Biggest Championship/National One upsets ever

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.