2014–15 LV Cup

{{Infobox European Cup Rugby season

| name = 2014–15 LV Cup

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| countries = {{flag|England}}
{{flag|Wales}}

| tournament format = Round-robin and knockout

| date = 1 November 2014 – 22 March 2015

| teams = 16

| matches =

| attendance =

| tries =

| top point scorer =

| top try scorer =

| venue = Franklin's Gardens, Northampton{{cite web |url=http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/franklin-s-gardens-to-host-lv-cup-final-1-6384460 |title=Franklin’s Gardens to host LV= Cup final}}

| attendance2 = 8,685

| champions = Saracens

| count = 2

| runner-up = Exeter Chiefs

| website = [http://www.lv.com/about-us/sponsorship/rugby/lv-cup www.lv.com]

| previous year = 2013–14

| previous tournament = 2013–14 LV Cup

| next year = 2016–17

| next tournament = 2016–17 Anglo-Welsh Cup

}}

The 2014–15 LV Cup (styled as the LV= Cup) is the 44th season of England's national rugby union cup competition, and the tenth to follow the Anglo-Welsh format.

The competition consists of the four Welsh Pro12 teams and the twelve English Premiership clubs arranged into pools consisting of three English and one Welsh team. English clubs have been allocated to the pools depending on their finish in the 2013–14 Aviva Premiership. Teams are guaranteed two home and two away pool matches, with teams in Pools 1 and 4 playing each other and teams in Pools 2 and 3 playing each other. The top team from each pool qualifies for the semi-finals. The competition will take place during the Autumn Internationals window and during the Six Nations thus allowing teams to develop their squad players.

Exeter Chiefs were the defending champions this season after claiming the cup with a 15–8 victory over Northampton Saints in the final at Sandy Park in Exeter.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/26551754|title=LV= Cup final: Exeter Chiefs 15–8 Northampton Saints|date=16 March 2014}} The final was won by Saracens 23–20 over Exeter Chiefs with a last-minute penalty from Ben Spencer securing the Londoners' second title in the competition.

Pool stages

;Points system

The points scoring system for the pool stages will be as follows:{{cite web|title=About the LV= Cup|url=http://www.lv.com/aboutus/sponsorship/rugby-sponsorship/lv-cup/|access-date=31 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825232224/http://www.lv.com/aboutus/sponsorship/rugby-sponsorship/lv-cup/|archive-date=25 August 2012|url-status=dead}}

4 points for a win
2 points for a draw
1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match (TB)
1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less (LB)

=Pool 1 v Pool 4=

style="width:200px"\|Team !width="30"\|P !width="30"\|W !width="30"\|D !width="30"\|L !width="30"\|PF !width="30"\|PA !width="30"\|PD !width="30"\|TF !width="30"\|TA !width="30"\|TB !width="30"\|LB !width="30"\|Pts
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
colspan="13" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"\|Pool 1
style="background:#cfc" \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ENG}} Saracens (2)	4	4	0	0	101	62	+39	10	6	1	0	17
align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ENG}} Gloucester	4	3	0	1	102	69	+33	10	7	1	1	14
align="left"\| {{flagicon\|WAL}} Newport Gwent Dragons	4	2	0	2	121	116	+5	14	14	2	1	11
align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ENG}} Bath	4	2	0	2	86	59	+27	11	6	2	1	11
colspan="13" style="border:0px"\| Updated 8 February 2015 Source: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120829045834/http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/tables/lv_cup.php Premiership Rugby]

style="width:200px"\|Team !width="30"\|P !width="30"\|W !width="30"\|D !width="30"\|L !width="30"\|PF !width="30"\|PA !width="30"\|PD !width="30"\|TF !width="30"\|TA !width="30"\|TB !width="30"\|LB !width="30"\|Pts
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
colspan="13" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"\|Pool 4
style="background:#cfc" \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ENG}} Exeter Chiefs (4)	4	3	0	1	101	100	+1	12	12	1	0	13
align="left"\| {{flagicon\|WAL}} Ospreys	4	1	0	3	82	114	−32	9	12	1	1	6
align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ENG}} Harlequins	4	1	0	3	79	94	−15	8	10	0	2	6
align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ENG}} London Welsh	4	0	0	4	44	102	−58	4	11	0	2	2
colspan="13" style="border:0px"\| Updated 8 February 2015 Source: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120829045834/http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/tables/lv_cup.php Premiership Rugby]

