2009–10 British and Irish Cup

The 2009–10 British and Irish Cup was the first season of the annual rugby union competition for second tier, semi-professional clubs from Britain and Ireland. First round matches began on Friday 20 November 2009 and the final was held on Sunday 16 May 2010.

2009–10 British and Irish Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
Ireland
 Scotland
 Wales
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and knockout
DateNovember 2009 May 2010
Tournament statistics
Teams24
Matches played63
Attendance103,545 (1,644 per match)
Tries scored321 (5.1 per match)
Final
VenueRecreation Ground, Camborne
Attendance4,240
Champions Cornish Pirates (1st title)
Runners-up Munster A

The first competition was heavily criticised, with one reporter describing it as 'dismal'.[1]

A total of 24 teams from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales competed in the inaugural competition. Cornish Pirates lifted the cup, defeating Munster A 23–14 in the final.

Teams

The allocation of teams was as follows:

England Ireland Scotland Wales

Competition format

The teams were divided into four pools of six, playing over five weekends during the Autumn International and Six Nations windows. The four pool winners contested a knock-out stage, with semi-finals on 24 and 25 April and the final on 16 May.[2][3]

Pool stages

Pool A

Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TB LB Pts
Cornish Pirates 54011126646152119
Leinster A 540189652491118
Newport 5311815427101116
Exeter Chiefs 520382820121110
Plymouth Albion 51135558-35028
Gael Force 500535129-946101
Points breakdown:
*4 points for a win
*2 points for a draw
*1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less
*1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
20 November 2009
19:30
Newport 21 14 Exeter
Stats
Rodney Parade
Attendance: 798

21 November 2009
16:30
Plymouth Albion 13 16 Leinster A
Stats
Brickfields Stadium
Attendance: 2,208

22 November 2009
14:00
Cornish Pirates 29 8 Gael Force
Stats
Camborne Recreation Ground
Attendance: 2,370

27 November 2009
16:00
Leinster A 12 10 Cornish Pirates
Stats
Donnybrook
Attendance: 1,670

27 November 2009
19:30
Newport 3 3 Plymouth Albion
Stats
Rodney Parade
Attendance: 593

28 November 2009
15:00
Exeter 15 0 Gael Force
Stats
Sandy Park
Attendance: 2,478

12 February 2010
19:30
Newport 27 5 Gael Force
Stats
Rodney Parade
Attendance: 705

13 February 2010
15:00
Exeter 10 22 Leinster A
Stats
Sandy Park
Attendance: 3,505

13 February 2010
15:00
Plymouth Albion 9 13 Cornish Pirates
Stats
Brickfields Stadium
Attendance: 2,413

26 February 2010
18:00
Leinster A 6 10 Newport
Stats
Donnybrook
Attendance: 780

26 February 2010
19:00
Gael Force 0 25 Plymouth Albion
Stats
Bridgehaugh, Stirling
Attendance: 69

28 February 2010
14:00
Cornish Pirates 34 17 Exeter
Stats
Camborne Recreation Ground
Attendance: 2,564

6 March 2010
15:00
Plymouth Albion 5 26 Exeter
Stats
Brickfields Stadium
Attendance: 2,766

7 March 2010
15:00
Cornish Pirates 26 20 Newport
Stats
Camborne Recreation Ground
Attendance: 3,650

10 March 2010
19:00
Gael Force 22 33 Leinster A
Stats
Bridgehaugh, Stirling
Attendance: 300

Pool B

Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TB LB Pts
Munster A 55001114170142022
Bristol 54011227448142018
Nottingham 5302815922111114
Neath 52039398-5122111
Coventry 5104126144-1820228
Heriot's FP 500554171-1177011
Points breakdown:
*4 points for a win
*2 points for a draw
*1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less
*1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
20 November 2009
19:30
Neath 11 18 Bristol
Stats
The Gnoll
Attendance: 1,500

