1978–79 Rugby Union County Championship

The 1978–79 Rugby Union County Championship was the 79th edition of England's County Championship rugby union club competition. [1] [2]

1978–79 County Championship
Countries	England
Champions	Middlesex (7th title)
Runners-up	Northumberland

Middlesex won their seventh title after defeating Northumberland in the final.[3]

First Round

Pos	Northern Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Northumberland	5	4	0	1	90	37	8
2	Lancashire	5	4	0	1	96	41	8
3	Yorkshire	5	3	0	2	75	57	6
4	Durham	5	2	0	3	49	76	4
5	Cumbria	5	1	0	4	28	74	2
6	Cheshire	5	1	0	4	29	82	2

Pos	Midlands East Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Notts, Lincs & Derby	2	2	0	0	33	17	4
2	Leicestershire	2	1	0	1	24	26	2
3	East Midlands	2	0	0	2	16	30	0

Pos	Midlands West Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Warwickshire	2	2	0	0	50	6	4
2	North Midlands	2	1	0	1	17	20	2
3	Staffordshire	2	0	0	2	6	47	0

Pos	London Group A	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Middlesex	2	2	0	0	48	9	4
2	Kent	2	1	0	1	18	10	2
3	Eastern Counties	2	0	0	2	10	57	0

Pos	London Group B	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Surrey	3	3	0	0	84	27	6
2	Sussex	3	2	0	1	41	32	4
3	Hertfordshire	3	1	0	2	50	62	2
4	Hampshire	3	0	0	3	25	79	0

Pos	South-West Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Gloucestershire	3	2	1	0	59	21	5
2	Cornwall	3	2	1	0	35	20	5
3	Somerset	3	1	0	2	20	63	2
4	Devon	3	0	0	3	25	35	0

Pos	Southern Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Oxfordshire	3	3	0	0	87	39	6
2	Buckinghamshire	3	2	0	1	61	48	4
3	Berkshire	3	1	0	2	44	67	2
4	Dorset & Wilts	3	0	0	3	36	74	0

Second Round

Venue	Team One	Team Two	Score
Newark	Notts, Lincs & Derbys	Warwickshire	19-12
Richmond	Middlesex	Surrey	38-30
Cheltenham	Gloucestershire	Oxfordshire	25-10

Semi finals

Date	Venue	Team One	Team Two	Score
9 Dec	Gosforth	Northumberland	Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire	19-6
9 Dec	Gloucester	Gloucestershire	Middlesex	13-21

Final

30 December 1978

Middlesex	19-6	Northumberland
Try: Lambert, Hess Con: Charles Ralston Pen: Charles Ralston (3)		Try: Patrick Con: Young

Twickenham Referee: Laurie Prideaux (North Midlands)

Charles Ralston Rosslyn Park Colin Lambert Harlequins Alan Friell London Scottish Rick Gordon London Scottish T Morrison London New Zealand T A Bryan Northampton Alan Lawson London Scottish Andy Ripley Rosslyn Park Adrian Alexander Harlequins M A H Hess Richmond Chris Ralston (capt) Richmond Bob Mordell Rosslyn Park Clint McGregor Saracens I Thomas London Welsh Les Barlow Rosslyn Park Replacements: David Croydon Saracens (for Gordon 39 mins)

Brian Patrick Gosforth Jim Pollock Northern Alan MacMillan Morpeth Alastair Tindle Northern Steve Gustard (capt) Gosforth Richard Breakey Gosforth Malcolm Young Gosforth Roger Uttley Gosforth Iain Richardson Northern G E Longstaff Northern Steve Bainbridge Gosforth P J Gordon Morpeth A D Johnson Alnwick John Blissett Gosforth L W Smith Alnwick Replacements: I Pringle Morpeth (for Longstaff HT)

See also

• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

References

1. Jenkins, Vivian (1979–80). Rothmans Rugby Yearbook. Brickfield Publications Ltd. pp. 120–126. ISBN 0354-09087-9.
2. "English County Championship". Rugby Football History.
3. "The County Finals". County Rugby.com.