2019–20 Premiership Rugby Cup
The 2019–20 Premiership Cup was the 48th season of England's national rugby union cup competition and the second 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 were no stipulations on player selection, the cup was seen by many clubs as a development competition, and games took place during the 2019 Rugby World Cup and during the Six Nations.
2019–20 Premiership Rugby Cup | |
---|---|
Tournament details | |
Countries | England |
Tournament format(s) | Round-robin and knockout |
Date | 20 September 2019 – 21 September 2020 |
Tournament statistics | |
Teams | 12 |
Matches played | 26 |
Attendance | 229,032 (8,809 per match) |
Highest attendance | 16,160 Leicester Tigers v Northampton Saints 12 October 2019 |
Lowest attendance | 2,558 London Irish v Sale Sharks 12 October 2019 |
Tries scored | 195 (7.5 per match) |
Top point scorer(s) | Marcus Smith (Harlequins) 40 points |
Top try scorer(s) | Rotimi Segun (Saracens) 5 tries |
Final | |
Venue | AJ Bell Stadium |
Champions | Sale Sharks (1st title) |
Runners-up | Harlequins |
Northampton Saints entered the competition as reigning champions, becoming the first winners of the Premiership Cup when they defeated Saracens 23 – 9 in the final at Franklin's Gardens during the 2019–20 season.[2][3]
Competition format
The competition consisted of the twelve Premiership Rugby 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 pool. The top team in each pool, plus the best overall runner up, progressed to the semi-finals, with the highest ranked teams having home advantage. The winners of the semi-finals then met in the final in March 2020, held at the home ground of the highest ranked remaining team.[4]
Teams and locations
Pool stage
The pool stage began on 20 September 2019 and ran for four consecutive weeks. Fixtures were announced by Premiership Rugby on 17 July 2019.[6]
Pool 1
| |||||||||||||||||
Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Tries For | Tries Against | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sale Sharks | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 126 | 77 | 49 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 19 | ||||
2 | Saracens | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 149 | 113 | 36 | 18 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 14 | ||||
3 | Wasps | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 123 | 112 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 12 | ||||
4 | Northampton Saints | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 109 | 151 | -42 | 15 | 23 | 3 | 1 | 8 | ||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Green background means the club qualified for the semi-finals as pool winner. Blue background means the club qualified for the semi-finals as the best pool runner up. Updated: 12 October 2019 Note that each team played 4 games; 3 pool games plus a derby game against a team in another pool. Source: "Premiership Rugby Cup 2019-20". Premiership Rugby. |
Round 1
21 September 2019 13:00 |
(1 BP) Wasps | 28 – 50 | Saracens (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Brookes 20' c Reider 37' c Flament 45' c Sirker 73' c Con: Umaga (4/4) 21', 39', 46', 74' |
Report | Try: Vunipola 2' c Segun (2) 7' m, 64' m Obatoyinbo 33' c Watson 70' c Tompkins 77' c Con: Whiteley (2/4) 3', 34' Willemse (2/2) 70', 78' Pen: Whiteley (4) 21', 41', 49', 61' |
21 September 2019 15:00 |
(1 BP) Sale Sharks | 39 – 18 | Northampton Saints |
---|---|---|
Try: Hammersley (2) 5' m, 66' m Penalty Try 27' Van Rensburg 41' m Ashton (2) 52' c, 63' c Con: R. Du Preez (2/5) 53', 64' Pen: R. Du Preez 11' |
Report | Try: Harrison 36' m Coles 73' c Con: Grayson (0/1) Matthews (1/1) 74' Pen: Grayson (2) 18', 61' |
Round 2
28 September 2019 15:00 |
