British and Irish Cup
Encyclopedia
The British and Irish Cup is a semi-professional
northern hemisphere rugby union
competition. It took place for the first time in the 2009/10 season. A total of 24 teams from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland competed in the inaugural competition.
Competing teams comprise:
The teams are divided into four pools of six, playing over five weekends during the Autumn International
and Six Nations
windows, with semi-finals and finals in April and May respectively.
The inaugural season of the competition has been heavily criticised, with one reporter describing it as 'dismal'. The competition was won by Cornish Pirates
who defeated Munster A
in the final 23-14.
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|
FB
15
Edd Thrower
RW
14
Handre Schmidt
OC
13
Myles Dorrian
IC
12
Ollie Dodge
LW
11
James Pritchard (c
)
FH
10
Jake Sharp
SH
9
Will Chudley
N8
8
Paul Tupai
OF
7
Alex Rae
BF
6
Gregor Gillanders
RL
5
George Kruis
LL
4
Mike Howard
TP
3
Phil Boulton
HK
2
Dan Richmond
LP
1
Dan Seal
Replacements:
HK
16
Chris Locke
PR
17
Sam Walsh
LK
18
Sean Tomes
N8
19
Chris Goodman
SH
20
Darryl Veenendaal
CE
21
Tom Bedford
WG
22
Duncan Taylor
Coach: 
Mike Rayer
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
northern hemisphere rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
competition. It took place for the first time in the 2009/10 season. A total of 24 teams from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland competed in the inaugural competition.
Competing teams comprise:
- 12 teams from the RFU ChampionshipRFU ChampionshipThe RFU Championship replaced National Division One as the second tier in the English rugby union system in September 2009. Unlike National Division One, which is semi-professional, the RFU Championship is a fully professional league.-History:...
, the second tier of English rugby. - 6 top clubs from the Principality PremiershipWelsh Premier DivisionThe Welsh Premier Division is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented by the Welsh Rugby Union for the 1990–91 season.-Competition history:...
. - 3 Irish provinces represented by 'A' teams.
- 3 Scottish sides, top clubs from the Scottish Premiership.
The teams are divided into four pools of six, playing over five weekends during the Autumn International
End of year rugby tests
The End of year rugby tests, known as Autumn internationals in the Northern Hemisphere or Guinness Autumn Series in the Republic of Ireland, are a series of rugby union matches contested approximately each November...
and Six Nations
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
windows, with semi-finals and finals in April and May respectively.
The inaugural season of the competition has been heavily criticised, with one reporter describing it as 'dismal'. The competition was won by Cornish Pirates
Cornish Pirates
The Cornish Pirates are an English professional rugby union team who play in the Championship, the second level of the English rugby union pyramid, and are the premier Cornish rugby club. Formerly known as Penzance & Newlyn Pirates, the Cornish Pirates play their home games and train at their...
who defeated Munster A
Munster Rugby
Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
in the final 23-14.
Finals
| Year | Winner | Score | Finalist | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-10 | Cornish Pirates Cornish Pirates The Cornish Pirates are an English professional rugby union team who play in the Championship, the second level of the English rugby union pyramid, and are the premier Cornish rugby club. Formerly known as Penzance & Newlyn Pirates, the Cornish Pirates play their home games and train at their... |
23-14 | Munster A Munster Rugby Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish... |
Recreation Ground, Camborne Camborne Camborne is a town and civil parish in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is at the western edge of a conurbation comprising Camborne, Pool and Redruth.... |
|
| 2010-11 | Bristol Rugby Bristol Rugby Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'... |
17-14 | Bedford Blues Bedford Blues Bedford Blues is a rugby union club in the town of Bedford, England, currently playing in The RFU Championship. Bedford is one of the largest towns in England without a league football club, and one of the few towns in England where the rugby club is better supported than the football team. The... |
Memorial Ground Memorial Stadium (Bristol) The Memorial Stadium, also commonly known by its previous name of The Memorial Ground, is a sports ground in Bristol, England, dedicated to the memory of the rugby union players of the city killed during World War I... , Bristol Bristol Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007... |
4375 |
Pool A
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | +/- | BP | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Worcester Warriors |
5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 175 | 87 | 88 | 3 | 19 |
| Leinster A Leinster Rugby Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... |
5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 138 | 117 | 21 | 3 | 19 |
