RFU Intermediate Cup
{{Short description|Rugby union national knockout cup competition in England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox rugby league football competition
| name = RFU Intermediate Cup
| logo =
| pixels =
| alt = Competition logo
| sport = Rugby union
| formerly =
| founded = {{start date and age|df=y|1997}}
| inaugural =
| current_season = 2018–19 RFU Intermediate Cup
| folded =
| replaced =
| ceotag =
| ceo =
| teams = Level 7 of English rugby
| countrytag = Nations
| country = England
| gov_body = RFU
| championtag =
| champion = Kenilworth (1st title)
| season = 2018–19
| most_champs =
| count =
| website = [http://www.englandrugby.com/ England Rugby]
| TV =
| qualification =
| related_comps = Senior 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk/undefeated-and-off-to-twickenham/ |title=Undefeated and off to Twickenham |work=Times of Tunbridge Wells |date=13 April 2016 |access-date=7 April 2018}} It was first contested in 1997. 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.mrfc.net/seniors/firstxv/match_programmes/2014-15/deal_cup.pdf |title=Medway vs Deal & Betteshanger |publisher=Medway RFC |access-date=7 April 2018}} The competition was initially unsponsored but later gained sponsorship from NPI,{{cite web|url=https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/sport/other-sport/rugby-history-beckons-surrey-cup-4859851 |title=History beckons in Surrey Cup final |date=15 April 1999 |publisher=Get Surrey |access-date=7 April 2018}} Powergen and EDF Energy before becoming known as the "RFU Intermediate Cup" solely un-sponsored by 2008. 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-40020115.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407182922/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-40020115.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 April 2018 |title=Tunbridge Wells Honoured at Twickenham for a Perfect Campaign |work=Kent and Sussex Courier |access-date=7 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk/a-well-run-club-is-the-route-to-victory/ |title=A well-run club is the route to victory… |work=Times of Tunbridge Wells |date=7 September 2016 |access-date=7 April 2018}} A number of future RFU Championship clubs have played in the RFU Intermediate Cup prior to promotion to the second tier with Jersey Reds,{{cite web |url=https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2005/09/21/rugbyjersey-draw-london-nigerian-in-powergen-intermediate-cup/ |title=Jersey draw London Nigerian in Powergen Intermediate Cup |work=Jersey Evening Post |date=21 September 2005 |access-date=7 April 2018}} Hartpury College, Doncaster Knights and Richmond all taking part in the past.{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/richmond-appeal-for-fast-track-promotion-6305793.html |title=Richmond appeal for fast-track promotion |work=London Evening Standard |date=8 March 2001 |access-date=7 April 2018}}
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{{cite web|url=http://rfulondon.com/intermediate15 |title=Intermediate Cup 2015–16 |publisher=RFU London |access-date=7 April 2018}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.windsorobserver.co.uk/sport/16061942.Rugby__Windsor_Rugby_Club_win_the_Southern_Counties_Intermediate_Cup_but_Anthony_Andrews_is_not_getting_too_carried_away/ |title=Rugby: Windsor Rugby Club win the Southern Counties Intermediate Cup but Anthony Andrews is not getting too carried away |work=Royal Borough Observer |date=2 March 2018 |access-date=7 April 2018}} Each regional champion plays another set champion with the ground being one of the semi-finalist's home.{{cite web|url=http://www.bromsgroveadvertiser.co.uk/news/16129080.droitwich-gripped-by-rugby-cup-fever/?ref=mr&lp=12 |title=Droitwich gripped by rugby cup fever |work=Bromsgrove Advertiser |date=30 March 2018 |access-date=7 April 2018}} The semi-finals pairings are London & South East against South West and Midlands against North.{{cite web|author=Colin Channon |url=http://www.whitchurchherald.co.uk/news/16082900.whitchurch-rugby-club-urge-residents-to-support-their-bid-for-twickenham-glory/ |title=Whitchurch Rugby Club urge residents to support their bid for Twickenham glory |work=Whitchurch Herald |date=13 March 2018 |access-date=7 April 2018}} The winners of the semis play each other in the final at Twickenham Stadium.
=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.{{cite web|url=https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division-cups/2017-2018/#/results |title=Northern Division Cups |work=England RFU |access-date=16 November 2018 }} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/midlands-division-cups/2017-2018/ |title=Midlands Division Cups |work=England RFU |access-date=16 November 2018 }} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/london-and-se-division-cups/2017-2018/ |title=London & SE Division Cups |work=England RFU |access-date=16 November 2018 }} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division-cups/2017-2018/ |title=South West Division Cups |work=England RFU |access-date=16 November 2018 }} Teams involved are from the following level 7 leagues:
Competition results
Number of wins
=Club=
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
- Aldwinians (1)
- Bedford Athletic (1)
- Bradford & Bingley (1)
- Brighton (1)
- Camberley (1)
- Chester (1)
- Dunstablians (1)
- East Grinstead (1)
- Halifax (1)
- Hartpury College (1)
- Hertford (1)
- Kenilworth (1)
- Maidstone (1)
- Morley (1)
- Mounts Bay (1)
- Old Patesians (1)
- Old Redcliffians (1)
- Stockport (1)
- Stoke-on-Trent (1)
- Thanet Wanderers (1)
- Trowbridge (1)
- Tunbridge Wells (1)
- West Leeds (1)
{{div col end}}
=Region=
- London & South East (7)
- North (7)
- South West (5)
- Midlands (4)
Notes
{{Reflist|group=a}}
See also
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
External links
- [http://www.englandrugby.com/ RFU]
{{Rugby union in England}}
Category:Rugby union competitions in England
Category:Rugby union cup competitions in England