2017–18 RFU Intermediate Cup

The 2017–18 RFU Intermediate Cup is the 22nd version of the RFU Intermediate Cup (9th using the name RFU Intermediate Cup) national competition for clubs at level 7 of the English rugby union system. The cup consists of 91 clubs divided into four regions. The winners of each region then advance to the national semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London at the end of the season, along with the RFU Intermediate Cup and RFU Junior Vase finals.

2017–18 RFU Intermediate Cup
Tournament details
CountriesEngland
Tournament format(s)knockout
Date2 September 2017 – 6 May 2018
Tournament statistics
Teams91
Final
VenueTwickenham Stadium
ChampionsCamberley (1st title)
Runners-upDroitwich

The 2017–18 champions were London & South East winners, Camberley, who thrashed Midlands winners, Droitwich, 63–14 in the Twickenham final. It was Camberley's first ever intermediate cup title, but the 7th won by London & South East based clubs, tying them with the northern region who also had 7 victories.

London & South East Intermediate Cup

The London & South East Intermediate Cup involves a knock-out competition with 1st round, 2nd round, 3rd round, semi-finals and final. The winners of the London & South East Intermediate Cup then go on to the national Intermediate Cup semi-finals where they face the winners of the South West Intermediate Cup. There are 25 teams involved in the London & South East Intermediate Cup, all of which are 1st XV sides, coming from the following unions and level 7 leagues.

Union(s) League(s) / Level Participants
Eastern CountiesLondon 2 North East (7)2
EssexLondon 2 North East (7)5
London 2 South East (7)1
HampshireLondon 3 South West2
KentLondon 2 South East3
MiddlesexLondon 3 North West4
London 2 South East1
SurreyLondon 3 South West4[a 1]
SussexLondon 2 South East3

Round 1

Byes: Barking (L2SE), Camberley (L2SW), Chelmsford (L2NE), Chiswick (L2NW), Dover (L2SE), Gosport & Fareham (L2SW) and Hampstead (L2NW)

Date Home Score Away
14/10/2017[1]Charlton Park (L2SE)30–12Old Reigatian (L2SW)
Farnham (L2SW)36–33Beckenham (L2SE)
Hammersmith & Fulham (L2NW)18–48Rochford Hundred (L2NE)
Haywards Heath (L2SE)12–37London Exiles (L2SW)
Horsham (L2SE)HWOEastleigh (L2SW)
Norwich (L2NE)HWOHarlow (L2NE)
Old Cooperians (L2NE)HWOCantabrigian (L2NE)
Twickenham (L2SW)28–14Hove (L2SE)
Woodford (L2NE)45–5Harrow (L2NW)

Round 2
Date Home Score Away
18/11/2017[2]Charlton Park (L2SE)HWOTwickenham (L2SW)
Chelmsford (L2NE)0–48Woodford (L2NE)
Dover (L2SE)7–43Camberley (L2SW)
Gosport & Fareham (L2SW)29–31Farnham (L2SW)
Hampstead (L2NW)AWORochford Hundred (L2NE)
London Exiles (L2SW)37–27Horsham (L2SE)
Norwich (L2NE)18–10Chiswick (L2NW)
Old Cooperians (L2NE)35–24Barking (L2NE)

Round 3
Date Home Score Away
20/01/2018[3]Camberley (L2SW)HWOWoodford (L2NE)
Charlton Park (L2SE)17–14Farnham (L2SW)
Old Cooperians (L2NE)12–24Norwich (L2NE)
Rochford Hundred (L2NE)38–0London Exiles (L2SW)

Semi-finals
Date Home Score Away
24/02/2018[4]Camberley (L2SW)47–8Rochford Hundred (L2NE)
Norwich (L2NE)24–32Charlton Park (L2SE)

Final

The winners of the London & South East Intermediate Cup final would advance to the national semi-finals.

