)
Bedford Blues away to Esher on 10 September 2011
Nottingham at home to Moseley on 27 November 2011
Bristol away to Doncaster Knights on 9 March 2012
Plymouth Albion at home to Moseley on 21 April 2012
;Most conversions in a match — 8
Nottingham at home to Moseley on 27 November 2011
;Most penalties in a match — 7 (x2)
Bristol at home to Leeds Carnegie on 4 December 2011
Leeds Carnegie at home to Bedford Blues on 29 January 2012
;Most drop goals in a match — 3
Leeds Carnegie at home to Rotherham Titans on 25 November 2011
Player
;Most points in a match — 27
James Arlidge
; born 11 August 1979) is a Japanese international rugby union player. He plays primarily at fly-half.
Club career
Unusually, he made his Super Rugby debut for the Auckland Blues, prior to making his first start in provincial rugby, making th ...
for Nottingham at home to Moseley on 27 November 2011
;Most tries in a match — 3 (x4)
Bradley Hunt for Moseley away to Nottingham on 27 November 2011
Joshua Bassett
Joshua Taylor Bassett (born December 22, 2000) is an American actor, singer and songwriter. He is known for his starring role as Ricky Bowen in '' High School Musical: The Musical: The Series''.
Early life
Bassett was born and raised in Oc ...
for Bedford Blues at home to London Scottish on 14 January 2012
George Watkins for Bristol at home to Doncaster Knights on 24 February 2012
Nicholas Scott
Sir Nicholas Paul Scott (5 August 1933 – 6 January 2005) was a British Conservative Party politician.
He was a liberal, pro-European Conservative who became President of the Tory Reform Group. During his time in the House of Commons he ser ...
for London Welsh away to Doncaster Knights on 31 March 2012
;Most conversions in a match — 8
James Arlidge
; born 11 August 1979) is a Japanese international rugby union player. He plays primarily at fly-half.
Club career
Unusually, he made his Super Rugby debut for the Auckland Blues, prior to making his first start in provincial rugby, making th ...
for Nottingham at home to Moseley on 27 November 2011
;Most penalties in a match — 7 (x2)
Tristan Roberts
Tristan Roberts (born 23 March 1987 in Maidstone, England) is a rugby union player who currently plays for Esher RFC, Esher in National League 1, having previously been at US Cognac (France, France's Fédérale 1, third division) and Ealing Tr ...
for Bristol at home to Leeds Carnegie on 4 December 2011
Thomas Bell for Leeds Carnegie at home to Bedford Blues on 29 January 2012
;Most drop goals in a match — 3
Joe Ford for Leeds Carnegie at home to Rotherham Titans on 25 November 2011
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
See also
*
2011–12 British and Irish Cup
The 2011–12 British and Irish Cup was the 3rd season of the annual rugby union competition for second tier, semi-professional clubs from Britain and Ireland. First round matches began on Wednesday 21 September 2011 and the final was held on Fri ...
*
2011–12 Cornish Pirates RFC season
The 2011–12 season was the Cornish Pirates 9th season in the second tier of the English rugby union league system, the RFU Championship and their third in the British and Irish Cup.The Cornishman, 23 June 2011 The Pirates finished 3rd in Stage ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Championship
2011–12 in English rugby union leagues
2011-12