County Championship (rugby union)

Annual rugby union competition in England

For the second tier of the English Counties competition, see Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2. For the third tier of the English Counties competition, see Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 3.

County Championship (rugby union)Current season, competition or edition:
2023 Bill Beaumont Championship Division 1

Sport| Rugby union
Founded| 1889; 136 years ago (1889)
Owner(s)| Rugby Football Union
No. of teams| 12
Country| England
Most recent
champion(s)| Kent (2024) (5th title)
Most titles| Lancashire (25)

The County Championship is an annual rugby union competition in England between teams representing English counties. After restructuring in 2007 the top tier of the Championship has been known as the Bill Beaumont Cup, after the trophy awarded to the competition winners was named in honour of Bill Beaumont, a former England and British & Irish Lions captain.[1] In 2017 the competition was officially known as Bill Beaumont Division 1, with teams also competing in Division 2 and Division 3, which prior to 2017 were known as the Plate and Shield competitions.[2]

The Championship has a long history, being first officially recognised by the Rugby Football Union in 1889. The 2018 Championship was the 118th competition. The most successful county, Lancashire, has won the competition 25 times, followed by Gloucestershire (17) and Yorkshire (15). Lancashire (34) & Gloucestershire (33) have made the most appearances in contested finals.

On four occasions the tournament final has been tied at full-time and a second leg rematch has been played. Two of these rematches were also tied and on these occasions (1907 and 1967) the finalists were declared joint winners. In 1991 the final match between Cornwall and Yorkshire was tied at full-time and extra time was played, with Cornwall winning 29–20. In 2001 the Championship did not take place due to the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak; instead Yorkshire and Cornwall were invited to play at Twickenham.

The 2015 final was contested by Lancashire and Cornwall, with the teams meeting in the final for the third consecutive year.[3] Cornwall won the championship with an 18-13 victory, their fourth title overall and their first since 1999.[4] Cornwall retained their title in 2016, this time beating Cheshire, 35–13.[5] In 2017 Cornwall and Lancashire met in the final for the fourth time in five seasons. Lancashire won 19-8 and prevented Cornwall from completing a hat-trick of county titles.[6]

## Structure

[edit]

There was little formal structure to the first official years of the competition, with teams playing different numbers of matches and different opposition from across England. The winners were determined by a panel of judges from the RFU Committee. From 1891–1895, the four winners of four regional Championships (North East, North West, South East and South West) played a round-robin tournament to determine the overall winner of the County Championship.

A restructure in 1896, led to the creation of North and South regions only, the winners of these regional competitions playing a final for the County Championship. Another restructure in 1921 saw the formation of five regions and the knock-out stage of the championship extend to semi-finals and a final. The winners of the North East, North West and South East regions were entered into a semi-final draw along with the winners of a play-off between the winners of the South and South West regions.

From 2007 to 2016, the top eight counties were split into two regions of four teams, North and South, who played a round-robin tournament. The winners of each region competed for the English County Championship in the final. This format was repeated for the eight counties that competed for the County Championship Plate. The eleven counties which competed for the County Championship Shield were split into three pools from which the winners and the runner-up with the best record met in semi-final matches.

In 2017 the competition was given a new structure, with the top tier comprising twelve teams and the second and third tiers having eight teams each. Each tier has a final each year, but promotion and relegation between tiers is decided on a two-year basis.[7]

## Past winners

[edit]

### 1889-1895

[edit]

Year  | Winner  | Regional Winners

|
|

1889 | Yorkshire |
1890 | Yorkshire |
1891 | Lancashire | Gloucestershire, Surrey, Yorkshire
1892 | Yorkshire | Kent, Lancashire, Midland Counties
1893 | Yorkshire | Cumberland, Devon, Middlesex
1894 | Yorkshire | Lancashire, Midland Counties, Somerset
1895 | Yorkshire | Cumberland, Devon, Midland Counties

### 1896-1983

[edit]

Year  | Winners  | Home Team  | Score  | Away Team  | Venue  | Attendance/Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|

