English rugby Championship Cup

Jamie Crawford
Director of Rugby

Posts: 1,859

English rugby Championship Cup Apr 4, 2022 9:52:13 GMT

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Post by Jamie Crawford on Apr 4, 2022 9:52:13 GMT

The RFU Championship Cup is played annually, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) introduced it in 2018 to provide a cup competition for English second tier clubs playing in the RFU Championship. This was after the British and Irish Cup was terminated of at the end of the 2017-18 season, due to the Scottish clubs decided to pull out due to fixture congestion. Additionally the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) also switched their club representatives to select XV sides based on the Pro14 clubs and so interest in the B & I Cup waned.

Round 22 – Final round of Championship
The RFU has confirmed Round 22 (final round) in the Championship as 2 April (originally 19 March). This decision was taken due to the number of postponements caused by COVID-19 and the need to fulfil the remaining fixtures.

The Championship Cup
The start date for the Championship Cup is the weekend of 9 April. The draw was based on the standings from Round 17. As table-leaders, Ealing Trailfinders receive a bye into the quarter-final.

In Round 1, teams will play against one another, home and away. The result determines entry into the quarter-final.

The Cup rounds will be as follows:

• w/o 09 Aril – Round 1 (1st leg)
• w/o 23 April – Round 1 (2nd leg)
• w/o 30 April – Cup Round 2 (Quarter-final – 1st leg)
• w/o 07 May – Cup Round 2 (Quarter-final – 2nd leg)
• w/o 14 May – Cup Round 3 (Semi-final)
• w/o 21 May – Cup Round 4 (Final)

Round 1, First leg:
Ampthill v Coventry (Tie 1)
Nottingham v Bedford Blues (Tie 2)
Doncaster Knights v Cornish Pirates (Tie 3)
Jersey Reds v London Scottish (Tie 4)
Richmond v Hartpury (Tie 5)

Round 1, Second leg:
Coventry v Ampthill (Tie 1)
Bedford Blues v Nottingham (Tie 2)
Cornish Pirates v Doncaster Knights (Tie 3)
London Scottish v Jersey Reds (Tie 4)
Hartpury v Richmond (Tie 5)

Quarter-final, First leg:
Tie 5 winner v Tie 4 winner
Best losing playing record 2/1 v Tie 2 winner
Tie 3 winner v Tie 1 winner
Best losing playing record 4/3 v Ealing Trailfinders

Quarter-final, Second leg:
Tie 4 winner v Tie 5 winner
Tie 2 winner v best losing playing record 2/1
Tie 1 winner v Tie 3 winner
Ealing Trailfinders v Best losing playing record 4/3

Previous winner
In 2018–19 Ealing Trailfinders beat London Irish 23 – 17 at their Trailfinders Sports Ground in Ealing.

It was cancelled due to covid the following two seasons (2019–20, 2020-21)

Last Edit: Apr 4, 2022 9:53:45 GMT by Jamie Crawford

legspinner
Water Boy

Posts: 152

English rugby Championship Cup Apr 4, 2022 13:46:44 GMT via mobile

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Post by legspinner on Apr 4, 2022 13:46:44 GMT

Hi Jamie
Thanks as ever for your clear explanation of this to me meaningless competition seeing the same opposition. Is there any prize money and travel e
As I have said many times in the past a joint Premiership/Championship cup would be preferable as the useless Premiership Cup( made up of fringe squad players) with ridiculous scores and not even BT televise it.)
Until we do what the French did with two professional divisions(now three) with
matches on TV and equal share of funding the championship is doomed. Old farts indeed controlled by PRL.

davewhite
Water Boy

Posts: 116

English rugby Championship Cup Apr 4, 2022 17:04:16 GMT via mobile pairofcoyks likes this

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Post by davewhite on Apr 4, 2022 17:04:16 GMT

Let’s take the positives out of this Cup and stop moaning ! ....... it gives us chance to watch The Knights another 6 times this season, how good could that be. You can even have a long weekend in Cornwall !
It will generate some much needed finances for the club hopefully with some great Spring weather. Also it will keep the grey matter working, trying to work out all those permutations ! COYK 😀 Comments please..

