2016–17 British and Irish Cup explained

2016–17 British and Irish Cup
Countries:
Ireland
Tournament Format:Round-robin and knockout
Date:14 October 2016 — 21 April 2017
Teams:19
Matches:63
Highest Attendance:4,813
Ulster A v London Scottish
13 January 2017
Lowest Attendance:200 (x3)
Top Point Scorer: Johnny McPhillips
Ulster A 62
Top Try Scorer: Tom Williams
Scarlets PS 8
Venue:Irish Independent Park
Champions:Munster A
Count:2
Runner-Up:Jersey Reds[1]
Website:B&I Cup Website
Previous Year:2015–16
Previous Tournament:2015–16 British and Irish Cup
Next Year:2017–18
Next Tournament:2017–18 British and Irish Cup

The 2016–17 British and Irish Cup was the eighth season of the annual rugby union competition for second tier, semi-professional clubs from Britain and Ireland. London Welsh were the defending champions having won the 2015–16 final against Yorkshire Carnegie 10–33 at Headingley Carnegie Stadium, Leeds on 10 April 2016. There have been six different winners and six different losing finalists in the seven seasons of its existence. The format of the competition is similar to last season with Scottish clubs not competing. For the second consecutive season the four Welsh teams were the reserve sides of the teams competing in the Pro12 competition instead of clubs from the Welsh Premier Division.

Competition format

The competition format is a pool stage followed by a knockout stage. The pool stage consists of five pools of four teams playing home and away matches. The top side in each pool, plus the three best runners-up, progress to the knockout stage. The eight quarter-finalists are ranked, with top four teams having home advantage. The four winning quarter-finalists progress to the semi-final draw. Most of the matches are played on the same weekends as the European Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup. First round matches began on 14 October 2016 and the final was held on the 21 April 2017.

Participating teams and locations

The allocation of teams is as follows:

ClubCountryLeagueStadiumCapacityArea
Bedford Blues EnglandRFU ChampionshipGoldington Road6,000Bedford
Cardiff Blues Premiership Select WalesN/ACardiff Arms Park
Sardis Road
The Wern
12,125
7,861
4,500
Cardiff
Pontypridd
Merthyr Tydfil
Connacht Eagles IrelandIrish Interprovincial Rugby ChampionshipGalway Sportsgrounds
Dubarry Park
9,500
10,000
Galway
Athlone
Cornish Pirates EnglandRFU ChampionshipMennaye Field4,000Penzance
Doncaster Knights EnglandRFU ChampionshipCastle Park5,000Doncaster
Ealing Trailfinders EnglandRFU ChampionshipTrailfinders Sports Ground3,020West Ealing, London
Jersey RedsRFU ChampionshipSt. Peter4,000Saint Peter
Leinster A IrelandIrish Interprovincial Rugby ChampionshipDonnybrook Stadium6,000Dublin
London Irish EnglandRFU ChampionshipMadejski Stadium7,579Reading, Berkshire
London Scottish EnglandRFU ChampionshipRichmond Athletic Ground4,500Richmond, London
London Welsh EnglandRFU ChampionshipOld Deer Park5,850Richmond, London
Munster A IrelandIrish Interprovincial Rugby ChampionshipTowns Park
The Showgrounds
Old Chapel
Irish Independent Park
CIT Stadium
400
1,000[2]
N/A
8,200
1,100[3]
Midleton
Ennis
Bandon
Cork
Cork
Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select WalesN/APandy Park
CCB Centre
3,000
1,000
Crosskeys
Ystrad Mynach
Nottingham Rugby EnglandRFU ChampionshipLady Bay Sports Ground3,000Nottingham
Ospreys Premiership Select WalesN/AThe Gnoll
Talbot Athletic Ground
Llynfi Road
5,000
3,000
N/A
Neath
Port Talbot
Maesteg
Richmond EnglandRFU ChampionshipRichmond Athletic Ground4,500Richmond, London
Rotherham Titans EnglandRFU ChampionshipClifton Lane2,500Rotherham
Scarlets Premiership Select WalesN/AChurch Bank Playing Fields
Carmarthen Park
Parc y Scarlets
3,000
3,000
14,870
Llandovery
Carmarthen
Llanelli
Ulster A IrelandIrish Interprovincial Rugby ChampionshipShaw's Bridge
Eaton Park
Kingspan Stadium
1,300
1,000
18,196
Belfast
Ballymena
Belfast
Yorkshire Carnegie EnglandRFU ChampionshipSandhill Lane Stadium
Moor Lane
Silver Royd
N/A
N/A
1,950
Selby
Pontefract
Scalby

Pool stages

Key to colours
    Winner of each pool, advance to quarter-finals.
    Three highest-scoring second-place teams advance to quarter-finals.

