1. Ealing 

3. Doncaster 

4. Cornish Pirates 

5. Bedford 

6. Coventry 

7. Hartpury 

8. Ampthill

9. Nottingham 

10. Richmond 

11. London Scottish 

12. Caldy 

Apart from Ealing Top I think the rest of the league is very difficult to predict. I think the bottom 3 teams are the bottom 3 but I wouldn’t put my money on that order. I’ll admit Caldy are a bit of an unknown quantity so it will be fascinating to see how they do. As for my team we have lost a few key players from last season but we still have a quality squad and with our home form I would certainly anticipate Donny finishing in the top 3 again. 

Agree with your top 3 Donnyknightfan, but Donny may get second place.

My concerns would be what other players we get from Saints as they have not been announced but the club knows the pool and we do not have a proven 7 at this level. We have been light for pre season games and have had 2 guest England 7s players to help with the numbers, so players aren’t playing for too long.

Regarding the bottom end I would add in Nottingham could be in that 3.

Predicting Caldy to end up at the bottom of the Championship is the obvious guess and I would expect that most Caldy supporters would pretty much agree with that given the lack of experience, budget and infrastructure compared to most teams at level 4 and above.

However, Caldy supporters also know that their team will never take a backward step, will be singularly united and will relish each and every game at this level. That is all you can ask of any team.

With about half a dozen games remaining last season, when the prospect that Caldy could possibly win National 1 frst started to emerge I talked with a former coach about how Caldy might fare at level 2.

Bobby had been Caldy's forwards coach some 25 years ago when Caldy were punching above their weight even at level 6. Bobby confessed he was more than a little amazed that Caldy had made it to the top of the National Leagues and as he looked across Paton Field he remarked to me "If Caldy ever got into the Championship where would they play?".......the answer was simple "here, where else could ever be better"

Visiting Caldy will be a different experience for supporters of other Championship clubs but I can be certain that they will be accorded a very hospitable welcome and in the depths of winter they needn't fear that the energy crisis will have the central heating thermostat dialled down in the clubhouse ........an  open fire and a pot of "Bombay Bad Boy" will ward off the worst of winter's chill

Very young squad. Given that hopefully the injuries to the more senior players in the squad do not hit too hard, then I have every hope of a competitive season.

With all that in mind, a top eight will realistically be my best hope.

I think Jersey look strong and if they start well I can see a second place for them.  Ampthill are building such great foundations I expect them to go well this Season.

Coventry look steady as do Bedford and Pirates. LS should see huge improvements now they have become Harlequins A team.

Richmond who were building such a strong team have been decimated by retirements and RP cheque book, they have a very inexperienced squad and need to start well or could struggle.

Caldy, who I watched a couple of times last season, will have terrific unity and have added some real talent. I expect them to go well but be in the lower reaches. Nottingham will also be battling in the lower parts of the league . . . so a guess at the final table:

Ealing

Jersey

Ampthill

Doncaster

Cornish Pirates

Hartpury

Bedford

Coventry

London Scottish

Caldy

Richmond

Nottingham

Lets hope for a great season and as few injuries as possible and Richmond winning the league :-)

In terms of Caldy, good luck. Most teams that come up do OK, their previous seasons winning habit carrying them through perennial lower league Champ teams who are used to losing.  Can't see them finishing bottom.

But the rest who knows  

Depends on who they inevitably bring in from the Prem sides to bolster ranks, some loans, some for just a couple of weeks.  If you play a side full of decent loanees then they'll be strong, if they are all recalled for Cup weekends, or international weekends then the side you're playing against will be much weaker.  Some sides only have small squads in anticipation and if you think every club in the league bar a couple are using this as a form of back up now then the prophecy of an A League in all but name is moving ever closer.  You can't blame clubs for doing it.  Its a cheap way of surviving whilst putting on a good show.

But lets remember what's important, a good day out and some (hopefully decent rugby)

Ealing

Doncaster

Jersey, Ampthill, Bedford, Pirates, London Scottish, Hartpury, Coventry

Caldy

Nottingham

Richmond

Ealing has spent a lot of money on squad depth this year, proven by losing by 1 to the relegated Pro14 side on Thursday, and still having a separate team to go win convincingly at Rosslyn Park on Saturday. I'm sure that they'll slip up a couple of times due to weird selections, bad weather, or an inspired opposite number, but I can't see them not coming top over the course of the season.

