2018–19 Premiership Rugby Cup

2018–19 Premiership Rugby Cup
Tournament details
CountriesEngland
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and knockout
Date26 October 2018 – 17 March 2019
Tournament statistics
Teams12
Matches played27
Attendance262,302 (9,715 per match)
Highest attendance17,815
Leicester v Worcester
3 November 2018
Lowest attendance3,824
Sale v Newcastle
3 February 2019
Tries scored157 (5.81 per match)
Top point scorer(s)James Grayson (Northampton)
62 points
Top try scorer(s)Zach Kibirige (Newcastle)
5 tries
Final
ChampionsNorthampton Saints (1st title)
Runners-upSaracens
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The 2018–19 Premiership Rugby Cup was the 47th season of England's national rugby union cup competition and the first under the new Premiership Rugby Cup format following the disbanding of the Anglo-Welsh Cup at the end of the 2017–18 season due to the withdrawal of the Welsh Pro14 regions.[1] Although there are no stipulations on player selection, the cup was seen by many clubs as a development competition, and games took place during the Autumn International window and during the Six Nations.

Northampton Saints became the first ever winners of the Premiership Cup when they defeated Saracens 23 – 9 in the final at Franklin's Gardens on 17 March 2019.[2][3] It was the Saints' first domestic cup triumph since winning the 2009–10 LV Cup and their second overall.

Competition format

The competition consists of the twelve English Premiership teams arranged in three pools of four clubs each, with each team playing three games against teams in their pool, as well as a 'derby' game against a team in another group. The top team in each pool, plus the best overall runner up, progress to the semi-finals, with the highest ranked teams having home advantage. The winners of the semi-finals then meet at the final in March 2019 to be held at the home ground of the highest ranked remaining team.[4]

Teams and locations

class=notpageimage|
2018–19 Premiership Rugby Cup teams
Club Director of Rugby/Head Coach Captain Kit supplier Stadium Capacity City/Area
Bath New Zealand Todd Blackadder England Matt Garvey Canterbury The Recreation Ground 14,500 Bath
Bristol Bears Samoa Pat Lam N/A (Leadership Group)[5] Bristol Sport Ashton Gate 27,000 Bristol
Exeter Chiefs England Rob Baxter England Jack Yeandle Samurai Sportswear Sandy Park 12,800 Exeter
Gloucester Ireland David Humphreys New Zealand Willi Heinz XBlades Kingsholm Stadium 16,115 Gloucester
Harlequins England Paul Gustard
Australia Billy Millard 		Australia James Horwill
England Chris Robshaw 		Adidas Twickenham Stoop 14,800 Twickenham, Greater London
Leicester Tigers Ireland Geordan Murphy (interim) England Tom Youngs Kukri Welford Road 25,849 Leicester
Newcastle Falcons England Dean Richards England Will Welch ISC Kingston Park 10,200 Newcastle upon Tyne
Northampton Saints New Zealand Chris Boyd England Dylan Hartley
England Alex Waller 		Macron Franklin's Gardens 15,249 Northampton
Sale Sharks England Steve Diamond South Africa Jono Ross Samurai Sportswear AJ Bell Stadium 12,000 Salford, Greater Manchester
Saracens Ireland Mark McCall England Brad Barritt Nike Allianz Park 10,000[a] Barnet, Greater London
Wasps Wales Dai Young England Joe Launchbury Under Armour Ricoh Arena 32,609 Coventry
Worcester Warriors South Africa Alan Solomons South Africa GJ van Velze VX3 Sixways Stadium 11,499 Worcester

Pool stage

Pool 1

Pool 1
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Tries For Tries Against Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1 Newcastle Falcons 4 3 1 0 95 62 33 12 8 1 0 15
2 Exeter Chiefs 4 3 1 0 88 63 25 13 8 1 0 15
3 Bath 4 1 0 3 96 74 22 14 8 1 1 6
4 Harlequins 4 1 0 3 73 103 -30 7 14 0 1 5
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Total number of tries scored
Green background means the club has qualified for the semi-finals as pool winner.
Blue background means the club has qualified for the semi-finals as the best pool runner up. Updated: 2 February 2019
Note that each team plays 4 games; 3 pool games plus a derby game against a team in another pool.
Source: "Premiership Rugby Cup 2018-19". Premiership Rugby.