Pool 1

Round 1

[4] ----

Round 2

[5] ----

Round 3

[6] ----

Round 4

[7] ----

Round 5

[8] ----

Round 6

[11]

Pool 2

London Welsh entered liquidation on 8 December 2016 and were disqualified from the competition and their results from rounds 1 and 2 annulled.[12]

Round 1

[4] ----

Round 2

[14] ----

Round 3

[6] ----

Round 4

[7] ----

Round 2 (rescheduled game)

[15] ----

Round 5

[8] ----

Round 6

[10]

Pool 3

Round 1

[4] ----

Round 2

[5] ----

Round 3

[6] ----

Round 4

[7] ----

Round 5

[8] ----

Round 6

[10]

Pool 4

Round 1

[4] ----

Round 2

[5] ----

Round 3

[6] ----

Round 4

[7] ----

Round 5

[8] ----

Round 6

[10]

Pool 5

Round 1

[4] ----

Round 2

[5] ----

Round 3

[6] ----

Round 4

[7] ----

Round 5

[8] ----

Round 6

[10]

Knock-out stage

The eight qualifiers were seeded according to performance in the pool stage. The four top seeds hosted the quarter-finals against the lower seeds, in a 1 v 8, 2 v 7, 3 v 6 and 4 v 5 format. If two teams qualified from the same group they could not be drawn together despite the seeding, therefore, Jersey Reds did not play against Ulster A. The quarter-finals were held over the weekend of 10/11/12 March 2017, the semi-finals were held over the weekend of 31 March and 1 & 2 April 2017 and the final was played on 21/22/23 April 2017.

Teams are ranked by:

1 – competition points (4 for a win, 2 for a draw)

2 – where competition points are equal, greatest number of wins

3 – where the number of wins are equal, aggregate points difference

4 – where the aggregate points difference are equal, greatest number of points scored

SeedPool winnersPtsWinsPts diff
1 25 5 57
2 23 5 87
3 23 4 71
4 22 4 49
5 19 4 66
SeedPool Runners–upPtsWinsPts diff
6 20 4 89
7 20 4 29
8 20 4 26
916 3 123
10 5 1 −25

Quarter-finals

The draw for the quarter-finals was made on 23 January 2017, with the matches to be played on the weekend of 10–13 March 2017.[16] [11] [17] ----

Semi-finals

[18] [19] ----

Final

[20] [21]

Attendances

ClubHome
matches
TotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity
Bedford Blues 3 5,799 1,933 2,218 1,707 32%
Cardiff Premiership Select 3 2,085 695 973 325 11%
Connacht Eagles 3 1,314 438 695 200 5%
Cornish Pirates 3 3,951 1,317 1,426 1,120 33%
Doncaster Knights 2 2,181 1,091 1,207 974 22%
Ealing Trailfinders 4 1,979 495 650 428 16%
Jersey Reds 4 5,623 1,406 1,551 1,151 35%
Leinster A 3 2,641 880 1,018 673 14%
London Irish 5 10,898 2,180 3,109 1,394 9%
London Scottish 3 2,253 751 947 400 17%
London Welsh 1 728 728 728 728 12%
Munster A 6 4,152 692 983 350 42%
Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select 3 1,167 389 652 200 34%
Nottingham Rugby 3 3,242 1,081 1,367 791 36%
Ospreys Premiership Select 3 2,914 971 1,500 542 24%
Richmond 3 1,393 464 512 396 10%
Rotherham Titans 2 1,454 727 750 704 29%
Scarlets Premiership Select 3 850 283 350 250 7%
Ulster A 3 6,314 2,105 4,813 200 47%
Yorkshire Carnegie 3 1,885 628 834 428 43%
[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [10] [11] [17] [18] [19] [20]

Individual statistics

Top points scorers

Rank Player Team Appearances Points
1 6 62
2 7 56
3 7 52
4 6 51
5 6 50
6 6 45
7 6 43
8 8 42
9 4 40
6 40
10 2 38
11 6 38
10 2 35
10 2 32
12= 4 30
12= 5 30
12= 7 30
14= 3 25
14= 3 25
15= 6 25
15= 7 25
16 4 22
[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [10] [11] [18] [20]

Top try scorers

Rank Player Team Appearances Tries
1 6 8
2 4 6
3 5 6
4 3 5
5 3 5
6 4 5
7 6 5
6 5
6 5
6 5
8 7 5
9= 6 4
9= 5 4
10= 6 4
10= 7 4
10= 4
10= 4 4
11 2 3
12= 4 3
12= 4 3
13= 5 3
14= 6 3
14= 7 3
14= 7 3
[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [10] [11] [18] [20]

