Rugby Journal takes a deep dive into the Championship

The latest issue of Sporting Eric’s quarterly journal includes a 7,000-plus word feature on the past, present and future of English rugby’s second division.

Across 14-pages of issue 27 of Rugby Journal, editor-in-chief Alex Mead spoke to figures across the Championship from Coventry’s Nick Johnston and Cornish Pirates’ Sally Pettipher to Steve Lloyd of Doncaster and former chair of the division’s board Simon Halliday.

In canvassing opinions from a range of clubs in the division, the article not only delves into very early days of the division, but also the impact of the changes in funding, and the individual circumstances of teams such as Doncaster Knights, Ealing Trailfinders, Bedford Blues, Cornish Pirates and Coventry Rugby.  

“The Championship is something we’ve always been hugely passionate about, even my own personal rugby allegiances have their roots in this incredible division,” explains Alex Mead, who’s also the managing director of Sporting Eric. “This is an article I’ve wanted to write for some time to paint a portrait of where the division currently stands at the start of what could prove to be a pivotal season for Tier 2 rugby.”

The feature sits alongside exclusives with Exeter Chiefs and England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and England centre Tatyana Heard, reports on rugby in Canada and Uruguay, and a look at rugby in the Borders. Order your copy now via therugbyjournal.com/subscribe

Rugby Journal has also made its archive of features on the Championship available to read for free via therugbyjournal.com. Explore the Championship Collection here.