1977–78 Divisional Championship (rugby union)

December 2020 1977–78 Divisional Championship England North 1 Midlands 1980-81 The 1977–78 Divisional Championship was the first edition of a new event in England's rugby calendar, played in its entirety across three weeks in December 1977. During the first season of the competition, there were sub-divisional trial matches held among the four divisions prior to the semi-final stage.Jenkins, Vivian (Editor). Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1978-79. Macdonald and Jane's, Queen Anne Press. pp 115. 0354-09047-X. In the championship's first final, held on 17 December 1977 at Twickenham, the North beat the Midlands 22-7, while earlier in the day London beat the South & South-West 22–15 in the play-off for third and fourth place.A trip down memory lane courtesy of historian John Griffiths http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/page/89144.html ESPN 20 July 2020 Results Inter-Divisional round 3 Dec 1977 North-East 9–16 North-West Headingley B Head-Rapson (Notts, Lincs, Derby) 3 Dec 1977 Midlands West 12–6 Midlands East Coventry M J Fisk (Yorkshire) 3 Dec 1977 South-West 18–13 South Exeter O E Doyle (Ireland) 3 Dec 1977 London South 12–25 London North Esher M D M Rea (Ireland) Semi-finals 10 Dec 1977 London 6–52 North Sudbury L Prideaux (North Midlands) 10 Dec 1977 South & South-West 3–19 Midlands Bath B Head-Rapson (Notts, Lincs, Derby) 3rd/4th play-off 17 Dec 1977 London 22–15 South & South-West Twickenham P E Hughes (Lancashire) Final 17 Dec 1977 North 22–7 Midlands Tries: Caplan (2)MaxwellCon: CaplanYoungPen: YoungDG: Horton Try: KneePen: Hare Twickenham Alan Welsby (Lancashire) FB 15 David Caplan (Headingley)RW 14 ENG Peter Squires (Harrogate)OC 13 ENG Tony Bond (Broughton Park)IC 12 Andy Maxwell (Headingley)LW 11 John Carleton (Orrell)FH 10 John Horton (Bath)SH 9 ENG Malcolm Young (Gosforth)N8 8 P Moss (Orrell) OF 7 ENG Tony Neary (Broughton Park)BF 6 ENG Peter Dixon (Gosforth) RL 5 J Butler (Egremont) 33LL 4 ENG Bill Beaumont (Fylde) (c)TP 3 ENG Fran Cotton (Sale) 70HK 2 K Pacey (Broughton Park)LP 1 Colin White (Gosforth)Replacements:LK -- T Roberts (Gosforth) 33PR -- Jeff Bell (Middlesbrough) 70 flag denotes international (at time of match) FB 15 ENG Dusty Hare (Leicester) RW 14 P Knee (Coventry) OC 13 ENG Barrie Corless (Moseley) (c)IC 12 Paul Dodge (Leicester)LW 11 Tim Barnwell (Leicester)FH 10 ENG Martin Cooper (Moseley)SH 9 Ian Peck (Bedford)N8 8 Nick Jeavons (Moseley)OF 7 D Warren (Moseley)BF 6 J Shipsides (Coventry)RL 5 I Darnell (Coventry) 69LL 4 R Field (Moseley)TP 3 W H Greaves (Moseley)HK 2 G N Cox (Moseley)LP 1 ENG Robin Cowling (Leicester)Replacements:LK -- Derek Nutt (Moseley) 69 flag denotes international (at time of match) Report The four Lions in the North's pack - Beaumont, Cotton, Dixon and Neary - played a large part in their side's success. Additionally Malcolm Young upheld his England status with a lively display at scrum-half and Caplan, who was later to win his first cap, showed his capabilities as an attacking full-back by scoring two tries. The best moment of the match came in the second half when Maxwell, the North centre, burst clean through past Corless from just inside halfway for a superb individual try. Altogether seven of the North team were picked for the first international (of the 1978 Five Nations), against France. Horton, the Lancashire fly-half, opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a well-taken dropped goal for the North, to which Hare replied with a mammoth penalty goal from a metre inside his own half for the Midlands. An unconverted try by Caplan, taking an inside pass from Carleton, gave the North a lead of 7–3 at half-time. From then on they forged further ahead with a penalty goal by Young, a second try by Caplan, converted by Young, and Maxwell's splendid try, which Caplan converted from wide out. At 22-3 the match was virtually over, but the Midlands had the last word. From a short penalty, Cooper, Corless and Dodge moved the ball rapidly to Knee, who ran in for an unconverted try near the corner. References Divisional Championship Category:Divisional Championship (rugby union) Divisional Championship