2011–12 RFU Championship
The 2011–12 RFU Championship was the third season of the second tier of the English domestic rugby union competition, played between August 2011 and May 2012. New teams to the division included Leeds Carnegie who were relegated from the Aviva Premiership 2010-11 and London Scottish who were promoted from 2010–11 National League 1. The first stage was won by Bristol and the final by London Welsh who, after an appeal, won promotion to the Aviva Premiership 2012-13. Esher were relegated to the 2012–13 National League 1.
On 8 May 2012 it was announced that only Bristol was eligible for promotion under the RFU's minimum standards criteria. They were subsequently beaten by the Cornish Pirates in the semi–finals who in turn lost to the eventual champions, London Welsh. London Welsh had announced on 14 May that they would meet the RFU's eligibility test to play in the Premiership if they should win promotion and two days later announced they would play in the Kassam Stadium in Oxford if successful. On 23 May, the day of the first leg of the final, the RFU announced that London Welsh would not be eligible for promotion due to "various failures". The appeal by London Welsh was heard by an Independent Panel on 29 June which ruled ″... that the Exiles should be promoted on the basis that they play their home games at Oxford's Kassam Stadium and that the club meet the minimum entry criteria to the league as imposed by the Professional Game Board.″ Chief Executive Officer of the RFU, Ian Richie, subsequently announced that there would be a full review of the Minimum Standard Criteria.
Participating teams
This season saw Leeds Carnegie back in the Championship following relegation from the Aviva Premiership during the 2010-11 season, as well as London Scottish, who won promotion to the Championship from the National League 1 during the same season.| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
| Bedford Blues | Goldington Road | 6,000 | Bedford, Bedfordshire |
| Bristol | Memorial Stadium | 12,100 | Bristol |
| Cornish Pirates | Mennaye Field | 4,000 | Penzance, Cornwall |
| Doncaster Knights | Castle Park | 3,075 | Doncaster, South Yorkshire |
| Esher | Molesey Road | 3,000 | Hersham, Surrey |
| Leeds Carnegie | Headingley Carnegie Stadium | 20,250 | Leeds, West Yorkshire |
| London Scottish | Athletic Ground, Richmond | 4,500 | Richmond, London |
| London Welsh | Old Deer Park | 5,850 | Richmond, London |
| Moseley | Billesley Common | 3,000 | Birmingham, West Midlands |
| Nottingham | Meadow Lane | 19,588 | Nottingham, Nottinghamshire |
| Plymouth Albion | The Brickfields | 8,500 | Plymouth, Devon |
| Rotherham Titans | Clifton Lane | 2,500 | Rotherham, South Yorkshire |
Stage one
League table
League results
The Home Team is listed on the left column.Round 1
----Round 2
----Round 3
----Round 4
----Round 5
----Round 6
----Round 7
----Round 8
----Round 9
----Round 10
----Round 11
----Round 12
----Round 13
----Round 14
----Round 15
----Round 16
----Round 17
----Round 18
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 February 2012.
Round 19
----Round 20
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 February 2012.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 February 2012.
Round 18 (Rescheduled Game)
----Round 21
----Round 20 (Rescheduled Games)
----Round 22
----Attendances
A total of 251,542 people watched the 132 matches stage one matches to give an average of 1,903 per match. The highest attendance was 8,067 on Sunday, 8 January 2012 at the match between Bristol and Bedford Blues which Bristol won 26–6.| Club | Home Games | Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
| Bedford Blues | 11 | 29,049 | 2,640 | 4,396 | 1,407 | 44% |
| Bristol | 11 | 57,394 | 5,217 | 8,067 | 4,023 | 43% |
| Cornish Pirates | 11 | 24,729 | 2,248 | 3,214 | 1,802 | 56% |
| Doncaster Knights | 11 | 15,314 | 1,392 | 4,021 | 707 | 45% |
| Esher | 11 | 10,590 | 962 | 1,263 | 743 | 32% |
| Leeds Carnegie | 11 | 25,460 | 2,314 | 3,167 | 1,724 | 11% |
| London Scottish | 11 | 14,003 | 1,273 | 2,103 | 740 | 28% |
| London Welsh | 11 | 16,740 | 1,521 | 4,400 | 365 | 26% |
| Moseley | 11 | 9,085 | 825 | 995 | 682 | 28% |
| Nottingham | 11 | 13,930 | 1,266 | 2,102 | 487 | 6% |
| Plymouth Albion | 11 | 19,374 | 1,761 | 2,850 | 1,330 | 21% |
| Rotherham Titans | 11 | 15,874 | 1,443 | 2,467 | 463 | 58% |
Stage two Play–offs
Group A (promotion)
Round 1
----Round 2
----Round 3
----Round 4
----Round 5
----Round 6
----Group A Attendances
Group B (promotion)
Round 1
----Round 2
----Round 3
----Round 4
----Round 5
----Round 6
----Group B Attendances
Group C (relegation)
Round 1
----Round 2
----Round 3
----Round 4
----Round 5
----Round 6
----Group C Attendances
- Refers to adjustment for the number of points awarded before the start of the play-offs.