| Cornish Pirates Cornish Pirates The Cornish Pirates are an English professional rugby union team who play in the Championship, the second level of the English rugby union pyramid, and are the premier Cornish rugby club. Formerly known as Penzance & Newlyn Pirates, the Cornish Pirates play their home games and train at their... |
5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 175 | 108 | 67 | 5 | 17 |
| Newport |
5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 121 | 159 | |||
| 4 | 16 | ||||||||
| Plymouth Albion Plymouth Albion R.F.C. Plymouth Albion Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club who play in Plymouth, England. The club was founded around 1915 from a merger between Plymouth RFC and Devonport Albion RFC... |
5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 76 | 144 | |||
| 1 | 5 | ||||||||
 CurrieCurrie RFC Currie Rugby Football Club are an Edinburgh-based rugby union club in the Scottish Rugby Union, they currently play in Premiership Division One.... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 104 | 174 | |||
| 2 | 2 |
Pool B
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | +/- | BP | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Bristol Rugby Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'... |
5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 161 | 95 | 66 | 3 | 19 |
| Llanelli Llanelli RFC Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent... |
5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 123 | 66 | 57 | 2 | 18 |
| Munster A Munster Rugby Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish... |
5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 149 | 79 | 70 | 3 | 15 |
| Nottingham Nottingham R.F.C. Nottingham Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club based in Nottingham, England. The club's first team currently play in the Championship, the second tier of English Rugby.... |
5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 128 | 103 | 25 | 5 | 13 |
| Melrose Melrose RFC Melrose Rugby Football Club, located in the town of Melrose in the Scottish Borders, is one of the oldest rugby clubs in the world.-History:The club was formed in 1877 and was elected to full membership of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1880... |
5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 104 | 147 | |||
| 2 | 10 | ||||||||
| Esher Esher RFC Esher Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Surrey, England. Esher RFC are currently playing in the second division of the English league system, The Championship. The club was formed in 1923 when four rugby enthusiasts agreed to start a club.... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 46 | 221 | |||
| 1 | 1 |
Pool C
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | +/- | BP | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Blues Bedford Blues Bedford Blues is a rugby union club in the town of Bedford, England, currently playing in The RFU Championship. Bedford is one of the largest towns in England without a league football club, and one of the few towns in England where the rugby club is better supported than the football team. The... |
5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 164 | 66 | 98 | 3 | 23 |
| Moseley Moseley Rugby Football Club Moseley Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club, based at Billesley Common in Birmingham, that competes in the RFU Championship. The club was historically the premier rugby club in Birmingham, reaching the final of the John Player Cup three times in the late 1970s and early 1980s... |
5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 117 | 113 | 4 | 2 | 18 |
| Neath Neath RFC Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem... |
5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 78 | 76 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| London Welsh |
5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 93 | 99 | |||
| 3 | 11 | ||||||||
| Ulster Ravens Ulster Rugby Ulster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... |
5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 109 | 128 | |||
| 3 | 7 | ||||||||
| Swansea Swansea RFC Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 61 | 140 | |||
| 2 | 2 |
Pool D
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | +/- | BP | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontypridd Pontypridd RFC Pontypridd Rugby Football Club, known as Ponty, are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, currently playing in the British and Irish Cup, Principality Premiership, and are the current SWALEC Cup champions.... |
5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 140 | 80 | 60 | 3 | 23 |
| Ayr Ayr RFC Ayr Rugby Football Club are a rugby union side, currently playing in the Premiership Division One.The team are based in Ayr in Scotland, and they play at Millbrae, Alloway.-Millbrae:... |
5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 93 | 101 | |||
| 0 | 14 | ||||||||
| Doncaster Knights Doncaster R.F.C. Doncaster Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club representing the town of Doncaster. The first XV are known as the Doncaster Knights, and play in the RFU Championship... |
5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 142 | 128 | 14 | 3 | 11 |
