At the end of the group stage, Leicestershire were dominant in Pool 1, winning all three games (albeit one which was a walkover), including an impressive win against a strong East Midlands side, while Surrey were equally impressive in topping Pool 2, also winning three out of three. In the final, Leicestershire finished as convincing winners with an emphatic 38 – 13 victory over Surrey, in what was their second division title in three years.
Competition format
The competition format is two regional group stages divided into north and south with four teams in each group. This means that two teams in the pool had two home games, while the other two had just one. 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 2 June 2019 at Twickenham Stadium.
Promotion and relegation occurs every two seasons, with accumulated points taken into consideration. At the end of the 2017–18 season, Durham (north) and Hampshire (south) were promoted to Division 1, replacing East Midlands (north) and Surrey (south) who dropped down into Division 2.[1]Cumbria and North Midlands were relegated into Division 3, being replaced by promoted sides, Essex and Sussex.[2][3][4] There will now be no promotion or relegation until the end of the 2020 competition.
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
Number of matches won
Difference between points for and against
Total number of points for
Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
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. Updated: 18 May 2019 Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com.
Round 1
4 May 2019 15:00
(1 BP) East Midlands
42 – 27
Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Waverley Road, Kettering Referee: Matthew Astle
4 May 2019 15:00
Leicestershire
w/o
Staffordshire
Memorial Ground, Coaville
The match was scratched and Leicestershire were awarded a five point win after Staffordshire could not raise a side; Staffordshire were also deducted five points.
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
Number of matches won
Difference between points for and against
Total number of points for
Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
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. Updated: 18 May 2019 Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com.
Round 1
4 May 2019 15:00
(1 BP) Surrey
31 – 14
Sussex
Molesey Road, Hersham
4 May 2019 15:15
(1 BP) Essex
27 – 24
Somerset (2 BP)
Latton Park, Harlow
[10][7]
Round 2
11 May 2019 15:00
(1 BP) Surrey
46 – 24
Somerset (1 BP)
Molesey Road, Hersham
11 May 2019 15:00
(1 BP) Sussex
47 – 3
Essex
Sussex
Roundstone Lane, Angmering
[10][8]
Round 3
18 May 2019 15:00
Essex
19 – 67
Surrey (1 BP)
Ilford Wanderers Sports Ground, Ilford, London
18 May 2019 15:00
(1 BP) Somerset
56 – 29
Sussex (1 BP)
Commsplus Stadium, Taunton
[10][9]
Final
8 June 2019 15:00
Leicestershire
38 – 13
Surrey
Twickenham Stadium, London
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. Unfortunately due to poor press reporting the majority of scorers outside of the East Midlands, Leicestershire and Surrey teams are unknown.
^"Durham Men triumphant at Twickenham to take Bill Beaumont Division Two Championship title". Durham County RFU. 27 May 2018. Archived from the original on 25 January 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
^"County Championship draws made". North Midlands RFU. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
^"County events schedule". Essex RFU (Pitchero). Retrieved 8 February 2019.
^"County Championships". Sussex Rugby (Pitchero). Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
^"County Senior Championship - East Midlands v Warwickshire - Saturday 4th May". Kettering RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 14 March 2019.
^ a b c"Bill Beaumont Division 2 - Pool 1". England Rugby. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
^ a b"Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper. No. 555. Rugby Paper Ltd. 5 May 2019. pp. 28–30.
^ a b"Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper. No. 556. Rugby Paper Ltd. 12 May 2019. pp. 22–23 & 26.
^ a b"Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper. No. 557. Rugby Paper Ltd. 19 May 2019. pp. 22–23 & 26.
^ a b c"Bill Beaumont Division 2 - Pool 2". England Rugby. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
England
