Error message

  • Deprecated function: strpos(): Non-string needles will be interpreted as strings in the future. Use an explicit chr() call to preserve the current behavior in _google_tag_status_check() (line 321 of /home/sites/8a/e/e5797cf45b/archive/sites/all/modules/google_tag/google_tag.module).
  • Deprecated function: implode(): Passing glue string after array is deprecated. Swap the parameters in drupal_get_feeds() (line 394 of /home/sites/8a/e/e5797cf45b/archive/includes/common.inc).

B&I CUP FIXTURES ANNOUNCED

Posted: 
24/06/2014 - 12:13

Following confirmation of the new structure, the 2014-15 British & Irish Cup fixtures have been unveiled with Bedford Blues finding themselves in Pool Four alongside Cornish Pirates, Doncaster Knights and Wales 1.
 
Played across five pools, each with four teams, the English, Irish and Welsh clubs making up this year's British & Irish Cup will begin the new season campaign during the second weekend of October (10/11/12).

The Welsh participants in the British & Irish Cup will be based on regional play-offs at the start of the season, with final positions in last season's Principality Premiership giving teams Home field advantage. Pontypridd represented the Welsh contingent in last year's knock-out stages, narrowly losing out to eventual winners Leinster 'A' in a thrilling encounter at Sardis Road.

After discussion among all four Unions, four Principality Premiership teams will continue to represent Wales in the competition, joining the 12 clubs of the Greene King IPA Championship as well as four provincial teams from Ireland. Due to changes in the competition dates, Scottish clubs will not participate in the 2014-15 competition meaning that season's competition will move from 24 teams to 20, playing in five pools of four

2014-15 British & Irish Cup structure:

Teams

* 12 Greene King IPA Championship clubs
* 4 Welsh Principality Premiership clubs
* 4 Irish provinces – Connacht, Munster, Leinster 'A' and Ulster Ravens

Pool Stages

*Taking place on 11, 18, 25 October, 29 November and 6, 13 December 2014
* 5 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

* Taking place on 24 January 2015
* Top side in each pool progress to knockout stage, plus three 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 which takes place on weekend of 13/14/15 March 2015
* Winning semi-finalists progress to final to take place on weekend of 3/4/5 April 2015

Pools

Pool 1: London Scottish, Wales 2, Bristol Rugby, Connacht
Pool 2: Rotherham Titans, Leeds Carnegie, Ulster Ravens, Wales 4
Pool 3: Worcester Warriors, Nottingham Rugby, Moseley, Munster 'A'
Pool 4: Wales 1, Cornish Pirates, Doncaster Knights, Bedford Blues
Pool 5: Leinster 'A', Plymouth Albion, Wales 3, Jersey RFC

Round 1 – 10/11/12 October

Cornish Pirates v Bedford Blues
Wales 1 v Doncaster Knights

Round 2 – 17/18/19 October

Bedford Blues v Wales 1
Doncaster Knights v Cornish Pirates

Round 3 – 24/25/26 October

Doncaster Knights v Bedford Blues
Cornish Pirates v Wales 1

Round 4 – 28/29/30 November

Bedford Blues v Doncaster Knights
Wales 1 v Cornish Pirates

Round 5 – 5/6/7 December

Cornish Pirates v Doncaster Knights
Wales 1 v Bedford Blues

Round 6 - 12/13/14 December

Bedford Blues v Cornish Pirates
Doncaster Knights v Wales 1

Quarter-finals: 23/24/25 January
Semi-finals: 13/14/15 March
Final: 3/4/5 April

Partners

Designed by No Nonsense Technology.