2018 County Championship Shield
2017 County Championship Shield | |
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Countries |
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Date | 5 May 2018 - 27 May 2018 |
Champions | Dorset & Wilts (3rd title) |
Runners-up | Essex |
Top point scorer |
45 points |
Top try scorer |
3 tries each |
The 2018 County Championship Shield, also known as Bill Beaumont Division Three, was the 14th version of the competition that is part of the annual English rugby union County Championship, organised by the RFU for the tier 3 English counties. Each county drew its players from rugby union clubs from the fifth tier and below of the English rugby union league system. The counties were divided into two regional pools (east/west) with the winners of each pool meeting in the final at the Athletic Ground in Richmond, London - a change from previous seasons where the final was held at Twickenham Stadium. Oxfordshire are the reigning champions having won last years final.[1][2]
By the end of the group stage, Essex did just enough by winning two tight games to top Pool 1, while Dorset & Wilts managed to win Pool 2 on bonus points despite losing their final game against Berkshire. In the final held at the Athletic Ground, Dorset & Wilts overcame Essex 24 points to 22 to claim their third Shield title and first since 2011.[3]
Competition format
The competition format is two regional group stages (west & east) with three teams in each group, each playing two games (one home, one away). Changes to the 2018 competition see a reduction in teams from seven to six as Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire have decided not to take part this season.[4] At the end of the pool stage the top teams with the best record from each pool advance to the final held on 27 May 2018 at the Athletic Ground in Richmond, London. At present there is no promotion into Division 2 and, as this is the lowest level in the county championships, there is no relegation.
Participating counties and ground locations
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Group stage
Division 3 Pool 1 (East)
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County | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points | |||||||
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1 | Essex (Q) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||||
2 | Oxfordshire | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 93 | 45 | 48 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||
3 | Buckinghamshire | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 42 | 97 | -55 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||
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Green background means the county qualified for the final. Updated: 19 May 2018 Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com. |
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
19 May 2018 15:00 |
(BP) Buckinghamshire | 15 – 21 | Essex |
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Oak Lodge Meadow, Beaconsfield |
Division 3 Pool 2 (West)
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County | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points | |||||||
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1 | Dorset & Wilts (Q) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 66 | 64 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | ||||||
2 | Sussex | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50 | 48 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||
3 | Berkshire | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 60 | 64 | -4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||
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Green background means the county qualified for the final. Updated: 19 May 2018 Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com. |
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Final
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 will also include final.
Top points scorers
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Top try scorers
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Competition records
Notes
- ↑ Due to poor press reporting it is not clear whether Josh Bartlett played in Berkshire's game away to Sussex on 12 May 2018.
- ↑ Due to poor press reporting it is not clear whether Chay Pollinger played in Essex's game at home to Oxfordshire on 12 May 2018.
- ↑ Due to poor press reporting it is not clear whether Charlie Russo played in Essex's game at home to Oxfordshire on 12 May 2018.
See also
References
- ↑ "OXFORDSHIRE BECOME DIVISION THREE COUNTY CHAMPIONS". England Rugby. 28 May 2017.
- ↑ "RUGBY UNION: Oxfordshire beat Sussex in dramatic Twickenham final". Oxford Mail. 28 May 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "DORSET AND WILTS SENIOR XV BILL BEAUMONT DIV. 3 CHAMPIONS". Dorset & Wilts RFU. 28 May 2018.
- ↑ "NLD SENIOR XV". NLD RFU. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper (503). Rugby Paper Ltd. 6 May 2018. pp. 28–30.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper (504). Rugby Paper Ltd. 13 May 2018. pp. 28–30.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper (505). Rugby Paper Ltd. 20 May 2018. p. 27.