2014 County Championship Plate

The 2014 County Championship Plate, also known as Bill Beaumont Cup Division 2, was the 13th version of the annual English rugby union, County Championship organized by the RFU for the tier 2 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 South or National League 2 North). The counties were divided into two regional pools (north/south) with three teams in the north division and three in the south, with the winners of each pool meeting in the final held at Twickenham Stadium. New teams to the division included Durham County and Kent who were relegated from the 2013 Bill Beaumont Cup.[1]

For the first tier of the English Counties competition, see 2014 Bill Beaumont Cup. For the third tier of the English Counties competition, see 2014 County Championship Shield.
2014 County Championship Plate
Countries England
Date10 May 2014 - 1 June 2014
ChampionsKent (2nd title)
Runners-upDurham County
Attendance2,298 (average 383 per match)
Highest attendance1,200 Kent v Somerset (24 May 2014)
Lowest attendance150 East Midlands v Eastern Counties (10 May 2014)
Top point scorer Ben Summers
(Kent) 32
Top try scorer Cameron Mitchell
Ian Wilson
(both Durham County) 3

By the end of the group stage, both Durham County and Kent, relegated the previous season, made an instant return to the first division by winning their respective groups with relative ease. At the final at Twickenham, Kent were comfortable winners, defeating Durham County 31-23 to claim their first title at Twickenham for 28 years.[2][3]

Competition format

The competition format involved six teams divided into two regional group stages of three teams each, divided into north and south, with each team playing each other once. The top side in each group went through to the final held at Twickenham Stadium on 1 June 2014.

Participating counties and ground locations
Brixham (Devon)
Darlington (Durham)
Bury St Edmunds (Eastern Counties)
Wellingborough (East Midlands)
Rochester (Kent)
Bridgwater (Somerset)
Locations of the 2014 County Championship Plate county teams
County Stadium(s) Capacity City/Area
Devon Astley Park 1,800 Brixham, Devon
Durham County Blackwell Meadows 3,000 Darlington, County Durham
East Midlands Cut Throat Lane N/A Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
Eastern Counties The Haberden 3,000 Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Kent Priestfields N/A Rochester, Kent
Somerset Bath Road 5,000 Bridgwater, Somerset

Group stage

Division 2 North
2014 County Championship Plate Division 2 North Table
County Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1Durham County (P)2200612140109
2East Midlands21013550-15105
3Eastern Counties20023964-25112
  • 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 and is also promoted to the Division 1 North of the Bill Beaumont Cup for the following season. Updated: 24 May 2014
Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com.

Round 1
10 May 2014
15:00
(BP) East Midlands 27 - 26 Eastern Counties (2BP)
Cut Throat Lane, Wellingborough
Attendance: 150
Referee: Michael Harris

[4][5][6]

Round 2
17 May 2014
14:15
Eastern Counties 13 - 37 Durham County (BP)
Report
The Haberden, Bury St Edmunds
Attendance: 220
Referee: Simon Dodds

[7][5][6]

Round 3
24 May 2014
15:00
Durham County 24 - 8 East Midlands
Report
Blackwell Meadows, Darlington
Attendance: 245
Referee: Steven Bennett

[8][5][9]

Division 2 South
2014 County Championship Plate Division 2 South Table
County Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1Kent (P)2200622636109
2Somerset21012943-14004
3Devon20023254-22011
  • 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 and is also promoted to the Division 1 South of the Bill Beaumont Cup for the following season. Updated: 24 May 2014
Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com.

Round 1
10 May 2014
14:30
Somerset 20 - 15 Devon (BP)
Report
Bath Road, Bridgwater
Attendance: 194
Referee: Luis Caviglia

[4][5][10]

Round 2
17 May 2014
14:30
Devon 17 - 34 Kent (BP)
Report
Astley Park, Brixham
Attendance: 289
Referee: Guy Steel-Bodger

[7][5][11]

Round 3
24 May 2014
Kent 28 - 9 Somerset
Report
Priestfields, Rochester
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Callum Howard

[8][5]

Final
1 June 2014
10:00
Durham County 23 - 31 Kent
Report
Twickenham Stadium, London

[2]

Total season attendances
  • Does not include final at Twickenham which was a neutral venue and involved teams from all three county divisions on the same day
County Home
Games		 Total Average Highest Lowest % Capacity
Devon128928928928916%
Durham County12452452452458%
East Midlands1150150150150
Eastern Counties12202202202207%
Kent11,2001,2001,2001,200
Somerset11941941941944%

Individual statistics
  • Note if players are tied on tries or points the player with the lowest number of appearances comes first. Also 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.
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See also

References
  1. "County Championships Results: 2012-13". England Rugby. 18 May 2012.
  2. "Kent 31-23 Durham". News Shopper. 3 June 2014.
  3. "RUGBY REPORT: Durham 23 Kent 31, Durham lose County Championship final at Twickenham". News Shopper. 1 June 2014. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  4. "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper (295). Rugby Paper Ltd. 11 May 2014. pp. 30–32.
  5. "County Championships Results: 2013-14". englandrugby.com. 1 June 2014.
  6. "ECRU vs East Midlands". Eastern Counties Rugby Union. 10 May 2014.
  7. "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper (296). Rugby Paper Ltd. 18 May 2014. pp. 26–27 & 34.
  8. "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper (297). Rugby Paper Ltd. 25 May 2014. pp. 28–29.
  9. "Durham County v East Midlands". Darlington RFC (Pitchero). 24 May 2014.
  10. "Somerset Vs Devon". Devon RFU. 10 May 2014.
  11. "Devon Vs Kent". Devon RFU. 17 May 2014.
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