1896 | Yorkshire | Surrey | 4-16  | Yorkshire | Athletic Ground, Richmond |
1897 | Kent | Cumberland | 3-9  | Kent | Carlisle  |
1898 | Northumberland | Midland Counties | 3-24  | Northumberland | Coventry  |
1899 | Devon | Northumberland | 0-5  | Devon | Jesmond, Newcastle  | 6,000 [8]
1900 | Durham County | Devon | 3–11  | Durham County | Exeter  | 10,000-13,000 [9][10]
1901 | Devon | Durham County | 3-14  | Devon | Victoria Park (Hartlepool) |
1902 | Durham County | Gloucestershire | 3-9  | Durham County | Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester  | 6,000 [11]
1903 | Durham County | Durham County | 4-3  | Kent | Victoria Park (Hartlepool) |
1904 | Kent | Kent | 8-6  | Durham County | Blackheath  |
1905 | Durham County | Durham County | 9-8  | Middlesex | Victoria Park (Hartlepool) |
1906 | Devon | Devon | 16-3  | Durham County | Exeter  | 12,000 [12]
1907 | Title shared after replay drawn  | Durham County | 3-3  | Devon | Victoria Park (Hartlepool) |
Devon | 0-0  | Durham County | Exeter  | Replay
1908 | Cornwall | Cornwall | 17-3  | Durham County | Redruth  |
1909 | Durham County | Durham County | 12-0  | Cornwall | Old Friarage, Hartlepool  |
1910 | Gloucestershire | Gloucestershire | 23-0  | Yorkshire | Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester  | 10,000 [13]
1911 | Devon | Yorkshire | 3-12  | Devon | Clarence Cricket and Football Ground, Kirkstall[14] | 8,000
1912 | Devon | Devon | 29-0  | Northumberland | Rectory Ground, Devonport [15] | 12,000
1913 | Gloucestershire | Cumberland | 3-14  | Gloucestershire | Carlisle  | 10,000
1914 | Midland Counties | Midland Counties | 22-5  | Durham County | Welford Road Stadium, Leicester  |
1915-19  | Competition suspended for WWI
1920 | Gloucestershire | Yorkshire | 3-27  | Gloucestershire | Lidget Green, Bradford  | 8,000
1921 | Gloucestershire | Gloucestershire | 31-4  | Leicestershire | Kingsholm, Gloucester | 10,701
1922 | Gloucestershire | North Midlands | 0-19  | Gloucestershire | Villa Park, Birmingham |
1923 | Somerset | Somerset | 8-6  | Leicestershire | Bridgwater Albion ground  | 10,000
1924 | Cumberland | Cumberland | 14-3  | Kent | Carlisle  |
1925 | Leicestershire | Gloucestershire | 6-14  | Leicestershire | Memorial Ground, Bristol  |
1926 | Yorkshire | Yorkshire | 15-14  | Hampshire | Bradford  |
1927 | Kent | Kent | 22-12  | Leicestershire | Rectory Field, Blackheath  |
1928 | Yorkshire | Yorkshire | 12–8  | Cornwall | Lidget Green, Bradford[16] |
1929 | Middlesex | Middlesex | 8-8  | Lancashire | Twickenham | 12,000
Lancashire | 8-9  | Middlesex | St Anthony's Road, Blundellsands  | 8,000 Replay match
1930 | Gloucestershire | Lancashire | 7-13  | Gloucestershire | St Anthony's Road, Blundellsands  | 10,000+
1931 | Gloucestershire | Gloucestershire | 10-9  | Warwickshire | Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester  |
1932 | Gloucestershire | Durham County | 3-9  | Gloucestershire | Blaydon-on-Tyne  | 12,000
1933 | Hampshire | Hampshire | 18-7  | Lancashire | Dean Court, Boscombe |
1934 | East Midlands | East Midlands | 10-0  | Gloucestershire | Franklin's Gardens, Northampton  |
1935 | Lancashire | Somerset | 0-14  | Lancashire | Recreation Ground (Bath) |
1936 | Hampshire | Northumberland | 6-13  | Hampshire | Gosforth  |
1937 | Gloucestershire | Gloucestershire | 5-0  | East Midlands | Bristol  |
1938 | Lancashire | Lancashire | 24-12  | Surrey | St Anthony's Road, Blundellsands  |
1939 | Warwickshire | Somerset | 3-8  | Warwickshire | Weston-super-Mare  |
