RFU Championship records and statistics
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The RFU Championship is an English rugby union competition comprising 12 clubs. It is the second level of menโs 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. This page details the records and statistics of the RFU Championship.
Note - the content on this page was taken from the RFU Championship page, accessed on 17 November 2021.
League records
- Most titles: 4
- Most times promoted from division: 4
- Bristol (1998โ99, 2004โ05, 2015โ16, 2017โ18)
- London Irish (1990โ91, 1995โ96, 2016โ17, 2018โ19)
- Newcastle Falcons (1992โ93, 1996โ97, 2012โ13, 2019โ20)
- Most times relegated from division: 4
- Rugby Lions (1993โ94, 1996โ97, 1999โ00, 2002โ03)
- Most league points in a season: 143
- Least league points in a season: โ9
- Most points scored in a season: 1,321
- Northampton Saints (2007โ08)
- Least points scored in a season: 216
- West Hartlepool (1999โ00)
- Most points conceded in a season: 1,298
- Least points conceded in a season: 252
- Newcastle Falcons (2012โ13)[a 2]
- Best points difference (For/Against): 978
- Northampton Saints (2007โ08)
- Worst points difference (For/Against): โ898
- West Hartlepool (1999โ00)
- Most games won in a season: 30
- Northampton Saints (2007โ08)
- Most games lost in a season: 28
- Manchester (2008โ09)
- Most games drawn in a season: 5
- Birmingham & Solihull (2000โ01)
- Most bonus points in a season: 24
- Rotherham Titans (2001โ02, 2006โ07), Northampton Saints (2007โ08)
Match records
- Largest home win: 156 โ 5
- Newcastle Falcons at home to Rugby Lions on 5 October 1996 (1996โ97)
- Largest away win: 104 โ 0
- Leeds Carnegie away to Manchester on 8 April 2009 (2008โ09)
- Most points scored in a match: 156
- Newcastle Falcons at home to Rugby Lions on 5 October 1996 (1996โ97)
- Most tries scored in a match: 24
- Newcastle Falcons at home to Rugby Lions on 5 October 1996 (1996โ97)
- Most conversions scored in a match: 18
- Newcastle Falcons at home to Rugby Lions on 5 October 1996 (1996โ97)
- Most penalties scored in a match: 9
- Manchester at home to Wakefield on 15 December 2001 (2001โ02)
- Coventry at home to Otley on 13 November 2004 (2004โ05)
- Most drop kicks scored in a match: 3
- Exeter Chiefs away to Rotherham on 10 November 2001 (2001โ02)
- Exeter Chiefs away to Plymouth Albion on 8 September 2007 (2007โ08)
- Cornish Pirates at home to Plymouth Albion on 12 April 2009 (2008โ09)
- Worcester Warriors away to Bedford Blues on 16 October 2010 (2010โ11)
- Leeds Carnegie at home to Rotherham Titans on 25 November 2011 (2011โ12)
Attendance records
- Highest attendance: 16,048
- Bristol at home to Doncaster Knights on 25 May 2016 (2015โ16)
- Lowest attendance: 150[a 3]
- Bracknell at home to Exeter Chiefs on 2 March 2002 (2001โ02)
- Moseley at home to Rugby Lions on 23 March 2002 (2001โ02)
- Highest average attendance (club): 11,494
- Northampton Saints (2007โ08)
- Lowest average attendance (club): 322
- Birmingham & Solihull (2000โ01)[a 4]
- Highest average attendance (season): 2,738 (2014โ15)
- Lowest average attendance (season): 908, (2000โ01)[a 5]
Player records
Championship top point scorers
- As of the end of the games of 25 May 2016. Stats taken from 1996โ97 season onwards and includes both regular league/play-off games the RFU Championship only (no cup games). Points scored includes tries, drop kicks, penalties and conversions.[2]
| Rank | Nat | Name | Years | Club(s) | Points | Apps | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
James Pritchard | 2001โ03, 2006โ16 2004-05 |
Bedford Blues Plymouth Albion |
2,673 | 251 | 10.6 |
| 2 | 
|
Tony Yapp | 1997โ98 1999โ02 2002โ09 |
Bedford Blues Worcester Warriors Exeter Chiefs |
1,913 | 207 | 9.2 |
| 3 |
|
Simon Binns | 1996โ98, 1999โ01 2001โ07 |
Rotherham Otley |
1,792 | 188 | 9.5 |
| 4 |
|
Leigh Hinton | 1998โ99 2000โ02 2002โ03 2003โ04 2004โ05 2006โ07, 2008โ09 |
Worcester Moseley Birmingham & Solihull Orrell Bedford Blues Leeds Carnegie |
1,397 | 160 | 8.7 |
| 5 |
|
Phil Jones | 2001โ03 2005โ11 |
Orrell Sedgley Park |
1,194 | 197 | 6.1 |
| 6 |
|
Oliver Thomas | 2002โ03, 2006โ07, 2008โ09, 2010โ15 2007โ08 |
Moseley Cornish Pirates |
1,070 | 175 | 6.1 |
| 7 |
|
Tristan Roberts | 2008โ10 2010โ11 2011โ14 2015โ16 |
Moseley Doncaster Knights Bristol Ealing Trailfinders |
1,063 | 127 | 8.4 |
| 8 | 
|
Gareth Steenson | 2006โ07 2007โ08 2008โ10 |
Earth Titans Cornish Pirates Exeter Chiefs |
1,059 | 116 | 9.1 |
| 9 |
|
Kieran Hallett | 2004โ07 2008โ11 2011โ12 2012โ |
Bedford Blues Plymouth Albion Nottingham Cornish Pirates |
1,033 | 170 | 6.0 |
| 10 |
|
Tom Barlow | 1998โ99 2002โ04 2004โ06 2006โ08 2008โ09 |
Fylde Plymouth Albion Cornish Pirates Nottingham Rotherham Titans |
922 | 142 | 6.5 |
(Bold denotes players still playing in the RFU Championship.)
