The 1980–81 John Player Cup was the tenth edition of England's premier rugby union club competition at the time. Leicester won the competition for a third consecutive year defeating Gosforth in the final. The competition was extended with extra rounds replacing the previous format of 32 teams only.[1] The event was sponsored by John Player cigarettes and the final was held at Twickenham Stadium.[2]
Draw and results
First round
Team one
|
Team two
|
Score
|
Sutton & Epsom |
Crawley |
3-13
|
Upper Clapton |
Woodford |
13-4
|
Metropolitan Police |
Fullerians |
22-12
|
High Wycombe |
Midsomer Norton |
12-9
|
Havant |
Maidstone |
10-9
|
Oxford |
Bournemouth |
3-3*
|
Matson |
Exeter |
8-14
|
Hereford |
Walsall |
15-15*
|
Coventry Welsh |
Kettering |
19-12
|
Alnwick |
Broughton Park |
0-12
|
Nottingham |
Birmingham |
33-10
|
Derby |
Westleigh |
12-7
|
Aspatria |
Hartlepool Rovers |
10-10*
|
Sale |
Morley |
29-10
|
Abbey |
Redruthy |
6-9
|
Away team progress*
Second round
Team one
|
Team two
|
Score
|
Upper Clapton |
Crawley |
18-0
|
Metropolitan Police |
High Wycombe |
25-9
|
Bournemouth |
Havant |
18-10
|
Blackheath |
Exeter |
11-15
|
Walsall |
Coventry Welsh |
6-4
|
Camp Hill |
Broughton Park |
6-3
|
Nottingham |
Derby |
12-9
|
Hartlepool Rovers |
Sale |
8-17
|
Guildford & Gosalming |
Redruth |
3-9
|
Stroud |
Southend |
13-16
|
Third round
Team one
|
Team two
|
Score
|
Bournemouth |
Exeter |
15-19
|
Moseley |
Bedford |
25-0
|
Camborne |
Metropolitan Police |
9-16
|
Harlequins |
Rosslyn Park |
9-20
|
Camp Hill |
Nottingham |
0-18
|
Richmond |
Bath |
6-12
|
Waterloo |
West Hartlepool |
17-0
|
Gosforth |
Fylde |
17-7
|
Roundhay |
Leicester |
3-34
|
Upper Clapton |
Bristol |
3-22
|
Northampton |
Sale |
13-20
|
Saracens |
Coventry |
7-15
|
Wasps |
London Scottish |
9-15
|
Orrell |
Walsall |
24-3
|
Redruth |
London Irish |
4-12
|
Southend |
Gloucester |
6-12
|
Fourth round
Team one
|
Team two
|
Score
|
London Irish |
Gloucester |
13-22
|
Waterloo |
Gosforth |
9-12
|
Exeter |
Moseley |
7-15
|
Metropolitan Police |
Rosslyn Park |
15-6
|
Nottingham |
Bath |
4-3
|
Leicester |
Bristol |
27-14
|
Sale |
Coventry |
18-12
|
London Scottish |
Orrell |
12-10
|
Quarter-finals
Team one
|
Team two
|
Score
|
Leicester |
Sale |
21-7
|
Moseley |
Metropolitan Police |
22-6
|
Nottingham |
Gosforth |
3-23
|
London Scottish |
Gloucester |
9-9*
|
London Scottish progressed on more tries rule*
Semi-finals
Team one
|
Team two
|
Score
|
London Scottish |
Leicester |
12-18 aet
|
Gosforth |
Moseley |
24-3
|
Final
|
|
|
|
15 |
Brian Patrick
|
|
14 |
Stuart Archer
|
|
13 |
Richard Breakey
|
|
12 |
Alan MacMillan
|
|
11 |
Neil McDowall
|
|
10 |
David Johnson
|
|
9 |
Malcolm Young
|
|
8 |
John Butler
|
|
7 |
Simon Smith
|
|
6 |
Terry Roberts
|
|
5 |
Steve Bainbridge
|
|
4 |
Bob Anderson
|
|
3 |
Jeff Bell
|
|
2 |
Bob Cunningham
|
|
1 |
Colin White (c)
|
Replacements:
|
|
16 |
Steve Gustard
|
|
17 |
John Storey
|
|
18 |
Ian Ramage
|
|
19 |
Stuart Lewis
|
|
20 |
John Blissett
|
|
21 |
Paul Simpson
|
Coach:
|
David Robinson
|
|
References