2018 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 1

The 2018 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 1 was the 118th version of the annual, English rugby union, County Championship organised by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for the top tier English counties. Each county drew its players from rugby union clubs from the third tier and below of the English rugby union league system (typically National League 1, National League 2 North or National League 2 South). The counties were divided into two regional sections (each divided into two pools, for a total of four) with the winners of each meeting in the final held at Twickenham Stadium. Lancashire are the reigning champions having defeated Cornwall in the previous year's final.[1]

For the second tier of the English Counties competition, see 2018 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2. For the third tier of the English Counties competition, see 2018 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 3.
2018 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 1
Countries England
Date5 May 2017 - 27 May 2018
ChampionsLancashire (25th title)
Runners-upHertfordshire
RelegatedNorthumberland, Surrey
Matches played18
Attendance6,967
(average 387 per match)
Highest attendance1,515
Cornwall v Devon
(6 May 2018)
Lowest attendance150
Northumberland v East Midlands
(19 May 2018)
Tries scored150
(average 8.3 per match)
Top point scorerEngland Chris Johnson
(Lancashire)
55 points
Top try scorerEngland Anthony Bingham
(Lancashire)
5 tries

Once again Lancashire finished as winners of the northern group stage with a 100% record to qualify for their second successive final, although group runners-up Yorkshire could feel aggrieved as they also had a 100% record, but lost out on points for/against. It showcased a real weakness in the new competition format as neither county had faced each other over the past two years, despite being the best sides in the northern group. Lancashire were joined by Hertfordshire who took advantage of a slip-up by Gloucestershire at Surrey to win the southern group and cement their place in the final - the county's first since 2012. By contrast last season's finalists Cornwall had a dire campaign, managing only one draw in their three games and finishing bottom of their group. Unlike Yorkshire, Cornwall can thank the RFU for the new format as promotion/relegation is over two seasons, saving Cornwall from the drop due to their excellent tournament the previous season.

In the Twickenham final Lancashire finished as deserving champions beating Hertfordshire 32-16, with 22 points coming from the boot Chris Johnson who also finished as the competition's top points scorer, while a try from his team-mate, Anthony Bingham, made him the top try scorer with 5 tries.[2][3] It was the 25th cup win for a Lancashire side that has dominated the competition through its history. Relegated sides from the 2018 competition included East Midlands from the north and Surrey from the south. In Surrey's case they had actually looked safe, having finished a point clear of relegation rivals, Devon, but ultimately went down due to a 2 points deduction for fielding an ineligible player in their 15-15 draw with Cornwall earlier in the campaign.[4] In East Midlands case they actually finished 3rd overall in the northern group competition over the two seasons but decided to take voluntary relegation due to difficulties in getting the top eligible clubs in their union to provide players for future competitions. Both East Midlands and Surrey will play in the 2019 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2 next season.

Competition format

The 2018 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 1 consists of twelve county sides, with six counties in the northern group, and six in the southern group. Each county plays three games per group, which means that some counties get two home games, and the others just the one home game. The RFU have taken fixtures from the previous year into account so that county sides that only played one home game in that competition now get two games and vice versa. At the end of the group stage the top teams with the best record from each group (north and south) advance to the final held on 27 May 2018 at Twickenham Stadium.

A continuation from the 2017 competition is that promotion/relegation occurs every two seasons instead of one, with points accumulated over the two seasons (2017 and 2018) taken into consideration. The two lowest ranked counties (one from the north/one from the south) will be relegated into the 2019 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2 competition, with the two highest aggregate ranked sides of that tournament being promoted to take their place.

Participating Counties and ground locations

Group stage

Division 1 North
2018 Bill Beaumont Division 1 North Table
County Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1Lancashire (Q)3300180741063015
2Yorkshire33009972273015
3Cheshire310291122-31217
4Eastern Counties31027798-21116
5Northumberland310276114-38206
6East Midlands (R)30035598-43112
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background means the county qualified for the final Pink background means the county were demoted to Division 2 for the following season. Updated: 19 May 2018
Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com.

