Biggest Championship/National One upsets ever
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Topic: Biggest Championship/National One upsets ever
Posted By: Donnyknightfan
Subject: Biggest Championship/National One upsets ever
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2021 at 22:54
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After Pirates’ win at the weekend I was just trying to think of the biggest upsets ever in our division. My top 5 would be: 1. Cornish Pirates v Saracens 2021 - According to some rugby pundits this would be an “automatic return to the Premiership for Saracens”. A few eyebrows were raised when Sarries lost twice to Ealing in pre-season but they had emphatically beaten Coventry twice just before the season to seemingly justify the almost arrogant assumptions of the pundits. However they hadn’t bargained for what awaited them at the Mennaye. Pirates, probably fired up by Dicky Evans’ article in the week and the feeling that we’re just a “bump in the road”, bettered the 3 time European Champions in the set-piece and out enthused them all over the pitch. Sarries should be grateful that there weren’t 5,000 Cornishmen there. Welcome to the Championship boys. AARGH!. 2. Exeter v Harlequins 2006 - Chiefs beating Quins now would be expected but back in 05-06 it was certainly not. Harlequins had the likes of Andrew Mehrtens, Ugo Monye and Nick Easter in their side and had hammered Exeter by over 60 points in the reverse fixture. They had won their first 19 league games and had the likes of Chris Robshaw and Mike Brown in reserve. The Chiefs were playing at the County Ground at the time and by all accounts it was a mud bath. That might have been a leveller but Exeter won by 13 points to 8 and as it turned out handed Quins their one and only loss of the season. 3. Cornish Pirates v Bristol 2015 - Bristol’s record at the Mennaye was dreadful but this was probably the biggest humiliation. This was when Bristol were buying ‘galacticos’ to try and get promotion. Their team that day included the likes of David Lemi, Dwayne Peel and Ian Evans and yet got turned over by the Pirates who were then coached by Ian Davies. I remember this game because at the time CP had a long injury list and had a very young and inexperienced side. Bristol leaked 45 points and went home with their undefeated record smashed. Looking at the Pirates team sheet that day it was Marlen Walker’s debut - he was the only survivor in the team that beat Saracens on Saturday. 4. Jersey v London Irish 2017 - This was LI’s only defeat in their first season in the Championship. Again they were in dominant form and looked odds-on to go unbeaten. Jersey were having a decent season but they weren’t given much of a hope against Irish. Jersey won the game late on in front of over 3,000 fans. 5. Jersey v Worcester 2015 - Worcs and Bristol were obliterating everyone in 14/15 and Wuss coming into this game had won 15 games in a row, all with try bonus points. Jersey that season only won 8 matches and finished in the bottom half. Warriors had their first team out and got turned over. An honourable mention would go to Donny who against all odds won twice at Ashton Gate in the 2016 season. Finally, I know they weren’t league matches but Mose beating both Chiefs and Leeds in the EDF Trophy im 2009 was a stunning achievement. ------------- Donny Knights - best team in Yorkshire |
Replies:
Posted By: Kimbo
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2021 at 23:36
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Cov beating Newcastle in 1996 was up there, for me anyway.
Just look at all the internationals Newcastle fielded that day. https://rugby.statbunker.com/competitions/MatchDetails/National-Two-96/97/Coventry-VS-Newcastle-Falcons?comp_id=122&match_id=7185&date=02-Nov-1996" rel="nofollow - https://rugby.statbunker.com/competitions/MatchDetails/National-Two-96/97/Coventry-VS-Newcastle-Falcons?comp_id=122&match_id=7185&date=02-Nov-1996 ------------- Our Club |
Posted By: The Blues
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2021 at 23:43
Blues beating a slightly better Newcastle team in the same season!  And what a Blues superstar team that was too with 6,500 in attendance. https://rugby.statbunker.com/competitions/MatchDetails/National-Two-96/97/Bedford-Blues-VS-Newcastle-Falcons?comp_id=122&match_id=7168&date=05-Apr-1997" rel="nofollow - https://rugby.statbunker.com/competitions/MatchDetails/National-Two-96/97/Bedford-Blues-VS-Newcastle-Falcons?comp_id=122&match_id=7168&date=05-Apr-1997 The citing commissioners who’d be busy weekend to weekend! 1:15mins punch on Murray. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h-IoqoALdw" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h-IoqoALdw The days where league 2 had great BBC coverage!
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Posted By: Bluesman11
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2021 at 23:48
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From recent Bedford memory, Bedford beating Bristol 29-23 away from home on opening day of 2015 season (where Bristol were ultimately promoted and lost one other game) is our biggest upset. If we’d have held on to beat Worcester in the playoff semi that year in a game we so should’ve won I think that would make the top 5. Before Saturday’s result, Pertemps Bees beating Wasps in the cup is normally regarded as the biggest upset of the national 1 era. ------------- Championship Prediction League Winner 11/12 |
Posted By: The Blues
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2021 at 00:01
| Blues biggest loss probably away against Halifax in the cup! Was a scenic ground, so wasn’t all bad! |
Posted By: kingsheathlad
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2021 at 07:08
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Finally, I know they weren’t league matches but Mose beating both Chiefs and Leeds in the EDF Trophy im 2009 was a stunning achievement. We also beat London Welsh in that cup run in QF. ------------- Cauliflower ear. |
Posted By: Steve@Mose
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2021 at 09:05
The http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/7952875.stm" rel="nofollow - Moseley vs Exeter Chiefs match was a double header due to fixture congestion caused by the hard cold winter in early 2009. I believe our fixture that season at Old Deer Park had also been frozen off and that when the EDF quarter-final draw pitted London Welsh against Mose we proposed that be a double header but Welsh declined, and the league match was eventually fulfilled at Esher RFC due to the start of the cricket season at Old Deer Park.