| Birmingham & Solihull Birmingham & Solihull R.F.C. Birmingham and Solihull Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club representing Birmingham and Solihull. It was formed in 1989 by a merger of the original Birmingham and Solihull rugby clubs, which were both established over 60 years ago.... |
5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 95 | 90 | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| Llandovery Llandovery RFC Llandovery RFC are a Welsh rugby union club based in Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The club is an inaugural member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Scarlets.-Early history:... |
5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 92 | 106 | |||
| 1 | 9 | ||||||||
| Rotherham Titans Rotherham R.U.F.C. Rotherham Rugby Union Football Club, or Rotherham Titans are a professional rugby union team from Rotherham, Yorkshire, currently playing in the English RFU Championship-History:... |
5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 83 | 140 | |||
| 1 | 3 |
Quarter-finals
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Semi-finals
----Final
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> | |||
| FB | 15 | George Watkins |
|
| RW | 14 | Anthony Elliott Anthony Elliott Anthony Elliott is a rugby union footballer who plays on the wing for Bristol Rugby in the RFU Championship... |
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| OC | 13 | Jack Adams |
|
| IC | 12 |  Junior Fatialofa |
|
| LW | 11 | Dan Norton Dan Norton (rugby union) Dan Norton is a rugby union player for Bristol Rugby in the Guinness Championship. He plays as a winger.Norton was at the Gloucester academy and dual registered with Moseley for both the 2007/08 and 2008/09 seasons.... |
|
| FH | 10 | Ed Barnes Ed Barnes Ed Barnes is an English rugby union footballer, who plays fly-half for Bristol Rugby.Barnes started his playing career at Bath before moving to Bedford... |
|
| SH | 9 |  Robbie ShawRobbie Shaw Robbie Shaw is a International Rugby Union player currently training for Welsh region side the Scarlets.He plays at Scrum Half for Bristol RFC, but was released at the end of the 2010/2011 season.... |
|
| N8 | 8 | Dan Montagu |
|
| OF | 7 | James Merriman James Merriman James Merriman is a Welsh rugby union footballer with Bristol Rugby. A flanker, he has captained the Wales Under 21 side and played for the Wales national rugby union team team. He was part of the Welsh sevens team that won the World Rugby Sevens Cup in 2009.-External links:*... |
|
| BF | 6 | Iain Grieve Iain Grieve Iain Grieve is a rugby union back-rower for Bristol Rugby in the Championship.Grieve moved to Bristol from Botswana at the age of 15, and joined the Bristol Rugby Academy soon after... (c Captain (sports) In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field... ) |
|
| RL | 5 | Roy Winters Roy Winters Roy Winters is an English rugby union lock, currently playing in the RFU Championship for Bristol Rugby. He began his career playing for Haywards Heath RFC before becoming professional.... |
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| LL | 4 |  Mariano SambucettiMariano Sambucetti Mariano Sambucetti is a rugby union player for Bristol Rugby in the Guinness Premiership.Mariano Sambucetti's position of choice is as a lock.-External links:*... |
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| TP | 3 | Darren Crompton Darren Crompton Darren Crompton is a professional rugby union player for Bristol Rugby. He has played for Richmond, Bath, Cardiff Blues and represented England at many levels. He also has a judo black belt, winning a national gold medal at 13.... |
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| HK | 2 | David Blaney David Blaney David Blaney born 3 March 1979 in Ireland is a rugby union player who played for Bristol Rugby in the Guinness Premiership. He plays as a hooker. He left Bristol at the end of the 2010–11 season.... |
|
| LP | 1 | Mark Irish Mark Irish Mark Irish is an English rugby union footballer who plays at prop for Bristol Rugby.Irish joined Gloucester from amateur club Bridgwater but failed to make a first team game and was released at the end of the 2003-04 season. He signed a 2 year contract with Bristol in February 2005.Irish is a... |
|
| Replacements: | |||
| HK | 16 | Ollie Hayes Ollie Hayes Ollie Hayes is an English rugby union player for Worcester Warriors in the Aviva Premiership. Having started his career at Bath Academy he moved to Bristol Guinness Premiership in 2008. He made his Premiership debut in March 2009 against Bath... |
|
| PR | 17 | Wayne Thompson |
|
| PR | 18 | Mako Vunipola Mako Vunipola Mako Vunipola is an English rugby union player. He plays at Prop for Saracens in the Aviva Premiership. In 2011 he left Bristol Rugby to join Saracens... |
|
| LK | 19 | Darren Barry |
|
| N8 | 20 | Marco Mama |
|
| SH | 21 | Richard Bolt |
|
| FH | 22 | Mark Davies |
|
| Coach: Paul Hull Paul Hull Paul Anthony Hull is a former English rugby union international full back.He is currently head coach of Bristol Rugby.-Notes:... |
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Edd ThrowerEdd Thrower
Edd Thrower is an English rugby union footballer who plays at wing and fullback for London Welsh RFC. Thrower began his professional playing career in 2001 with Zurich Premiership side London Irish, where he spent three seasons...
