2024–25 RFU Championship
| 2024–25 RFU Championship | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  England |
| Date | October 2024 — May 2025 |
The 2024–25 RFU Championship is the sixteenth season of the RFU Championship, the professional second tier of rugby union in England. It features twelve English teams. Ealing Trailfinders are the reigning champions, having been refused promotion to the Premiership due to failing to meet minimum standards.
Structure[edit]
The twelve teams will play each of the other teams twice.
The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:
- 4 points are awarded for a win
- 2 points are awarded for a draw
- 0 points are awarded for a loss, however
- 1 losing (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
- 1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.
Promotion and relegation[edit]
Subject to meeting the minimum standards criteria the team finishing top of the league will qualify for a promotion playoff against the bottom side in Premiership Rugby while the team that finishes bottom will be relegated to National League 1.
Teams[edit]
Eleven of the twelve teams played in last season's competition. Chinnor were promoted as the champions of the 2023–24 National League 1 with no side being relegated the opposite way due to Jersey Reds going into liquidation in September 2023 and there only being eleven sides.[1][2]
| Club | Stadium | Capacity | Area | Previous season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ampthill | Dillingham Park | 3,000 | Ampthill, Bedfordshire | 7th |
| Bedford Blues | Goldington Road | 5,000 (1,700 seats) | Bedford, Bedfordshire | 4th |
| Caldy | Paton Field | 4,000 | Thurstaston, Wirral, Merseyside | 10th |
| Cambridge | Grantchester Road | 2,200 (200 seats) | Cambridge, Cambridgeshire | 11th |
| Chinnor | Kingsey Road | 2,500 | Thame, Oxfordshire | Promoted from National League 1 (champions) |
| Cornish Pirates | Mennaye Field | 4,000 (2,200 seats) | Penzance, Cornwall | Runners up |
| Coventry | Butts Park Arena | 5,200 (3,000 seats) | Coventry, West Midlands | 3rd |
| Doncaster Knights | Castle Park | 5,183[3] (1,926 seats) | Doncaster, South Yorkshire | 6th |
| Ealing Trailfinders | Trailfinders Sports Ground | 5,000 (2,115 seats) | West Ealing, London | Champions (not promoted) |
| Hartpury University | ALPAS Arena | 2,000 | Hartpury, Gloucestershire | 5th |
| London Scottish | Athletic Ground | 4,500 (1,000 seats) | Richmond, London | 9th |
| Nottingham | Lady Bay Sports Ground | 3,500 | Nottingham, Nottinghamshire | 8th |
Table[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ampthill | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Promotion place |
| 2 | Bedford Blues | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Caldy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Cambridge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Chinnor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Cornish Pirates | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Coventry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Doncaster Knights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Ealing Trailfinders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Hartpury University | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | London Scottish | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Nottingham | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegation place |
Rules for classification: If 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
Fixtures & results[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Champions! Chinnor celebrate in fine style". The RugbyPaper. No. 813. 14 April 2024. p. 28-29.
- ^ "Jersey Reds' financial challenges lead to club ceasing trading". Jersey Reds. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- ^ "A right mess entirely of the RFU's making". The RugbyPaper. No. 703. 6 March 2022. p. 11.