2014 County Championship Shield

The 2014 County Championship Shield was the 10th version of the annual English rugby union County Championship, organized by the RFU for the tier 3 English counties. Each county drew its players from rugby union clubs from the fifth tier and below of the English rugby union league system. The counties were divided into three pools of four teams each, based roughly on regional lines, with the winner of each group plus the best runner-up going through to the semi-finals, with the winners of those games meeting in the final held at Twickenham Stadium. Typically there is no promotion or relegation out of or into the County Championship Shield, although Surrey's dominance over the past couple of competitions meant that they had a chance of being invited to take part in tier 2 the following season. The competition would also welcome Staffordshire, who did not play in the county championship last year, replacing Sussex. Surrey were the reigning champions.[1]

For the first tier of the English Counties competition, see 2014 Bill Beaumont Cup. For the second tier of the English Counties competition, see 2014 County Championship Plate.
2014 County Championship Shield
Countries England
Date3 May 2014 – 1 June 2015
ChampionsSurrey (4th title)
Runners-upLeicestershire

After winning their respective groups and semi final games, Surrey faced Leicestershire in the final at Twickenham, in what would be Surrey's third consecutive Shield final. Having won the previous two finals, Surrey made it a hat trick (and fourth Shield title overall) as they defeated Leicestershire 39–16.[2][3] This would also be Surrey's last season in the third tier as their performances would see them promoted to the 2015 County Championship Plate.[4]

Competition format

The competition format consisted of four pools (one of four teams, the others with three), based roughly on regional lines where possible, with each team playing each other once. The top side of each group qualified for the semi-finals, with the winners of the semi-finals playing in the final held at Twickenham Stadium on 1 June 2014. As the lowest tier in the county championship there is no relegation while promotion is not given every season, although outstanding county performances (such as Surrey's) can lead to counties moving up to tier 2.

Participating counties and ground locations
Newbury (Berks)
Amersham (Bucks)
Workington (Cumbria)
Aspatria (Cumbria)
Wootton Bassett (D&W)
Ilford (Essex)
Portsmouth (Hamps)
Whetstone (Leics)
Hinckley (Leics)
Fletham
(Middx)
Sleaford (NLD)
Witney (Oxon)
Grove (Oxon)
Burton (Staffs)
Croydon (Surrey)
Binley Woods (Warks)
Nuneaton (Warks)
Locations of the 2014 County Championship Shield county teams
County Stadium(s) Capacity City/Area
Berkshire Monk's Lane 8,000 Newbury, Berkshire
Buckinghamshire Weedon Lane N/A Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Cumbria Ellis Sports Ground
Bower Park		 12,000 (2,000 seats)
N/A		 Workington, Cumbria
Aspatria, Cumbria
Dorset & Wilts Ballard's Ash Sports Ground N/A Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire
Essex Forest Road N/A Ilford, Greater London
Hampshire Rugby Camp N/A Portsmouth, Hampshire
Leicestershire Vipers Rugby Ground
Leicester Road		 N/A
N/A		 Whetstone, Leicestershire
Hinckley, Leicestershire
Middlesex The Reeves N/A Feltham, Greater London
Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire Sleaford Road N/A Sleaford, Lincolnshire
Oxfordshire Witney Road
Cane Lane		 N/A
N/A		 Hailey, Witney, Oxfordshire
Grove, Oxfordshire
Staffordshire Peel Croft 5,500 Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire
Surrey Frant Road 1,400 (400 seats) Croydon, Greater London
Warwickshire Liberty Way
Ivor Preece Field		 4,314
1,500 (250 seats)		 Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Binley Woods, Coventry, Warwickshire

Group stage

Pool 1
2014 County Championship Shield Pool 1 Table
County Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1Leicestershire (Q)32018569162111
2Essex32015162-11008
3Warwickshire32011205169307
4Buckinghamshire300332106-74000
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background means the county qualified for the Shield semi finals. Updated: 17 May 2014
Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com.

