Championship Rugby kicks off this weekend
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Championship Rugby kicks off this weekend
The RFU Championship is an English rugby inion competition comprising eleven clubs. It is the second level of men's English Rugby and is played by both professional and semi-professional players. The competition has existed since 1987, when English clubs were first organised into leagues.
Round one fixtures
Current teams
Eleven of the twelve teams played in last season's competition. Chinnor were promoted as the champions of the 2023-24 Naional League one with no side being relegated the opposite way due to Jersey Reds going into liquidation in September 2023 and there only being eleven sides.
| 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[8] (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 |