(2 BP) Northampton Saints | 32 – 36 | Wasps (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Fish 12' m Naiyaravoro 16' m Eadie 43' c Penalty Try 64' Dingwall 70' Con: Grayson (1/4) 44' Pen: Grayson 22' |
Report | Try: Umaga 8' c Cardall 40' m Vailanu 41' m Carr 56' m Willis 68' c Penalty Try 74' Con: Umaga (1/4) 9' Miller (1/1) 69' |
28 September 2019 15:00 |
Saracens | 17 – 36 | Sale Sharks (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Whiteley 9' c Lewington 56' c Con: Whiteley (2/2) 10', 57' Pen: Whiteley 22' |
Report | Try: J. Du Preez 16' m Cooper-Woolley (2) 26' m, 78' c McGuigan 69' c Con: Curtis (2/4) 69', 78' Pen: Curtis 40'+1 |
Round 3
5 October 2019 15:00 |
Sale Sharks | 24 – 20 | Wasps (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Van der Merwe 1' c Solomona 58' c, 70' c Con: R. Du Preez (3/3) 3', 59', 72' Pen: R. Du Preez 19' |
Report | Try: Wolstenholme 11' c Willis 30' c Con: Umaga (2/2) 12', 32' Pen: Umaga (2) 8', 39' |
6 October 2019 15:00 |
(1 BP) Northampton Saints | 28 – 54 | Saracens (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Symons (2) 14' c, 35' c Taylor 23' c Ribbans 49' c Con: Grayson (4/4) 14', 24', 36', 50' |
Report | Try: Gallagher 7' m Segun 29' m Tompkins (3) 32' c, 60' c, 75' c Spencer 51' c Vunipola 64' c Con: Whiteley (1/3) 34' Vunipola (4/4) 53', 62', 65', 76' Pen: Whiteley (3) 17', 40'+3, 41' |
Pool 2
| |||||||||||||||||
Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Tries For | Tries Against | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Harlequins | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 106 | 89 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 14 | ||||
2 | Bristol Bears | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 95 | 110 | -15 | 12 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 9 | ||||
3 | London Irish | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 116 | 121 | -5 | 16 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||||
4 | Gloucester | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 101 | 135 | -34 | 16 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 5 | ||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Green background means the club qualified for the semi-finals as pool winner. Blue background means the club qualified for the semi-finals as the best pool runner up. Updated: 12 October 2019 Note that each team played 4 games; 3 pool games plus a derby game against a team in another pool. Source: "Premiership Rugby Cup 2019-20". Premiership Rugby. |
Round 1
20 September 2019 19:45 |
Harlequins | 24 – 12 | Bristol Bears |
---|---|---|
Try: Morris (2) 13' c, 35' c Mulchrone 77' c Con: Herron (3/3) 14', 36', 78' Pen: Herron 3' |
Report | Try: Pincus 39' m Protheroe 79' c Con: Eden (1/2) 79' |
21 September 2019 15:00 |
(1 BP) Gloucester | 29 – 49 | London Irish (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Evans (2) 20' m, 42' c Hinkley 35' c Rees-Zammit 76' c Con: Evans (2/3) 36', 43' Barton (1/1) 76' Pen: Evans 4' |
Report | Try: McMillan (2) 25' m, 31' c Nott 27' c Steele (3) 46' c, 60' m, 79' m Gilsenan 65' c Con: Myler (3/4) 28', 33', 48' Jackson (1/3) 66' Pen: Myler 11' Jackson 57' |
Round 2
27 September 2019 19:45 |
Bristol Bears | 20 – 17 | Gloucester (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Thacker (2) 4' c, 44' c Con: Sheedy (2/2) 5', 45' Pen: Sheedy (2) 12', 21' |
Report | Try: Simpson 31' m Banahan 59' m Grobler 77' c Con: Evans (1/3) 77' |
28 September 2019 15:00 |
(1 BP) London Irish | 18 – 21 | Harlequins |
---|---|---|
Try: Hepetema 15' c Fainga'a 28' m Con: Jackson (1/2) 16' Pen: Jackson (2) 35', 60' |
Report | Try: Lang 1' m Ibitoye 54' m Dombrandt 67' m Con: Herron (0/3) Pen: Herron (2) 21', 78' |
Round 3
5 October 2019 15:00 |