1940-46  | Competition suspended for World War II
1947 | Lancashire | Lancashire | 8-8  | Gloucestershire | St Anthony's Road, Blundellsands  | 5,000
Gloucestershire | 3-14  | Lancashire | Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester  | 20,000 Replay match
1948 | Lancashire | Eastern Counties | 0-5  | Lancashire | University Ground, Cambridge  |
1949 | Lancashire | Lancashire | 9-3  | Gloucestershire | St Anthony's Road, Blundellsands  |
1950 | Cheshire | Cheshire | 5-0  | East Midlands | Upper Park, Birkenhead Park  |
1951 | East Midlands | East Midlands | 10-0  | Middlesex | Franklin's Gardens, Northampton  |
1952 | Middlesex | Middlesex | 9-6  | Lancashire | Twickenham |
1953 | Yorkshire | Yorkshire | 11-3  | East Midlands | Bradford  |
1954 | Middlesex | Lancashire | 6-24  | Middlesex | St Anthony's Road, Blundellsands  | 12,000
1955 | Lancashire | Middlesex | 8-14  | Lancashire | Twickenham |
1956 | Middlesex | Middlesex | 13-9  | Devon | Twickenham |
1957 | Devon | Devon | 12-3  | Yorkshire | Home Park, Plymouth  |
1958 | Warwickshire | Warwickshire | 16-8  | Cornwall | Coundon Road, Coventry  |
1959 | Warwickshire | Gloucestershire | 9-14  | Warwickshire | Memorial Ground, Bristol  |
1960 | Warwickshire | Warwickshire | 9-6  | Surrey | Coundon Road, Coventry  |
1961 | Cheshire | Devon | 0-0  | Cheshire | Home Park, Plymouth  |
Cheshire | 5-3  | Devon | Upper Park, Birkenhead Park  | Replay match
1962 | Warwickshire | Hampshire | 6-11  | Warwickshire | Twickenham |
1963 | Warwickshire | Warwickshire | 13-10  | Yorkshire | Coundon Road, Coventry  |
1964 | Warwickshire | Warwickshire | 8-6  | Lancashire | Coundon Road, Coventry  |
1965 | Warwickshire | Durham County | 9-15  | Warwickshire | New Friarage, Hartlepool  |
1966 | Middlesex | Lancashire | 0-6  | Middlesex | St Anthony's Road, Blundellsands  |
1967 | Title shared after replay drawn  | Surrey | 14-14  | Durham County | Twickenham |
Durham County | 0-0  | Surrey | Hartlepool  |
1968 | Middlesex | Middlesex | 9-6  | Warwickshire | Twickenham |
1969 | Lancashire | Cornwall | 9-11  | Lancashire | Recreation Ground, Redruth  | 23-25,000 (estimated)
1970 | Staffordshire | Staffordshire | 11-9  | Gloucestershire | Peel Croft, Burton-on-Trent  |
1971 | Surrey | Gloucestershire | 3-14  | Surrey | Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester  |
1972 | Gloucestershire | Warwickshire | 6-11  | Gloucestershire | Coundon Road, Coventry  |
1973 | Lancashire | Gloucestershire | 12-17  | Lancashire | Memorial Ground, Bristol  |
1974 | Gloucestershire | Lancashire | 12-22  | Gloucestershire | St Anthony's Road, Blundellsands  |
1975 | Gloucestershire | Gloucestershire | 13-9  | Eastern Counties | Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester  |
1976 | Gloucestershire | Middlesex | 9-24  | Gloucestershire | Richmond Athletic Ground |
1977 | Lancashire | Lancashire | 17-6  | Middlesex | St Anthony's Road, Blundellsands  |
1978 | North Midlands | North Midlands | 10-7  | Gloucestershire | The Reddings, Moseley  |
1979 | Middlesex | Middlesex | 19-6  | Northumberland | Twickenham |
1980 | Lancashire | Lancashire | 21-15  | Gloucestershire | Powderhouse Lane, Vale of Lune  | 10,000 (estimated) [17]
1981 | Northumberland | Gloucestershire | 6-15  | Northumberland | Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester  |
1982 | Lancashire | North Midlands | 3-7  | Lancashire | The Reddings, Moseley  |
1983 | Gloucestershire | Gloucestershire | 19-7  | Yorkshire | Memorial Ground, Bristol  |