Date Home Score Away
17/03/2018[5]Charlton Park (L2SE)12–33[6]Camberley (L2SW)

Midlands Intermediate Cup

The Midlands Intermediate Cup is a direct knockout cup with a 1st round, 2nd round, 3rd round, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final The winner of the final goes forward to the National Intermediate Cup semi-finals where they face the winners of the Northern section.[7] The competition involves 41 clubs from the following unions and level 7 leagues:

Union(s) League(s) / Level Participants
CheshireMidlands 2 West (North) (7)1[a 2]
East MidlandsMidlands 2 East (South) (7)4
LeicestershireMidlands 2 East (North) (7)2
Midlands 2 East (South) (7)3
North MidlandsMidlands 2 West (North) (7)6
Midlands 2 West (South) (7)3
Notts, Lincs & DerbyshireMidlands 2 East (North) (7)9
StaffordshireMidlands 2 West (North) (7)4[a 3]
WarwickshireMidlands 2 West (North) (7)1
Midlands 2 West (South) (7)6
Midlands 2 East (South) (7)2

Round 1

Byes: 23 teams received a bye into the second round

Date Home Score Away
16/09/2017[8]Stamford (M2ES)AWOLincoln (M2EN)
Ashbourne (M2EN)38–40Whitchurch (M2WN)
Kenilworth (M2WS)14–22Olney (M2ES)
Ludlow (M2WN)31–19Evesham (M2WS)
Matlock (M2EN)29–14Tamworth (M2WN)
Newcastle (Staffs) (M2WN)10–25Dronfield (M2EN)
Oakham (M2ES)20–27Newark (M2EN)
Old Saltleians (M2WN)HWOSoutham (M2WS)
Silhillians (M2WS)15–12Cleobury Mortimer (M2WN)

Round 2
Date Home Score Away
07/10/2017[9]Bakewell Mannerians (M2EN)AWOCrewe & Nantwich (M2WN)
Droitwich (M2WS)36–8Walsall (M2WN)
Dronfield (M2EN)17–25Leek (M2WN)
Earlsdon (M2WS)5–3Veseyans (M2WN)
Leamington (M2WS)20–27Long Buckby (M2ES)
Lincoln (M2EN)HWOBelgrave (M2ES)
Market Harborough (M2ES)AWOSouthwell (M2EN)
Newark (M2EN)HWOStewarts & Lloyds (M2ES)
Nottingham Casuals (M2EN)26–18Old Saltleians (M2WN)
Old Laurentians (M2ES)17–3Loughborough (M2EN)
Old Yardleians (M2WS)7–22Kidderminster Carolians (M2WN)
Olney (M2ES)21–13Berkswell & Balsall (M2WS)
Pinley (M2ES)AWOCoalville (M2EN)
Silhillians (M2WS)26–36Ludlow (M2WN)
West Bridgford (M2EN)24–15Spartans (M2WN)
Whitchurch (M2WN)HWOMatlock (M2EN)

Round 3
Date Home Score Away
28/10/2017[10]Coalville (M2EN)46–19Olney (M2ES)
Crewe & Nantwich (M2WN)27–26West Bridgford (M2EN)
Kidderminster Carolians (M2WN)12–27Earlsdon (M2WS)
Leek (M2WN)39–17Lincoln (M2EN)
Long Buckby (M2ES)13–15Southwell (M2EN)
Ludlow (M2WN)AWODroitwich (M2WS)
Newark (M2EN)43–10Old Laurentians (M2ES)
Whitchurch (M2WN)39–14Nottingham Casuals (M2EN)

Quarter-finals
Date Home Score Away
18/11/2017[11]Coalville (M2EN)12–57Whitchurch (M2WN)
Droitwich (M2WS)34–10Crewe & Nantwich (M2WN)
Earlsdon (M2WS)16–8Newark (M2EN)[a 4]
Southwell (M2EN)14–46Leek (M2WN)

Semi-finals
Date Home Score Away
20/01/2017[13]Leek (M2WN)12–17Droitwich (M2WS)
Whitchurch (M2WN)39–5Newark (M2EN)

Final

The winners of the Midlands Intermediate Cup would advance to the National Intermediate Cup semi-finals.

