The 2021–22 RFU Championship Cup was the third season of the annual rugby union Championship Cup competition for second tier, professional English clubs playing in the RFU Championship.[1] The competition returned after a 14-month hiatus, following the cancellation of the previous year's tournament and the mid season cancellation of the 2019–20 tournament.
The competition format is two-legged knockout ties with a first round of five matches, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. The Championship winners, Ealing Trailfinders received a bye to the quarter-finals. The first round matches took place on 9 April, following the final round of Championship fixtures. In the competition's inaugural season, the RFU had set out the pool matches in a regional format to encourage derby games, but this year's competition format is more loosely structured.
Participating teams and locations
| Club
|
Stadium
|
Capacity
|
Area
|
| Ampthill
|
Dillingham Park
|
3,000
|
Ampthill, Bedfordshire
|
| Bedford Blues
|
Goldington Road
|
5,000 (1,700 seats)
|
Bedford, Bedfordshire
|
| Cornish Pirates
|
Mennaye Field
|
4,000 (2,200 seats)
|
Penzance, Cornwall
|
| Coventry
|
Butts Park Arena
|
4,000 (3,000 seats)
|
Coventry, West Midlands
|
| Doncaster Knights
|
Castle Park
|
5,183[2] (1,650 seats)
|
Doncaster, South Yorkshire
|
| Ealing Trailfinders
|
Trailfinders Sports Ground
|
4,000 (2,200 seats)
|
West Ealing, London
|
| Hartpury University
|
ALPAS Arena
|
2,000
|
Hartpury, Gloucestershire
|
| Jersey Reds
|
Stade Santander International
|
4,000
|
Saint Peter, Jersey
|
| London Scottish
|
Athletic Ground
|
4,500 (1,000 seats)
|
Richmond, London
|
| Nottingham
|
Lady Bay Sports Ground
|
3,500
|
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
|
| Richmond
|
Athletic Ground
|
4,500 (1,000 seats)
|
Richmond, London
|
|
Locations of the 2021–22 RFU Championship Cup teams
Greater London RFU Championship Cup teams
|
First round
First leg
Second leg
- Jersey Reds win 111 – 21 on aggregate
- Doncaster Knights win 56 – 46 on aggregate
- Hartpury University win 96 – 66 on aggregate
- Coventry win 52 – 49 on aggregate
- Bedford Blues win 90 – 33 on aggregate
Knock-out stage
The four overall winners from round 1 along with the best two losing teams and Ealing Trailfinders will contest the two-legged quarter-finals. The competition will then be played in a single-leg straight knockout format.
Quarter-finals
1st leg
| Hartpury University | 19 – 19 | Jersey Reds |
| | |
| Cornish Pirates | 38 – 37 | Bedford Blues |
| | |
| Doncaster Knights | 22 – 35 | Coventry |
| | |
| Ampthill | 21 – 31 | Ealing Trailfinders |
| | |
2nd leg
| Jersey Reds | 30 – 14 | Hartpury University |
| | |
| Stade Santander International |
- Jersey Reds won 49 - 34 on aggregate
| Bedford Blues | 32 – 33 | Cornish Pirates |
| | |
- Cornish Pirates won 71 – 69 on aggregate
| Ealing Trailfinders | 56 – 24 | Ampthill |
| | |
| Trailfinders Sports Ground |
- Ealing Trailfinders won 87 – 45 on aggregate
| Coventry | 27 – 31 | Doncaster Knights |
| | |
- Coventry won 62 – 53 on aggregate
Semi-finals
| Jersey Reds | 17 – 20 | Coventry |
| | |
| Stade Santander International |
| Ealing Trailfinders | 36 – 26 | Cornish Pirates |
| | |
| Trailfinders Sports Ground |
Final
| Ealing Trailfinders | 19 – 13 | Coventry |
| | |
Trailfinders Sports Ground Attendance: 1,400 Referee: Michael Hudson |
[3]
See also
References
- ^ "Fixture update & Championship Cup". Cornish Pirates. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ^ "A right mess entirely of the RFU's making". The RugbyPaper. No. 703. 6 March 2022. p. 11.
- ^ Ballheimer, David (22 May 2022). "Ealing double up to sink gutsy Cov". The RugbyPaper. No. 714. p. 22.
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