The 2018–19 RFU Championship, known for sponsorship reasons as the Greene King IPA Championship, is the tenth season of the professionalised format of the RFU Championship, the second tier of the English rugby union league system run by the Rugby Football Union. It is contested by eleven English clubs and one from Jersey in the Channel Islands. Greene King sponsors the competition for a sixth successive season. Clubs in the league also competed in the inaugural RFU Championship Cup.
On 19 April 2019 London Irish were declared champions with a round to go, following an emphatic win away against struggling Richmond, claiming promotion back to the Premiership for the 2019–20 season, in what was their second Championship title in three seasons. The next day (20 April), Richmond were relegated following relegation rivals Hartpury's victory at home against London Scottish. Richmond would drop to the 2019–20 National League 1.
Coventry had the best campaign of a promoted club since the Championship's inception back in 2009–10 (regular season only), amassing 51 points on the way to an 8th-place finish - surpassing London Scottish's 45 point, 8th-place finish back in 2011–12.
Structure
The Championship's structure has all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis. The first placed team in the competition is promoted to the Premiership; providing that club's ground fulfills the Rugby Football Union's Minimum Standards Criteria while the bottom side is relegated to National League 1. As part of an agreement with the RFU, each club will receive £530,000 funding. The British and Irish Cup, which the RFU Championship clubs played in with Welsh and Irish clubs, was scrapped due to the Championship clubs withdrawing and is to be replaced by a new cup competition – the RFU Championship Cup.
Teams
On 24 March 2018 Rotherham Titans were relegated with three games to go, after losing away to Jersey Reds. Despite seeing some improvements in the second half of the season, the Yorkshire club were easily the weakest side in the division, dropping to 2018–19 National League 1, the lowest level the club have played for fourteen seasons. Promoted in their place were the winners of 2017–18 National League 1, Coventry, who return to the second tier for the first time since being relegated at the end of the 2009–10 season.
On 7 April 2018 Bristol were crowned champions of the 2017–18 season with two games to go following title rivals Ealing Trailfinders defeat that day to Doncaster Knights. They were therefore promoted to Premiership Rugby. In winning the championship Bristol also became the most decorated tier 2 side in English league history with four league titles to-date. They are replaced by London Irish who return to the Championship after just one year in the Premiership.
Table
Fixtures & Results
Fixtures for the season were announced by the RFU on 22 June 2018.
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
- Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 3 November 2018.
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 3 (rescheduled game)
- Game rescheduled from 16 September 2018.
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
Round 20
Round 21
- London Irish are champions. Richmond are relegated following Hartpury's victory on 20 April.
Round 22
Attendances
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).
Season records
Notes
References