Handre Schmidt Myles Dorrian Ollie Dodge James Pritchard (cCaptain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
)
Jake Sharp Will Chudley Paul Tupai Alex RaeAlex Rae (rugby union)
Alex Rae born 2 February, 1986 in Coventry, England is a rugby union player for Bedford Blues whom he recently signed for after leaving the Northampton Saints. He plays as a lock....
Gregor Gillanders George KruisGeorge Kruis
George Kruis is a professional Rugby Union player for Saracens F.C. in the Aviva Premiership.He was born in Guildford, Surrey and was educated at St John's School, Leatherhead. He played all of his youth rugby for Dorking RFC....
Mike Howard Phil Boulton Dan Richmond Dan Seal Chris Locke Sam Walsh Sean TomesSean Tomes
Sean Tomes born in Gateshead, England is a rugby union player. A lock forward, he is the son of 48 cap Scotland international and British Lions tourist Alan Tomes....
Chris GoodmanChris Goodman
Chris Goodman is a rugby union player for Bedford Blues in the Guinness Championship.Chris attended King Edward's School, Bath until the age of 18, and was 1st XV captain as No. 8...
Darryl Veenendaal Tom Bedford Duncan Taylor Mike RayerMike Rayer
Michael 'Mike' Anthony Rayer is a former Wales international rugby union player. A full-back, he played his club rugby for Cardiff RFC and Bedford. He is currently coach to Bedford Blues. A talented and popular player, he played during a period where there was little success in Welsh rugby...
Touch judges: Ian Heard Graham Marshall |
Teams
| England |
Ireland | Wales |
Scotland |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Leinster Rugby Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... Munster Rugby Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish... Ulster Rugby Ulster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... |
Llandovery RFC Llandovery RFC are a Welsh rugby union club based in Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The club is an inaugural member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Scarlets.-Early history:... Llanelli RFC Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent... Neath RFC Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem... Pontypridd RFC Pontypridd Rugby Football Club, known as Ponty, are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, currently playing in the British and Irish Cup, Principality Premiership, and are the current SWALEC Cup champions.... Swansea RFC Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
|
Currie RFC Currie Rugby Football Club are an Edinburgh-based rugby union club in the Scottish Rugby Union, they currently play in Premiership Division One.... Melrose RFC Melrose Rugby Football Club, located in the town of Melrose in the Scottish Borders, is one of the oldest rugby clubs in the world.-History:The club was formed in 1877 and was elected to full membership of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1880...
|
Geography
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area/Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayr Ayr RFC Ayr Rugby Football Club are a rugby union side, currently playing in the Premiership Division One.The team are based in Ayr in Scotland, and they play at Millbrae, Alloway.-Millbrae:... |
Millbrae | Unknown | Alloway Alloway Alloway is best known as the birthplace of Robert Burns, and as where he set his poem "Tam o' Shanter".... , South Ayrshire South Ayrshire South Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway.... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
| Bedford Blues Bedford Blues Bedford Blues is a rugby union club in the town of Bedford, England, currently playing in The RFU Championship. Bedford is one of the largest towns in England without a league football club, and one of the few towns in England where the rugby club is better supported than the football team. The... |
Goldington Road Goldington Road Goldington Road is a rugby ground in Bedford, England. It is the home stadium of Bedford Blues. The stadium holds 6,000 people. The stadium also has two corporate boxes, "The Larry Web Room" and "The Lifesure Suite", which can cater for 12 to 20 people respectively in addition to "The Blues Marquee"... |
4,684 | Bedford Bedford Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town... , Bedfordshire Bedfordshire Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east.... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Birmingham & Solihull Birmingham & Solihull R.F.C. Birmingham and Solihull Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club representing Birmingham and Solihull. It was formed in 1989 by a merger of the original Birmingham and Solihull rugby clubs, which were both established over 60 years ago.... |
Sharmans Cross Road Sharmans Cross Road Sharmans Cross Road was the ground of RFU Championship side Birmingham & Solihull R.F.C. until May 2010. The ground is named after the road it lies off in Solihull, West Midlands.-Capacity:... |
3,500 | Solihull Solihull Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre... , West Midlands West Midlands (county) The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Bristol Bristol Rugby Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'... |
Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Bristol) The Memorial Stadium, also commonly known by its previous name of The Memorial Ground, is a sports ground in Bristol, England, dedicated to the memory of the rugby union players of the city killed during World War I... |
12,100 | Horfield Horfield Horfield is a suburb of the city of Bristol, in southwest England. It lies on Bristol's northern edge, its border with Filton marking part of the boundary between Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Bishopston lies directly to the south. Monks Park and Golden Hill are to the west. Lockleaze and... , Bristol Bristol Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Cornish Pirates Cornish Pirates The Cornish Pirates are an English professional rugby union team who play in the Championship, the second level of the English rugby union pyramid, and are the premier Cornish rugby club. Formerly known as Penzance & Newlyn Pirates, the Cornish Pirates play their home games and train at their... |
