2014 County Championship Plate
The 2014 County Championship Plate, also known as Bill Beaumont Cup Division 2, was the 13th version of the annual English rugby union, County Championship organized by the RFU for the tier 2 English counties. Each county drew its players from rugby union clubs from the third tier and below of the English rugby union league system (typically National League 1, National League 2 South or National League 2 North). The counties were divided into two regional pools (north/south) with three teams in the north division and three in the south, with the winners of each pool meeting in the final held at Twickenham Stadium. New teams to the division included Durham County and Kent who were relegated from the 2013 Bill Beaumont Cup.
| 2014 County Championship Plate | |
|---|---|
| Countries | England |
| Date | 10 May 2014 - 1 June 2014 |
| Champions | Kent (2nd title) |
| Runners-up | Durham County |
| Attendance | 2,298 (average 383 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 1,200 Kent v Somerset (24 May 2014) |
| Lowest attendance | 150 East Midlands v Eastern Counties (10 May 2014) |
| Top point scorer | Ben Summers (Kent) 32 |
| Top try scorer | Cameron Mitchell Ian Wilson (both Durham County) 3 |
By the end of the group stage, both Durham County and Kent, relegated the previous season, made an instant return to the first division by winning their respective groups with relative ease. At the final at Twickenham, Kent were comfortable winners, defeating Durham County 31-23 to claim their first title at Twickenham for 28 years.