From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
National Division One (from September 2009 known as the Guinness Championship) is the second tier of the English rugby union league structure.
Since the advent of rugby union leagues in England it has gone through several sponsorship changes, moving from amateur to semi-professional.From the 2009-2010 season, the RFU have decided to make the league a fully professional league, reducing its size from 16 down to 12.
[edit] History
[edit] Early development
Since the advent of leagues it has been known by several names. From 1987-88 until 1996-97 it was known as Division 2 of the Courage League or Courage Clubs Championship. From 1997-98 until 1999-2000 it was known as the Allied Dunbar Premier League Two or Allied Dunbar Premiership Division Two. When Zurich took over the sponsorship of the Premiership in 2000-01, they did not sponsor the lower leagues, and so the league became National Division One.
[edit] National Division One
The league was composed of sixteen professional and semi-professional teams. The team that finished was promoted to the Guinness Premiership for the following season. With restructing of the league, the two bottom teams were relegated to National Division Two
[edit] Guinness Championship
On the 10th November 2008 it was proposed by the RFU that the competition should be replaced by a fully professional 12-club Championship. The proposal was criticised by league chairman Geoff Irvine, representing the clubs, who described it as "financial suicide". However, six League One clubs subsequently supported the proposal. The proposals required five clubs to be relegated to National Division Two, with only club being promoted from that division and one club joining the league from the Premiership.[1] On 15 November 2008 the RFU Council voted overwhelmingly in favour of the new proposal, which will begin in 2009.[2] Under the proposal the RFU will pay £2.3 million a year to help fund the change, with future rises due through television rights.[1]
[edit] 2008-09 season
[edit] 2009-10 season
[edit] Participating teams
| Team |
Stadium |
Capacity |
City/Area |
| Bedford Blues |
Goldington Road |
4,684 |
Bedford, Bedfordshire |
| Birmingham & Solihull |
Sharmans Cross Road |
3,500 |
Solihull, West Midlands |
| Bristol Rugby |
Memorial Stadium |
12,100 |
Bristol |
| Cornish Pirates |
Mennaye Field |
7,000 |
Penzance |
| Coventry |
Butts Park Arena |
4,000 |
Coventry |
| Doncaster Knights |
Castle Park |
3,075 |
Doncaster |
| Exeter Chiefs |
Sandy Park |
7,300 (to be expanded to 11,500 by the end of the season) |
Exeter |
| London Welsh |
Old Deer Park |
5,850 |
London |
| Moseley |
Billesley Common |
650 plus standing |
Birmingham |
| Nottingham |
Meadow Lane |
19,588 |
Nottingham |
| Plymouth Albion |
The Brickfields |
6500 |
Plymouth |
| Rotherham |
Clifton Lane |
2,500 |
Rotherham |
[edit] League results
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Championship plan gains support". BBC Sport (BBC). 2008-11-14. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/7720024.stm. Retrieved on 2009-05-21.
- ^ Simon Mills (2008-11-15). "RFU Council approves major changes to shape of club game". Rugby Football Union. http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.News_Detail/StoryID/21277. Retrieved on 2009-05-21.
[edit] External links
|
Guinness Championship |
|
| 2009-10 Teams |
|
|
| Seasons |
|
|