1. Ealing 

2. Cornish Pirates - massive homefield advantage, plus strong support and secure funding the next couple of years.

3. Doncaster - Seemed to lose a few key players, and were thumped in preseason. Still strong.

4. Jersey - They have seemed strong in pre-season, and I could easily seem them higher.

5. Bedford - Could be 5th, could be 10th. Depends on loanees.

6. Coventry -I don't know much about Cov.

7. Ampthill - I'm pulling for the mob as I like their club ethos.

8. Hartpury - Gloucester A have both a ceiling and a floor to their perfomances.

9. Nottingham - Seem to have spent a bit more this year on a few key signings.

10. Richmond - Still have the immortal Mark Bright, so can't put them lower.

11. London Scottish - Probably could be several places higher with Quins tie-up, but need to see who they get.

12. Caldy - Long, long road trips.

They lost an awful lot of experience at the end of last season in Burrows, Boulton, Fenner etc, and have brought in a raft of youngsters and promoted academy boys from within.

I hope Alex Rae knows what he's doing, but him being a Cov Kid, whatever happens it won't be for the lack of passion.

My thoughts; I'm hopeful of survival. I expect a few canings along the way, mind.

The Caldy boys are known as the Ravers and they just love long road trips......WOLWAOTB

There were some terrific road trips last year and the wonder of it all was that throughout the season all round good guy Graham once again proved what a skilful travel co-ordinator he was.

In previous seasons our Graham has had the odd mishap - star scrumhalf left at service station ahead of a tricky visit to Tynedale - one travelling dignitary twice left behind at Euston (partially understandable as his name was Graham) - but last season in Nat 1 we generally arrived at the right club on the right day and had a blast.

I was told that already this year Graham nearly scored his first bargain of the season in negotiating flights to Jersey for a scarcely believable price - there was a catch though - the return flight left some 40 minutes after the inward flight arrived. 

We are all hugely looking forward to another season of Graham's grand tour rugby adventures and the players are quite excited as well

WOLWAOTB

I cannot disagree with Brizzer or Runitback's assessment because in essence Caldy is at its heart a small village rugby club being helped by players coming from other local village clubs to have a crack at the big teams in the Championship. We were in Wonderland in National One ......Caldy RFC in the the Championship is just bonkers

Our community has now grown to be just a bit larger than just Caldy/West Kirby and its environs.  Supporters of other local rugby clubs came to Caldy for the pre season visit of Sale Sharks, I am sure they enjoyed the experience. Every comment I heard was positive and just a bit proud that a small village rugby club on the Wirral had gotten this far. There are nine other great local rugby clubs within a 10 mile radius of Paton Field and in some small way Caldy is representing these clubs as well as itself in what is realistically now the top tier of 'proper' club rugby in England.

Caldy is all about its own players representing the club and its community as best it can whilst also hopefully giving the opportunity for some game time to a couple of Sale Sharks youngsters who may otherwise be kicking their heels on a Saturday. 

Last season two young Sharks players had game time with Caldy. Full back Elliot Gourlay, owing to the unfortunate season long injury to Caldy's Rhys Hayes, Elliot played with distinction in nearly every game, and scrum half Nye Thomas who made a dazzling impact from the bench on three occasions and had a start in a couple of others. Good young lads who really fitted in with the rest of the Caldy squad and assimilated the Caldy DNA (particularly on away coach trips). It will be pleasing if both are in Caldy's squad for the coming season.

Caldy may not win many (...or any!) but I know the Caldy players will step up and give of their best each and every time and we will be proud of them...always.

WOLWAOTB

It will undoubtedly be a steep learning curve for the Cov youngsters and I struggle to see anything other than lower bottom half this season.  

As Kimbo says though, the passion to play for the club will definitely be there and, hopefully, the home support will help us win a few at BPA...