Round 1

27 October 2018
15:00
Bath19 – 27Harlequins
Try: J. Walker 13' m
Batty (2) 65' c, 72' c
Con: Davies (2/3) 66', 73'		ReportTry: C. Walker 39' m
Dombrandt 43' c
Con: Catrakilis (1/2) 44' c
Pen: Catrakilis (4) 17', 23', 56', 69'
Lang 75'
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 14,509
Referee: Greg Macdonald
28 October 2018
15:00
Newcastle Falcons22 – 22Exeter Chiefs
Try: Kibirige (3) 25' c, 33' m, 57' c
Con: Connon (2/3) 26', 58'
Pen: Connon 48'		ReportTry: Bodilly (2) 19' c, 68' c
Short 62' m
Con: Skinner (2/3) 21', 70'
Pen: Skinner 55'
Kingston Park
Attendance: 6,502
Referee: Andrew Jackson

[6]

Round 2

3 November 2018
13:00
Exeter Chiefs25 – 18Bath (1 BP)
Try: Short 15' m
Devoto 32' c
O'Flaherty 51' c
Con: J. Simmonds (2/3) 33', 52'
Pen: J. Simmonds 46'
Skinner 77'		ReportTry: Batty 38' m
Wilson (2) 55' m, 74' m
Con: Davies (0/2)
Atkins (0/1)
Pen: Davies 4'
Sandy Park
Attendance: 12,693
Referee: Dean Richards
4 November 2018
15:00
(1 BP) Harlequins21 – 23Newcastle Falcons
Try: Boyce 55' m
Dombrandt 60' c
Con: Catrakilis (1/2) 61'
Pen: Catrakilis (3) 10', 20', 48'		ReportTry: Bettencourt 31' c
Stevenson 50' c
Con: Connon (2/2) 32', 50'
Pen: Connon (2) 13', 30'
Swiel 71'
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 8,027[7]
Referee: Mike Hudson

[8]

Round 3

9 November 2018
19:45
Newcastle Falcons22 – 7Bath
Try: Young 18' c
Hammersley 43' c
Sinoti 65' m
Con: Hodgson (2/3) 20', 44'
Pen: Hodgson 26'		ReportTry: Bayliss 75' c
Con: Davies 76'
Kingston Park
Attendance: 5,425
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
10 November 2018
13:00
(1 BP) Exeter Chiefs29 – 13Harlequins
Try: Capstick 27' c
Keast 32' m
O'Flaherty 34' m
Lawday 40' m
J. Simmonds 57' c
Con: J. Simmonds (2/5) 27', 57'		ReportTry: Ward 79' c
Con: Smith (1/1) 79'
Pen: Smith (2) 2', 38'
Sandy Park
Attendance: 11,927
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

[9]

Pool 2

Pool 2
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Tries For Tries Against Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1 Worcester Warriors 4 3 0 1 123 72 51 18 11 4 0 16
2 Saracens 4 3 1 0 110 70 40 15 10 2 0 16
3 Sale Sharks 4 1 1 2 48 94 -46 6 12 0 0 6
4 Leicester Tigers 4 0 0 4 69 125 -56 7 17 0 1 1
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Total number of tries scored
Green background means the club has qualified for the semi-finals as pool winner.
Blue background means the club has qualified for the semi-finals as the best pool runner up. Updated: 2 February 2019
Note that each team plays 4 games; 3 pool games plus a derby game against a team in another pool.
Source: "Premiership Rugby Cup 2018-19". Premiership Rugby.

Round 1

26 October 2018
19:45
(1 BP) Worcester Warriors35 – 3Sale Sharks
Try: Adams 4' c
Hougaard 26' c
Venter 31' c
Phillips 53' c
Williams '76' c
Con: Wier (4/4) 5', 27', 32', 55'
Shillcock (1/1) 77'		ReportPen: Wilkinson 15'
Sixways Stadium
Attendance: 6,606
Referee: Adam Leal
27 October 2018
15:00
Saracens29 – 21Leicester Tigers
Try: Burger 7' m
Vailanu (2) 39' m, 46' c
Con: Malins (1/3) 47'
Pen: Malins (4) 21', 52', 57', 66'		ReportTry: Feao 62' c
Wells 70' m
Con: J. Ford (1/2) 62'
Pen: J. Ford (3) 2', 6', 30'
Allianz Park
Attendance: 7,194
Referee: Christophe Ridley

[6]

Round 2

2 November 2018
20:00
Sale Sharks15 – 15Saracens
Try: Odogwu 36' c
Cliff 57' m
Con: Cliff (1/2)
Pen: Cliff 4'		ReportTry: Kpoku 16' c
Gallagher 23' m
Con: Malins (1/2) 17'
Pen: Malins 67'
AJ Bell Stadium
Attendance: 4,687
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
3 November 2018
Leicester Tigers12 – 31Worcester Warriors (1 BP)
Try: Owen 57' m
Reffell 65' c
Con: Hardwick (1/2) 66'		ReportTry: Hill 1' c
Weir 5' c
Hougaard 14' m
Heem (2) 28' c, 61' m
Con: Weir (3/5) 2', 7', 28'
Welford Road Stadium
Attendance: 17,815[10]
Referee: Hamish Smales[10]

