2018–19 RFU Championship

The Championship's structure has all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis. The first placed team in the competition is promoted to the Premiership; providing that club's ground fulfills the Rugby Football Union's Minimum Standards Criteria while the bottom side is relegated to National League 1. As part of an agreement with the RFU, each club will receive £530,000 funding. The British and Irish Cup, which the RFU Championship clubs played in with Welsh and Irish clubs, was scrapped due to the Championship clubs withdrawing and is to be replaced by a new cup competition – the RFU Championship Cup. ==Teams==

{{location map+ |England |float=right |width=400 |caption= Locations of the 2018–19 RFU Championship teams |places= On 24 March 2018 Rotherham Titans were relegated with three games to go, after losing away to Jersey Reds. Despite seeing some improvements in the second half of the season, the Yorkshire club were easily the weakest side in the division, dropping to 2018–19 National League 1, the lowest level the club have played for fourteen seasons. Promoted in their place were the winners of 2017–18 National League 1, Coventry, who return to the second tier for the first time since being relegated at the end of the 2009–10 season. On 7 April 2018 Bristol were crowned champions of the 2017–18 season with two games to go following title rivals Ealing Trailfinders defeat that day to Doncaster Knights. They were therefore promoted to Premiership Rugby. In winning the championship Bristol also became the most decorated tier 2 side in English league history with four league titles to-date. They are replaced by London Irish who return to the Championship after just one year in the Premiership. ==Table==

Fixtures for the season were announced by the RFU on 22 June 2018. Round 1 ---- Round 2 ---- Round 3 • Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 3 November 2018. ---- Round 4 ---- Round 5 ---- Round 6 ---- Round 7 ---- Round 8 ---- Round 9 ---- Round 3 (rescheduled game) • Game rescheduled from 16 September 2018. ---- Round 10 ---- Round 11 ---- Round 12 ---- Round 13 ---- Round 14 ---- Round 15 ---- Round 16 ---- Round 17 ---- Round 18 ---- Round 19 ---- Round 20 ---- Round 21 • London Irish are champions. ---- Round 22 == Attendances==

• 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). Top points scorers Top try scorers ==Season records==

Team ;Largest home win — 67 points 72 – 5 London Irish at home to Yorkshire Carnegie on 13 October 2018 ;Largest away win — 41 points 61 – 20 Ealing Trailfinders away to Coventry on 23 March 2019 ;Most points scored — 72 points 72 – 5 London Irish at home to Yorkshire Carnegie on 13 October 2018 ;Most tries in a match — 12 London Irish at home to Yorkshire Carnegie on 13 October 2018 ;Most conversions in a match — 8 Ealing Trailfinders away to Coventry on 23 March 2019 ;Most penalties in a match — 5 (2) Nottingham at home to Doncaster Knights on 29 September 2018 Coventry away to Nottingham on 23 December 2018 ;Most drop goals in a match — 1 (5) Hartpury College away to Doncaster Knights on 8 September 2018 Jersey Reds at home to Cornish Pirates on 13 October 2018 Nottingham away to Richmond on 20 October 2018 Nottingham at home to Ealing Trailfinders on 26 October 2018 Nottingham away to Coventry on 13 April 2019 Attendances ;Highest — 10,106 London Irish at home to Doncaster Knights on 23 March 2019 ;Lowest — 602 Richmond at home to Hartpury College on 29 September 2018 ;Highest average attendance — 3,770 London Irish ;Lowest average attendance — 977 Hartpury College ==Notes==