Round 1
3 May 2014
15:00
(BP) Leicestershire 19 - 22 Essex
Vipers Rugby Ground, Whetstone
3 May 2014
15:00
(BP) Warwickshire 52 - 10 Buckinghamshire
Report
Liberty Way, Nuneaton

[5]

Round 2
10 May 2014
14:30
Buckinghamshire 17 - 25 Leicestershire (BP)
Weedon Lane, Amersham
10 May 2014
15:00
(BP) Warwickshire 38 - 0 Essex
Report
The Ivor Preece Field, Binley Woods

[6][5]

Round 3
17 May 2014
15:00
Essex 29 - 5 Buckinghamshire
Forest Road, Ilford
17 May 2014
15:00
(BP) Leicestershire 41 - 30 Warwickshire (BP)
Report
Leicester Road, Hinckley

[7][5]

Pool 2
2014 County Championship Shield Pool 2 Table
County Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1Cumbria (Q)2200581939109
2Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire21012955-26004
3Staffordshire20022740-13022
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background means the county qualified for the Shield semi finals. Updated: 17 May 2014
Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com.

Round 1
3 May 2014
15:00
Cumbria 18 - 12 Staffordshire (BP)
Report
Ellis Sports Ground, Workington

[5]

Round 2
10 May 2014
15:00
Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 7 - 40 Cumbria (BP)
Report
Sleaford Road, Sleaford

[6][5]

Round 3
17 May 2014
15:00
(BP) Staffordshire 15 - 22 Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire
Peel Croft, Burton upon Trent

[7][5]

Pool 3
2014 County Championship Shield Pool 3 Table
County Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1Oxfordshire (Q)22006645212010
2Berkshire210156551105
3Dorset & Wilts20024466-22011
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background means the county qualified for the Shield semi finals. Updated: 17 May 2014
Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com.

    Round 1
    3 May 2014
    15:00
    Dorset & Wilts 18 - 37 Berkshire (BP)
    Report
    Ballard's Ash Sports Ground, Wootton Bassett

    [5]

    Round 2
    10 May 2014
    15:00
    Berkshire 19 - 37 Oxfordshire (BP)
    Report
    Monk's Lane, Newbury

    [6][5]

    Round 3
    17 May 2014
    15:00
    (BP) Oxfordshire 29 - 26 Dorset & Wilts (BP)
    Report
    Witney Road, Witney

    [7][5]

    Pool 4
    2014 County Championship Shield Pool 4 Table
    County Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
    1Surrey (Q)22008110712010
    2Middlesex21014982-33105
    3Hampshire20024280-38101
    • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
    1. Number of matches won
    2. Difference between points for and against
    3. Total number of points for
    4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
    5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
    Green background means the county qualified for the Shield semi finals. Updated: 17 May 2014
    Source: "County Championships". englandrugby.com.

      Round 1
      3 May 2014
      15:00
      (BP) Middlesex 46 - 35 Hampshire (BP)
      The Reeves, Feltham

      [5]

      Round 2
      10 May 2014
      15:00
      (BP) Surrey 47 - 3 Middlesex
      Report
      Frant Road, Croydon

      [6][5]

      Round 3
      17 May 2014
      15:00
      Hampshire 7 - 34 Surrey
      Rugby Camp, Portsmouth

      [7][5]

      Knock-out Stage

      Semi-finals
      24 May 2014
      15:00
      Cumbria 18 - 23 Leicestershire
      Report
      Bower Park, Aspatria
      Attendance: 250
      Referee: Mike Harris
      24 May 2014
      15:00
      Oxfordshire 12 - 52 Surrey
      Report
      Cane Lane, Grove
      Attendance: 250
      Referee: Claire Hodnett

      [8][5]

      Final
      1 June 2014
      17:00
      Leicestershire 16 - 39 Surrey
      Report
      Twickenham, London

      [2][3][5]

      See also

      References
      1. "Acorns fulfil mighty hopes at Twickenham". Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser. 30 May 2013.
      2. "Surrey make it three County Championship Shield titles in a row at Twickenham". Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser. 1 June 2014. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
      3. "Local rugby: Leicestershire denied by Surrey in Twickenham final". Leicester Mercury. 7 June 2014. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
      4. "Surrey Enters The Bill Beaumont Cup". Surrey Rugby. 30 April 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
      5. "County Championships Results: 2013–14". englandrugby.com. 1 June 2014.
      6. "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper (295). Rugby Paper Ltd. 11 May 2014. p. 32.
      7. "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper (296). Rugby Paper Ltd. 18 May 2014. pp. 26–27 & 34.
      8. "Bill Beaumont Cup". The RUGBYPaper (297). Rugby Paper Ltd. 25 May 2014. pp. 28–29.
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