Season records

Team

Largest home win — 77 points84 – 7 Ealing Trailfinders at home to Scarlets Premiership Select on 11 March 2017
  • Largest away win — 49 points68 – 19 Leinster A away to Richmond on 15 October 2016
  • Most points scored — 84 points84 – 7 Ealing Trailfinders at home to Scarlets Premiership Select on 11 March 2017
  • Most tries in a match — 12Ealing Trailfinders at home to Scarlets Premiership Select on 11 March 2017
  • Most conversions in a match — 10Ealing Trailfinders at home to Scarlets Premiership Select on 11 March 2017
  • Most penalties in a match — 5Rotherham Titans at home to Doncaster Knights on 15 October 2016
  • Most drop goals in a match — 1Richmond away to Leinster on 20 January 2017
  • Player

    Most points in a match — 26 Rory Clegg for Ealing Trailfinders at home to Scarlets Premiership Select on 11 March 2017
  • Most tries in a match — 4 Rob O'Donnell for Yorkshire Carnegie at home to Bedford Blues on 23 October 2016
  • Most conversions in a match — 10 Rory Clegg for Ealing Trailfinders at home to Scarlets Premiership Select on 11 March 2017
  • Most penalties in a match — 5 Lloyd Evans for Rotherham Titans at home to Doncaster Knights on 15 October 2016
  • Most drop goals in a match — 1 Freddy Gabbitass for Richmond away to Leinster on 20 January 2017
  • Attendances

    Highest — 4,813Ulster A at home to London Scottish on 13 January 2017
  • Lowest — 200 (x3)Ulster A at home to Jersey Reds on 14 October 2016
    Connacht Eagles at home to Cornish Pirates on 16 October 2016
    Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select at home to Ealing Trailfinders on 22 October 2016
  • Highest Average Attendance — 2,180 (London Irish)
  • Lowest Average Attendance — 283 Scarlets Premiership Select)

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Jersey reds lose at Irish Independent Park . Jersey Evening Post . 21 April 2017 . 22 April 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170422215552/http://jerseyeveningpost.com/sport/rugby/2017/04/21/live-jersey-rugbys-biggest-night-from-irish-independent-park/ . 22 April 2017 . dead . dmy-all .
    2. Web site: ENNIS GEARS UP FOR MUNSTER A MATCH . Ennis RFC . 19 December 2016 .
    3. Web site: Sport at Cork Institute of Technology. Cork Institute of Technology . 2 April 2017.
    4. News: British & Irish Cup. The RUGBYPaper. 422. Rugby Paper Ltd. 16 October 2016. 30–31 & 40.
    5. News: British & Irish Cup. The RUGBYPaper. 423. Rugby Paper Ltd. 16 October 2016. 28–29 & 38.
    6. News: British & Irish Cup. The RUGBYPaper. 430. Rugby Paper Ltd. 11 December 2016. 28–29 & 38.
    7. News: British & Irish Cup. The RUGBYPaper. 431. Rugby Paper Ltd. 18 December 2016. 28–29 & 38.
    8. News: British & Irish Cup. The RUGBYPaper. 435. Rugby Paper Ltd. 15 January 2016. 28–29 & 38.
    9. Web site: London Scottish v Cardiff Blues postponed . London Scottish FC . 20 January 2017.
    10. News: British & Irish Cup. The RUGBYPaper. 435. Rugby Paper Ltd. 22 January 2016. 28–29 & 38.
    11. News: British & Irish Cup. The RUGBYPaper. 443. Rugby Paper Ltd. 12 March 2017. 26–27 & 40.
    12. Web site: London Welsh: Liquidated club disqualified British & Irish Cup . BBC Sport . 9 December 2016.
    13. Web site: POSTPONEMENT OF B&I MATCH V MUNSTER 'A' . Doncaster Knights . 22 October 2016.
    14. Web site: RESCHEDULED FIXTURE: DONCASTER KNIGHTS V MUNSTER 'A' . Doncaster Knights . 2 November 2016.
    15. News: British & Irish Cup. The RugbyPaper. 434. 8 January 2017. 26 & 34.
    16. Web site: British & Irish Cup Quarter-finals Draw. Cornish Pirates. 24 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202015858/http://www.cornish-pirates.com/16_17_news/british_irish_cup_quarter_final.html. 2 February 2017. dead.
    17. Web site: Munster A 26 - 3 Ulster A . Munster Rugby . 12 March 2017.
    18. News: British & Irish Cup. The RUGBYPaper. 446. Rugby Paper Ltd. 2 April 2017. 28 & 38.
    19. Web site: MATCH REPORT: LONDON IRISH'S BRITISH & IRISH CUP RUN COMES TO AN END . London Irish . 2 April 2017.
    20. News: British & Irish Cup. The RUGBYPaper. 449. Rugby Paper Ltd. 23 April 2017. 16 & 40.
    21. Web site: B&I CUP FINAL: MUNSTER A DEFEAT JERSEY REDS 29-28 . England Rugby . 21 April 2017.