Round 1
5 May 2018
15:00
(2BP) Cheshire27 - 34Yorkshire (BP)
Cheshire
Hartsfield, Moreton
Attendance: 220
Referee: Timothy Allatt
5 May 2018
15:00
(BP) East Midlands19 - 22Eastern Counties
East Midlands
Dillingham Park, Ampthill
Attendance: 350
Referee: Harry Walbaum
5 May 2018
15:00
(BP) Northumberland20 - 64Lancashire (BP)
Lancashire
Preston Avenue, North Shields
Attendance: 250
Referee: Owen Taylor

[5]

Round 2
12 May 2018
15:00
(BP) East Midlands24–41Cheshire (BP)
East Midlands
Goldington Road, Bedford
Attendance: 220
Referee: Matt Astle
12 May 2018
15:00
(BP) Lancashire52–31Eastern Counties (BP)
Lancashire
Park Lane, Whitefield
Attendance: 301
Referee: Michael Harris
12 May 2018
15:00
(BP) Yorkshire38–21Northumberland
Silver Royd, Scarborough
Attendance: 275
Referee: Joe James

[6]

Round 3
19 May 2018
14:00
(BP) Eastern Counties24 – 27Yorkshire (BP)
Eastern Counties
University Football Ground, Cambridge
Attendance: 309
Referee: Callum Howard
19 May 2018
15:00
(BP) Lancashire64 – 23Cheshire
Lancashire
Woodlands Memorial Ground, Lytham St Annes
Attendance: 453
Referee: Tim Allatt
19 May 2018
15:00
(BP) Northumberland35 – 12East Midlands
East Midlands
Tynedale Park, Corbridge
Attendance: 150
Referee: Alan Chandrachud

[7]

Division 1 South
2018 Bill Beaumont Division 1 South Table
County Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points difference Try bonus Losing bonus Points
1Hertfordshire (Q)320113852863112
2Gloucestershire32018068122111
3Kent320172101-29109
4Devon31027386-13217
5Surrey (R)31114348-5013[a 1]
6Cornwall30123485-51013
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background means the county qualified for the final. Pink background means the county were demoted to Division 2 for the following season. Updated: 19 May 2018
Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com.

Round 1
5 May 2018
14:30
(BP) Devon26 - 38Gloucestershire (BP)
Devon
Astley Park, Brixham
Attendance: 350
Referee: Henry Lowis
5 May 2018
15:00
Cornwall15 - 15Surrey
Cornwall
The Recreation Ground, Redruth
Attendance: 815
Referee: Calum Howard
5 May 2018
15:00
(BP) Hertfordshire59 - 21Kent
Hertfordshire
Rosedale Sports Club, Cheshunt
Attendance: 324
Referee: Robert Bourke

[5]

Round 2
12 May 2018
15:00
(BP) Cornwall19–20Devon
Cornwall
Recreation Ground, Camborne
Attendance: 1,515
Referee: Veryan Boscawen
12 May 2018
15:00
(BP) Gloucestershire31–29Hertfordshire (2BP)
Gloucestershire
Regentsholm, Lydney
Attendance: 250
Referee: James O'Brien
12 May 2018
15:00
Kent22–15Surrey (BP)
Goddington Dene, Orpington, London
Attendance: 172
Referee: Daniel Collins

[6]

Round 3
19 May 2018
15:00
(BP) Hertfordshire50 – 0Cornwall
Cornwall
Silver Leys, Bishop's Stortford
Attendance: 610
Referee: Alexander Thomas
19 May 2018
15:00
(BP) Kent29 – 27Devon (2BP)
Jack Williams Ground, Aylesford
Attendance: 153
Referee: George Selwood
19 May 2018
15:00
Surrey13 – 11Gloucestershire (BP)
Gloucestershire
Molesey Road, Hersham
Attendance: 250
Referee: Jonathan Cook

[7]

