The 2016 County Championship Plate, also known as Bill Beaumont Cup Division 2, was the 15th version of the annual English rugby union, County Championship organised 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 North or National League 2 South). The counties were divided into two regional pools (north/south) with four teams in each and the winners of each pool meet in the final to be held at Twickenham Stadium. New counties to the division included Kent and Durham County who were relegated from the 2015 Bill Beaumont Cup while Leicestershire were promoted as the winners of the 2015 County Championship Shield.

At the end of the pool stage, pool winners East Midlands (north) and Kent (south) met in the final at Twickenham. Despite it being their first final against regulars Kent, East Midlands won 33-27, with former Tongan international, Maama Molitika, scoring three tries in the game. He would finish as the competition's top try scorer.

Competition format

The competition format is two regional group stages divided into north and south, with each team playing each other once. This means that two teams in the pool have two home games, while the other two had just one. The top side in each group goes through to the final held at Twickenham Stadium, with both teams also being promoted to the top tier for the following season. Typically there was no relegation although teams have dropped out/been invited to join the division.

Due to changes to the County Championships to be implemented for the 2017 competition, four teams instead of two would be promoted to the top tier. This meant that the two group winners would be joined by two other teams from the plate competition based on how well they have done over the past couple of seasons.

Participating Counties and ground locations

2016 County Championship Plate is located in England
Locations of the 2016 County Championship Plate county teams
CountyStadium(s)CapacityCity/Area
DevonBitton Park Sports Ground1,210 (210 seats)Teignmouth, Devon
Durham CountyCrow Trees Brinkburn2,000 (400 seats) 1,000 (76 seats)Swalwell, Tyne and Wear Hartlepool, County Durham
East MidlandsRushmere Road Fortress FengateN/A N/ANorthampton, Northamptonshire Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
KentMerton Lane Priestfields1,500 (75 seats) N/ACanterbury, Kent Rochester, Kent
LeicestershireHinckley RoadN/ALeicester Forest East, Leicestershire
North MidlandsHeathbrook2,260 (260 seats)Kingswinford, West Midlands
NorthumberlandGrange House Field1,000Morpeth, Northumberland
SomersetHyde Park2,000 (198 seats)Taunton, Somerset

Group stage

Division 2 North

CountyPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTry BonusLosing BonusPoints
2016 Beaumont Cup Division 2 North Table
2016 Beaumont Cup Division 2 North Table
1East Midlands (P)33009036542014
2Leicestershire32016073-13109
3Northumberland (P)31024558-13105
4Durham County300376104-28101
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 and is also promoted to the Division 1 North of the Bill Beaumont Cup for the following season. Updated: 12 May 2016 Source: . englandrugby.com.

Notes

Round 1

7 May 2016 15:00
Northumberland7 - 17East Midlands
Grange House Field, Morpeth Attendance: 252 Referee: Callum Sharp
7 May 2016 15:15
(BP) Durham County28 - 38Leicestershire (BP)
Crow Trees, Swalwell Attendance: 80 Referee: Ben Rayner

Round 2

14 May 2016 15:00
Durham County29 - 38Northumberland (BP)
Brinkburn, Hartlepool Attendance: 297 Referee: Chris Dennis
14 May 2016 15:00
(BP) East Midlands45 - 10Leicestershire
Rushmere Road, Northampton Attendance: 320 Referee: Neil Chivers

Round 3

21 May 2016 14:30
Leicestershire12 - 0Northumberland
Hinckley Road, Leicester Forest East Attendance: 250 Referee: Robert Teare
21 May 2016 15:00
(BP) East Midlands28 - 19Durham County
Fortress Fengate, Peterborough Attendance: 450 Referee: Simon Harding

Division 2 South

CountyPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTry BonusLosing BonusPoints
2016 Beaumont Cup Division 2 South Table
2016 Beaumont Cup Division 2 South Table
1Kent (P)32019462322111
2Devon (P)32019757402010
3Somerset32015068-18008
4North Midlands300353107-54112
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 and is also promoted to the Division 1 South of the Bill Beaumont Cup for the following season. Updated: 21 May 2016 Source: . englandrugby.com.

Notes

Round 1

7 May 2016 15:00
(BP) Devon39 - 10Somerset
Bitton Park Sports Ground, Teignmouth Attendance: 820 Referee: Adam Leal
7 May 2016 15:00
(BP) Kent43 - 28North Midlands (BP)
Merton Lane, Canterbury Attendance: 230 Referee: Daniel Collins

Round 2

14 May 2016 14:30
Somerset26 - 22Kent (BP)
Hyde Park, Taunton Attendance: 260 Referee: Don Conway
14 May 2016 15:00
North Midlands18 - 50Devon (BP)
Heathbrook, Kingswinford Attendance: 203 Referee: Matt Turvey

Round 3

21 May 2016 14:30
Somerset14 - 7North Midlands (BP)
Hyde Park, Taunton Attendance: 150 Referee: Luis Caviglia
21 May 2016 15:00
(BP) Kent29 - 8Devon
Priestfields, Rochester Attendance: 284 Referee: David Clarkson

Final

29 May 2016
East Midlands33 - 27Kent
Twickenham Stadium, London

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
CountyHome GamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity
Devon182082082082068%
Durham County23771892978017%
East Midlands2770385450320
Kent251425728423015%
Leicestershire1250250250250
North Midlands12032032032039%
Northumberland125225225225225%
Somerset241020526015010%

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.
RankPlayerCountyClub SideAppearancesPoints
Top points scorers Rank Player County Club Side Appearances Points 1 England Joe Daniel East Midlands Kettering 4 38 2 Tonga Maama Molitika East Midlands Ampthill 4 30 3 England Josh Bragman Durham County Hull 3 26 4 England Brad Barnes Somerset Clifton 2 25 5 England Jordan Petherbridge Devon Barnstaple 2 22Top try scorers Rank Player County Club Side Appearances Tries 1 Tonga Maama Molitika East Midlands Ampthill 4 6 2 England Callum Mackenzie Durham County Darlington Mowden Park 3 4 3 England Dan Williams Devon Torquay Athletic 2 3 England Ben Haigh Northumberland Tynedale 3 3 England Terry Read Kent Canterbury 3 3
1England Joe DanielEast MidlandsKettering438
2Tonga Maama MolitikaEast MidlandsAmpthill430
3England Josh BragmanDurham CountyHull326
4England Brad BarnesSomersetClifton225
5England Jordan PetherbridgeDevonBarnstaple222
RankPlayerCountyClub SideAppearancesTries
1Tonga Maama MolitikaEast MidlandsAmpthill46
2England Callum MackenzieDurham CountyDarlington Mowden Park34
3England Dan WilliamsDevonTorquay Athletic23
England Ben HaighNorthumberlandTynedale33
England Terry ReadKentCanterbury33

See also

External links