Date Home Score Away
17/03/2018[14]Whitchurch (M2WN)7–19[15]Droitwich (M2WS)

Northern Intermediate Cup

Unlike the other regional competitions, the Northern Intermediate Cup starts with a mini-league stage, in which the eligible clubs are placed in 2 regional pools of 3 teams each. The winners of each pool then face each other in the Northern Intermediate Cup final, with the winner advancing to the National Intermediate Cup semi-finals, where they will face the winners of the Midlands section. There are 6 teams (1st XV only) involved in the Northern Intermediate Cup representing the following unions and level 7 leagues:

Union(s) League(s) / Level Participants
Durham CountyDurham/Northumberland 1 (7)1
CheshireLancs/Cheshire Division 1 (7)1
CumbriaNorth Lancashire/Cumbria (7)1
LancashireNorth Lancashire/Cumbria (7)1[a 5]
NorthumberlandDurham/Northumberland 1 (7)1
YorkshireYorkshire 1 (7)1

Pool 1 (West)
Pool 1[17]
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Points
1Bowdon (LC1)22006846224
2De La Salle (NLC)2101595362
3Aspatria (NLC)20022452-20
2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw.[18]
Date Home Score Away
14/10/2017De La Salle (NLC)25–12Aspatria (NLC)
18/11/2017Bowdon (LC1)41–34De La Salle (NLC)
10/02/2018Aspatria (NLC)12–27Bowdon (LC1)

Pool 2 (East)
Pool 2[19]
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Points
1York (Y1)2200179121674
2Gateshead (DN1)2101581-762
3Medicals (DN1)2002798-910
2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw.[18]
Date Home Score Away
14/10/2017York (Y1)98–7Medicals (DN1)
18/11/2017Medicals (DN1)AWOGateshead (DN1)
17/02/2018Gateshead (DN1)5–81York (Y1)

Final

The winners of the Pool 1 (West) and Pool 2 (East) would meet in the Northern Intermediate Cup final. The winners of this final would then advanced to the National Intermediate Cup semi-finals.

Date Home Score Away
24/02/2018[20]York (Y1)25–11[21]Bowdon (LC1)

South West Intermediate Cup

The South West Intermediate Cup consist of three stages, with representatives from the different unions joining at different points. The Dorset & Wilts and Gloucestershire clubs first play in county based knock-out tournaments, with the winners advancing to either the Southern Counties or South West Counties area semi-finals, where they join the other south-west representatives. The winners of each area final then meet in the South West Intermediate Cup final to determine who goes through to the national semi-finals, where they face the winners of the London and South East section.

The South West Intermediate Cup involves 19 clubs (1st XV only) from the following unions and level 7 leagues:

Union(s) League(s) / Level Participants
BerkshireSouthern Counties North (7)1
BuckinghamshireSouthern Counties North (7)1
CornwallTribute Western Counties West (7)1
DevonTribute Western Counties West (7)1
Dorset & WiltsSouthern Counties South (7)7
GloucestershireTribute Western Counties North (7)6
Oxfordshire (7)Southern Counties North (7)1
SomersetTribute Western Counties North (7)1

Stage 1 (Dorset & Wilts)

9 clubs were involved in the Dorset & Wilts RFU Intermediate Cup qualification. The winners would advanced to the Southern Counties semi-finals.

First Round
Date Home Score Away
23/09/2017[22]North Dorset (SCS)26–20Trowbridge (SCS)
Quarter-finals
23/09/2017[23]Corsham (SCS)36–22Marlborough (SCS)
Devizes (SCS)HWOBlandford (SCS)
Swanage & Wareham (SCS)24–26Sherborne (SCS)
14/10/2017North DorsetHWOSwindon College Old Boys (SCS)
Semi-finals
18/11/2017[24]Devizes12–30Sherborne (SCS)
North Dorset22–10Corsham (SCS)
Final
02/12/2017[25]North Dorset17–20Sherborne (SCS)

Stage 1 (Gloucestershire)

7 teams were involved in the Gloucestershire RFU Intermediate Cup qualification tournament. The winners of the competition would go through to the South West Counties final.