20 November 2009
19:45
Coventry 13 20 Munster A
Stats
Butts Park Arena
Attendance: 2,066

21 November 2009
15:00
Heriot's FP 0 5 Nottingham
Stats
Goldenacre
Attendance: 650

27 November 2009
19:30
Munster A 18 6 Bristol
Stats
Nenagh RFC
Attendance: 1,200

27 November 2009
19:45
Coventry 57 12 Heriot's FP
Stats
Butts Park Arena
Attendance: 806

29 November 2009
15:00
Nottingham 14 3 Neath
Stats
Meadow Lane
Attendance: 2,087

12 February 2010
19:00
Munster A 18 3 Nottingham
Stats
Waterford RSC
Attendance: 3,500

13 February 2010
14:00
Bristol 40 15 Coventry
Stats
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 2,461

14 February 2010
14:00
Heriot's FP 21 38 Neath
Stats
Goldenacre
Attendance: 500

27 February 2010
14:00
Neath 12 21 Munster A
Stats
The Gnoll
Attendance: 1,250

28 February 2010
14:00
Bristol 37 14 Heriot's FP
Stats
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 2,521

28 February 2010
15:00
Nottingham 43 17 Coventry
Stats
Meadow Lane
Attendance: 1,263

6 March 2010
14:00
Neath 29 24 Coventry
Stats
The Gnoll
Attendance: 1,000

7 March 2010
15:00
Nottingham 16 21 Bristol
Stats
Meadow Lane
Attendance: 1,046

12 March 2010
19:30
Munster A 34 7 Heriot's FP
Stats

Pool C

Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TB LB Pts
Ulster Ravens 541016562103223021
London Welsh 54011377859183120
Bedford Blues 53029294-2111013
Aberavon 520351131-804019
Llanelli 5113106117-1111118
Moseley 500569138-6910101
Points breakdown:
*4 points for a win
*2 points for a draw
*1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less
*1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
20 November 2009
19:15
Llanelli 16 19 Aberavon
Stats
Parc y Scarlets
Attendance: 600

20 November 2009
19:30
Moseley 27 38 London Welsh
Stats
Billesley Common
Attendance: 563

20 November 2009
19:30
Ulster Ravens 29 3 Bedford Blues
Stats
Ravenhill
Attendance: 1,132

27 November 2009
19:15
Aberavon 7 36 London Welsh
Stats
Talbot Athletic Ground
Attendance: 712

27 November 2009
19:30
Moseley 21 32 Ulster Ravens
Stats
Billesley Common
Attendance: 750

28 November 2009
15:00
Bedford Blues 36 24 Llanelli
Stats
Goldington Road
Attendance: 2,553

12 February 2010
19:15
Llanelli 21 21 Ulster Ravens
Stats
Parc y Scarlets
Attendance: 500

13 February 2010
14:00
London Welsh 26 13 Bedford Blues
Stats
Old Deer Park
Attendance: 810

23 February 2010
19:30
Aberavon 10 0 Moseley
Stats
Talbot Athletic Ground
Attendance: 362

26 February 2010
19:30
Ulster Ravens 21 17 London Welsh
Stats
Ravenhill
Attendance: 739

27 February 2010
14:00
Bedford Blues 17 15 Aberavon
Stats
Goldington Road
Attendance: 1,230

27 February 2010
14:30
Llanelli 35 21 Moseley
Stats
Parc y Scarlets
Attendance: 580

5 March 2010
19:30
Moseley 0 23 Bedford Blues
Stats
Billesley Common
Attendance: 520

6 March 2010
14:00
London Welsh 20 10 Llanelli
Stats
Old Deer Park
Attendance: 1,650

12 March 2010
19:30
Ulster Ravens 62 0 Aberavon
Stats
Ravenhill
Attendance: 793

Pool D

Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TB LB Pts
Doncaster 550016358105225025
Cardiff 540114712423203019
Rotherham 520314712720193112
Ayr 520313211121141211
Pontypridd 520399124-25121110
Birmingham & Solihull 500576220-1449011
Points breakdown:
*4 points for a win
*2 points for a draw
*1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less
*1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
20 November 2009
19:15
Pontypridd 16 22 Cardiff
Stats
Sardis Road
Attendance: 921

