New England Online > Culture & Society > Sport & Recreation > Rugby County Championship
Rugby County Championship
| Rugby County Championship | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| General Information | |
| Founded: | 2016 |
| Clubs: | 12 |
| 2051 Season | |
| Premiers: | Apsleyshire |
| Minor Premiers: | Severnshire |
| Wooden Spoon: | Macintyre |
| Carter Medallist: | Robert McHenry |
| Top Point Scorer : | Sam Hart (254) |
| Total Attendance: | 2,785,890 |
| Average Attendance: | 18,572 |
The Rugby County Championship or RCC is the preimer domestic Rugby Union Football competition in New England. Twelve teams compete every year from July to October to decide which county has the best team in the competition. The RCC was first played in 2016, and has been played every year since, except 2032 due to the Five Day War.
The competition has been dominated by the three largest counties since it's inception. Between them Fitzroyshire, Macquarie and Armidale have won xx premierships since 2016. Despite this top heavy success, every county has enjoyed at least one championship since the competition began. Four of the six matches of the RCC are broadcast on RTNE One every weekend, including Friday and Saturday evenings, when the key matches of the round are broadcast in primetime.
Format
The RCC is played annually with each team plays every other team twice, with all teams able to play the other of their respective home fields once. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. After twenty-four rounds, the top five teams progress to the finals.
The finals for the RCC are held every September over four weeks. Since 2020, the NERFU has used a final five system identical to the system used by the NEAFA for it's premier competition. The system works as follows:
- Week One
- Elimination Semi-final: 4th vs 5th
- Qualification Semi-final: 2nd vs 3rd
- Week Two
- Elimination Final: Winners of Elimination Semi-final vs Losers of Qualification Semi-final
- Qualification Final: 1st vs Winners of Qualification Semi-final
- Week Three
- Final Qualifier: Winners of Elimination Final vs Losers of Qualification Final
- Week Four
- Grand Final: Winners of Qualification Final vs Winners of Final Qualifier
Results
| Rugby County Championship Winners | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Winner | Opponent | Score | Ground | Attendance | Year | Winner | Opponent | Score | Ground | Attendance |
| 2016 | Armidale | Fitzroyshire | 77-10 | Kings Park | 5,982 | 2034 | Clarence | Severnshire | 18-12 | McKittrick Park | 15,213 |
| 2017 | Armidale | Macquarie | 49-21 | Kings Park | 6,784 | 2035 | Parkes | Fitzroyshire | 25-21 | Aldershot Park | 9,923 |
| 2018 | Armidale | Fitzroyshire | 15-12 | Coffs Harbour Stadium | 15,643 | 2036 | Clarence | Armidale | 15-8 | McKittrick Park | 15,268 |
| 2019 | Fitzroyshire | Armidale | 21-18 | Kings Park | 8,804 | 2037 | Armidale | Macquarie | 45-3 | Stuart Park | 32,765 |
| 2020 | Clarence | Uralla | 69-21 | McKittrick Park | 2,874 | 2038 | Armidale | Macquarie | 33-28 | Stuart Paark | 31,766 |
| 2021 | Clarence | Fitzroyshire | 45-15 | Coffs Harbour Stadium | 14,834 | 2039 | Armidale | Fitzroyshire | 74-3 | Coffs Harbour Stadium | 39,453 |
| 2022 | Fitzroyshire | Armidale | 5-0 | Kings Park | 10,753 | 2040 | Gwydir | Armidale | 8-7 | Rugby Park | 39,357 |
| 2023 | Armidale | Macquarie | 15-9 | Stuart Park | 5,219 | 2041 | Armidale | Clarence | 28-3 | Coffs Harbour Stadium | 39,584 |
| 2024 | Severnshire | Macleay | 36-5 | Mead Park | 3,423 | 2042 | Uralla | Apsleyshire | 24-15 | Kings Park | 33,344 |
| 2025 | Armidale | Fitzroyshire | 41-21 | Kings Park | 12,291 | 2043 | Uralla | Macquarie | 33-21 | Stuart Park | 32,541 |
| 2026 | Macquarie | Armidale | 15-0 | Stuart Park | 6,584 | 2044 | Macquarie | Clarence | 49-18 | Coffs Harbour Stadium | 40,876 |
| 2027 | Fitzroyshire | Clarence | 39-12 | McKittrick Park | 4,021 | 2045 | Apsleyshire | Armidale | 12-3 | Kings Park | 30,782 |
| 2028 | Uralla | Apsleyshire | 12-10 | Hampden Park | 5,563 | 2046 | Parkes | Armidale | 15-8 | Rugby Park | 29,452 |
| 2029 | Macintyre | Clarence | 25-10 | Rugby Park | 6,702 | 2047 | Macintyre | Parkes | 15-12 | Rugby Park | 30,720 |
| 2030 | Macintyre | Uralla | 34-14 | Rugby Park | 7,598 | 2048 | Parkes | Armidale | 63-17 | Kings Park | 33,665 |
| 2031 | Macquarie | Severnshire | 19-12 | Stuart Park | 9,583 | 2049 | Uralla | Apsleyshire | 52-39 | Kings Park | 35,987 |
| 2032 | Not held due to Five Day War | 2050 | Severnshire | Macleay | 35-18 | Kings Park | 34,531 | ||||
| 2033 | Macquarie | Armidale | 15-9 | Kings Park | 11,547 | 2051 | Apsleyshire | Severnshire | 21-7 | Kings Park | 35,586 |
