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RFU Intermediate Cup

RFU Intermediate Cup
Current season or competition:
2018–19 RFU Intermediate Cup
SportRugby union
Instituted1997; 27 years ago (1997)
Number of teamsLevel 7 of English rugby
NationsEngland (RFU)
HoldersKenilworth (1st title) (2018–19)
WebsiteEngland Rugby
Related competitionSenior Vase, Junior Vase

The RFU Intermediate Cup is a rugby union national knockout cup competition in England run by the Rugby Football Union. It is contested by teams at level 7 of the English rugby union system. While the competition is a national one, it is however split into regions until the semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London.[1] It was first contested in 1997.[2] Presently, the RFU Intermediate Cup is the third most important club cup competition in England, behind the Premiership Rugby Cup and RFU Championship Cup.

History

The RFU Intermediate Cup was first contested in 1997 for clubs at Level 7 of English rugby.[3] The competition was initially unsponsored but later gained sponsorship from NPI,[4] Powergen[5] and EDF Energy[6] before becoming known as the "RFU Intermediate Cup" solely un-sponsored by 2008.[7] The largest crowd for a final was set in 2016 for the match between Kent based Tunbridge Wells RFC and Cumbria's St. Benedict's where 9,000 Tunbridge Wells fans attended the final.[8][9] A number of future RFU Championship clubs have played in the RFU Intermediate Cup prior to promotion to the second tier with Jersey Reds,[10] Hartpury College,[7] Doncaster Knights[2] and Richmond all taking part in the past.[11]

Current format

The rounds are contested on a regional basis between the four regional unions until the semi-finals, where the winner of each region enters the national competition. Each region decides their representative separately. For example, London and South East use a direct knockout competition of all teams in the region[12] while South West split their region into Southern Counties and South Western Counties with the winners playing each other to be the region's representative.[13] Each regional champion plays another set champion with the ground being one of the semi-finalist's home.[14] The semi-finals pairings are London & South East against South West and Midlands against North.[15] The winners of the semis play each other in the final at Twickenham Stadium.[1]

North

The format for northern teams involved in the RFU Intermediate Cup is a league-cup hybrid with each county union in the region selecting one representative each. The first stage features a mini league with clubs from Cheshire, Cumbria and Lancashire meeting in one pool and clubs from Durham County, Northumberland and Yorkshire, meeting in the other, each side playing 2 games each. The winners of each group then meet in the north final to determine who goes forward to the national semi-finals.[16] The competition involves representative teams from the following level 7 leagues:

Midlands

The format for Midlands teams involved in the RFU Senior Vase is a direct knockout cup with a 1st round, 2nd round, 3rd round, semi-finals and final. The winner of the final goes forward to the Senior Vase national semi-finals.[17] The competition involves all teams from the following level 7 leagues:

London and South East

As with the Midlands the format for London and South East teams involved in the RFU Senior Vase is a direct knockout cup with a 1st round, 2nd round, 3rd round, semi-finals and final. The winner of the final goes forward to the Senior Vase national semi-finals.[18] The competition involves all teams from the following level 7 leagues:

South West

The format for the south-west teams is more complex with different methods of qualification decided on by the county unions that they represent. Clubs that are affiliated with Dorset & Wilts and Gloucestershire play in county based knock-out competitions first. The winners of the Dorset & Wilts competition then plays in the Southern Counties semi-finals against representatives from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, while the Gloucestershire winners play in the South West Counties semi-finals against representative from Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, with the winners then meeting in a regional final. Finally, the Southern Counties and South West Counties winners meet to determine qualification for the national semi-finals.[19] Teams involved are from the following level 7 leagues:

Competition results

Season Winner Score Runners–up Name
1996–97 Thanet Wanderers (SE) 21–13[20][2] Doncaster (N) NPI Intermediate Cup[21][22]
1997–98 Bedford Athletic (M) 29–24 (aet)[23] Stroud (SW)
1998–99 Aldwinians (N) 21–10[24][25] Dudley Kingswinford (M)
1999–00 Dunstablians (M) 14–10[26] Hull Ionians (N)
2000–01 Old Patesians (SW) 25–24[27] Blaydon (N)
2001–02 Halifax (N) 43–19[28][29] Gosport and Fareham (SE) Powergen Intermediate Cup[30]
2002–03 Hertford (SE) 31–16[5][31] Bristol St Mary's Old Boys (SW)
2003–04 Bradford & Bingley (N) 46–18[32] Gloucester Old Boys (SW)
2004–05 Morley (N) 21–11[33] Westoe (N)
2005–06 Stockport (N) 11–3[34] Morley (N)
2006–07 Mounts Bay (SW) 46–36[35] Dunstablians (M) EDF Energy Intermediate Cup[36]
2007–08 Chester (N) 21–18[6] Birkenhead Park (N)
2008–09 Hartpury College (SW) 41–31[7] Clifton (SW)
2009–10 Old Redcliffians (SW) 42–21[37] Northern (N) RFU Intermediate Cup
2010–11 Stoke-on-Trent (M) 16–10[38] Aylesford Bulls (SE)
2011–12 East Grinstead (SE) 34–18[39] Ilkley (N)
2012–13 Brighton (SE) 30–22[40] Bridlington (N)
2013–14 Trowbridge (SW) 22–19[41] Leek (M)
2014–15 Maidstone (SE) 31–18[42] Bridgnorth (M)
2015–16 Tunbridge Wells (SE) 56–14[43] St. Benedict's (N)
2016–17 West Leeds (N) 35–26[44] Charlton Park (SE)
2017–18 Camberley (SE) 63–14[45] Droitwich (M)
2018–19 Kenilworth (M) 32–26[46] Matson (SW)
2019-20 Not contested due to COVID-19 Pandemic
(N) stands for Northern region, (M) for Midlands, (SE) for London & South East, (SW) for South-west