Stage three
Semi–finals
--------
- Cornish Pirates progressed to the Championship final, winning on aggregate 63-53.
----
- London Welsh progressed to the Championship final, winning on aggregate 30-27.
Final
- London Welsh win 66–41 on aggregate.
Total season attendances
- Includes playoff games.
| Club | Home Games | Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
| Bedford Blues | 15 | 42,420 | 2,828 | 4,396 | 1,407 | 47% |
| Bristol | 15 | 81,504 | 5,434 | 8,067 | 4,023 | 45% |
| Cornish Pirates | 16 | 36,932 | 2,308 | 3,214 | 1,802 | 58% |
| Doncaster Knights | 14 | 18,299 | 1,307 | 4,021 | 707 | 40% |
| Esher | 14 | 14,396 | 1,028 | 1,418 | 743 | 34% |
| Leeds Carnegie | 14 | 29,887 | 2,135 | 3,167 | 1,057 | 11% |
| London Scottish | 14 | 17,967 | 1,283 | 2,103 | 740 | 29% |
| London Welsh | 16 | 27,565 | 1,723 | 4,400 | 365 | 26% |
| Moseley | 14 | 12,334 | 881 | 1,349 | 682 | 29% |
| Nottingham | 14 | 17,991 | 1,285 | 2,102 | 487 | 7% |
| Plymouth Albion | 14 | 24,099 | 1,721 | 2,850 | 1,330 | 20% |
| Rotherham Titans | 14 | 19,744 | 1,410 | 2,467 | 463 | 56% |
Individual statistics
- Player stats include playoff games as well as regular season games. Also note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals. Statistics come from Stages 1, 2 and 3 of the Championship season.
Top points scorers
Top try scorers
RFU Dream Team XV
The RFU Dream Team is picked by the coaches of the twelve championship teams with Robin Copeland voted in by seven of the twelve teams. The Cornish Pirates and Bristol both have four players in the team, whilst Gavin Cattle and Dave Ward are in the team for the third season in a row. Mark Irish, James Merriman, Juan Pablo Socino and Rob Cook are in the team for a second season.- 15 Rob Cook
- 14 Jack Tovey
- 13 Ian Thornley
- 12 Juan Pablo Socino
- 11 Josh Bassett
- 10 Garry Law
- 9 Gavin Cattle
- 1 Mark Irish
- 2 Dave Ward
- 3 Aaron Liffchak
- 4 Roy Winters
- 5 Ian Nimmo
- 6 Robin Copeland
- 7 James Merriman
- 8 Semisi Taulava
Season records
Team
;Largest home win — 42 pts62 - 20 Nottingham at home to Moseley on 27 November 2011
;Largest away win — 62 pts
65 - 3 Bristol away to Doncaster Knights on 9 March 2012
;Most points scored — 65 pts
65 - 3 Bristol away to Doncaster Knights on 9 March 2012
;Most tries in a match — 8
Bedford Blues away to Esher on 10 September 2011
Nottingham at home to Moseley on 27 November 2011
Bristol away to Doncaster Knights on 9 March 2012
Plymouth Albion at home to Moseley on 21 April 2012
;Most conversions in a match — 8
Nottingham at home to Moseley on 27 November 2011
;Most penalties in a match — 7
Bristol at home to Leeds Carnegie on 4 December 2011
Leeds Carnegie at home to Bedford Blues on 29 January 2012
;Most drop goals in a match — 3
Leeds Carnegie at home to Rotherham Titans on 25 November 2011
Player
;Most points in a match — 27James Arlidge for Nottingham at home to Moseley on 27 November 2011
;Most tries in a match — 3
Bradley Hunt for Moseley away to Nottingham on 27 November 2011
Joshua Bassett for Bedford Blues at home to London Scottish on 14 January 2012
George Watkins for Bristol at home to Doncaster Knights on 24 February 2012
Nicholas Scott for London Welsh away to Doncaster Knights on 31 March 2012
;Most conversions in a match — 8
James Arlidge for Nottingham at home to Moseley on 27 November 2011
;Most penalties in a match — 7
Tristan Roberts for Bristol at home to Leeds Carnegie on 4 December 2011
Thomas Bell for Leeds Carnegie at home to Bedford Blues on 29 January 2012
;Most drop goals in a match — 3
Joe Ford for Leeds Carnegie at home to Rotherham Titans on 25 November 2011
Attendances
;Highest — 12,024Worcester Warriors at home to Cornish Pirates on 18 May 2011
;Lowest — 317
Birmingham & Solihull at home to Doncaster Knights on 9 January 2011
;Highest Average Attendance — 6,524
Worcester Warriors
;Lowest Average Attendance — 590
Birmingham & Solihull