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It was a slow day at the office for Shane O’Leary on Saturday as Nottingham were beaten 38-13 by Bedford. The Canadian international kicked only three points but it won’t be his total on the day that will be remembered this season.
O’Leary finished the campaign with 186 points, easily enough to claim the RFU Championship scoring title ahead of Richmond fullback Rob Kirby, whose 12-point finale against London Scottish put him on 159. Both players appeared in all 22 games for their respective clubs. O’Leary started every match for Nottingham, playing 97% of all possible minutes.
Among the notable efforts from the 26-year-old this season included his 17 points in the win over Ealing, and nearly leading Nottingham to an upset over Premiership-bound London Irish in January. In February he kicked the match-winning penalty to beat Doncaster, and just two weeks ago O’Leary’s stoppage-time drop goal beat Coventry.
It’s the second time a Canadian international has won a European scoring title in the professional era. Gareth Rees led the English Premiership (then Courage League) while playing for Wasps in 1996-97. James Pritchard, who recently retired at the age of 39, is the all-time points leader in the Championship and a perennial challenger but never won a single-season title.