Mennaye Field Mennaye Field Mennaye Field is a sports stadium located in Penzance, Cornwall. The ground was provided by the Borough of Penzance for the Penzance and Newlyn RFC formed on Tuesday, 12th December, 1944 with the amalgamation of Penzance RFC and Newlyn RFC. The current tennants are the Cornish Pirates rugby union... |
4,000 | Penzance Penzance Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London... , Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Currie Currie RFC Currie Rugby Football Club are an Edinburgh-based rugby union club in the Scottish Rugby Union, they currently play in Premiership Division One.... |
Malleny Park | Unknown | Balerno Balerno Balerno is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland situated 12 kilometres south west of the city centre, next to Juniper Green and Currie. Administratively, Balerno falls within the jurisdiction of the City of Edinburgh Council.- History :... , Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
| Doncaster Knights Doncaster R.F.C. Doncaster Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club representing the town of Doncaster. The first XV are known as the Doncaster Knights, and play in the RFU Championship... |
Castle Park Castle Park rugby stadium Castle Park is a sports stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. It is the home of the Doncaster Knights, a Rugby Union side who play in the RFU Championship. Historically it was known as Armthorpe Road, but was renamed in 2000. Capacity is around 3,000. In 2008 the club opened the £3m all-seater De... |
3,075 | Doncaster Doncaster Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"... , South Yorkshire South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Esher Esher RFC Esher Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Surrey, England. Esher RFC are currently playing in the second division of the English league system, The Championship. The club was formed in 1923 when four rugby enthusiasts agreed to start a club.... |
Molesey Road | Unknown | Hersham Hersham Hersham is a village in Surrey, within the M25 boundary. It is within easy reach of Heathrow and Gatwick airports. The main A3 London to Portsmouth road runs through its boundaries... , Surrey Surrey Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Leinster A Leinster Rugby Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... |
Donnybrook | 7,000 | Dublin, Leinster Leinster Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled... , Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
| Llandovery Llandovery RFC Llandovery RFC are a Welsh rugby union club based in Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The club is an inaugural member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Scarlets.-Early history:... |
Church Bank Playing Fields | 5,000 | Llandovery Llandovery Llandovery is a market town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the River Tywi and the A40 road.The town is served by Llandovery railway station, where there is a park and ride to Llanelli and Shrewsbury via the Heart of Wales Line... , Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
| Llanelli Llanelli RFC Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent... |
Parc y Scarlets Parc y Scarlets Parc y Scarlets is a rugby union stadium in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, that opened in November 2008 as the new home of the Scarlets and Llanelli RFC. The ground replaced Stradey Park, the home of Llanelli's rugby teams for almost 130 years... |
14,870 | Llanelli Llanelli Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby... , Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
| London Welsh | Old Deer Park Old Deer Park Old Deer Park is an area of open space within Richmond-upon-Thames, England, and is in extent. The park is bounded generally by the River Thames to the west, Kew Gardens to the north, and urban areas of Richmond town to the east and south. Owned by the Crown Estate, the park forms part of a larger... |
5,850 | Richmond, London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Melrose Melrose RFC Melrose Rugby Football Club, located in the town of Melrose in the Scottish Borders, is one of the oldest rugby clubs in the world.-History:The club was formed in 1877 and was elected to full membership of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1880... |
The Greenyards | Unknown | Melrose Melrose -Scotland:* Melrose, Scotland , a town in the Scottish Borders** Melrose Abbey, ruined monastery** Melrose RFC, rugby club** Melrose Golf Club-Australia:* Melrose, South Australia, a town in the southern Flinders Ranges... , Scottish Borders Scottish Borders The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
| Moseley Moseley Rugby Football Club Moseley Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club, based at Billesley Common in Birmingham, that competes in the RFU Championship. The club was historically the premier rugby club in Birmingham, reaching the final of the John Player Cup three times in the late 1970s and early 1980s... |
Billesley Common Billesley Common Billesley Common is a recreational area of public open space in South Birmingham, England. It is situated along the Yardley Wood Road, between the suburbs of Moseley and Yardley Wood.... |
3,650 | Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... , West Midlands West Midlands (county) The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Munster A Munster Rugby Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish... |
