2013–14 RFU Championship

The 2013–14 RFU Championship, known for sponsorship reasons as the Greene King IPA Championship, was the fifth season of the professionalised format of the RFU Championship, the second tier of the English rugby union league system run by the Rugby Football Union. It was held between 14 September 2013 and 4 June 2014. It was contested by eleven English clubs and one from Jersey in the Channel Islands. It was also the first Championship season with a title sponsor, as the Rugby Football Union and Greene King Brewery reached a deal by which the brewery would become the competition's main sponsor from 2013–14 through to 2016–17.

After being promoted after an appeal in the previous season, London Welsh were relegated back into the RFU Championship after finishing last in the 2012-13 English Premiership. As a result of relegation, they remained at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford instead of returning to their home ground of Old Deer Park in London in order to strengthen their support base. London Welsh replaced Newcastle Falcons who were promoted into the English Premiership after winning the play-off final against Bedford Blues. Doncaster Knights were relegated to the 2013–14 National League 1 and were replaced by the champions of National League 1, Ealing Trailfinders who played in the RFU Championship for the first time.

The twelve clubs in the 2013–14 RFU Championship also participated in the 2013–14 edition of the British and Irish Cup along with clubs from Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Matches in the RFU Championship were broadcast on Sky Sports.

The Championship's structure had all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis. In a change to previous years, this season commenced with an extra round of games in the "Greene King IPA Big Rugby Weekend". Matches were played on the weekend of 14 and 15 September with three double headers at neutral grounds: Saracens' Allianz Park, Doncaster's Castle Park and Exeter's Sandy Park.

The play–off structure remained the same as the previous year. The top four teams at the end of the home–and–away season qualified for the promotion play–offs, which followed a 1 v 4, 2 v 3 system. The winners had to meet the RFU's Minimum Standards Criteria in order to be promoted to the Premiership. If they had failed to meet the criteria, then there would have been no promotion from the RFU Championship. However, on 9 May 2014, the RFU announced that all four play-off participants had met the Minimum Standards Criteria, assuring that the champion would indeed be promoted to the 2014–15 Premiership. There was no relegation play–off; the bottom team was automatically relegated. Following an agreement with the RFU in 2012, each RFU Championship club received £355,000 in funding from the RFU for the season.

Notes

The 2013–14 RFU Championship kicked off on the weekend of 14 and 15 September with the "Greene King IPA Big Rugby Weekend", an extra round of matches played as three double headers at neutral grounds. Thereafter, each team played the other twice on a home and away basis with the top four qualifying for the promotion phase.

• This match was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. It was rescheduled to 23 February.

• This match was postponed, as the surface of many parts of the pitch is under water. It has been rescheduled to 21 February.

• This match was postponed as the pitch was deemed unplayable. It has been rescheduled to 22 February.

• This match was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

• This match was postponed after a pitch inspection at The Mennaye. It has been rescheduled to 16 March.

• This match – originally scheduled to be played in Round 15 on 7 February 2014 – was postponed as many parts of the pitch was under water.

• This match – originally scheduled to be played in Round 16 on 14 February 2014 – was postponed as the pitch was deemed unplayable. The match was again postponed due to an unplayable pitch. It will now be played on 15 March.

• This match – originally scheduled to be played in Round 13 on 26 January 2014 – was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

• This match – originally scheduled to be played in Round 16 on 14 February 2014 – was postponed as the pitch was deemed unplayable. The pitch was again found to be unplayable on the new date of 22 February, and the match was postponed for the second time.

• This match – originally scheduled to be played in Round 16 on 15 February 2014 – was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

• This match – originally scheduled to be played in Round 16 on 16 February 2014 – was postponed after a pitch inspection at The Mennaye.

• This result means that London Welsh will finish in the top four and therefore are into the playoffs.

• This result means that Bristol will finish in the top four and therefore are into the playoffs.

The semi–finals followed a 1 v 4, 2 v 3 system - with the games being played over two legs and the higher placed team deciding who played at home in the first leg.

• Bristol won 39 — 25 on aggregate

• London Welsh won 60 — 58 on aggregate

• London Welsh won 48–28 on aggregate and were promoted to Premiership Rugby

• Note attendance statistics include 1st round with each team playing at the neutral venue considered the 'home team' as well as playoff games

• 2013–14 British and Irish Cup

• RFU Championship news