Sir Cumference de Mundy
KORT

Dead from the Neck Up

Posts: 411

English rugby Championship Cup Apr 4, 2022 17:34:19 GMT via mobile

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Post by Sir Cumference de Mundy on Apr 4, 2022 17:34:19 GMT

Even in the good days of 2000+ fans for league games we were lucky to get crowds of 500 for cup games. I hope we can attract some good supporter numbers for the next few games. We would have still been better off increasing the number of teams in the Championship to 14 in line with the other divisions.

Order of the Elastic Band

davewhite
Water Boy

Posts: 116

English rugby Championship Cup Apr 4, 2022 17:39:53 GMT via mobile

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Post by davewhite on Apr 4, 2022 17:39:53 GMT

Let’s hope the crowd can arrive on Saturday , no bigger game than Pirates at home. What I don’t understand is why the club are not promoting this game on social media. They should be getting the message out there that there is a top quality game being played at Castle Park on Saturday .

johnlowe Global Moderator Posts: 1,496	English rugby Championship Cup Apr 4, 2022 18:40:53 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by johnlowe on Apr 4, 2022 18:40:53 GMT Mundiz and David W - you both make good points, one within our control and one, unfortunately, outside it

wildbill
KORT

Posts: 1,066

English rugby Championship Cup Apr 4, 2022 19:02:37 GMT

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Post by wildbill on Apr 4, 2022 19:02:37 GMT

Well said Dave White. Let's take the positives - not only can you come and watch the Knights more this season but you could also join the Knights of the Roundy tables in the Concourse Bar for lunch from the Knights Fayre and a bit of medieval banter on Saturday!!

Two heads are better than one!!

martinc
Director of Rugby

Posts: 1,738

English rugby Championship Cup Apr 5, 2022 7:25:24 GMT brianbennett likes this

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Post by martinc on Apr 5, 2022 7:25:24 GMT

I am with Dave W - it is more Rugby, more money (hopefully) into the clubs coffers, more opportunities to rub shoulders with friends and fellow supporters (in a Covid friendly manner), an opportunity for some folk to enjoy the delights of a KORT lunch if they so choose and hopefully some lovely Spring weather too.

Hopefully one day a meaningful cup competition will come along, the Championship will be expanded to 14/16 Teams but we will be in the Premiership then and playing in Europe too (positive thoughts people).

I will be availing myself of the opportunity to travel down to Cornwall later this month, and hopefully the weather and the result are as desired by yours truly (i.e. GREAT!)

COYK!

Jamie Crawford Director of Rugby Posts: 1,859	English rugby Championship Cup Apr 11, 2022 11:46:35 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Jamie Crawford on Apr 11, 2022 11:46:35 GMT Does anybody know if bonus points are included in round one of the Cup? (I've been told that they aren't.)

tomthepom Mascot Posts: 22	English rugby Championship Cup Apr 11, 2022 17:01:26 GMT via mobile Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by tomthepom on Apr 11, 2022 17:01:26 GMT No BPs. The 2 losing sides with the smallest aggregate margin of defeat join the 5 winners + ET in QFs. Looks like the games at Cov & Penzance are likely to see both teams progress, but not certain of course…

Jamie Crawford Director of Rugby Posts: 1,859	English rugby Championship Cup Apr 12, 2022 7:12:50 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Jamie Crawford on Apr 12, 2022 7:12:50 GMT Thanks Tom, that info will be in the next preview.

thomasmachin: It would appear that if we are to replace the departing players we had better be quick or all the available players will be signed by Ealing ,Coventry and Cornish Pirates! Apr 20, 2018 8:14:16 GMT

donnyknightsfan: that was absolutely dire today almost from start to finish apart from a spell in the 2nd half when we looked OK. players don't look motivated enough to me. they need a kick up the backside. the next two games v Bedford and Irish look a tough ask now. Oct 6, 2018 21:04:32 GMT

rodders: A bit random this one but are any Knights fans travelling to the Jersey game on Friday 1st March flying from East Midlands on the 10.55 flight out. 2 of us are looking for a lift to East Midlands airport unexpectedly. Happy to share costs of travel Feb 17, 2019 19:52:21 GMT