(1 BP) Harlequins | 40 – 31 | Gloucester (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Brown 2' c Landajo 16' c Baldwin 24' c Morris 31' c Tapuai 38' c Bothma 79' m Con: Smith (5/5) 4' , 17' , 26' , 33' , 39' Lang (0/1) |
Report | Try: Simpson 12' m Twelvetrees 19' c Hinkley 35' c Seabrook 47' m Grobler 56' c Con: Twelvetrees (3/5) 20', 36', 57' |
6 October 2019 15:00 |
(1 BP) Bristol Bears | 44 – 27 | London Irish (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Thacker 26' c Hughes 28' c Uren 42' c Protheroe (2) 73' c, 76' c Con: Eden (5/5) 27', 29', 42', 74', 78' Pen: Eden (3) 12', 50', 69' |
Report | Try: Englefield 20' m Loader (2) 55' c, 64' c Cooke 80'+1 m Con: Myler (2/4) 56', 65' Pen: Myler 1' |
Pool 3
| |||||||||||||||||
Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Tries For | Tries Against | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Exeter Chiefs | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 111 | 79 | 32 | 15 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 15 | ||||
2 | Leicester Tigers | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 90 | 102 | -12 | 12 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 10 | ||||
3 | Bath | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 83 | 98 | -15 | 12 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 10 | ||||
4 | Worcester Warriors | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 110 | 132 | -22 | 15 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 6 | ||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Green background means the club qualified for the semi-finals as pool winner. Blue background means the club qualified for the semi-finals as the best pool runner up. Updated: 12 October 2019 Note that each team played 4 games; 3 pool games plus a derby game against a team in another pool. Source: "Premiership Rugby Cup 2019-20". Premiership Rugby. |
Round 1
21 September 2019 15:00 |
(1 BP) Worcester Warriors | 57 – 23 | Leicester Tigers |
---|---|---|
Try: Humphreys 11' c Miller 20' c Montgomery 32' c Hearle 39' c Beck 45' m Mudariki 59' c Penalty Try 74' Shillcock 76' c Con: Lance (4/5) 12', 21', 33', 40'+1 Van Breda (2/2) 61', 77' Pen: Lance 6' |
Report | Try: Forsyth 15' c McPhillips 80' c Con: Hardwick (2/2) 16', 80' Pen: Hardwick (3) 2', 10', 43' |
21 September 2019 15:00 |
(1 BP) Exeter Chiefs | 28 – 14 | Bath |
---|---|---|
Try: Wyatt 20' c Hendrickson 30' c Woodburn 37' c Karea 73' c Con: Steenson (4/4) 20', 30', 37', 73' |
Report | Try: Davis 48' c Cook 64' c Con: A Davies (2/2) 48, 62 |
Round 2
27 September 2019 19:45 |
(1 BP) Leicester Tigers | 27 – 7 | Exeter Chiefs |
---|---|---|
Try: Thompson 2' m Olowofela 15' m Holmes 25' c Eastmond 73' c Con: Reid (1/3) 26' Hardwick (1/1) 74' Pen: Reid 47' |
Report | Try: Vermeulen 8' c Con: Skinner (1/1) 9' |
28 September 2019 15:00 |
(1 BP) Bath | 36 – 28 | Worcester Warriors (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Chudley 8' c Davis 16' c Stooke 28' c Penalty Try 67' Brew 77' m Con: Priestland (3/3) 8', 17', 29' Burns (0/1) Pen: Priestland 5' |
Report | Try: Mama 36' c Lawrence 61' c Hill 79' c Hougaard 80'+2 c Con: Weir (2/2) 38', 61' Shillcock (2/2) 79', 80'+3 |
Round 3
4 October 2019 19:45 |
Worcester Warriors | 19 – 34 | Exeter Chiefs (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Howe (3) 2' m, 27' c, 46' c Con: Lance (2/3) (28) (47) |
Report | Try: Woodburn 16' c Vermeulen 62' c Lonsdale 76' c Kvesic 80'+1 c Con: Simmonds (4/4) 18', 64', 77', 80'+3 Pen: Simmonds (2) 44', 58' |
5 October 2019 15:00 |
Bath | 7 – 18 | Leicester Tigers |
---|---|---|
Try: Davis 44' c Con: Priestland (1/1) 45' |
Report | Try: Reffell 17' m White 26' c Con: Hardwick (1/2) 27' Pen: Hardwick 13' Drop: Hardwick 79' |
Round 4 (derby games)
After three pool games, each team played a 'derby' game against a team in another pool, with results counting towards the final standings in each pool.