21 November 2009
14:00
Rotherham 52 10 Birmingham & Solihull
Stats
Clifton Lane
Attendance: 876

22 November 2009
14:00
Doncaster 32 7 Ayr
Stats
Castle Park
Attendance: 1,496

27 November 2009
20:00
Ayr 28 13 Rotherham
Stats
Millbrae
Attendance: 1,370

28 November 2009
14:00
Birmingham & Solihull 20 51 Cardiff
Stats
Sharmans Cross Road
Attendance: 377

13 February 2010
14:00
Rotherham 33 23 Pontypridd
Stats
Clifton Lane
Attendance: 789

13 February 2010
16:00
Ayr 49 14 Birmingham & Solihull
Stats
Millbrae
Attendance: 780

14 February 2010
15:00
Doncaster 34 10 Cardiff
Stats
Castle Park
Attendance: 1,124

27 February 2010
14:00
Cardiff 34 27 Rotherham
Stats

27 February 2010
14:00
Doncaster 41 8 Birmingham & Solihull
Stats
Castle Park
Attendance: 783

27 February 2010
15:00
Ayr 21 22 Pontypridd
Stats
Millbrae
Attendance: 1,290

3 March 2010
19:30
Pontypridd 11 24 Doncaster
Stats

6 March 2010
14:00
Rotherham 22 32 Doncaster
Stats
Clifton Lane
Attendance: 1,427


6 March 2010
14:30
Cardiff 30 27 Ayr
Stats

Knock-out stages

Qualifiers

The four pool winners proceeded to the knock out stages.

Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TB LB Pts
Pool D Winner Doncaster 550016358105225025
Pool B Winner Munster A 55001114170142022
Pool C Winner Ulster Ravens 541016562103223021
Pool A Winner Cornish Pirates 54011126646152119
 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
25 April 2010 - Camborne
 
 
Cornish Pirates 43
 
16 May 2010 - Camborne
 
Doncaster 5
 
Cornish Pirates 23
 
24 April 2010 - Thomond Park
 
Munster A 14
 
Munster A 27
 
 
Ulster Ravens 3
 

Semi-finals

24 April 2010
15:30
Munster A 27 3 Ulster Ravens
Try: J Manning (2), D Williams, S Archer
Con: D Cusack (2/4)
Pen: D Cusack (1)
Report
Stats
Pen: J McKinney (1)
Thomond Park, Limerick
Attendance: 24,112

25 April 2010
15:00
Cornish Pirates 43 5 Doncaster
Try: Davies, Bentley, Morgan, Cattle, Jackson, McGlone
Con: Bently (5/6)
Pen: Bently
Report Try: Armitage
Recreation Ground, Camborne
Attendance: 2,327
Referee: Llyr Ap Geraint Roberts

Final

16 May 2010
18:00
Cornish Pirates 23 14 Munster A
Try: Winn, McAtee
Con: Bentley (2/2)
Pen: Bentley (3)
Report
Stats
Try: Barnes
Pen: Cusack (3)
Recreation Ground, Camborne
Attendance: 4,240
Referee: Leighton Hodges

Geography

Team Stadium Capacity City/Area/Country
Aberavon Talbot Athletic Ground 3,000 Aberavon, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
Ayr Millbrae Unknown Alloway, South Ayrshire, Scotland
Bedford Blues Goldington Road 4,684 Bedford, Bedfordshire, England
Birmingham & Solihull Sharmans Cross Road 3,500 Solihull, West Midlands, England
Bristol Memorial Stadium 12,100 Bristol, England
Cardiff Cardiff Arms Park 13,500 Cardiff, Wales
Cornish Pirates Recreation Ground 9,000 Camborne, Cornwall, England
Coventry Butts Park Arena 4,000 Coventry, West Midlands, England
Doncaster Castle Park 3,075 Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England
Exeter Chiefs Sandy Park 7,300 (10,744 by the end of the season) Exeter, Devon, England
Gael Force Bridgehaugh 4,000 Stirling, Scotland
Heriot's FP Goldenacre Unknown Edinburgh, Scotland
Leinster A Donnybrook 7,000 Dublin, Leinster, Ireland
Llanelli Parc y Scarlets 14,870 Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales
London Welsh Old Deer Park 5,850 London, England
Moseley Billesley Common 3,000+ (650 seated) Birmingham, West Midlands, England
Munster A Musgrave Park 8,300 Cork, County Cork, Ireland
Neath The Gnoll 7,500 Neath, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
Newport Rodney Parade 10,500 Newport, Wales
Nottingham Meadow Lane 19,588 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
Plymouth Albion The Brickfields 6,500 Plymouth, Devon, England
Pontypridd Sardis Road 7,861 Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales
Rotherham Clifton Lane 2,500 Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England
Ulster Ravens Ravenhill Stadium 12,125 Belfast, Ulster, Northern Ireland

References

  1. Brian Dick (25 February 2010). "Taxing times for clubs struggling in rugby's Championship". Birmingham Post. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
  2. "New British & Irish Cup announced". RTÉ Sport. 6 May 2009. Archived from the original on 9 May 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
  3. "Home unions devise British & Irish Cup". The Daily Telegraph. 6 May 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
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