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kingsheathlad wrote:Posted By: Stalwart
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2021 at 09:50
| Great memories. Thanks for posting this. |
Posted By: corporalcarrot
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2021 at 10:17
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Wonderful memories I was lucky enough to be at both the Jersey matches that made the shortlist. My own favourite was the Jersey win away in Bristol in March 2018 when I was one of the few away supporters going daft in that brilliant stadium.
------------- Dont kick it. Pick it up and GO FORWARD. |
Posted By: Puli.
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2021 at 10:17
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Not sure if it qualifies to be included in this, but I remember the rugby club of the village of Berry Hill, in the Forest of Dean, defeating the then mighty London Welsh in the John Player Cup. ------------- If Rugby is the game they play in Heaven ..... Why does it hurt like Hell when you retire? |
Posted By: Rob C
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2021 at 10:30
Only 11 internationals in the Newcastle team that day, we beat 13... 12 after John Bentley was red carded
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Posted By: Taffy
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2021 at 14:40
| Not the Championship but Division One side Pertemps Bees shocked Premiership Wasps with a 28-24 victory in the Powergen Cup quarter-final back in February, 2004 |
Posted By: Kimbo
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2021 at 14:47
I knew someone would be along to correct it before too long Surprised you didn't mention the crowd figure too...
------------- Our Club |
Posted By: The Blues
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2021 at 23:44
Not necessarily number of internationals but whom they were who wanted to face up to Inga Tuigamala. It is interesting to see how many international stars were in the top clubs in that era.
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Posted By: Mark W-J
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 07:50
No, that definitely doesn't count
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Posted By: Pappashanga
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 09:01
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Richmond beating CP twice in 2016/17 season after promotion and multiple losses at the start of the season. Let’s hope there’ll be deja by on Saturday. ------------- pappashanga |
Posted By: Stalwart
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 09:05
Pirates have a pretty poor record at the RAG - bit of a bogey venue for us. I remember the game at The Mennaye - Richmond were very good and Pirates were knocked off their game (not unlike Sarries on Saturday).
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Posted By: Capt Sparrow
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 09:56
| I don't usually make predictions but I am a bit uneasy about Pirates at the RAG this week, not our favourite venue given our past results up there. |
Posted By: Puli.
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 10:38
Just look who rose to the bait  .... I remember it so well as I’m sure you do Mark ------------- If Rugby is the game they play in Heaven ..... Why does it hurt like Hell when you retire? |
Posted By: DGS Old Boy
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 14:58
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Does Darlington Mowden Park (level 5 at that time) beating Roslyn Park (Level 2 at that time) on 2nd Jan 2000 in the Tetley Bitter cup count? |
Posted By: Mark W-J
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 15:49
| Park were Level Three then - I don't think they've been at Level Two since they were relegated due to a restructure after finishing seventh in 1992-93. |
Posted By: Taffy
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 17:08
Bedford finished 7th, Park finished 8th, both were relegated through league restructuring with Richmond, Blackheath, Coventry, Fylde and Morley
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Posted By: clieves
Date Posted: 15 Mar 2021 at 15:35
| 2006 Waterloo's last season at level 2 - they only won 3 games all season, including a 22 - 13 win away at Exeter, which was one of two home defeats for Exeter all season, the other home loss coming against champions Leeds Tykes |
Posted By: Taffy
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2021 at 20:53
Great trip to Blundlesands watching Bedford Blues that year. Former Glasgow forward Rory Mackay played for Waterloo and made a big impression, later joining Bedford the following season. A match that also saw Leicester Tigers loanee Tom Varndell play for the Blues before coming off injured.
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Posted By: clieves
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2021 at 12:15
This week marks 100 years of playing at the ground I cant get the hyperlink to work for some reason, here is the web address if anyone wishes to cut and paste. https://firwoodwaterloorfc.rfu.club/news/100-years-at-the-memorial-ground-2" rel="nofollow - https://firwoodwaterloorfc.rfu.club/news/100-years-at-the-memorial-ground-2 I've watched for 50 odd years and our match against Bedford in the 1/4 final of the John Player Cup when we went onto reach the final in 1977 is up there as being one of if not the most exciting games I watched there !
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Posted By: steve p
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2021 at 15:16
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always looked forward to going to Waterloo when Moseley played there |
Posted By: Halliford
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2021 at 16:51
| Not quite an upset but many at Esher remember the 12-12 draw at Exeter on 13th December 2008. We had coach trouble on the way down and arrived 30 minutes before kick-off. 2 tries from Dougie Flockhart, who went on to Doncaster after Esher, Gareth Steenson missed a conversion of Chris Budgen's try to enable us to hold out. This match was remembered in our latest "In the Sin Bin" podcast by the fly-half that day, Dave Slemen. |
Posted By: clieves
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2021 at 20:34
David Slemen, grew up a mile from Waterloo's ground, went to Merchant Taylors, the school that Waterloo was built on, but never wore a in a Waterloo shirt ...
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Posted By: front5
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2021 at 22:13
I would say it most certainly does - and also taking it to Harlequins the week after (not the fairytale result)
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Posted By: front5
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2021 at 22:16
Come on we dont have much - let us keep this one
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