11 October 2019 19:45 |
(2 BP) Gloucester (P2) | 24 – 26 | Bath (P3) (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Rees-Zammit 4' c Kriel 12' m Chapman 17' c Morris (20) Con: Evans (2/4) 5', 18' |
Report | Try: Batty 33' c Stuart 40' m Burns 53' c Walker 62' c Con: A Davies (1/2) 34' Burns (2/2) 53', 63' |
12 October 2019 15:00 |
(1 BP) Exeter Chiefs (P3) | 42 – 19 | Bristol Bears (P2) |
---|---|---|
Try: Hill 1' c Maunder 10' c Simmonds 18' c Williams 31' c Dennis 59' c Street 76' c Con: Simmonds (5/5) 2', 11', 19', 31', 60' Steenson (1/1) 78' |
Report | Try: Bates 5' Pincus (2) 22', 65' Con: Madigan (2/3) 24', 66' |
12 October 2019 15:00 |
(1 BP) Leicester Tigers (P3) | 22 – 33 | Northampton Saints (P1) (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Holmes (2) 18' m, 27' m Spencer 47' m Reid 50' c Con: Reid (1/4) 51' |
Report | Try: Ribbans (2) 8' c, 32' c Collins 62' c Dingwall 65' c Con: Grayson (4/4) 8', 33', 62', 66' Pen: Grayson 74' |
12 October 2019 15:00 |
(1 BP) London Irish (P2) | 22 – 27 | Sale Sharks (P1) (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Fainga'a 7' c Hoskins 43' c Loader 55' m Con: Jackson (2/3) 8', 44' Pen: Jackson 38' |
Report | Try: Hammersley 18' m Ashton (2) 32' c, 62' c Van der Merwe 73' m Con: R. Du Preez (2/4) 33', 63' Pen: R. Du Preez 40' |
12 October 2019 15:00 |
Saracens (P1) | 28 – 21 | Harlequins (P2) (1 BP) |
---|---|---|
Try: Segun 6' m Spencer (2) 14' c, 33' c Con: Spencer (2/3) 15', 34' Pen: Spencer (3) 22', 64', 71' |
Report | Try: Brown 29' c Ibitoye 75' m Con: Smith (1/2) 30' Pen: Smith (3) 3', 40', 53' |
Knock-out stage
The four qualifiers were seeded according to performance in the pool stage. The top 2 seeds hosted the semi-finals against the lower seeds, in a 1 v 4, 2v 3 format. Note, if two teams qualified from the same pool, they could still be drawn together in the semi-finals. Semi-finals were held over a two-week period in early February followed by the final originally scheduled for mid-March but postponed to September due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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
Rank | Pool leaders | Pts | Wins | Diff | PF | TF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sale Sharks | 19 | 4 | 49 | 126 | 18 |
2 | Exeter Chiefs | 15 | 3 | 32 | 111 | 15 |
3 | Harlequins | 14 | 3 | 17 | 106 | 14 |
Rank | Pool runners–up | Pts | Wins | Diff | PF | TF |
4 | Saracens | 14 | 3 | 36 | 149 | 18 |
5 | Leicester Tigers | 10 | 2 | -12 | 90 | 12 |
6 | Bristol Bears | 9 | 2 | -15 | 95 | 12 |
Semi-finals | Final | |||||
2 February 2020 — Sandy Park | ||||||
Exeter Chiefs | 22 | |||||
21 September 2020 — AJ Bell Stadium | ||||||
Harlequins | 49 | |||||
Sale Sharks | 27 | |||||
7 February 2020 — AJ Bell Stadium | ||||||
Harlequins | 19 | |||||
Sale Sharks | 28 | |||||
Saracens | 7 | |||||
Semi-finals
2 February 2020 13:00 |
Exeter Chiefs | 22 – 49 | Harlequins |
---|---|---|
Try: Skinner 34' m Price (2) 46' c, 79 m Short 69' m Con: Skinner (1/2) 47' |
Report | Try: Dombrandt (2) 21' m, 59' c Ibitoye (2) 30' c, 63' m Young 51' c Chisholm 66' c Smith 71' m Con: Smith (4/7) 31', 52', 61', 66' Pen: Smith (2) 13', 39' |
7 February 2020 19:45 |
Sale Sharks | 28 – 7 | Saracens |
---|---|---|
Try: Solomona 1' c Cliff 14' c Curry 17' c Van der Merwe 64' c Con: R. Du Preez (4/4) 2', 15', 19', 65' |