First Round[a 6]
Date Home Score Away
02/09/2017[26]Old Bristolians (WCN)24–21Avonmouth Old Boys (WCN)
09/09/2017[26]Stroud (WCN)13–43Chosen Hill Former Pupils (WCN)
16/09/2017Old Richians (WCN)20–56Coney Hill (WCN)
Semi-finals
30/09/2017[27]Chosen Hill Former Pupils (WCN)40–26Old Bristolians (WCN)
14/10/2017[27]Coney Hill (WCN)HWOCheltenham (WCN)
Final
02/12/2017[28]Chosen Hill Former Pupils (WCN)13–14Coney Hill (WCN)

Stage 2 (Southern Counties)

The winners of the Dorset & Wilts Intermediate Cup would join representatives from the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire unions in the Southern Counties knock-out stage. The winners would advance to play the South West Counties winners in the south-west regional final.

Semi-finals
Date Home Score Away
10/02/2018[29]Wallingford (SCN)7–26Beaconsfield (SCN)
Windsor (SCN)12–3Sherborne (SCS)
Final
24/02/2018[30]Beaconsfield (SCN)8–17Windsor (SCN)

Stage 2 (South West Counties)

The winners of the Gloucestershire Intermediate Cup would meet the representatives from the Somerset RFU in the semi-final, while the representatives from the Cornwall RFU would face the representatives from the Devon RFU. The winners would advance to play the Southern Counties winners in the south-west regional final.

Semi-finals
Date Home Score Away
10/02/2018[31]Coney Hill (WCN)HWOChew Valley (WCN)
St Austell (WCW)HWODevonport Services (WCW)
Final
24/02/2018[32]Coney Hill (WCN)65–17St Austell (WCW)

Stage 3 (South West final)

The winners of the Southern Counties and South West Counties final would meet in the south-west regional final. The winners of this final would then advanced to the national semi-finals.

Date Home Score Away
17/03/2018[33]Windsor (SCN)19–34[34]Coney Hill (WCN)

National Senior Vase

4 teams qualified from the regional vase competitions:

  • London & South East Intermediate Cup winners – Camberley (L2SW)
  • Midlands Intermediate Cup winners – Droitwich (M2WS)
  • Northern Intermediate Cup winners – York (Y1)
  • South West Intermediate Cup winners – Coney Hill (WCN)

The Midlands winners would face the North winners in the first semi-final, while the London & South East winners would face the South-West winners in the other, with the winners of each semi-final meeting in the Twickenham final. Home advantage in the semi-finals will be decided by a draw.[35]

Semi-finals
Date Home Score Away
31/03/2018[36]Coney Hill (WCN)17–20[37]Camberley (L2SW)
Droitwich (M2WS)24–22[38]York (Y1)

Final
6 May 2018
15:00
Camberley (L2SW) 63–14 Droitwich (M2WS)
Report

[39][40]

Notes
  1. One of the Surrey clubs, London Exiles, are members of both the Middlesex and Surrey unions but play in Surrey county cup competitions.
  2. Crewe & Nantwich are a member of the Cheshire RFU but play in the Midlands regional leagues.
  3. One of the Staffordshire clubs, Walsall, are joint members of both the Staffordshire and North Midlands unions but play in Staffordshire county cup competitions.
  4. Despite initially losing their second round game against Earlsdon, Newark were reinstated back into the Midlands Intermediate Cup after Earlsdon were later disqualified for fielding an ineligible player.[12]
  5. Although the breakaway of 19 Lancashire RFU clubs at the start of the 2017–18 season affected Lancashire clubs' participation in the Senior and Junior Vases, they were still able to send a representative to the 2017–18 RFU Intermediate Cup.[16]
  6. Cheltenham received a bye through to the semi-finals.