Championship top try scorers
- As of the end of the games of 25 May 2016. Stats taken from 1996โ97 season onwards and includes both regular league/playoff games the RFU Championship only (no cup games).[3]
| Rank | Nat | Name | Years | Club(s) | Tries | Apps | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Kurt Johnson | 1998-99 1999-10 |
Orrell Coventry |
108 | 239 | 0.5 |
| 2 |
|
Richard Baxter | 1997-10 | Exeter Chiefs | 105 | 315 | 0.3 |
| 3 |
|
Jon Feeley | 1998-00 2000-04 2004-06 2006-10 |
Leeds Tykes Wakefield Sedgley Park Rotherham Titans |
101 | 222 | 0.5 |
| 4 |
|
Nick Baxter | 1997-01 2001-06 |
Worcester Pertemps Bees |
98 | 190 | 0.5 |
| 5 |
|
James Pritchard | 2001-03, 2006-16 2004-05 |
Bedford Blues Plymouth Albion |
94 | 251 | 0.4 |
| 6 |
|
Wes Davies | 2001-03 2003-04 2004-06, 2009-13 2006-09 |
Orrell Worcester Warriors Cornish Pirates Doncaster Knights |
89 | 234 | 0.4 |
| 7 |
|
Duncan Roke | 1999-01 2001-04 2005-07 |
Henley Hawks Worcester Warriors Cornish Pirates |
77 | 146 | 0.5 |
| 8 |
|
Richard Welding | 1999-01, 2002-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07, 2008-09 2010-11 |
Orrell Sedgley Park Cornish Pirates Leeds Carnegie Rotherham Titans |
72 | 186 | 0.4 |
| 9 |
|
Matt Jess | 2003-06 2007-08 2008-10 |
Cornish Pirates Launceston Exeter Chiefs |
71 | 152 | 0.5 |
| 10 |
|
Leigh Hinton | 1998-99 2000-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2006-07, 2008-09 |
Worcester Moseley Birmingham & Solihull Orrell Bedford Blues Leeds Carnegie |
71 | 160 | 0.4 |
(Bold denotes players still playing in the RFU Championship.)
Other player records
- Most times top points scorer: 2
- Leigh Hinton for Orrell (2004-05, 2006-07)
- Gareth Steenson for Cornish Pirates (2007-08) and Exeter Chiefs (2009-10)
- Most times top try scorer: 2
- Dean Lax for Rotherham (1998-99, 1999-00)
- Most points in a season: 396
Sateki Tuipulotu for Worcester (2000-01)
- Most tries in a season: 39
- Chris Ashton for Northampton Saints (2007-08)
- Most points in a match: 42
- Jez Harris for Coventry at home to Nottingham on 5 October 1996 (1996-97)
- Most tries in a match: 6
- Chris Ashton for Northampton Saints at home to Launceston on 26 April 2008 (2007-08)
- Most conversions in a match: 18
- Rob Andrew for Newcastle Falcons at home to Rugby Lions on 5 October 1996 (1996-97)
- Most penalties in a match: 9
- Marcus Barrow for Manchester at home to Wakefield on 15 December 2001 (2001-02)
- Matthew Leek for Coventry at home to Otley on 13 November 2004 (2004-05)
- Most drop kicks in a match: 3
Chris Malone for Exeter Chiefs away to Rotherham on 10 November 2001 (2001-02)- Danny Gray for Exeter Chiefs away to Plymouth Albion on 8 September 2007 (2007-08)
Rhys Jones for Cornish Pirates at home to Plymouth Albion on 12 April 2009 (2008-09)- Andy Goode for Exeter Chiefs away to Bristol on 26 May 2010 (2010-11)
- Joe Ford for Leeds Carnegie at home to Rotherham Titans on 25 November 2011 (2011-12)
See also
- List of English Rugby Union stadiums by capacity
- List of English rugby union teams
- Rugby union in England
Notes
- โ This figure is taken from the regular 2009โ10 RFU Championship season and does not include the relegation group games. The minus figure came about because Pertemps Bees were deducted 15 points by the RFU for going into voluntary liquidation but were allowed to continue playing as they were granted a temporary licence. Without the points deduction the Bees would have got 6 points during the first stage of the season.[1]
- โ Figure is for regular season only and does not include playoffs.
- โ Note that there is very little attendance data prior to the 2000-01 season so it is possible there could have been lower attendances than the ones listed.
- โ Note that there is very little attendance data prior to the 2000-01 season so it is possible there could have been lower average club attendances than the one listed. Also, Birmingham & Solihull were missing 2 attendance figures from this season which means their average is not 100% accurate and could be slightly lower or higher with these games accounted for.
- โ Note that there is very little attendance data prior to the 2000-01 season so it is possible that previous seasons had lower average attendances.
References
- โ "Birmingham & Solihull - Wednesday". rolling-maul.com. 28 October 2009.
- โ "RFU Championship All time leading top scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 26 February 2016.
- โ "RFU Championship All time try scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 26 February 2016.
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