RFU Intermediate Cup

The RFU Intermediate Cup is a rugby union national knockout cup competition in England run by the Rugby Football Union. It is contested by teams at level 7 of the English rugby union system. While the competition is a national one, it is however split into regions until the semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London.[1] It was first contested in 1997.[2] Presently, the RFU Intermediate Cup is the third most important club cup competition in England, behind the Premiership Rugby Cup and RFU Championship Cup.

RFU Intermediate Cup
Current season or competition:
2018–19 RFU Intermediate Cup
SportRugby union
Instituted1997 (1997)
Number of teamsLevel 7 of English rugby
NationsEngland (RFU)
HoldersKenilworth (1st title) (2018–19)
WebsiteEngland Rugby
Related competitionSenior Vase, Junior Vase

History

The RFU Intermediate Cup was first contested in 1997 for clubs at Level 7 of English rugby.[3] The competition was initially unsponsored but later gained sponsorship from NPI,[4] Powergen[5] and EDF Energy[6] before becoming known as the "RFU Intermediate Cup" solely un-sponsored by 2008.[7] The largest crowd for a final was set in 2016 for the match between Kent based Tunbridge Wells RFC and Cumbria's St. Benedict's where 9,000 Tunbridge Wells fans attended the final.[8][9] A number of future RFU Championship clubs have played in the RFU Intermediate Cup prior to promotion to the second tier with Jersey Reds,[10] Hartpury College,[7] Doncaster Knights[2] and Richmond all taking part in the past.[11]

Current format

The rounds are contested on a regional basis between the four regional unions until the semi-finals, where the winner of each region enters the national competition. Each region decides their representative separately. For example, London and South East use a direct knockout competition of all teams in the region[12] while South West split their region into Southern Counties and South Western Counties with the winners playing each other to be the region's representative.[13] Each regional champion plays another set champion with the ground being one of the semi-finalist's home.[14] The semi-finals pairings are London & South East against South West and Midlands against North.[15] The winners of the semis play each other in the final at Twickenham Stadium.[1]

North

The format for northern teams involved in the RFU Intermediate Cup is a league-cup hybrid with each county union in the region selecting one representative each. The first stage features a mini league with clubs from Cheshire, Cumbria and Lancashire meeting in one pool and clubs from Durham County, Northumberland and Yorkshire, meeting in the other, each side playing 2 games each. The winners of each group then meet in the north final to determine who goes forward to the national semi-finals.[16] The competition involves representative teams from the following level 7 leagues:

Midlands

The format for Midlands teams involved in the RFU Senior Vase is a direct knockout cup with a 1st round, 2nd round, 3rd round, semi-finals and final. The winner of the final goes forward to the Senior Vase national semi-finals.[17] The competition involves all teams from the following level 7 leagues:

London and South East

As with the Midlands the format for London and South East teams involved in the RFU Senior Vase is a direct knockout cup with a 1st round, 2nd round, 3rd round, semi-finals and final. The winner of the final goes forward to the Senior Vase national semi-finals.[18] The competition involves all teams from the following level 7 leagues:

South West

The format for the south-west teams is more complex with different methods of qualification decided on by the county unions that they represent. Clubs that are affiliated with Dorset & Wilts and Gloucestershire play in county based knock-out competitions first. The winners of the Dorset & Wilts competition then plays in the Southern Counties semi-finals against representatives from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, while the Gloucestershire winners play in the South West Counties semi-finals against representative from Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, with the winners then meeting in a regional final. Finally, the Southern Counties and South West Counties winners meet to determine qualification for the national semi-finals.[19] Teams involved are from the following level 7 leagues:

Competition results
Season Winner Score Runners–up Name
1996–97Thanet Wanderers (SE)21–13[20][2]Doncaster (N)NPI Intermediate Cup[21][22]
1997–98Bedford Athletic (M)29–24 (aet)[23]Stroud (SW)
1998–99Aldwinians (N)21–10[24][25]Dudley Kingswinford (M)
1999–00Dunstablians (M)14–10[26]Hull Ionians (N)
2000–01Old Patesians (SW)25–24[27]Blaydon (N)
2001–02Halifax (N)43–19[28][29]Gosport and Fareham (SE)Powergen Intermediate Cup[30]
2002–03Hertford (SE)31–16[5][31]Bristol St Mary's Old Boys (SW)
2003–04Bradford & Bingley (N)46–18[32]Gloucester Old Boys (SW)
2004–05Morley (N)21–11[33]Westoe (N)
2005–06Stockport (N)11–3[34]Morley (N)
2006–07Mounts Bay (SW)46–36[35] Dunstablians (M)EDF Energy Intermediate Cup[36]
2007–08Chester (N)21–18[6]Birkenhead Park (N)
2008–09Hartpury College (SW)41–31[7]Clifton (SW)
2009–10Old Redcliffians (SW)42–21[37]Northern (N)RFU Intermediate Cup
2010–11Stoke-on-Trent (M)16–10[38]Aylesford Bulls (SE)
2011–12East Grinstead (SE)34–18[39]Ilkley (N)
2012–13Brighton (SE)30–22[40]Bridlington (N)
2013–14Trowbridge (SW)22–19[41]Leek (M)
2014–15Maidstone (SE)31–18[42]Bridgnorth (M)
2015–16Tunbridge Wells (SE)56–14[43]St. Benedict's (N)
2016–17West Leeds (N)35–26[44]Charlton Park (SE)
2017–18Camberley (SE)63–14[45]Droitwich (M)
2018–19Kenilworth (M)32–26[46]Matson (SW)
2019-20 Not contested due to COVID-19 Pandemic
(N) stands for Northern region, (M) for Midlands, (SE) for London & South East, (SW) for South-west

Number of wins

Club

Region

Notes

    See also

    References
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    8. "Tunbridge Wells Honoured at Twickenham for a Perfect Campaign". Kent and Sussex Courier. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
    9. "A well-run club is the route to victory…". Times of Tunbridge Wells. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
    10. "Jersey draw London Nigerian in Powergen Intermediate Cup". Jersey Evening Post. 21 September 2005. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
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    12. "Intermediate Cup 2015–16". RFU London. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
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    33. "Morley's field day at 'mental' Twickenham". Yorkshire Evening Post. 18 April 2005. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
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    35. "Fixtures". The Times. Retrieved 7 April 2018.(registration required)
    36. "EDF extends rugby sponsorship with new RFU and Premier deal". Marketing Week. 3 August 2006. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
    37. "Old Reds claim Twickenham victory". BBC Sport. 17 May 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
    38. "Stoke win RFU Intermediate Cup". Rugby World. 14 May 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
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    40. "RFU Intermediate Cup". Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
    41. Owen Houlihan (8 May 2014). "Trowbridge at Twickenham: Fans' support was overwhelming, says Ojomoh". Wiltshire Times. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
    42. McConnell, Ed (4 May 2015). "Maidstone coach Paul Hathaway reaction to winning RFU Intermediate Cup at Twickenham against Bridgnorth". Kent Online. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
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    45. "Rugby: Droitwich suffer nine-try Twickenham beating in RFU Intermediate Cup final". Worcester News. 7 May 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
    46. "Kenilworth hold off Matson comeback in Intermediate Cup". England Rugby. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
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