1. Ealing (But wouldn't be surprised if Jersey/Pirates do not read the script!)

2. Cornish Pirates

3. Jersey 

4. Doncaster 

5. Bedford 

6. Ampthill 

7. Coventry 

8. Hartpury

9. London Scottish 

10. Nottingham 

11. Caldy 

12. Richmond 

Good luck to all 

To be honest I think 4th would do us nicely- the core of our squad remains, but we did lose our star players to higher leagues (but there were some good lads waiting waiting in the aisles to step up). Last weeks result was a bitter pill to swallow but I am sure Bodes and the coaching staff will have taken some learning points from that and we should see improvements this week. We then have potentially the hardest away game of the season, first up - Ealing have signed well and we will have to show the same grit as last season denying them any league points from our fixtures with them, to have any hope this year.

I look forward to welcoming and then visiting Caldy for my first time. Travelling to Jersey in October, and bumping into acquaintances from all the other clubs this coming season, sadly I will not be able to travel to Penzance this year but look forwards to welcoming them to Castle Park. This season could just be the year Ealing achieve their ambitions but they know every team will try their hardest to knock them from their favourites pedestal.

Good luck to all, but obviously more luck to the Knights 😁

2. Jersey

3. Pirates

4. Doncaster

5. Ampthill

6. Bedford

7. Hartpury

8. Coventry

9. Richmond

10. London Scottish

11. Caldy

12. Nottingham

Really interesting season ahead Castle Park Knight. It is hard to look beyond Ealing with the new recruits adding even more depth to an already great squad. For me, Jersey may be the best of the rest bet if they can avoid mishaps on the road and ET slip up when sides get in their face. Pirates have lost a number of big players but if the raft of DR signings adapt to the Champ they could go very well. 

For Donny a transition season, loss of a couple to the Prem and others that remove depth in key positions - new signings hitting their straps early is pivotal with ET and 'Pury away as first 2 fixtures. Feel these will be the top 4 this season with the Mob taking big scalps and all clubs capable of getting results. Personally looking forward to the Ravers first season - their promotion shows what can be done and promotion should be open to Champ clubs to the lofty heights of the Prem. 

       

As for Bedford, we should be the “best of the rest” in 5th and maybe push 4th, but depends on injuries. We have a talented but very small core squad. In particular, we’re thin at scrum half, front row and back row and will be relying on Saints players for depth in these positions.

Champs

1. Ealing - Losing more than 1 game should be deemed a failure given their resources compared to rest of league. Jordan Burns should not be a 3rd string championship SH

Top 4:

2. Jersey - Impressive recruitment. Could challenge Ealing

3. Doncaster - Lost a few, gained a few. Should be strong

4. Pirates. Have lost some key players. May not be as strong as last year

Middle Pack:

5. Bedford - Could push top 4 if lucky with injuries, could be bottom half if unlucky with them 

6. Ampthill - Decent recruitment. Should be able to push on

7. Coventry - In a bit of a rebuild. Underperformed last year, but v strong at home and expect improvements 

Bottom Half:

8. Nottingham - Some useful signings

9. Hartpury - As ever, depends on quality/available of Glos players. Lost a few of their stars

10. London Scottish - See above but read Harlequins

11. Richmond - Just looked through their squad and made some decent signings I missed (Johnston, O’Meara). I know they lost a few too. They always outperform my prediction so sure they will again!

Bottom:

12. Caldy - Admire them sticking with the team that got them here and they will no doubt cause some upsets at home, but can’t see past a 12th place finish 

Caldy will probably appear to be somewhat of a dinosaur to most clubs they will meet in the Championship in their inaugral season (and I do admit it is most probable that this will also be their last season in the Championship):

 - Caldy has a wooden hut for a clubhouse which has no heating other than from the throng of bodies and a couple of open fires, 

- there are no covered areas in any part of the ground other than squeezing into the small wooden clubhouse

- there is no outside seating other than a few wooden benches which are reserved for the elderly/infirm 

- it draws most of its players from its own junior and youth system and from the other splendid rugby clubs within the locality plus like last season a couple of young Sale Sharks Academy players Elliott Gourlay and Nye Thomas

The Rugby Paper has made it clear today that in their view Caldy's decision to pretty much stick with the squad that won them promotion to the Championship will see them finish bottom of the league and last season's bottom club  London Scottish 'maybe saved from relegation by the fact that Caldy are in the league'

I acknowledge that all of the above will almost certainly be the reality of the season ahead but I know that everyone at Caldy is upbeat about the adventure the club is about to embark on and I will make one very confident prediction about the season ahead.

