1979–80 Rugby Union County Championship

The 1979–80 Thorn EMI Rugby Union County Championship was the 80th edition of England's County Championship rugby union club competition.

1979–80 Thorn EMI County Championship
Countries	England
Champions	Lancashire (11th title)
Runners-up	Gloucestershire

Lancashire won their 11th title after defeating Gloucestershire in the final.

First round

Pos	Northern Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Lancashire	5	5	0	0	210	42	10
2	Northumberland	5	4	0	1	109	56	8
3	Yorkshire	5	3	0	2	60	49	6
4	Durham	5	1	1	3	39	101	3
5	Cheshire	5	1	0	4	63	97	2
6	Cumberland & Westmorland	5	0	1	4	31	158	2

Pos	Midlands Group A	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	North Midlands	2	2	0	0	47	16	4
2	East Midlands	2	1	0	1	27	41	2
3	Notts, Lincs & Derby	2	0	0	2	16	33	0

Pos	Midlands Group B	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Warwickshire	2	2	0	0	50	22	4
2	Staffordshire	2	1	0	1	37	36	2
3	Leicestershire	2	0	0	2	24	53	0

Pos	London Group A	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Surrey	2	2	0	0	33	29	4
2	Middlesex	2	1	0	1	33	25	2
3	Kent	2	0	0	2	37	49	0

Pos	London Group B	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Eastern Counties	3	2	0	1	71	26	4
2	Sussex	3	2	0	1	50	22	4
3	Hampshire	3	1	0	2	25	46	2
4	Hertfordshire	3	1	0	2	22	74	2

Pos	South-West Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Gloucestershire	3	2	0	1	40	36	4
2	Devon	3	2	0	1	44	40	4
3	Somerset	3	1	1	1	43	40	3
4	Cornwall	3	0	1	2	35	46	1

Pos	Southern Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Oxfordshire	3	3	0	0	43	18	6
2	Buckinghamshire	3	1	0	2	43	42	2
3	Dorset & Wilts	3	1	0	2	25	39	2
4	Berkshire	3	1	0	2	19	31	2

Second round

Venue	Team One	Team Two	Score
Moseley	North Midlands	Warwickshire	13-7
Woodford	Surrey	Eastern Counties	26-6
Oxford	Oxfordshire	Gloucestershire	10-36

Semi finals

Date	Venue	Team One	Team Two	Score
8 Dec	Moseley	North Midlands	Gloucestershire	17-21
9 Dec	Old Deer Park	Surrey	Lancashire	6-31

Final

9 February 1980

Lancashire	21–15	Gloucestershire
Try: O'Brien, Slemen, Carleton (2) Con: O'Brien Pen: O'Brien		Try: Pomphrey Con: Butler Pen: Bulter (3)

Powderhouse Lane, Vale of Lune Attendance: 10,000 (estimated) Referee: Laurie Prideaux (North Midlands)

15 Kevin O'Brien Broughton Park 14 John Carleton Orrell 13 Tony Wright Sale 12 P Phillips Orrell 11 Mike Slemen Liverpool 10 Peter Williams Orrell 9 Steve Smith Sale 1 Dave Tabern Fylde 2 Colin Fisher Waterloo 3 Fran Cotton Sale 4 Bill Beaumont (capt) Fylde 5 Jim Syddall Waterloo 6 Roger Creed Sale 7 Tony Neary Broughton Park 8 Laurie Connor Waterloo Replacements: J Heaton Orrell T S K Aitcheson Fylde D J Carfoot Waterloo T Simon Sale K Pacey Broughton Park T Morris Liverpool Coach: Des Seabrook

15 Peter Butler Gloucester 14 Bob Clewes Gloucester 13 Richard Mogg Gloucester 12 Alastair Hignell Bristol 11 Alan Morley Bristol 10 Dave Sorrell Bristol 9 Peter Kingston Gloucester 1 Gordon Sargent Gloucester 2 Steve Mills Gloucester 3 Phil Blakeway Gloucester 4 John Fidler Gloucester 5 Nigel Pomphrey Bristol 6 Mike Rafter (capt) Bristol 7 P A Wood Gloucester 8 Bob Hesford Bristol Replacements: M Priddy Gloucester F Reed Gloucester S Boyle Gloucester P Johnson Clifton B Russell Gloucester S Baker Gloucester

See also

• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England