==Round 1==

{{rugbybox

|date = 1 November 2014

|time = 15:00

|home = (BP) Bath {{flagicon|ENG}}

|score = 47–7

|report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20141218190652/http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures/33641.php Report]

|away = {{flagicon|ENG}} London Welsh

|try1 = Northcote-Green (2) 4' m, 51' c
Woodburn 24' c
Penalty try 38' c
Banahan 40' m
Lane 75' m
Garratt 80' m

|con1 = Henson (3/7)

|pen1 = Henson (2/2) 11', 32'

|try2 = Scott 60' c

|con2 = Robinson (1/1)

|stadium = Recreation Ground

|attendance = 13,300

|referee =

}}

----

{{rugbybox

|date = 1 November 2014

|time = 15:00

|home = (BP) Exeter Chiefs {{flagicon|ENG}}

|score = 28–27

|report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20141218195205/http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures/33640.php Report]

|away = {{flagicon|ENG}} Gloucester (BP)

|try1 = Hughes 40' c
Vainikolo 55' m
Penalty try 78' c

|con1 = Sweeney (2/3)

|pen1 = Sweeney (3/3) 8', 41', 64'

|try2 = Evans 34' c
Meakes 42' c
Thomas 61' c

|con2 = Thomas (3/3)

|pen2 = Thomas (2/2) 7', 47'

|stadium = Sandy Park

|attendance = 13,300

|referee = Simon Harding (RFU)

}}

----

{{rugbybox

|date = 2 November 2014

|time = 13:00

|home = Saracens {{flagicon|ENG}}

|score = 25–20

|report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20141218212232/http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures/33651.php Report]

|away = {{flagicon|ENG}} Harlequins (BP)

|try1 = Taylor 25' c
Ellery 28' m
Wilson 59' c

|con1 = Spencer (2/3)

|pen1 = Spencer (2/2) 3', 70'

|try2 = Lambert 57' c
Walker 63' c

|con2 = Swiel (2/2)

|pen2 = Grimoldby (1/1) 33'
Swiel (1/1) 75'

|stadium = Allianz Park

|attendance = 7,012

|referee = Leighton Hodges (Wales)

}}

----

{{rugbybox

|date = 17 November 2014

|time = 19:35

|home = (BP) Ospreys {{flagicon|WAL}}

|score = 35–51

|report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20141218212232/http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures/33651.php Report]

|away = {{flagicon|WAL}} Newport Gwent Dragons (BP)

|try1 = Dirksen 49' c
Howells 52' c
Griffiths 56' c
Penalty try 66' c
Natoga 71' c

|con1 = Davies (5/5)

|try2 = Wardle 8' c
L. Evans 11' c
J. Evans (2) 16' c, 40+1' c
Hill (2) 30' c, 46' c

|con2 = R. Jones (6/6)

|pen2 = R. Jones (2/2) 6', 26'

|stadium = Brewery Field

|attendance = 2,736

|referee =

}}

=Pool 2 v Pool 3=

style="width:200px"\|Team !width="30"\|P !width="30"\|W !width="30"\|D !width="30"\|L !width="30"\|PF !width="30"\|PA !width="30"\|PD !width="30"\|TF !width="30"\|TA !width="30"\|TB !width="30"\|LB !width="30"\|Pts
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
colspan="13" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"\|Pool 2
style="background:#cfc" \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ENG}} Northampton Saints (3)	4	3	0	1	98	53	+45	13	5	2	0	14
align="left"\| {{flagicon\|WAL}} Cardiff Blues	4	3	0	1	95	119	−24	10	16	1	0	13
align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ENG}} Sale Sharks	4	2	0	2	102	100	+2	12	13	2	0	10
align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ENG}} London Irish	4	0	0	4	69	118	−49	5	14	0	1	1
colspan="13" style="border:0px"\| Updated 8 February 2015 Source: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120829045834/http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/tables/lv_cup.php Premiership Rugby]

style="width:200px"\|Team !width="30"\|P !width="30"\|W !width="30"\|D !width="30"\|L !width="30"\|PF !width="30"\|PA !width="30"\|PD !width="30"\|TF !width="30"\|TA !width="30"\|TB !width="30"\|LB !width="30"\|Pts
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
colspan="13" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"\|Pool 3
style="background:#cfc" \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ENG}} Leicester Tigers (1)	4	4	0	0	106	46	+60	14	3	2	0	18
align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ENG}} Newcastle Falcons	4	2	0	2	114	91	+23	15	10	2	1	11
align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ENG}} Wasps	4	1	0	3	120	128	−8	14	15	3	2	9
align="left"\| {{flagicon\|WAL}} Scarlets	4	1	0	3	50	99	−49	5	12	0	1	5
colspan="13" style="border:0px"\| Updated 8 February 2015 Source: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120829045834/http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/tables/lv_cup.php Premiership Rugby]