### 1984-present

[edit]

Since 1984 all Championship finals have been played at Twickenham .

Year  | Winners  | Score  | Runners up  | Attendance/Notes

|
|
|
|

1984 | Gloucestershire | 36-18  | Somerset |
1985 | Middlesex | 12-9  | Notts, Lincs & Derby |
1986 | Warwickshire | 16-6  | Kent |
1987 | Yorkshire | 22-11  | Middlesex | 10,000 [18]
1988 | Lancashire | 23-18  | Warwickshire | 2,000 [19]
1989 | Durham County | 13-9  | Cornwall | 27,500 [20]
1990 | Lancashire | 32-9  | Middlesex | 7,000 [21]
1991 | Cornwall | 29-20  | Yorkshire | AET, 56,000[22]
1992 | Lancashire | 9-6  | Cornwall | 50,000[23]
1993 | Lancashire | 9-6  | Yorkshire | 18,700[24]
1994 | Yorkshire | 26-3  | Durham County | 16,000[25]
1995 | Warwickshire | 15-9  | Northumberland | 6,000[26]
1996 | Gloucestershire | 17-13  | Warwickshire | 7,750[27]
1997 | Cumbria | 21-13  | Somerset | 8,150[28]
1998 | Cheshire | 21-14  | Cornwall | 35,250[29]
1999 | Cornwall | 25-15  | Gloucestershire | 25,000[30]
2000 | Yorkshire | 16-9  | Devon | 4,000[31]
2001 | Yorkshire | 47-19  | Cornwall | Challenge match, 4,000[32]
2002 | Gloucestershire | 26-23  | Cheshire |
2003 | Lancashire | 24-18  | Gloucestershire | 1,000 [33]
2004 | Devon | 43-14  | Gloucestershire |
2005 | Devon | 22-16  | Lancashire |
2006 | Lancashire | 32-26  | Devon |
2007 | Devon | 27-6  | Lancashire |
2008 | Yorkshire | 33-13  | Devon |
2009 | Lancashire | 32-18  | Gloucestershire |
2010 | Lancashire | 36-6  | Gloucestershire |
2011 | Lancashire | 32-23  | Hertfordshire |
2012 | Hertfordshire | 38-20  | Lancashire |
2013 | Lancashire | 35-26  | Cornwall | 20,000
2014 | Lancashire | 36-26  | Cornwall | 4,000
2015 | Cornwall | 18-13  | Lancashire | 1,500
2016 | Cornwall | 35-13  | Cheshire | 3,000
2017 | Lancashire | 19-8  | Cornwall | 7,000
2018 | Lancashire | 31-16  | Hertfordshire |
2019 | Cornwall | 14-12  | Cheshire | 3,500
2020-2021  | No Competition due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[34]
2022  | Cornwall | 37-24  | Cheshire |
2023  | Kent | 39-37[35] | Lancashire |
2024  | Kent | 31-30[36] | Yorkshire |

## Championships by county

[edit]

Correct as of 2024

County  | Outright  | Shared  | Total  | Runners-up  | Last won

|
|
|
|
|

Cheshire | 3 |  | 3 | 3 | 1998
Cornwall | 7 |  | 7 | 9 | 2022
Cumberland | 1 |  | 1 | 2 | 1924
Cumbria | 1 |  | 1 | 0 | 1997
Devon | 9 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 2007
Durham County | 6 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 1989
East Midlands | 2 |  | 2 | 3 | 1951
Eastern Counties | 0 |  | 0 | 2 |
Gloucestershire | 17 |  | 17 | 16 | 2002
Hampshire | 2 |  | 2 | 2 | 1936
Hertfordshire | 1 |  | 1 | 1 | 2012
Kent | 5 |  | 5 | 3 | 2024
Lancashire | 25 |  | 25 | 10 | 2018
Leicestershire | 1 |  | 1 | 3 | 1925
Middlesex | 8 |  | 8 | 7 | 1985
Midland Counties | 1 |  | 1 | 1 | 1914
North Midlands | 1 |  | 1 | 2 | 1978
Northumberland | 2 |  | 2 | 5 | 1981
Notts, Lincs & Derby | 0 |  | 0 | 1 |
Somerset | 1 |  | 1 | 4 | 1923
Staffordshire | 1 |  | 1 | 0 | 1970
Surrey | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1971
Warwickshire | 10 |  | 10 | 5 | 1995
Yorkshire | 15 |  | 15 | 9 | 2008

Cumbria, a 1974 amalgamation of the former counties of Cumberland, Westmorland and the Furness part of Lancashire, is shown separately from Cumberland and Lancashire.

Eastern Counties and Notts, Lincs & Derby have reached the final, but have never won the championship.

Gloucestershire are the only county to have completed a "hat-trick of hat-trick" of county titles: this was achieved in 1920–1922, 1930-1932 and 1974-1976.

