2019 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 1

rdf:langString 2019 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 1

rdf:langString Locations of the 2019 Division 1 county teams

rdf:langString Cheshire

rdf:langString Cornwall

rdf:langString Devon

rdf:langString Gloucestershire

rdf:langString Hampshire

rdf:langString Hertfordshire

rdf:langString Kent

rdf:langString Lancashire

rdf:langString Northumberland

rdf:langString Yorkshire

rdf:langString Eastern Counties

rdf:langString Durham County

rdf:langString Phil Davies

rdf:langString Michael Harris

rdf:langString Phillip Davies

rdf:langString Philip Davies

rdf:langString Jonathan Cook

rdf:langString James O'Brien

rdf:langString Jamie Leahy

rdf:langString Nick Wood

rdf:langString Dan Parrott

rdf:langString Veryan Boscawen

rdf:langString Andrew MacNeaney

rdf:langString Alexander Thomas

rdf:langString Andrew Wigley

rdf:langString Richard Haughton

rdf:langString Timothy Allatt

rdf:langString Alan Chandrachud

rdf:langString James Milliner-Woodcock

rdf:langString Sam Phillips

rdf:langString Twickenham Stadium, London

rdf:langString Dockham Road, Cinderford

rdf:langString Highfields, Ware

rdf:langString Priestfields, Rochester

rdf:langString Wagon Lane, Bingley

rdf:langString Woodlands Memorial Ground, Lytham St Annes

rdf:langString Grantchester Road, Cambridge

rdf:langString Heywood Road, Sale

rdf:langString The Recreation Ground, Redruth

rdf:langString Astley Park, Brixham

rdf:langString The Haberden, Bury St Edmunds

rdf:langString Laund Hill, Huddersfield

rdf:langString Kingston Park, Newcastle upon Tyne

rdf:langString Gosport Park, Gosport

rdf:langString Ashbrooke, Sunderland

rdf:langString Hook's Lane, Havant

rdf:langString Showfield, Okehampton

rdf:langString Station Road, Patchway

rdf:langString Upper Park, Birkenhead

rdf:langString Cheshire

rdf:langString Cornwall

rdf:langString Devon

rdf:langString Gloucestershire

rdf:langString Hampshire

rdf:langString Hertfordshire

rdf:langString Kent

rdf:langString Lancashire

rdf:langString Northumberland

rdf:langString Yorkshire

rdf:langString Eastern Counties

rdf:langString Durham County

rdf:langString

rdf:langString Cheshire v Cornwall

rdf:langString

rdf:langString Cheshire v Eastern Counties

rdf:langString Lewis Minikin

rdf:langString Alex Ducker

rdf:langString Leo Fielding

rdf:langString Tom Grimes

rdf:langString The 2019 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 1 was the 119th version of the annual, English rugby union, County Championship organised by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for the top tier 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 North or National League 2 South). The counties were divided into two regional sections with the winners of each meeting in the final held at Twickenham Stadium. Lancashire were the reigning champions having defeated Hertfordshire in the previous year's final. At the end of the group stage, Cheshire overcame stiff challenges from Lancashire and Yorkshire to top Division 1 North. Although they beat Yorkshire in a razor tight game during round 2, they had to rely on the same side to beat favourites Lancashire on the final match day, before they were assured of a place in the competition final. The tournament structure was perhaps slightly unkind to Yorkshire as they had to play the top two sides, while Cheshire and Lancashire avoided playing one another. Cornwall made amends for a terrible tournament the previous year by topping Division 1 South with an resounding victory over Hertfordshire being probably the most impressive of their three wins. Again, due to the rather bizarre tournament structure the top two sides in the group did not meet, although Gloucestershire failed to get the 100% record needed to qualify for the final, thanks to a defeat against Kent. In an incredibly tight Twickenham final Cornwall defeated Cheshire 14–12. Cornwall had a 7–0 lead at the end of the first half thanks to a solo Alex Ducker converted try (his 4th of the tournament), when a moment of madness just before half-time saw Cornish scrum-half, Jack Oulton, red carded for an off-the-ball incident. The second half was all Cheshire as they looked to get back into the game against the 14 men of Cornwall, scoring two tries to eventually take a 12–7 lead with 10 minutes remaining. With a Cheshire win looking imminent, Cornwall were awarded a penalty inside the Cheshire 22. What followed was a series of Cornwall penalties and scrums, as Cheshire were reduced to 13 men for repeated infringements as the game went into injury time. Eight minutes into injury, the ball finally left the scrum and was found by Cornwall's Seti Raumakita, who dodged several tackles to go over for a try to make it 12-12. With the last kick of the game Matthew Shepherd held his nerve to kick the conversion and win Cornwall the 2019 County Championship, and their sixth overall.