See also

References
  1. "London & SE Intermediate Cup Round 1". England Rugby. 14 October 2017.
  2. "London & SE Intermediate Cup Round 2". England Rugby. 18 November 2017.
  3. "London & SE Intermediate Cup Round 3". England Rugby. 20 January 2018.
  4. "London & SE Intermediate Cup Semi Final". England Rugby. 24 February 2018.
  5. "London & SE Intermediate Cup Final". England Rugby. 17 March 2018.
  6. "Cam Storm to Divisional Crown at Charlton Park". Camberley RFC (Pitchero). 17 March 2018.
  7. "Midlands Division Cups". England RFU. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  8. "Midlands Intermediate Cup Round 1". England Rugby. 16 September 2017.
  9. "Midlands Intermediate Cup Round 2". England Rugby. 7 October 2017.
  10. "Midlands Intermediate Cup Round 3". England Rugby. 28 October 2017.
  11. "Midlands Intermediate Cup Quarter Final". England Rugby. 18 November 2017.
  12. "County pair kept apart in RFU Intermediate Cup". North Midlands RFU. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  13. "Midlands Intermediate Cup Semi Finals". England Rugby. 20 January 2017.
  14. "Midlands Intermediate Cup Finals". England Rugby. 17 March 2018.
  15. "Droitwich Rugby Club one win away from Twickenham after cup win". Worcester News. 20 March 2018.
  16. "North West league restructuring (June 14 2018)". RFU North. 14 June 2018.
  17. "Northern Division Intermediate Cup Pool 1". England Rugby. 17 February 2018.
  18. "NORTH DIVISION ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTIONS 2017-2018" (PDF). North Division RFU. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  19. "Northern Division Intermediate Cup Pool 2". England Rugby. 17 February 2018.
  20. "Northern Division Final". England Rugby. 24 February 2018.
  21. "York 25 Bowdon 11 RFU Intermediate Cup quarter-final". York Press. 27 February 2018.
  22. "Dorset & Wilts Intermediate Cup Round 1". England Rugby. 23 September 2017.
  23. "Dorset & Wilts Intermediate Cup Quarter Finals". England Rugby. 14 October 2017.
  24. "Dorset & Senior Wilts Vase Semi Finals". England Rugby. 18 November 2017.
  25. "Dorset & Wilts Intermediate Cup Final". England Rugby. 2 December 2017.
  26. "Gloucestershire Intermediate Cup Round 1". England Rugby. 16 September 2017.
  27. "Gloucestershire Intermediate Cup Semi Finals". England Rugby. 14 October 2017.
  28. "Gloucestershire Intermediate Cup Final". England Rugby. 2 December 2017.
  29. "Southern Counties Intermediate Cup Semi Finals". England Rugby. 10 February 2018.
  30. "Southern Counties Intermediate Cup Final". England Rugby. 24 February 2018.
  31. "South West Counties Intermediate Cup Semi Finals". England Rugby. 10 February 2018.
  32. "South West Counties Intermediate Cup Final". England Rugby. 24 February 2018.
  33. "South West Intermediate Cup Final". England Rugby. 17 March 2018.
  34. "oney Hill to take on Camberley for place at Twickenham in RFU Intermediate Cup final". The Local Answer. 19 March 2018.
  35. "RFU REGULATION 13 – ADULT COMPETITIONS" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  36. "RFU Intermediate Cup". England Rugby. 31 March 2018.
  37. "Coney Hill heartache as they miss out on Twickenham final: Gloucestershire rugby results for Saturday, March 31". Gloucestershire Live. 31 March 2018.
  38. "PICTURES: Droitwich Rugby Club through to Twickenham final". Worcester News. 1 April 2018.
  39. "Superb Camberley enjoy a Nine Try Fest in the Sun at Twickenham". Camberley RFC (Pitchero). 6 May 2018.
  40. "Rugby: Droitwich suffer nine-try Twickenham beating in RFU Intermediate Cup final". Worcester News. 7 May 2018.
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