John Fidler, former Gloucester, Gloucestershire and England lock forward, holds the record for the most County Championship Final appearances, nine in all, from 1971 to 1984.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2007 County Championship Renamed In Honour Of Bill Beaumont". Archived from the original on 28 April 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
2. ^ "County Championships renamed to honour rugby legends". England Rugby. 27 March 2017.
3. ^ "County Championship: Cornwall 25–18 Hertfordshire". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
4. ^ "County Championship final: Cornwall 18–13 Lancashire". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
5. ^ "County Championship final 2016: Cornwall beat Cheshire to retain title at Twickenham". BBC Sport. 29 May 2016.
6. ^ "Lancashire win Bill Beaumont County Champs final". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
7. ^ "Fixtures confirmed for restructured 2017 County Championships". England Rugby. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
8. ^ ""FOOTBALL NOTES." York Herald, 10 Apr. 1899, p. 8". York Herald. British Library Newspaper Archives. 10 April 1899. p. 8.
9. ^ "Rugby County Championship". The Cornishman. No. 1136\. 12 April 1900. p. 12.
10. ^ """TO-DAY'S FOOTBALL." Trewman's Exeter Flying Post, 7 Apr. 1900". Trewman's Exeter Flying Post. British Library Newspaper Archives. 7 April 1900.
11. ^ ""The Rugby County Championship." Times, 7 Apr. 1902, p. 9". The Times. Times Digital Archives. 7 April 1902. p. 9.
12. ^ "1906 - Durham County v Devon". Hartlepool History.
13. ^ ""Football." Times, 11 Apr. 1910, p. 20". The Times. Times Digital Archives. 11 April 1910. p. 20.
14. ^ "OS Town Plan, Leeds 1911". Old Maps.
15. ^ "Football, 24 February". Western Times - Exeter. 1912.
16. ^ Pelmear, Kenneth (1960). Rugby In the Duchy (Rugby Heritage) 1884–1959: An Official History of the Game In Cornwall. Cornwall Rugby Football Union. p. 1.
17. ^ "100 CLUB OF THE DAY: VALE OF LUNE RUFC". Sale Sharks.[permanent dead link‍]
18. ^ Hands, David (13 April 1987). "Hands, David. "Harrison is on song in Yorkshire's timely march to title success." Times, 13 Apr. 1987, p. 29". The Times. Times Digital Archives. p. 29.
19. ^ Stiles, Bryan (11 April 1988). "Stiles, Bryan. "Lancashire defence stands firm after." Times, 11 Apr. 1988, p. 31". The Times. Times Digital Archives. p. 31.
20. ^ Hands, David (3 April 1989). "Hands, David. "Cornwall lose by looking a gift horse in the mouth." Times, 3 Apr. 1989, p. 34". The Times. Times Digital Archives. p. 34.
21. ^ Jones, Stephen (1990–91). Rothmans Rugby Yearbook. Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 147–153\. ISBN 0-356-19162-1.147-153&rft.pub=Rothmans+Publications+Ltd&rft.date=1990/1991&rft.isbn=0-356-19162-1&rft.aulast=Jones&rft.aufirst=Stephen&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:County+Championship+(rugby+union)" class="Z3988">
22. ^ "Cheshire v Cornwall (1998 County Championship Final Programme)" (PDF). Cheshire RFU. 18 April 1998.
23. ^ "England ... the 'utterly inept April Fools'". ESPN. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
24. ^ "Rugby Union: End of era for wild bunch of Roses". The Independent. 19 April 1993.
25. ^ "Rugby Union: Evergreen Harrison steals the final show". The Independent. 18 April 1994.
26. ^ "Quantrill wins kicking duel". The Independent. 24 April 1995.
27. ^ "Rugby Union: Warr effort not enough". The Independent. 21 April 1996.
28. ^ "Rugby Union: Cumbria capitalise on the Twickenham experience". The Independent. 21 April 1997.
29. ^ "Cheshire set Twickenham alight!". Wirral Globe. 23 April 1998.
30. ^ "Rugby Union: Saumi savours grand occasion". The Independent. 23 May 1999.
31. ^ "Yorkshire bloom on the big stage". The Guardian. 5 June 2000.
32. ^ "Kirkby puts the fizz into seven-up Yorkshire". The Guardian. 28 May 2001.
33. ^ "Hitchmough's glittering show". The Telegraph. 26 May 2003.
34. ^ "No Championship until 2022. "County Championship: Rugby Football Union cancels competition until 2022."". BBC Sport.
35. ^ "RFU".
36. ^ "RFU".

## External links

[edit]

* http://countyrugby.com/index.html
* https://web.archive.org/web/20081113051546/http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.Community_Detail/StoryID/19903

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