Final
27 May 2018
12:00
Lancashire31 – 16 (HT 12-8)Hertfordshire
Try: Bingham, Collins rugby ball
Con: Johnson (2)
Pen: Johnson (5)
Drop: Johnson		ReportTry: Byfield (2) rugby ball
Pen: Taylor (2)
Twickenham Stadium, London
15Lewis AllenRossendale
14Scott ArmstrongKirkby Lonsdale
13Chris MayorSale FC
12Scott RawlingsLongton
11Anthony BinghamSale FC
10Chris JohnsonSale FC
9Callum McShaneSedgley Park
1Dan BirchallSale FC
2Alex LoneyFylde
3Adam Lewis (capt)Fylde
4Bob BirtwellSedgley Park
5Rhys DaviesSale FC
6Evan StewartVale of Lune
7Phil MillsRossendale
8Tom AilesSale FC
Replacements:
16Peter AlthamPreston Grasshoppers
17Danny MaherSedgley Park
19Reece TomlinsonRossendale
20Adam AigbokhaeSale FC
21Connor WilkinsonFylde
22Scott JordanPreston Grasshoppers
23Steve CollinsSedgley Park
15Sean TaylorHertford
14Elliott ByfieldTring
13James ReaBishop's Stortford
12Richard StreetsHertford
11Sam BarnesTring
10Dan WattOld Albanian
9Tom Banks (capt)Bishop's Stortford
1Louis CastiglioneHertford
2Steff JonesHertford
3Karl GarsideAmpthill
4Rob ConquestCambridge
5Harry GreenTring
6Nick RadleyTring
7Nick StevensTring
8Chris WestOld Albanian
Replacements:
16Oliver WallikerOld Albanian
17Tom McCroneBishop's Stortford
18Dave ArcherHertford
19Jack ElstonHertford
20Jack ScantleburyBishop's Stortford
21Ben CreaseyHertford
22Luke BarberHarpenden

[2][3]

Relegation aggregate table

In order to determine relegation to the 2019 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2, results from the 2017 and 2018 competitions will be combined, with the lowest ranked team from each group being relegated.

Total season attendances
  • Does not include final at Twickenham which is a neutral venue and involves teams from all three county divisions on the same day
County Home
Games		 Total Average Highest Lowest % Capacity
Cheshire122022022022011%
Cornwall22,3301,1651,51581522%
Devon135035035035019%
East Midlands25702853502208%
Eastern Counties130930930930931%
Gloucestershire125025025025017%
Hertfordshire293446761032438%
Kent23251631721535%
Lancashire27543774533018%
Northumberland24002002501508%
Surrey12502502502507%
Yorkshire127527527527514%

[5][6][7]

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). Statistics also include final.

Competition records

Notes
    • Surrey deducted 2 points for fielding an ineligible player against Cornwall on 5 May 2018.[4]
  2. Despite finishing 3rd overall over the two seasons, East Midlands decided to take voluntary relegation due to difficulties in getting the top eligible clubs in their union to provide players for future competitions.
    • Hertfordshire were initially deducted 4 points for fielding an ineligible player against Kent on 6 May 2017. It was later reduced to a 2 point deduction.[8][9]
    • Surrey deducted 2 points for fielding an ineligible player against Cornwall on 5 May 2018.[4]

See also

References
  1. "LANCASHIRE WIN BILL BEAUMONT COUNTY CHAMPS FINAL". England RFU. 28 May 2017.
  2. "County Championships: As it happened". England RFU. 28 May 2018.
  3. "LANCASHIRE TRIUMPH ONCE AGAIN AT TWICKENHAM". Fylde RFC. 27 May 2018.
  4. "Kent 29 Devon 28". Sports Independent. 20 May 2018. p. 70.
  5. "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper. No. 503. Rugby Paper Ltd. 6 May 2018. pp. 28–30.
  6. "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper. No. 504. Rugby Paper Ltd. 13 May 2018. pp. 28–30.
  7. "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper. No. 505. Rugby Paper Ltd. 20 May 2018. pp. 26–27.
  8. "Gloucestershire back in the race for Twickenham". Camborne RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  9. "Herts points deduction halved". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
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