Semi finals

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
width=250\| Team One !width=250\| Team Two !width=50\| Score
Saracens	Northampton Saints	24–20
Leicester Tigers	Exeter Chiefs	22–30

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

width=250| Team One

!width=250| Team Two

!width=50| Score

24–20

22–30

Final

{{rugbybox

|date=22 March 2015

|time=

|home=Saracens {{flagicon|ENG}}

|score= 23–20

|report=

|away= {{flagicon|ENG}} Exeter Chiefs

|try1= David Strettle (2)
Nick de Jager

|con1= Ben Spencer

|pen1= Ben Spencer (2)

|try2= Max Bodilly (2)

|con2= Gareth Steenson 2

|pen2= Ceri Sweeney 2

|stadium=Franklin's Gardens, Northampton

|attendance= 8,365

|referee=Ian Davies (Wales)

}}

width="25"\|	width="25"\|
width="100%" \|valign="top" width="50%"\| {\| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
FB	15	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Ben Ransom
RW	14	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Mike Ellery
OC	13	{{flagicon\|ARG}} Marcelo Bosch
IC	12	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Tim Streather
LW	11	{{flagicon\|ENG}} David Strettle
FH	10	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Nils Mordt
SH	9	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Ben Spencer
N8	8	{{flagicon\|RSA}} Ernst Joubert
OF	7	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Matt Hankin
BF	6	{{flagicon\|RSA}} Nick de Jager
RL	5	{{flagicon\|USA}} Hayden Smith
LL	4	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Maro Itoje (c)
TP	3	{{flagicon\|ARG}} Juan Figallo
HK	2	{{flagicon\|RSA}} Jared Saunders
LP	1	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Richard Barrington
colspan=3\|Replacements:
HK	16	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Scott Spurling
PR	17	{{flagicon\|USA}} Titi Lamositele
PR	18	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Biyi Alo
LK	19	{{flagicon\|ENG}} George Kruis
FL	20	{{flagicon\|SCO}} Kelly Brown
SH	21	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Tom Whiteley
FH	22	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Alex Goode
FB	23	{{flagicon\|ROM}} Cătălin Fercu
colspan="3"\|Coach:
colspan="4"\|{{flagicon\|IRE\|rugby union}} Mark McCall
colspan="4"\|

|valign="top" width="50%"|

width="25"\|	width="25"\|
style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"
FB	15	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Max Bodilly
RW	14	{{flagicon\|TON}} Fet'u Vainikolo
OC	13	{{flagicon\|WAL}} Adam Hughes
IC	12	{{flagicon\|FIJ}} Sireli Naqelevuki
LW	11	{{flagicon\|WAL}} Tom James
FH	10	{{flagicon\|WAL}} Ceri Sweeney (c)
SH	9	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Haydn Thomas
N8	8	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Kai Horstmann
OF	7	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Sam Simmonds
BF	6	{{flagicon\|AUS}} Ben White
RL	5	{{flagicon\|IRE\|rugby union}} Jerry Sexton
LL	4	{{flagicon\|AUS}} Mitch Lees
TP	3	{{flagicon\|SCO}} Moray Low
HK	2	{{flagicon\|TON}} Elvis Taione
LP	1	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Brett Sturgess
colspan=3\|Replacements:
HK	16	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Greg Bateman
PR	17	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Carl Rimmer
PR	18	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Alex Brown
LK	19	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Ed Holmes
FL	20	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Joel Conlon
SH	21	{{flagicon\|ENG}} Dave Lewis
FH	22	{{flagicon\|IRE\|rugby union}} Gareth Steenson
CE	23	{{flagicon\|SCO}} Byron McGuigan
colspan=3\|Coach:
colspan="4"\|{{flagicon\|ENG}} Rob Baxter

References

2014-15

Category:2014–15 rugby union tournaments for clubs

Category:2014–15 English Premiership (rugby union)

Category:2014–15 in Welsh rugby union