[8]

Round 3

10 November 2018
15:00
(1 BP) Leicester Tigers16 – 18Sale Sharks
Try: Thompson 39' c
Con: Hardwick (1/1) 40'
Pen: Hardwick (3) 21', 25', 52'		ReportTry: Webber 16' m
Penalty try 76'
Con: Du Preez (0/1)
Pen: Du Preez (2) 10', 20'
Welford Road Stadium
Attendance: 17,023
Referee: Simon Harding
11 November 2018
15:00
(1 BP) Saracens34 – 22Worcester Warriors (1 BP)
Try: Burger 21' m
Lewington 33' m
Earl 42' c
Crossdale (2) 45' m, 63' m
Skelton 52' c
Con: Malins (0/2)
Whiteley (2/4) 42', 53'		ReportTry: Van Breda 25' c
Williams 37' m
Hammond 55' m
Olivier 68' m
Con: Van Breda (1/4) 26'
Allianz Park
Attendance: 4,804[11]
Referee: Matthew O'Grady

[9]

Pool 3

Pool 3
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Tries For Tries Against Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1 Northampton Saints 4 3 0 1 125 72 53 18 10 2 1 15
2 Bristol Bears 4 2 0 2 85 95 -10 11 11 1 1 10
3 Gloucester 4 2 0 2 58 92 -34 8 13 1 0 9
4 Wasps 4 0 0 4 63 111 -48 7 14 0 1 1
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Total number of tries scored
Green background means the club has qualified for the semi-finals as pool winner.
Blue background means the club has qualified for the semi-finals as the best pool runner up. Updated: 2 February 2019
Note that each team plays 4 games; 3 pool games plus a derby game against a team in another pool.
Source: "Premiership Rugby Cup 2018-19". Premiership Rugby.

Round 1

27 October 2018
14:00
(1 BP) Northampton Saints51 – 24Bristol Bears (1 BP)
Try: Grayson 5' m
Van Wyk (2) 9' m, 28' c
Mitchell 40'+2 c
Marshall 48' c
Furbank 58' c
Kellaway 68' c
Con: Grayson (4/6) 29', 40'+3, 48', 59'
Furbank (1/1) 70'
Pen: Grayson (2) 19', 25'		ReportTry: Lindsay 16' m
Crane 54' c
Pincus 71' m
Lam 78' c
Con: Madigan (2/4) 56', 79'
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 12,172
Referee: Simon Harding
27 October 2018
15:00
(1 BP) Gloucester31 – 7Wasps
Try: Terry 2' m
Vellacott 18' m
Evans 21' c
Coetzer 25' c
Mullis 75' c
Con: Evans (2/4) 22', 24'
Chapman 76'		ReportTry: Barbeary 80'+1 c
Con: Jardine 80'+2
Kingsholm Stadium
Attendance: 12,709
Referee: Michael Hudson

[6]

Round 2

2 November 2018
19:45
Bristol Bears21 – 13Gloucester
Try: Haining 27' c
Thomas 65' c
Heenan 74' c
Con: Sheedy (2/2) 28', 75'
Eden (1/1) 67'		ReportTry: Penalty Try 80'+4
Pen: Williams (2) 42', 49'
Ashton Gate Stadium
Attendance: 9,944[12]
Referee: Adam Leal
4 November 2018
15:00
(1 BP) Wasps14 – 15Northampton Saints
Try: Watson 13' c
Willis 47' c
Con: Searle (2/2) 14', 48'		ReportTry: Naiyaravoro 62' m
Eadie 80+1' c
Con: Grayson (1/2) 80+2'
Pen: Grayson 51'
Ricoh Arena
Attendance: 9,042
Referee: Sara Cox

[8]

Round 3

9 November 2018
19:45
Gloucester14 – 12Northampton Saints (1 BP)
Try: Banahan 20' c
Grobler 80'+1 c
Con: Twelvetrees (2/2) 21', 80'+4		ReportTry: Francis 4' m
Reinach 41' c
Con: Grayson (1/2) 42'
Kingsholm Stadium
Attendance: 11,499
Referee: Greg Macdonald
11 November 2018
15:00
Wasps19 – 30Bristol Bears
Try: Bassett 16' c
Con: Sopoaga (1/1) 17'
Pen: Sopoaga (4) 5', 28', 48', 69'		ReportTry: Edwards (2) 22' c, 76' c
Malton 44' c
Con: Sheedy (3/3) 23', 46', 77'
Pen: Sheedy (3) 2', 31', 73'
Ricoh Arena
Attendance: 8,352
Referee: Andrew Jackson

[9]

Round 4 (derby games)

After three pool games, each team will play a 'derby' game against a team in another pool, with results counting towards the final standings in each pool.