Number of wins

Club

Region

Notes

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Undefeated and off to Twickenham". Times of Tunbridge Wells. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Thanet Wanderers and the Flying Pig". Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Medway vs Deal & Betteshanger" (PDF). Medway RFC. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  4. ^ "History beckons in Surrey Cup final". Get Surrey. 15 April 1999. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  5. ^ a b "2003 Powergen Intermediate Cup Final". Hertford RFC. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Chester RFC : We won cup for injured Aled". Daily Post. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  7. ^ a b c "Clifton 31–41 Hartpury College". BBC Sport. 18 April 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  8. ^ "Tunbridge Wells Honoured at Twickenham for a Perfect Campaign". Kent and Sussex Courier. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  9. ^ "A well-run club is the route to victory…". Times of Tunbridge Wells. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  10. ^ "Jersey draw London Nigerian in Powergen Intermediate Cup". Jersey Evening Post. 21 September 2005. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Richmond appeal for fast-track promotion". London Evening Standard. 8 March 2001. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Intermediate Cup 2015–16". RFU London. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Rugby: Windsor Rugby Club win the Southern Counties Intermediate Cup but Anthony Andrews is not getting too carried away". Royal Borough Observer. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  14. ^ "Droitwich gripped by rugby cup fever". Bromsgrove Advertiser. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  15. ^ Colin Channon (13 March 2018). "Whitchurch Rugby Club urge residents to support their bid for Twickenham glory". Whitchurch Herald. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  16. ^ "Northern Division Cups". England RFU. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  17. ^ "Midlands Division Cups". England RFU. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  18. ^ "London & SE Division Cups". England RFU. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  19. ^ "South West Division Cups". England RFU. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  20. ^ "1996–99 Rugby World Information". Rugbyrelics.com. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  21. ^ "History Of LRFC". Leamington RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  22. ^ "Scenic route gives Perry perspective". The Independent. 5 September 2006. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  23. ^ Paul Trow (2 May 1998). "Rugby Union: Rees ruled out of tour". The Independent. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  24. ^ "CHRIS DALY 26/10/1946 – 30/1/2017". Aldwinians RUFC. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  25. ^ "Twickenham target fires DK stalwart Wilson". Birmingham Post. 11 January 2006. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  26. ^ "Coogan Replaces Jacko". Bedford Today. 15 June 2000. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  27. ^ "Father and Son: I was so nervous when I played rugby with my son Jack, says Rich Harvey". Old Patesians. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  28. ^ "Irish end long wait for trophy; London Irish – 38, Northampton – 7". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 4 May 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  29. ^ "It's not such a fairytale ending". Southern Daily Echo. 22 April 2002. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  30. ^ "Powergen to sponsor English National Cup". ESPN. 6 December 2001. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  31. ^ "Rugby Union – Powergen Intermediate Cup – Final – St Mary's Old Boys v Hertford Pictures". Getty Images. 5 April 2003. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  32. ^ Wildman, Rob (19 April 2004). "Bradford keep Old Boys at bay". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  33. ^ "Morley's field day at 'mental' Twickenham". Yorkshire Evening Post. 18 April 2005. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  34. ^ "Shattered dreams". Morley Observer. 11 April 2006. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  35. ^ "Fixtures". The Times. Retrieved 7 April 2018.(registration required)
  36. ^ "EDF extends rugby sponsorship with new RFU and Premier deal". Marketing Week. 3 August 2006. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  37. ^ "Old Reds claim Twickenham victory". BBC Sport. 17 May 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  38. ^ "Stoke win RFU Intermediate Cup". Rugby World. 14 May 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  39. ^ Mike Legg (5 May 2012). "East Grinstead triumph at Twickenham". The Argus. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  40. ^ "RFU Intermediate Cup". Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  41. ^ Owen Houlihan (8 May 2014). "Trowbridge at Twickenham: Fans' support was overwhelming, says Ojomoh". Wiltshire Times. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  42. ^ McConnell, Ed (4 May 2015). "Maidstone coach Paul Hathaway reaction to winning RFU Intermediate Cup at Twickenham against Bridgnorth". Kent Online. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  43. ^ The News Desk (11 May 2016). "Wells make history with cup and league double". Times of Tunbridge Wells. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  44. ^ "Super West Leeds dig in to get over the line and make it a Twickenham double". Yorkshire Post. 8 May 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  45. ^ "Rugby: Droitwich suffer nine-try Twickenham beating in RFU Intermediate Cup final". Worcester News. 7 May 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  46. ^ "Kenilworth hold off Matson comeback in Intermediate Cup". England Rugby. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
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