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Ealing win the RFU Championship but Premiership admission still up in air
Ealing Trailfinders have won the RFU Championship, sealing their league win in impressive fashion with a landslide 60 – 10 hammering of Richmond yesterday.
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However, any possible admission into the Gallagher Premiership rests on the club’s appeal of a decision not to allow their entrance on minimum criteria grounds.
Nevertheless, there were joyful scenes in West London as the green and whites lifted the trophy in a league that came right down to the last round of games.
After just two minutes, Simon Uzokwe slipped through for the first of his hat-trick of tries, and he added to his tally soon after in the opposite corner, again from a rolling maul.
Within half an hour, Craig Hampson dashed over the line from an attacking scrum, and Max Bodilly finished off a brilliant counter-attack to bring up the bonus point.
Mark Bright rumbled over for his 100th Championship try two minutes after the restart, but the pressure from the Ealing pack took its toll again in the 39th minute, when Rayn Smid barged over for the hosts’ fifth, with Craig Willis’ conversion bringing the half-time score to 29-5.
CHAMPIONS ?
Congratulations to @ealingtfrugby, who have just won one of the most competitive Championship campaigns to date ???
What. A. Season. #ChampRugby pic.twitter.com/j6XF7CuEfR
— Championship Rugby (@Champrugby) April 2, 2022
Seven minutes into the second half, Bodilly scored his brace, bursting over from a scrum for his side’s sixth try, before Uzokwe added his third of the day, this time from a well-crafted lineout set-piece. In the closing 10 minutes, the Ealing backs tightened the screws, with Luke Daniels crossing and Angus Kernohan flying over for a brace in the space of two minutes.
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Despite the fact that the eventual result was by that stage predetermined, the final stages were not without drama, with Bobby de Wee being sent off for dangerous contact and a late Richmond try from a close-range Callum Torpey pick and go.
“I’m incredibly proud of this group,” said Ealing DoR Ben Ward. “..it’s not all been plain sailing: this league has been really tough.”
"I'm incredibly proud of this group…it's not all been plain sailing: this league has been really tough."
Reaction from @ealingtfrugby DoR Ben Ward ?#ChampRugby pic.twitter.com/pd5w0P0akE
— Championship Rugby (@Champrugby) April 2, 2022
It’s a bittersweet victory for Ealing, with their promotion very much resting on a knife edge.
Ward believes that their acceptance into the league is still possible. In a recent statement, Ward said ‘we will be appealing the decision and have lodged that request formally in advance. We are confident of a positive outcome to this appeal.’
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“Our submitted audit was not surprisingly based on the revised Minimum Standards Criteria, which focused, post covid, on clubs building financially secure and sustainable models protecting the Clubs, the Premiership and English Rugby.
“Because of this shift in focus and positive engagement with key Union decision-makers, we put forward a staged stadium development approach at our home ground, giving us the ability to have 7,500 capacity in Year 1 and build to 10,001 by Year 3. Our accurate assumptions are that our crowds would never be sold out at those numbers in that time frame, therefore having no negative effect on a rugby supporter or any other external bodies.
“The plan would develop a financially sustainable way robustly underpinned by our passionate and committed owner. Looking at rugby attendances in the premiership this season, our proposed capacity would not be out of sync with the attendances at many of the Premiership grounds.
“In its current format, our ground has hosted a season of Super League Rugby, The Women’s Premiership Final and would have hosted England U20 v South Africa U20 (cancelled by Covid).”
“Our plans to significantly improve our current set up in Year 1 and by Year 3 having a 10,001 stadium despite the events above have been refused.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments