Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2

{{Short description|Annual rugby union competition in England}} {{About||the top tier of the English Counties competition|County Championship (rugby union)|the third tier of the English Counties competition|Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 3}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox sports league | title = | current_season = 2025 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2 | current_season2 =  | last_season = 2024 Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2 | upcoming_season =  | logo = | pixels =  | caption = | Formerly = | sport = Rugby union | founded = {{Start date and age|2002}} | fame =  | motto = | inaugural = | teams = 12 | promotion = | relegation = | levels = | domestic_cup = | country = England | venue = | champion = Cheshire (2025) (3rd title) | most_champs = Northumberland (4) | qualification = | folded = | website = | singles = | owner = | ceo = | Director = | President = | TV = | sponsor = | related_comps = Bill Beaumont Division 1<br>Bill Beaumont Division 3 | Founder = | footnotes = }}

The '''Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2''' (formerly known as County Championship Plate) is an annual rugby union competition in England between teams representing English counties. It was formed in 2002 as the County Championship Shield (a competition which is now played by tier 3 sides) - changing to Plate by 2010 and then to Bill Beaumont Division 2 by 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=WRFU Handbook. - Warwickshire Society of Referees|url=http://www.warwickref.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/WRFU-WSOR-Handbook-2016-17.pdf|publisher=Warwickshire RFU|access-date=12 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220133615/http://www.warwickref.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/WRFU-WSOR-Handbook-2016-17.pdf|archive-date=20 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=County Championships renamed to honour rugby legends |url=https://www.englandrugby.com/news/county-championships-renamed-honour-rugby-legends/|publisher=England Rugby|date=27 March 2017}}</ref>

Division 2 is split into three regional groups (Pools 1,2 and 3) with each team alternating between 2 home games and 1 away game in one championship cycle, and 1 home game and 2 away games in the next, with the top teams and the best placed runner up playing in a Semi-final, with the winners meeting in a final held at Twickenham Stadium along with other county divisional finals. Since the covid pandemic and a decline in counties entering, Promotion and Relegation have been replaced by counties opting into a preferred division, with a Level cap preventing uneven games. Division 2's Level cap is level 5 of the English rugby union system, meaning counties can only select from Regional 1 and below.

==Past winners==

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left" |- ! width="60pt"|Year ! width="80pt"|Date ! width="140pt"|Winners ! width="100pt"|Score ! width="140pt"|Runner-up ! width="200pt"|Venue ! width="200pt"|Attendance/Notes |- | 2002 | 2 June | Warwickshire | 34 - 12 | Berkshire | Twickenham Stadium, London |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/other-sport/berks-leave-twickenham-heads-held-4274600 |title=Berks leave Twickenham with heads held high |publisher=Chronicle Live |date=5 June 2002}}</ref> |- | 2003 | 25 May | Northumberland | 27 - 8 | Oxfordshire | Twickenham Stadium, London |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/guthrie-beats-twickers-jinx-1652989 |title=Guthrie beats Twickers jinx |publisher=Chronicle Live |date=26 May 2003}}</ref> |- | 2004 | 29 May | North Midlands | 58 - 5 | Eastern Counties | Twickenham Stadium, London | <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/teams/north-midlands/ |title=Tetley's County Shield 2004 |publisher=englandrugby.com |date=29 May 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/sport/rugby-twickenham-heartache-1-418655 |title=RUGBY: Twickenham heartache |publisher=Bury Free Press |date=3 June 2004 |access-date=12 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222234112/http://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/sport/rugby-twickenham-heartache-1-418655 |archive-date=22 December 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | 2005 | 29 May | Hertfordshire | 20 - 13 | North Midlands | Twickenham Stadium, London | <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/county-championships/2004-2005/group/11425 |title=County Championship Shield Final 2005 |publisher=englandrugby.com |date=29 May 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hertsandessexobserver.co.uk/Herts-rule-Twickenham/story-21880448-detail/story.html |title=Herts rule Twickenham |publisher=Herts and Essex Observer |date=2 June 2005 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> |- | 2006 | 29 May | Cheshire | 32 - 17 | Middlesex | Twickenham Stadium, London | <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/county-championships/2005-2006/group/11744 |title=County Championship Shield Final 2006 |publisher=englandrugby.com |date=29 May 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.macclesfield-express.co.uk/sport/cheshire-singing-blues-after-final-2537091 |title=Cheshire singing the Blues after final success |publisher=Macclesfield Express |date=31 May 2006}}</ref> |- | 2007 | 27 May | Warwickshire | 22 - 8 | Somerset | Butts Park Arena, Coventry | <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/county-championships/2006-2007/group/12013 |title=County Championship Shield Final 2007 |publisher=englandrugby.com |date=27 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/other-sport/county-stand-tall-regain-shield-3113065 |title=County stand tall to regain shield |publisher=Coventry Telegraph |date=28 May 2007}}</ref> |- | 2008 | 31 May | Northumberland | 25 – 11 | Cornwall | Twickenham Stadium, London | 1,500<ref>{{cite news|last=Caddy|first=Mike|title=Twickers nemesis continues for below-par Duchy|newspaper=The Cornishman|date=5 June 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/county-championships/2007-2008/group/12441 |title=County Championship Shield Final 2008 |publisher=www.englandrugby.com |date=31 May 2008}}</ref> |- | 2009 | 30 May | Cheshire | 30 - 22 | Hertfordshire | Twickenham Stadium, London | <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/local-news/rugby-union-cheshire-lift-county-5220858 |title=Rugby union: Cheshire lift County Championship Shield in thrilling final at Twickenham |publisher=Chester Chronicle |date=3 June 2009}}</ref> |- | 2010{{refn|Changed name from County Championship Shield to County Championship Plate. |group=n}} | 29 May | Kent | 33 - 27 | Warwickshire | Rectory Field, London | <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/county-championships/2009-2010/group/13913 |title=Division 2 Plate Final 2010 |publisher=englandrugby.com |date=29 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read/s425.htm?798,11612490 |title=Warwickshire V Kent - County Championship Plate Final |publisher=rugbynetwork.net |date=28 May 2010}}</ref> |- | 2011 | 28 May | Northumberland | 31 - 17 | North Midlands | Greensfield, Alnwick | <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/county-championships/2010-2011/group/14826 |title=Division 2 Plate Final 2011 |publisher=englandrugby.com |date=28 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.morpethrfc.co.uk/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=621 |title=Northumberland Win Plate |publisher=englandrugby.com |date=28 May 2011 |access-date=19 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150520214451/http://www.morpethrfc.co.uk/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=621 |archive-date=20 May 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | 2012 | No Final{{refn|This season there was no Plate final for the division two teams only promotion for the top sides in each group. |group=n}} | | | | | |- | 2013 | 26 May | Northumberland | 45 - 10 | North Midlands | Twickenham Stadium, London | <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/county-championships/2012-2013/group/16897 |title=Division 2 Plate Final 2013 |publisher=englandrugby.com |date=26 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yoursportpages.com/news/article/north-midlands-10-northumberland-45 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150521012455/http://www.yoursportpages.com/news/article/north-midlands-10-northumberland-45 |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 May 2015 |title=North Midlands 10 Northumberland 45 |publisher=yoursportpages.com |date=27 May 2013 }}</ref> |- | 2014 | 1 June | Kent | 31 - 23 | Durham County | Twickenham Stadium, London | <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/county-championships/2013-2014/group/17495 |title=Division 2 Plate Final 2014 |publisher=englandrugby.com |date=1 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/11253276.Kent_triumph_in_Bill_Beaumont_Plate_Final/?ref=rss |title=Kent 31-23 Durham |publisher=newsshopper.co.uk |date=3 June 2014}}</ref> |- | 2015 | 31 May | Surrey | 17 - 3 | Eastern Counties | Twickenham Stadium, London | <ref>{{cite web|title=Super Surrey make it four from four|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/news/super-surrey-make-four-from-four/|website=England Rugby|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref> |- | 2016 | 29 May | East Midlands | 33 - 27 | Kent | Twickenham Stadium, London | <ref>{{cite web|title=Rugby: Bedfordshire players inspire East Midlands to Twickenham triumph|url=http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/Rugby-Bedfordshire-players-inspire-East-Midlands/story-29334388-detail/story.html|website=Bedfordshire News|date=29 May 2016}}</ref> |- | 2017{{refn|Changed name from County Championship Plate to Bill Beaumont Division 2.|group=n}} | 28 May | Leicestershire | 39 - 7 | Hampshire | Twickenham Stadium, London | |- | 2018 | 27 May | Durham County | 46 - 12 | Warwickshire | Twickenham Stadium, London | |- | 2019 | 8 June | Leicestershire | 38 - 13 | Surrey | Twickenham Stadium, London | |- | style="background:silver"| 2020–2021 | colspan="6" style="background:silver"| No Competition due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/53335354#:~:text=County%20Championship%3A%20Rugby%20Football%20Union%20cancels%20competition%20until%202022,-Last%20updated%20on&text=The%202021%20County%20Championship%20has,not%20now%20return%20until%202022.|title=No Championship until 2022. "County Championship: Rugby Football Union cancels competition until 2022."|publisher=BBC}}</ref> |- | 2022 | 4 June | Somerset | 36 - 20 | Staffordshire | Twickenham Stadium, London |- | 2023 | 3 June | Dorset and Wilts | 37 - 15 | Durham | Twickenham Stadium, London |- | 2024 | 15 June | Oxfordshire | 38 - 37 | Cheshire | Twickenham Stadium, London |- | 2025 | 22 June | Cheshire | 50 - 38 | Devon | Twickenham Stadium, London |}

==Number of wins== *Northumberland (4) *Cheshire (3) *Kent (2) *Leicestershire (2) *Warwickshire (2) *Durham County (1) *East Midlands (1) *Hertfordshire (1) *North Midlands (1) *Surrey (1) *Somerset (1) *Dorset & Wilts (1) *Oxfordshire (1)

== Notes == {{Reflist|group=n}}

== References == {{reflist|30em}}

==See also== [https://web.archive.org/web/20120520085040/http://www.rfu.com/~/media/Files/2011/Fixtures_Results/201011%20CC%20RESULTS.ashx 2011_results.pdf]

Division 2 Category:Recurring sporting events established in 2002 Category:2002 establishments in England