RFU Championship

Scotland flanker Ross Rennie has been forced to retire through injury.

This weekend saw an exciting weekend of Championship rugby with one major shock as in crisis Plymouth recorded a narrow victory, while the rest of the weekends fixtures had enough tries to keep any rugby fan thoroughly entertained.

Championship club Bristol have swooped to sign former England wing Tom Varndell.

Bristol Rugby, Rotherham Titans, Worcester Warriors, Doncaster Knights and defending B&I champions Leinster A have all qualified for the quarter-finals of the British & Irish Cup as winners of their respective pools with a round to spare.

The Greene King IPA Championship looks on course to have a healthy representation in the quarter-finals of the B&I Cup, with English sides topping four of the pools with two rounds to go and Leinster, winners of the competition for the last two years, heading a fifth.

For the first time this season there was a fall in the aggregate number of tries scored per round, which, given the poor playing conditions up and down the country, is hardly surprising.

The Greene King IPA Championship resumes this weekend after a month-long break for the first phase of the British & Irish Cup and last Sunday's thrilling Championship XV game against Canada at Sixways, where the cream of the league came up trumps to win 28-23.

Martin Haag insists his Greene King IPA Championship XV showed off the league’s quality after they battled back from behind at Sixways to clinch a thrilling 28-23 victory against international opposition in Canada.

Nottingham head coach Martin Haag is adopting a slightly different role this week as he takes charge of a Greene King IPA Championship XV side set to test their mettle against international outfit Canada.

The Rugby Football Union has announced major changes to how concussions are to be managed throughout English professional rugby.

Plymouth Albion captain Iain Grieve remains positive despite the fact that his side currently sit bottom of the Greene King IPA Championship and are yet to register a victory this season.

New for the 2014/15 season, the Greene King IPA Championship has launched the inaugural 'Player of the Month' competition.

Bedford Blues have bolstered their ranks with the capture of Tongan international utility back Viliami Hakalo.

Worcester Warriors' Sixways Stadium has been selected to host November's match between a Championship XV representative side and Canada.

He may be presently recovering from ankle surgery but Bristol back-rower Ryan Jones is refusing to rule out a return to international rugby with Wales despite dropping down into the Greene King IPA Championship this season.

Bedford Blues are proud to announce that their new kit for the 2014/15 Greene King IPA Championship season will be launched and worn by the players when they face Saracens on Friday night for the final pre-season fixture.

Chris Pennell is set for his first Sixways appearance since making his international debut for England earlier this summer, when Warriors take on Aviva Premiership side Exeter Chiefs in the Craig Gillies Testimonial Match this Friday (kick-off 7.30pm).

With the start of league rugby just over a week away we are pleased to confirm three further signings for the 2014/15 season.

It is with great pleasure that Bedford Blues can announce that the 2014/15 Championship season will be a Testimonial one for fullback James Pritchard.

With over 100 caps to his name for Nottingham Rugby Club in the RFU Championship – one of the toughest leagues out – Alex Shaw is an experienced campaigner in England’s second tier but the back rower has decided to move onto pastures new ahead of 2014/15 season.