26 January 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Bristol Bears (P3)10 – 12Exeter Chiefs (P1)
Try: Edwards 41' c
Con: Madigan (1/1) 41'
Pen: Madigan (1) 51'		ReportTry: Holmes 8' m
Penalty Try 68'
Con: Skinner (0/1)
Ashton Gate Stadium
Attendance: 8,845
Referee: Luke Pearce
26 January 2019
15:00
Harlequins (P1)12 – 32Saracens (P2) (1 BP)
Try: Ibuanokpe 2' c
Elia 42' m
Con: Lang (1/2) 3'		ReportTry: Vailanu 4' m
Malins 68' c
Kpoku 49' c
Segun 79' c
Con: Malins (0/1)
Lozowski (3/3) 50', 69', 80'
Pen: Malins 18'
Lozowski 45'
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 14,800
Referee: Wayne Barnes
26 January 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Northampton Saints (P3)47 – 20Leicester Tigers (P2)
Try: Grayson 14' c
Fish 25' m
Barrow 29' c
Brüssow 45' c
Reinach (2) 73' c, 79' c
Collins 78' c
Con: Grayson (6/7) 15', 31', 46', 74', 79', 80'		ReportTry: F.Tuilagi 7' c
J. Ford 66' c
Con: J. Ford (2/2) 8', 67'
Pen: J. Ford (2) 34', 49'
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 13,900
Referee: Adam Leal
3 February 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Worcester Warriors (P2)35 – 23Wasps (P3)
Try: Heem (2) 53' c, 68' c
Ventor 60' c
Waller 65' m
Con: Weir (3/4) 54', 60', 67'
Pen: Weir (3) 21', 26', 37'		ReportTry: Bassett 16' m
Miller 44' m
Carr 78' c
Con: Sopoaga (0/1)
Searle (1/2) 78'
Pen: Sopoaga 23'
Searle 51'
Sixways Stadium
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Mike Hudson
3 February 2019
15:00
Sale Sharks (P2)12 – 28Newcastle Falcons (1 BP) (P1)
Try: Van Rensburg 23' c
Beaumont 72' m
Con: Cliff (1/1) 24'
Wilkinson (0/1)		ReportTry: Chick 9' c
Goneva 57' c
Kibirige 65' c
Blamire 75' c
Con: Flood (3/3) 9', 58', 66'
Connon (1/1) 76'
AJ Bell Stadium
Attendance: 3,824[13]
Referee: Hamish Smales
4 February 2019
19:30
Bath (P1)52 – 0Gloucester (P3)
Try: Rokoduguni (4) 2' c, 56' c, 72' c, 78' c
McConnochie 15' c
Walker 38' c
Homer 64' c
Con: Priestland (5/5) 3', 17', 39'+1, 57', 65'
Burns (2/2) 73', 79'
Pen: Priestland 13'		Report
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 7,644[14]
Referee: JP Doyle[14]
  • Game originally due to be played on 2 February but postponed twice due to snow.[15][16]

[17][18]

Knock-out stage

The four qualifiers are seeded according to performance in the pool stage. The top 2 seeds host the semi-finals against the lower seeds, in a 1 v 4, 2v 3 format. Note, if two teams qualify from the same pool, they can still be drawn together in the semi-finals.

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
5 – where the greatest number of points are equal, greatest number of tries scored

[19]

Rank Pool leaders Pts Wins Diff PF TF
1 Worcester Warriors 16 3 51 123 18
2 Northampton Saints 15 3 53 125 18
3 Newcastle Falcons 15 3 33 95 12
Rank Pool runners–up Pts Wins Diff PF TF
4 Saracens 16 3 40 110 15
5 Exeter Chiefs 15 3 25 88 13
6 Bristol Bears 10 2 -10 85 11
 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
Sixways
 
