2013 County Championship Plate

The 2013 County Championship Plate, also known as Bill Beaumont Cup Division 2, was the 12th 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 Northumberland (north)) and North Midlands (south) who were relegated from the 2012 Bill Beaumont Cup.[1]

For the first tier of the English Counties competition, see 2013 Bill Beaumont Cup. For the third tier of the English Counties competition, see 2013 County Championship Shield.
2013 County Championship Plate
Countries England
Date4 May 2013 – 26 May 2013
ChampionsNorthumberland (4th title)
Runners-upNorth Midlands
Attendance1,271 (average 106 per match)
Highest attendance360 East Midlands v Northumberland (4 May 2013)
Lowest attendance140 Northumberland v Eastern Counties (18 May 2013)
Top point scorer Caolan Ryan
(North Midlands) 30
Top try scorer Brett Daynes
(East Midlands) 4

Both Northumberland and North Midlands would make an instant return to the 2014 Bill Beaumont Cup as they won their respective pools, with North Midlands having a more difficult time of it as they were run close by Somerset. In the final at Twickenham, Northumberland proved to be a class apart, scoring six tries as they beat North Midlands 45–10 to claim their 4th title in the plate competition.[2]

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 26 May 2013.

Participating Counties and ground locations
Tiverton (Devon)
Towcester (East Midlands)
Cambridge (Eastern Counties)
Stourbridge (North Midlands
Alnwick (Northumberland)
Bridgwater (Somerset)
Locations of the 2013 County Championship Plate county teams
County Stadium(s) Capacity City/Area
Devon Coronation Road 750 Tiverton, Devon
East Midlands Greens Norton Road N/A Towcester, Northamptonshire
Eastern Counties Grantchester Road 1,250 Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
North Midlands Stourton Park 3,500 Stourbridge, West Midlands
Northumberland Greensfield 1,200 (200 in stand) Alnwick, Northumberland
Somerset Bath Road 5,000 Bridgwater, Somerset

Group stage

Division 1 North
2013 Beaumont Cup Division 1 North Table
County Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1Northumberland (P)22006820482010
2East Midlands21013751-14004
3Eastern Counties20022357-34011
  • 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: 18 May 2013
Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com.

Round 1
4 May 2013
15:00
East Midlands 14 - 34 Northumberland (BP)
Report
Greens Norton Road, Towcester
Attendance: 360
Referee: Andrew Rawson

[3][4]

Round 2
11 May 2013
15:00
(BP) Eastern Counties 17 - 23 East Midlands
Grantchester Road, Cambridge
Attendance: 194
Referee: Alexis Manley

[5][4]

Round 3
18 May 2013
14:00
(BP) Northumberland 34 - 6 Eastern Counties
Greensfield, Alnwick
Attendance: 140
Referee: Wayne Falla

[6][4]

Division 2 South
2013 Beaumont Cup Division 1 South Table
County Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1North Midlands (P)22009070202010
2Somerset2101665115217
3Devon20024580-35101
  • 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: 18 May 2013
Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com.

Round 1
4 May 2013
(BP) North Midlands 50 - 34 Devon (BP)
Report
Stourton Park, Stourbridge
Attendance: 143
Referee: Daniel Parott

[3][4]

Round 2
11 May 2013
Devon 11 - 30 Somerset (BP)
Coronation Park, Tiverton
Attendance: 204
Referee: Phil Watters

[5][4]

Round 3
18 May 2013
(2BP) Somerset 36 - 40 North Midlands (BP)
Report
Bath Road, Bridgwater
Attendance: 230
Referee: Tom Davis

[6][4]

Final
26 May 2013
9:30
Northumberland 45 - 10 North Midlands
Report
Twickenham Stadium, London
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

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
County Home
Games		 Total Average Highest Lowest % Capacity
Devon120420420420429%
East Midlands1360360360360
Eastern Counties119419419419416%
North Midlands11431431431434%
Northumberland114014014014012%
Somerset12302302302305%

Individual statistics
  • Note if players are tied on tries or points the player with the lowest number of appearances will come 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 will also include final.

See also

References
  1. "County Championships Results: 2011–12". englandrugby.com. 18 May 2012.
  2. "Northumberland 45 North Midlands 10". The Journal. 27 May 2013.
  3. "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper (242). Rugby Paper Ltd. 5 May 2014. pp. 34–35 & 37.
  4. "County Championships Results: 2012–13". englandrugby.com. 18 May 2013.
  5. "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper (243). Rugby Paper Ltd. 11 May 2014. pp. 28–29 & 32.
  6. "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper (244). Rugby Paper Ltd. 19 May 2014. pp. 28–29 & 32.
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