Flatmates Richmond and London Scottish Set for Potential Championship Rugby Relegation Clash
The world of ground-sharing rivalries is not confined to Italian football giants AC Milan and Inter Milan at the San Siro. In English rugby, a compelling case of "noisy flatmates" unfolds at the Richmond Athletic Ground, where Richmond RFC and London Scottish cohabit, potentially setting the stage for a dramatic relegation showdown in the Elior Championship.
A Unique Rivalry Rekindled
Richmond RFC technically serves as London Scottish's landlord at the RAG, creating a dynamic filled with as much tension as any typical rental agreement. This rivalry lay dormant for two seasons while Richmond fought their way back into the Championship from National 1, but it has now returned with renewed vigor. The two sides could be destined for a head-on clash in a 12th versus 13th relegation play-off at the season's end, a prospect both teams hope to avoid but one that tantalizes fans across the league.
"I've never experienced anything like it," admitted Richmond prop Theo Bevacqua. "Here we literally both play on the same pitch. There's also this whole dynamic around the fact that it's our clubhouse, but then Scottish use it and play on the pitch, and we train there. It's the closest rivalry you could physically have."
Bevacqua added, "Also, the way that the clubs are set up, people probably know each other and operate in similar environments in terms of working and then training and elsewhere. It's a very interesting dynamic, but when you pair that with a contact sport like rugby, it can become quite tasty."
Evenly Matched and Acrimonious
Adding to the claustrophobic tension, the two sides are incredibly evenly matched. In their first encounter this season, London Scottish won 27-26, while Richmond marginally leads their tenants in the table with 34 points compared to Scottish's 29. There is no love lost between the groups, with Scottish's Osman Dimen reveling in the acrimony.
Dimen said, "They actually really don't like us, and as it turns out, we actually really don't like them either, but it's a lot of fun. I didn't really know what this game meant. I'm new to the club, and it just wasn't on my radar, but our last encounter was probably my favourite game at Scottish so far."
He continued, "Obviously no one at the club wants the season to come down to one game, but if it did and it was against Richmond, it would be a pretty special spectacle."
Historical Context and Current Form
Despite the relegation play-off being a new venture, the RAG rivalry has previously served as a relegation shoot-out. In the 2022/23 season, London Scottish condemned Richmond to two seasons in National 1 with a decisive 49-3 victory on the final day. This season, however, Richmond has looked more comfortable, picking up an impressive 19 points since the start of the new year.
Bevacqua noted, "I think at the start of the season we showed some kind of glimpses of what we could do and some good wins, and then we probably just dropped off in performance. We had a decent break where we could kind of re-evaluate and re-assess what we wanted to focus on, and that has led into that block we just had being really successful in terms of picking up points for us, in relative terms."
He added, "We're now, at the run into the end of the season, in quite a comfortable and good spot. We know our identity and what we need to do to be able to get points in games."
Upcoming Challenges and Season Outlook
Both clubs still face tough matches against 11th-placed Ampthill and 9th-placed Doncaster Knights, while Scottish also takes on 10th-placed Caldy. Although Scottish has endured rough results, including a 72-17 loss to Ealing Trailfinders last week, they have performed well against teams around them, beating Cambridge, Richmond, Chinnor, and Doncaster this campaign. If The Exiles maintain this form, they could set up a grandstand finish.
Dimen admitted, "We've struggled quite a bit this season and there's no shying away from that. What's frustrating with us is we're a tough team to beat. If you look at the way we concede, it's very rarely a multi-phase play, and we're getting beaten on the outside to score."
He concluded, "We know we're at the bottom end of the table. At the moment we need as many points as possible so we can push past the likes of Ampthill. We'd ideally want to put the club in an easier position, but our season has been up and down. We've done some crazy things, we've had some good results but unfortunately it's been tainted by a lot of nearlys."
A Spectacle in the Making
The history between the two clubs, their proximity in the table, and their unique housing situation make the potential scrap to stay in the Elior Championship almost as inviting as the tussle for the title. Only time will tell if the two clubs will meet in the postseason, but if they do, expect fireworks that could define their season and intensify their already fierce rivalry.
