20152016 british and irish cup fixtures revealed
The 2015/16 British & Irish Cup fixtures have been revealed as the cross-border competition enters its seventh year.
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 face Jersey RFC.
Meanwhile, Rotherham Titans welcome two-time winners Leinster 'A' to Clifton Lane in round one. The Dubliners exited the competition at the semi-final stage last year 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 Rugby.
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.
Bedford Blues, Yorkshire Carnegie, Nottingham Rugby and Connacht Eagles will be the first to face the new Welsh opposition when the competition begins on 13 November.
2015-16 British & Irish Cup structure and fixtures
Teams
Twelve Greene King IPA Championship clubs
Four Welsh Regional Premiership squads
Four Irish provinces – Connacht Eagles, Munster 'A', Leinster 'A' and Ulster Ravens
Pool Stages
Taking place on 13-15, 20-22 November, 11-13, 18-20 December and 15-17, 23 January.
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 12 March, 2016
Top side in each pool progress to knockout stage, 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 which takes place on weekend of March 2016
Semi-finalists progress to final to take place on weekend of 9 April 2016
Pools
Pool 1: Ealing Trailfinders, Moseley, Leinster 'A', Rotherham Titans
Pool 2: Bedford Blues, Scarlets Premiership Select, Bristol Rugby, Ulster Ravens
Pool 3: Ospreys Premiership Select, Yorkshire Carnegie, Munster 'A', London Scottish
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby, Cardiff Blues Premiership Select, London Welsh, Cornish Pirates
Pool 5: Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select, Connacht Eagles, Doncaster Knights, Jersey RFC
Round one – 13/14/15 November
Pool 1
Moseley vs Ealing Trailfinders
Rotherham Titans vs Leinster 'A'
Pool 2
Scarlets Premiership Select vs Bedford Blues
Ulster Ravens vs Bristol Rugby
Pool 3
Yorkshire Carnegie vs Ospreys Premiership Select
London Scottish vs Munster 'A'
Pool 4
Cardiff Blues Premiership Select vs Nottingham Rugby
Cornish Pirates vs London Welsh
Pool 5
Connacht Eagles vs Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select
Jersey RFC vs Doncaster Knights
Round two – 20/21/22 November
Pool 1
Ealing Trailfinders vs Rotherham Titans
Leinster 'A' vs Moseley
Pool 2
Bedford Blues vs Ulster Ravens
Bristol Rugby vs Scarlets Premiership Select
Pool 3
Ospreys Premiership Select vs London Scottish
Munster 'A' vs Yorkshire Carnegie
Pool 4
Nottingham Rugby vs Cornish Pirates
London Welsh vs Cardiff Blues Premiership Select
Pool 5
Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select vs Jersey RFC
Doncaster Knights vs Connacht Eagles
Round three – December 11/12/13
Pool 1
Leinster 'A' vs Ealing Trailfinders
Moseley vs Rotherham Titans
Pool 2
Bristol Rugby vs Bedford Blues
Scarlets Premiership Select vs Ulster Ravens
Pool 3
Munster 'A' vs Ospreys Premiership Select
Yorkshire Carnegie vs London Scottish
Pool 4
London Welsh vs Nottingham Rugby
Cardiff Blues Premiership Select vs Cornish Pirates
Pool 5
Doncaster Knights vs Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select
Connacht Eagles vs Jersey RFC
Round four – 18/19/20 December
Pool 1
Ealing Trailfinders vs Leinster 'A'
Rotherham Titans vs Moseley
Pool 2
Bedford Blues vs Bristol Rugby
Ulster Ravens vs Scarlets Premiership Select
Pool 3
Ospreys Premiership Select vs Munster 'A'
London Scottish vs Yorkshire Carnegie
Pool 4
Nottingham Rugby vs London Welsh
Cornish Pirates vs Cardiff Blues Premiership Select
Pool 5
Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select vs Doncaster Knights
Jersey RFC vs Connacht Eagles
Round five – 15/16/17 January
Pool 1
Moseley vs Leinster 'A'
Rotherham Titans vs Ealing Trailfinders
Pool 2
Scarlets Premiership Select vs Bristol Rugby
Ulster Ravens vs Bedford Blues
Pool 3
Yorkshire Carnegie vs Munster 'A'
London Scottish vs Ospreys Premiership Select
Pool 4
Cardiff Blues Premiership vs London Welsh
Cornish Pirates vs Nottingham Rugby
Pool 5
Connacht Eagles vs Doncaster Knights
Jersey RFC vs Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select
Round six – 23 January
Pool 1
Ealing Trailfinders vs Moseley
Leinster 'A' vs Rotherham Titans
Pool 2
Bedford Blues vs Scarlets Premiership Select
Bristol Rugby vs Ulster Ravens
Pool 3
Ospreys Premiership Select vs Yorkshire Carnegie
Munster 'A' vs London Scottish
Pool 4
Nottingham Rugby vs Cardiff Blues Premiership Select
London Welsh vs Cornish Pirates
Pool 5
Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select vs Connacht Eagles
Doncaster Knights vs Jersey RFC