Caldy will deliver on this prediction and even if they lose every game at this level by a barrowload of points I for one will still be very proud of everyone associated with our 'village club' and its determination to stick by everything that defines it as a tremendous and vibrant rugby club.

As we all know, and I hope agree, the Championship will always be looked on with disdain by the RFU and treated with contempt.  The funding of it, or lack of it, the constant denigrating of it by both PRL/RFU will always threaten to give me heart palpitations!

But, another season is here and I look forward to another season of Championship fun, both home and away.  Good luck to all teams and , hopefully, Ealing get their rightful place in the Premiership.  Although I know all other sides will be hoping to spike those dreams.

As for Caldy, and Big Eddie, welcome to the Championship.  I look forward to our, Coventry’s trip there, and know the , shall I say, Spartan but welcoming ground will provide a big boost to Caldy’s home results.

Just one request Big Eddie, could you arrange for more than one corkscrew to be available behind the bar please for our desired Malbec or Shiraz imbibing?! 

Once more good luck to all Championship teams, let’s go!

I hope Caldy could muster 750+ but 3,000 is a stretch as there will be fixtures for the other 9 rugby clubs on the Wirral and the 'rugby afficionados' will be spread somewhat more thinly than was the case when Sale Sharks visited in August.

The weather will be the main determinent. Whether Caldy will ever be able to give an experienced Championship side a 'bloody nose' is optimistic conjecture but they will attempt to give more than a tickle....

I will make it my mission PI003............as with Caldy's Pot Noodle catering, the house wine comes in what would be loosely described as a plastic cask.......Caldy's experienced sommelier Mr John Butler generally supervises the decanting of the house wine into smaller receptacles.....John will be delighted that a visiting spectator is sufficiently knowledgeable and refined to request something that requires the use of the club corkscrew

Good grief Paul. Wine corks? Get yersen into the 21st century...

It's a long time since I visited one - the last time was the one opposite the entrance to Herculaneum dock in the late 60's

First time I ever saw jet black water in a dock, I guess some of it must have been water ??

Macclesfield's fire must be rubbish because in all my visits to Macc I cannot recollect ever seeing one........
 

Marvellous! I survived Wharfedale in January, and we had an arctic December date in Newcastle 3ish years ago, so hopefully the Wirral in October will be ok. Definitely a fire at Macc - it was spitting and crackling, a bit like Geoff Wappett (the head coach, large and rather intimidating when you first met him but actually a nice chap once he'd settled down) after a home defeat! 

Surviving Wharfedale at any time of year is a challenge ........never mind the views and the Countryfile location ........Wharfedale posses possibly the most hostile set of supporters in England

Never been to Redruth but my eldest lad played against them for Orrell and Waterloo when they were variously at level 2 or 3. He is a man of few words but having become embroiled in a physical and verbal altercation with his opposite number from Redruth the referee brought the protagonists together and left them in no doubt what would happen if the exchanges continued.

Redruth player "This Northern Tw@@ started it"

Jake's reply "Mate everything and everyone is North of this hell hole"

Caldy played Coventry in their first sojourn into National 1. Did reasonably well at Coventry but lost. The return home fixture at Paton Field was postponed due to adverse weather and then rearranged for the 'free weekend' for National 1. Unfortunately one of Caldy's senior side had arranged a stag weekend for that date and 7 or 8 normal starters were unavailable .........had to play 6 lads from the second team.

Feared a terrible shellacking when Caldy was 30 points + down at half time but ended up 20 something to 50 something so actually we were quite pleased considering.

This season there will be some additional spice to the game with Cov because in the close season they purloined our powerful young centre Lucas Titherington.....

Late April 2017 and Caldy were closing in on the National 2 North title........my first and only visit to Wharfedale. The idyllic and tranquil scenery together with a very hospitable club house didn't prepare us for a ferociously hostile game on a bone hard deeply rutted pitch.

The Green Machine aided and abetted by easily the most hostile crowd I have ever encountered played like a team of Spartan warriors infused with crack cocaine defending their motherland. We scloquat a win and after a few quick beers we took our wounded back to an altogether more benign and friendly Merseyside.

One of our 'loudest' supporters had flown to Wharfedale in his bright red two seater gyrocopter and landed in the adjoining field. Paul is not a man prone to intimidation but I think he was buckled up with the rotors turning within a couple of minutes of the final whistle.....

