B&I Cup Fixtures 2013/14

[Communications Team]

The 2013-14 British & Irish Cup fixtures have been unveiled today, following confirmation of the Greene King IPA Championship season on Tuesday.
RFU Press Release


The cross-border competition will kick off with a head-to-head between Exiles London Welsh and London Scottish, marking the former’s return to the competition following a year in the Premiership. Current cup holders Leinster A, who secured victory over Championship winners Newcastle Falcons in a thrilling affair at Kingston Park, begin their title defence against newcomers Ealing Trailfinders. The west London club will make their debut in the competition, having been promoted from SSE National League 1 to the second tier in May.

Bristol Rugby, 2011 British & Irish Cup winners, will kick-off their cup campaign by welcoming fellow Greene King IPA Championship club Leeds Carnegie to The Memorial Stadium, while inaugural winners of the trophy, Cornish Pirates, will host Ulster Ravens in Penzance. Munster A, who are seeded top in Pool 4, will also start their British & Irish Cup with a home game, hosting Stirling County from the RBS Premier Division.

Commenting on the 2013-14 British & Irish Cup, RFU Professional Rugby Director Rob Andrew said:
“The British & Irish Cup offers up some really traditional clashes between old rivals, and this season promises to be no different. With the revision to the structure and a reduction in clubs, the Organising Committee is confident that this will be one of the most competitive seasons yet in the competition.”

As revealed in April, the British & Irish Cup has been revised for the 2013-14 season, moving from 32 teams to 24, playing in six pools of four. Four Principality Premiership teams will now represent Wales in the competition, joining the 12 clubs of the Green King IPA Championship as well as four from each of Ireland and Scotland. Selection of the Welsh teams will be based on regional play-offs at the start of next season, with final positions in this season’s Principality Premiership giving teams Home field advantage.

2013-14 British & Irish Cup structure:
Teams
* 12 Greene King IPA Championship clubs
* 4 Welsh Principality Premiership clubs
* 4 Irish provinces – Connacht, Munster, Leinster and Ulster Ravens
* 4 Scottish teams - top 4 finishers in RBS Premier Division: Ayr, Gala, Stirling County and Edinburgh Academicals.

Pool Stages
* 6 pools of 4 playing home and away
* 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 bonus point for a) scoring 4 or more tries and/or b) losing by 7 points or less

Quarter finals
* top side in each pool progress to knockout stage, plus two best runners-up
* 8 quarter-finalists ranked with teams ranked 1-4 having home advantage

Semi-finals and final
* four winning quarter finalists progress to semi -final draw
* winning semi-finalists progress to final

Pool 1
Leinster A
Wales 3
Moseley
Ealing Trailfinders

Pool 2
London Welsh
Wales 2
London Scottish
Edinburgh Academicals

Pool 3
Bedford Blues
Rotherham Titans
Wales 4
Connacht

Pool 4
Munster A
Nottingham Rugby
Plymouth Albion
Stirling County

Pool 5
Bristol Rugby
Wales 1
Leeds Carnegie
Gala

Pool 6
Cornish Pirates
Ulster Ravens
Ayr
Jersey RFC

Fixtures
Round 1
Pool 1: Leinster A V Ealing Trailfinders, Wales 3 V Moseley
Pool 2: London Welsh V London Scottish, Edinburgh Academicals V Wales 2
Pool 3: Rotherham V Bedford, Wales 4 V Connacht
Pool 4: Plymouth v Nottingham, Munster A V Stirling County
Pool 5: Bristol Rugby v Leeds Carnegie, Gala v Wales 1
Pool 6: Cornish Pirates V Ulster Ravens, Jersey v Ayr

Round 2
Pool 1: Ealing v Wales 3, Moseley v Leinster A
Pool 2: London Scottish v Edinburgh Academicals, Wales 2 v London Welsh
Pool 3: Bedford Blues v Wales 4, Connacht v Rotherham
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby v Munster A, Stirling County v Plymouth Albion
Pool 5: Leeds Carnegie v Gala, Wales 1 v Bristol Rugby
Pool 6: Ulster Ravens v Jersey RFC, Ayr vs Cornish Pirates

Round 3
Pool 1: Moseley v Ealing Trailfinders, Leinster A v Wales 3
Pool 2: Wales 2 v London Scottish, London Welsh v Edinburgh Academicals
Pool 3: Connacht v Bedford Blues, Rotherham v Wales 4
Pool 4: Stirling County v Nottingham Rugby, Plymouth Albion v Munster A
Pool 5: Wales 1 v Leeds Carnegie, Bristol Rugby v Gala
Pool 6: Ayr v Ulster Ravens, Cornish Pirates v Jersey RFC

Round 4
Pool 1: Ealing Trailfinders v Moseley, Wales 3 v Leinster A
Pool 2: London Scottish v Wales 2, Edinburgh Academicals v London Welsh
Pool 3: Bedford Blues v Connacht, Wales 4 v Rotherham Titans
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby v Stirling County, Munster A v Plymouth Albion
Pool 5: Leeds Carnegie v Wales 1, Gala v Bristol Rugby
Pool 6: Ulster Ravens v Ayr, Jersey RFC v Cornish Pirates

Pool 5
Pool 1: Leinster A v Moseley, Wales 3 v Ealing Trailfinders
Pool 2: London Welsh v Wales 2, Edinburgh Academicals v London Scottish
Pool 3: Rotherham Titans v Connacht, Wales 4 v Bedford Blues
Pool 4: Plymouth Albion v Stirling County, Munster A v Nottingham Rugby
Pool 5: Bristol Rugby v Wales 1, Gala v Leeds Carnegie
Pool 6: Cornish Pirates v Ayr, Jersey RFC v Ulster Ravens

Round 6
Pool 1: Ealing Trailfinders v Leinster A, Moseley v Wales 3
Pool 2: London Scottish v London Welsh, Wales 2 v Edinburgh Academicals
Pool 3: Bedford Blues v Rotherham Titans, Connacht v Wales 4
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby v Plymouth, Stirling County v Munster A
Pool 5: Leeds Carnegie v Bristol Rugby, Wales 1 v Gala
Pool 6: Ulster Ravens v Cornish Pirates, Ayr v Jersey RFC

[willbassett]

At least we didn't draw Rotherham ... and thankfully you won't need a degree in quantum physics to work out who goes through!

[kingsheathlad]

Glad we are not in pool 6.some mileage or air miles!!!

[CJB1]

Who are the Welsh sides likely to be?

[CJB1]

Jun 29, 2013 9:50:44 GMT CJB1 said:

Who are the Welsh sides likely to be?

To answer my own question, the top 4 in the Welsh Premiership last season were Pontypridd, Llandovery, Llanelli and Bedwas.

[Communications Team]

CJB1 we believe the Welsh clubs will be having playoffs at the start of the season to decide who will be the top 4 teams