 
Worcester Warriors22
 
Franklin's Gardens
 
Saracens38
 
Northampton Saints23
 
Franklin's Gardens
 
Saracens9
 
Northampton Saints59
 
 
Newcastle Falcons33
 

Semi-finals

8 February 2019
19:45
Worcester Warriors22 – 38Saracens
Try: David 43' m
Howe (2) 56' c, 80' c
Con: Weir (2/3) 57', 80'+1
Pen: Van Breda 40'		ReportTry: Whiteley 5' c
Segun 10' m
Malins 59' c
Vailanu 65' c
Con: Lozowski (3/4) 6', 60', 66'
Pen: Lozowski (4) 27', 35', 51', 54'
Sixways
Attendance: 5,115
Referee: Christophe Ridley
9 February 2019
12:15
Northampton Saints59 – 33Newcastle Falcons
Try: Furbank 28' c
Tuala 35' c
Ludlam 38' c
Gibson 41' m
Fish 46' c
Naiyaravoro 55' c
Brüssow (2) 65' c, 75' m
Burrell 68' c
Con: Grayson (7/9) 29', 36', 38', 47', 56', 66', 70'		ReportTry: Takulua 1' c
Matavesi 9' c
Goneva 13' c
Kibirige 31' c
Harris 50' m
Con: Connon (4/5) 2', 9', 13', 32'
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 5,994
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

[20]

Final

17 March 2019
15:00
Northampton Saints23–9Saracens
Try: Harrison 7' m
Wood 23' m
Tuala 30' c
Con: Grayson (1/3) 31'
Pen: Grayson 55'
Francis 72'		ReportPen: Malins (3) 11', 20', 28'
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 15,250[21]
Referee: Ian Tempest

[2][3]

Attendances

Club Home
matches 		Total Average Highest Lowest % Capacity
Bath 2 22,153 11,077 14,509 7,644 76%
Bristol Bears 2 18,789 9,395 9,944 8,845 35%
Exeter Chiefs 2 24,620 12,310 12,693 11,927 96%
Gloucester 2 24,208 12,104 12,709 11,499 75%
Harlequins 2 22,827 11,414 14,800 8,027 77%
Leicester Tigers 2 34,838 17,419 17,815 17,023 67%
Newcastle Falcons 2 11,927 5,964 6,502 5,425 58%
Northampton Saints 4 47,316 11,829 15,250 5,994 78%
Sale Sharks 2 8,511 4,256 4,687 3,824 35%
Saracens 2 11,998 5,999 7,194 4,804 60%
Wasps 2 17,394 8,697 9,042 8,352 27%
Worcester Warriors 3 17,721 5,907 6,606 5,115 51%

[6][8][9][17][18][20][21]

Individual statistics

  • Points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals. Appearance figures also include coming on as substitutes (unused substitutes not included).

Season records

Notes

  1. ^ Allianz Park typically has a capacity of 10,000 but this can be raised to 15,000 with temporary seating.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Premiership Rugby Cup to replace Anglo-Welsh Cup from next season". BBC Sport. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Match Report: Northampton Saints 23-9 Saracens". Premiership Rugby. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Premiership Rugby Cup Final: Northampton beat Saracens with three first-half tries". BBC Sport. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Premiership Rugby Cup Tables". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Bristol Bears Premiership Rugby". Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper. No. 528. 28 October 2018. pp. 8–11 & 38.
  7. ^ "Harlequins 21 Falcons 23". Newcastle Falcons. 4 November 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper. No. 529. 4 November 2018. pp. 14–17 & 38.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper. No. 530. 11 November 2018. pp. 16–19 & 34.
  10. ^ a b "Deacon left red-faced by toothless display by Tigers". The RUGBYPaper. No. 529. Rugby Paper Ltd. 4 November 2018. p. 28.
  11. ^ "Match Reaction: Saracens 34-22 Worcester Warriors". Premiership Rugby. 11 November 2018.
  12. ^ "Bristol 21 13 Gloucester". BBC Sport. 2 November 2018.
  13. ^ "Sale 12 Falcons 28". Newcastle Falcons. 3 February 2019.
  14. ^ a b "England international scores four tries as young Gloucester Rugby side are well beaten by Bath Rugby in derby". Gloucestershire Live. 4 February 2019.
  15. ^ "Bath Rugby v Gloucester Rugby kick-off time confirmed". Premiership Rugby. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  16. ^ "Bath Rugby and Gloucester Rugby fixture rearranged due to weather". Premiership Rugby. 3 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper. No. 541. 27 January 2019. pp. 8–9 & 40.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper. No. 542. 3 February 2019. p. 23.
  19. ^ "Premiership Rugby Cup (Competition Format)". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper. No. 543. 10 February 2019. pp. 20–21 & 38.
  21. ^ a b "James Grayson inspires Northampton to Premiership Cup glory over Saracens". The Telegraph. 17 March 2019.