Post by Jamie Crawford on Oct 11, 2016 15:47:19 GMT
“The 2016–17 British and Irish Cup is the eighth season of the annual rugby union competition for second tier, semi-professional clubs from Britain and Ireland. London Welsh are the defending champions having won the 2015–16 final against Leeds Carnegie 10–33 at Headingley Carnegie Stadium, Leeds on 10 April 2015. There have been six different winners and seven different losing finalists in the seven seasons of its existence. The format of the competition is similar to last season with Scottish clubs not competing. For the second consecutive season the four Welsh teams are the reserve sides of the teams competing in the Pro 12 competition instead of clubs from the Welsh Premier Division.” (Wikipedia)
Round one of the British & Irish Cup has the Knights travelling to visit our neighbours Rotherham Titans at Clifton Lane. In the Championship the Knights have won four and lost two, the Titans have won two, lost four but the B & I Cup is a different ball game – well it’s still rugby but you get my drift!
One thing is certain; the Titans are smarting from losing by one point to Bedford Blues at Goldington Road 17-16. It was a game that Rotherham Titans head coach Justin Burnell said in the Yorkshire Post, ““It was a great effort – but we should have had the win.” They had five new players signed from the Gloucester academy in their squad. Apparently the positives taken from the game were the losing bonus point gained and how well the new Gloucester Academy played gelled with the rest of the team.
Declan Cusack said in the Yorkshire Post, “The competition has fond memories for Knights’ fly-half Cusack, who won the cup with Munster A in 2011-12.
“Whether you play Rotherham in a friendly or a game of squash, it’s going to be big. So, yes, we are taking the B & I seriously. If we don’t we’ll get bumped and our coach Clive Griffiths doesn’t like to lose,” said the Irishman, now in his second season at Castle Park…””
The Knights play in Pool 2:
England Doncaster Knights
England London Welsh
Ireland Munster A
England Rotherham Titans
Elsewhere in in Round One:
Pool 1: Ulster ‘A’ v Jersey Reds
Pool 1: Cardiff Blues Premiership Select v London Scottish
Pool 2: Rotherham Titans v Doncaster Knights
Pool 2: Munster ‘A’ v London Welsh
Pool 3: Connacht Eagles v Cornish Pirates
Pool 3: Ospreys Premiership Select v London Irish
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby v Scarlets Premiership Select
Pool 4: Richmond v Leinster ‘A’
Pool 5: Bedford Blues v Dragons Premiership Select
Pool 5: Ealing Trailfinders v Leeds Carnegie
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY...