Wharfedale's green and pleasant land left an indelible impression on us all

Always a pleasure visiting the Rectory sadly missed. I know what Big Eddie means about the green machine but in most cases it’s disguised with a huge dallop of Yorkshire dry humour. I love visiting The Avenue including the banter, always great fun. 

All the best 

ST

Esher have a clubhouse with a proper fire albeit in NL1. 

Google gave me this definition of 'partisan'

Wharfedale is a great place to play Rugby.

The agricultural types in the shed get a bit excited but why not, they have worked hard all week and, post BREXIT, they don't know where their next Range Rover is coming from.

Just give them as much back, always works for us.

However by and large I agree with all the sentiments expressed by you and others ......the Wharfedale supporters are most definitely partisan and passionate..........but not gentle country folk.......they certainly know how to get the Green Machine going

I’m sure you are aware that the home of the Pirates is a further 20 miles south-west of Redruth. The Wirral cognoscenti will be assured of a warm welcome on and off the field from Penwith’s finest.

Which team?

Big Eddie  I remember that day, you were unbeaten I think, penultimate game of the season.  My view was that Caldy thought the game was in the bag and went out to show us all who was boss.  The Dale were having non of it and engaged beast mode.  It is not often seen in the modern game, but it turned into one of the hardest games I've witnessed as aggression was barely controlled, the team of 3 really struggling.

A very tight game and thus the crowd were as revved up as I'd ever seen.  The match was summed up by the action of Green legend Rob Baldwin, who with a few minutes to go, one point down, ball in hand, at speed, Nick Royal stood on the try line. Baldwin could have gone left, right, or even fallen over for the winning score, but instead wanted to knock Royal into the next season.  Remarkably he was held up over the line and Caldy went through numerous phases, Dale flying in to every collision, knocking you back, but  you held firm for a great win.

The crowd were fizzing, raucous and most probably abusive throughout, but when the whistle went all was forgotten and beers shared. 

I sometimes hear things at the Dale that make me cringe, but there is no place i'd rather be than in the crowd at the Avenue, when the Team and supporters are in the mood. I've watched rugby at just about every National league ground over the past 10 years, and nothing approaches the atmosphere of a good Dale crowd.  I did overhear someone from Richmond saying, when we were relegated from Nat 1 "Oh thank god they have gone Tarquin; the most boorish people"

Enjoy the Champ, a fantastic achievement getting there.

Watch out for Cov. I cheered loudly for my team there one day and the bloke next to me to F*** OFF.  
The only places I have disliked going to were the soulless ones with no crowd, or Huckleberryly Pearen students.

In the intervening years Caldy have been in many a dog fight and arm wrestle but absolutely nothing has ever come close to the brutal physicality of that encounter. 

This season for Caldy it will be a struggle for sure against full time professional sides in the Championship but I cannot believe Caldy will come up against the intensity and commitment of the Green Machine on that otherwise gorgeous Spring day. 

There was no regard for their own well being or mortality. I am sure all of the Wharfedale players and most of their spectators that morning had listened to a collection of history's most defiant and rousing speeches......

It was a colossal and magnificent effort

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b7bgtu2O4E&t=6s" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b7bgtu2O4E&t=6s

PS I will search Tarquin out when Caldy play Richmond

A stopover in Bodmin??? Ye Gods! What had those poor folks done to deserve that? 

F*** OFF?

One of our friendlier brethren then.

Rubbish. He told me he was fed up with the filthy fare served at Caldy, and couldn't wait to get stuck into the f aggot batches

(being careful there as the daft as a brush auto-censor probably doesn't like offal).

BE,

We are at Wharfedale tomorrow. I will give them your regards and let you know how we get on with the locals during the match. Should be entertaining! 

Have a great day Sid..............if anyone hears Simon Verbickas talking about it being a game of inches.......get back on the coach quickly....the Green Machine will be like rabid wolves on steroids and crack cocaine

We had a great day at Wharfedale. The sun was shining and the hospitality was good.

We had a wander over to the shed. They were so pleased to see us. A couple of the sheep worriers got a bit descriptive but all in good fun.

I heard Verbickas giving an account of why they lost to the Club President and Chairman. You can't build anything on delusion.