Fixtures Confirmed For This Season’s British & Irish Cup

Two-time winners Leinster ‘A’ face a trip to Rotherham Titans in the opening round. The province exited the competition at the semi-final stage last season after suffering a two-point defeat to eventual winners Worcester Warriors.

Title-holders from 2012, Munster ‘A’, travel to the Athletic Ground for their opening fixture of the new season to face London Scottish, who recorded their highest ever season finish in the Championship last season, while Ulster Ravens meet Pool 2 opponents Bristol.

Following a wide-ranging review of competition structures across the game in Wales, Welsh teams in the competition will be represented by combined Regional Premiership squad teams.

Ospreys Premiership Select, Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select, Cardiff Blues Premiership Select and Scarlets Premiership Select will compete in the 2015/16 season to help facilitate the development pathway structure for Welsh rugby.

Connacht Eagles, Bedford Blues, Yorkshire Carnegie and Nottingham will be the first to face the new Welsh opposition when the competition begins on November 13.

Newcomers Ealing Trailfinders travel to Billesley Common to face fellow Championship competitors Moseley for their return to the British & Irish Cup during the second weekend in November.

In the second of three all-English round one ties, Cornish Pirates will host London Welsh at the Mennaye while 2014/15 runners-up Doncaster Knights will clash with Jersey.

2015/16 BRITISH & IRISH CUP STRUCTURE AND FIXTURES:

Teams

– 12 Greene King IPA Championship clubs
– 4 Welsh Regional Premiership teams
– 4 Irish provinces – Connacht Eagles, Munster ‘A’, Leinster ‘A’ and Ulster Ravens

Pool Stages

– Taking place on November 13-15 and 20-22, December 11-13 and 18-20 and January 15-17 and 23
– Five pools of 4 playing home and away
– Four points for a win, two for a draw, one bonus point for a) scoring 4 or more tries and/or b) losing by 7 points or less

Quarter-Finals

– Taking place on weekend of March 12, 2016
– Top side in each pool progresses to knockout stages, plus three best runners-up
– Eight quarter-finalists ranked with teams ranked 1-4 having home advantage

Semi-Finals and Final

– Four winning quarter-finalists progress to semi-final draw
– Semi-finalists progress to final to take place on weekend of April 9, 2016

Pools

Pool 1: Ealing Trailfinders, Moseley, LEINSTER ‘A’, Rotherham Titans
Pool 2: Bedford Blues, Scarlets Premiership Select, Bristol, ULSTER RAVENS
Pool 3: Ospreys Premiership Select, Yorkshire Carnegie, MUNSTER ‘A’, London Scottish
Pool 4: Nottingham, Cardiff Blues Premiership Select, London Welsh, Cornish Pirates
Pool 5: Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select, CONNACHT EAGLES, Doncaster Knights, Jersey

Round 1 – November 13/14/15

Pool 1 – Moseley v Ealing Trailfinders, Rotherham Titans v Leinster ‘A’

Pool 2 – Scarlets Premiership Select v Bedford Blues, Ulster Ravens v Bristol

Pool 3 – Yorkshire Carnegie v Ospreys Premiership Select, London Scottish v Munster ‘A’

Pool 4 – Cardiff Blues Premiership Select v Nottingham, Cornish Pirates v London Welsh

Pool 5 – Connacht Eagles v Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select, Jersey v Doncaster Knights

Round 2 – November 20/21/22

Pool 1 – Ealing Trailfinders v Rotherham Titans, Leinster ‘A’ v Moseley

Pool 2 – Bedford Blues v Ulster Ravens, Bristol v Scarlets Premiership Select

Pool 3 – Ospreys Premiership Select v London Scottish, Munster ‘A’ v Yorkshire Carnegie

Pool 4 – Nottingham v Cornish Pirates, London Welsh v Cardiff Blues Premiership Select

Pool 5 – Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select v Jersey, Doncaster Knights v Connacht Eagles

Round 3 – December 11/12/13

Pool 1 – Leinster ‘A’ v Ealing Trailfinders, Moseley v Rotherham Titans

Pool 2 – Bristol v Bedford Blues, Scarlets Premiership Select v Ulster Ravens

Pool 3 – Munster ‘A’ v Ospreys Premiership Select, Yorkshire Carnegie v London Scottish

Pool 4 – London Welsh v Nottingham, Cardiff Blues Premiership Select v Cornish Pirates

Pool 5 – Doncaster Knights v Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select, Connacht Eagles v Jersey

Round 4 – December 18/19/20

Pool 1 – Ealing Trailfinders v Leinster ‘A’, Rotherham Titans v Moseley

Pool 2 – Bedford Blues v Bristol, Ulster Ravens v Scarlets Premiership Select

Pool 3 – Ospreys Premiership Select v Munster ‘A’, London Scottish v Yorkshire Carnegie

Pool 4 – Nottingham v London Welsh, Cornish Pirates v Cardiff Blues Premiership Select

Pool 5 – Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select v Doncaster Knights, Jersey v Connacht Eagles

Round 5 – January 15/16/17

Pool 1 – Moseley v Leinster ‘A’, Rotherham Titans v Ealing Trailfinders

Pool 2 – Scarlets Premiership Select v Bristol, Ulster Ravens v Bedford Blues

Pool 3 – Yorkshire Carnegie v Munster ‘A’, London Scottish v Ospreys Premiership Select

Pool 4 – Cardiff Blues Premiership Select v London Welsh, Cornish Pirates v Nottingham

Pool 5 – Connacht Eagles v Doncaster Knights, Jersey v Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select

Round 6 – January 23

Pool 1 – Ealing Trailfinders v Moseley, Leinster ‘A’ v Rotherham Titans

Pool 2 – Bedford Blues v Scarlets Premiership Select, Bristol v Ulster Ravens

Pool 3 – Ospreys Premiership Select v Yorkshire Carnegie, Munster ‘A’ v London Scottish

Pool 4 – Nottingham v Cardiff Blues Premiership Select, London Welsh v Cornish Pirates

Pool 5 – Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select v Connacht Eagles, Doncaster Knights v Jersey