Musgrave Park Musgrave Park, Cork Musgrave Park is a rugby football stadium in the city of Cork, Ireland. The ground consists of four terraces, one stand, three tribunes, one jogging track, and two VIP stands on the west side. Musgrave has a capacity of about 9,251 and is situated on Pearse Road in Ballyphehane... |
8,300 | Cork Cork (city) Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban... , County Cork County Cork County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county... , Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
| Neath Neath RFC Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem... |
The Gnoll The Gnoll The Gnoll in Neath, Wales is a sports ground, with a capacity of 5,000.In July 2009, Neath RFC presented plans for the redevelopment of the Gnoll, including building a community centre on the site, which were criticised as "too woolly".-Rugby union:... |
7,500 | Neath Neath Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001... , Neath Port Talbot Neath Port Talbot Neath Port Talbot is a county borough and one of the unitary authority areas of Wales. Neath Port Talbot is the 8th most populous county in Wales and the third most populous county borough.... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
| Newport | Rodney Parade Rodney Parade Rodney Parade is a stadium in the city of Newport, south Wales. Located on the east bank of the River Usk in Newport city centre it is primarily used for rugby matches and is the home ground of Newport RFC and the Newport Gwent Dragons regional team.-History:... |
10,500 | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... , South Wales South Wales South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
| Nottingham Nottingham R.F.C. Nottingham Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club based in Nottingham, England. The club's first team currently play in the Championship, the second tier of English Rugby.... |
Meadow Lane Meadow Lane Not to be confused with The Meadow, home of Southern Football League Premier Division football team Chesham UnitedThe Meadow Lane Stadium is a football stadium in Nottingham, England... |
19,588 | Nottingham Nottingham Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group... , Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Plymouth Albion Plymouth Albion R.F.C. Plymouth Albion Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club who play in Plymouth, England. The club was founded around 1915 from a merger between Plymouth RFC and Devonport Albion RFC... |
The Brickfields The Brickfields The Brickfields is a sports stadium in Devonport, England. It is used as the home ground of Rugby Union team Plymouth Albion of the RFU Championship, who moved there in 2003. The highest crowd was 6871, for a match against rivals Exeter Chiefs in October 2008.... |
6,500 | Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound... , Devon Devon Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Pontypridd Pontypridd RFC Pontypridd Rugby Football Club, known as Ponty, are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, currently playing in the British and Irish Cup, Principality Premiership, and are the current SWALEC Cup champions.... |
Sardis Road Sardis Road Sardis Road is a rugby union stadium situated in Pontypridd, Wales. It is home to the Principality Premiership team, Pontypridd RFC and previously the Celtic Warriors, the now defunct regional rugby union team... |
7,861 | Pontypridd Pontypridd Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff... , Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
| Rotherham Titans Rotherham R.U.F.C. Rotherham Rugby Union Football Club, or Rotherham Titans are a professional rugby union team from Rotherham, Yorkshire, currently playing in the English RFU Championship-History:... |
Clifton Lane Clifton Lane Clifton Lane is a sports stadium located in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. It is the home ground of the professional rugby union team Rotherham Titans who play in the RFU Championship. It was the home of Rotherham Town, a historic football team in the town.-Bibliography:* Vasili, Phil. The... |
2,500 | Rotherham Rotherham Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of... , South Yorkshire South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Swansea Swansea RFC Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip... |
St Helens Rugby & Cricket Ground | 4,500 | Brynmill Brynmill Brynmill is a suburb of the City and County of Swansea, Wales, UK. It lies about two miles to the west of Swansea city centre. It is a residential area forming the southern part of the Uplands electoral ward. As it is close to Swansea university, many students choose to rent rooms here during... , Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
| Ulster Ravens Ulster Rugby Ulster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... |
Ravenhill Stadium Ravenhill Stadium Ravenhill Stadium is located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is used by Ulster Rugby. It has a normal capacity of 12,300 and is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union.-History:The grounds were opened in the 1923/24 season... |
12,125 | Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... , Ulster Ulster Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial... , Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west... |
| Worcester Warriors | Sixways Stadium Sixways Stadium Sixways Stadium is a stadium in Worcester, England. It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches and is the home stadium of Worcester Rugby Football Club. The stadium is able to hold 12,068. It opened in 1975 and is located off junction 6 of the M5 motorway, hence the name Sixways.An... |
12,088 | Worcester Worcester The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the... , West Midlands West Midlands (county) The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |