1980–81 Rugby Union County Championship

1980–81 Thorn EMI County Championship
Countries England
ChampionsNorthumberland (2nd title)
Runners-upGloucestershire

The 1980–81 Thorn EMI Rugby Union County Championship was the 81st edition of England's County Championship rugby union club competition.[1][2][3]

Northumberland won their second title (but first since 1898) after defeating Gloucestershire in the final.

First Round

Pos Northern Division P W D L F A Pts
1 Northumberland 5 5 0 0 99 44 10
2 Lancashire 5 4 0 1 107 31 8
3 Yorkshire 5 3 0 2 70 81 6
4 Durham 5 1 0 4 39 60 2
5 Cheshire 5 1 0 4 36 79 2
6 Cumberland & Westmorland 5 1 0 4 37 93 2
Pos Midlands Group A P W D L F A Pts
1 North Midlands 2 2 0 0 22 3 4
2 Staffordshire 2 1 0 1 9 10 2
3 East Midlands 2 0 0 2 6 24 0
Pos Midlands Group B P W D L F A Pts
1 Warwickshire 2 2 0 0 46 19 4
2 Leicestershire 2 1 0 1 33 39 2
3 Notts, Lincs & Derby 2 0 0 2 20 41 0
Pos London Group A P W D L F A Pts
1 Surrey 2 2 0 0 40 18 4
2 Middlesex 2 1 0 1 51 26 2
3 Eastern Counties 2 0 0 2 15 62 0
Pos London Group B P W D L F A Pts
1 Hertfordshire 3 3 0 0 55 17 6
2 Kent 3 2 0 1 73 38 4
3 Sussex 3 1 0 2 45 35 2
4 Hampshire 3 0 0 3 20 103 0
Pos South-West Division P W D L F A Pts
1 Gloucestershire 3 3 0 0 43 25 6
2 Cornwall 3 2 0 1 35 17 4
3 Devon 3 1 0 2 34 41 2
4 Somerset 3 0 0 3 22 51 0
Pos Southern Division P W D L F A Pts
1 Buckinghamshire 3 3 0 0 75 28 6
2 Oxfordshire 3 2 0 1 59 28 4
3 Berkshire 3 1 0 2 25 39 2
4 Dorset & Wilts 3 0 0 3 19 31 0

Second Round

Venue Team One Team Two Score
Coventry Warwickshire North Midlands 13-0
Old Deer Park Surrey Hertfordshire 14-12
Gloucester Gloucestershire Buckinghamshire 19-0

Semi finals

Date Venue Team One Team Two Score
22 Nov Bristol Gloucestershire Warwickshire 3-0
22 Nov Gosforth Northumberland Surrey 12-6

Final

31 January 1981
Gloucestershire6–15Northumberland
Pen: Butler (2)Try: Roberts, Pollock
Con: Johnson, Young
Drop: Johnson
Kingsholm, Gloucester
Referee: Roger Quittenton (London)
15 Peter Butler Gloucester
14 Lewis Dick Cheltenham
13 Phil Cue Bristol
12 Paul Taylor Gloucester
11 Richard Mogg Gloucester
10 Dave Sorrell Bristol
9 Peter Kingston Gloucester
8 Bob Hesford Bristol
7 Paul Wood Gloucester
6 Mike Rafter (capt) Bristol
5 John Fidler Gloucester
4 Nigel Pomphrey Bristol
3 Austin Sheppard Bristol
2 Kevin Bogira Bristol
1 Gordon Sargent Gloucester
Replacements:
16 John Carr Bristol University
17 Paul Howell Gloucester
18 Steve Baker Gloucester
19 Kevin White Gloucester
20 Phil Blakeway Gloucester
21 Steve Boyle Gloucester
15 Brian Patrick Gosforth
14 Jim Pollock Northern
13 Alastair Tindle Northern
12 Richard Breakey Gosforth
11 Steve Gustard (capt) Gosforth
10 David Johnson Gosforth
9 Malcolm Young Gosforth
8 Giles Smallwood Northern
7 Bob Anderson Gosforth
6 Iain Richardson Gosforth
5 Steve Bainbridge Gosforth
4 Terry Roberts Gosforth
3 Jeff Bell Gosforth
2 Bob Cunningham Gosforth
1 Colin White Gosforth
Replacements:
16 W Telford Alnwick
17 T Bell Alnwick
18 I Pringle Morpeth
19 Ian Ramage Gosforth
20 P Holden Northern
21 C Dixon Tynedale

See also

References

  1. ^ Jenkins, Vivian (1982) [1981]. Rothmans Rugby Yearbook. Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 133–138. ISBN 09075-7405-X.
  2. ^ "English County Championship". Rugby Football History.
  3. ^ "The County Finals". County Rugby.com.