Report | Try: Segun 58' c Con: Whiteley (1/1) 59' |
Final
Attendances
Club | Home matches |
Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bath | 2 | 25,856 | 12,928 | 13,190 | 12,666 | 89% |
Bristol Bears | 2 | 12,139 | 6,070 | 7,274 | 4,865 | 22% |
Exeter Chiefs | 3 | 28,846 | 9,615 | 9,722 | 9,418 | 73% |
Gloucester | 2 | 24,484 | 12,242 | 13,197 | 11,287 | 76% |
Harlequins | 2 | 21,547 | 10,774 | 12,496 | 9,051 | 73% |
Leicester Tigers | 2 | 29,793 | 14,897 | 16,160 | 13,633 | 58% |
London Irish | 2 | 5,807 | 2,904 | 3,249 | 2,558 | 12% |
Northampton Saints | 2 | 23,631 | 11,816 | 12,000 | 11,631 | 77% |
Sale Sharks | 3 | 20,545 | 6,848 | 7,992 | 5,744 | 57% |
Saracens | 2 | 11,159 | 5,580 | 5,761 | 5,398 | 66% |
Wasps | 2 | 12,445 | 6,223 | 6,341 | 6,104 | 19% |
Worcester Warriors | 2 | 12,780 | 6,390 | 6,743 | 6,037 | 56% |
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).
Top points scorers
|
Top try scorers
|
Season records
Team
57 – 23 Worcester Warriors at home to Leicester Tigers on 21 September 2019
49 – 22 Harlequins away to Exeter Chiefs on 31 January 2020
57 – 23 Worcester Warriors at home to Leicester Tigers on 21 September 2019
Worcester Warriors at home to Leicester Tigers on 21 September 2019
Worcester Warriors at home to Leicester Tigers on 21 September 2019
Saracens away to Wasps on 21 September 2019
Leicester Tigers away to Bath on 5 October 2019
|
Player
Ben Spencer for Saracens at home to Harlequins on 12 October 2019
Scott Steele for London Irish away to Gloucester on 21 September 2019
Marcus Smith for Harlequins at home to Gloucester on 5 October 2019
Tom Whiteley for Saracens away to Wasps on 21 September 2019
Tom Hardwick for Leicester Tigers away to Bath on 5 October 2019 Attendances
Leicester Tigers at home to Northampton Saints on 12 October 2019
London Irish at home to Sale Sharks on 12 October 2019
|
Notes
- Sandy Park's capacity increased from 12,921 to 13,593 from December 2019 onward.[5]
- Allianz Park will have a reduced capacity this season due to redevelopment works.
- Originally scheduled for 15 March 2020 but postponed due to a Harlequins staff member testing positive for Coronavirus disease 2019.[13]
- Match played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
See also
References
- "Premiership Rugby Cup to replace Anglo-Welsh Cup from next season". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- "Match Report: Northampton Saints 23-9 Saracens". Premiership Rugby. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
- "Premiership Rugby Cup Final: Northampton beat Saracens with three first-half tries". BBC Sport. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
- "Premiership Rugby Cup Format". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- "Premiership champions confirm stadium expansion". Ruck. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- "Gallagher Premiership Rugby Cup kicks off in September live on BT Sport". Premiership Rugby. Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper (575). 22 September 2019. pp. 26–27 & 38.
- "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper (576). 29 September 2019. pp. 22–23 & 38.
- "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper (577). 6 October 2019. pp. 22–23 & 38.
- "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper (578). 13 October 2019. pp. 22–23 & 38.
- "Premiership Rugby Cup (Competition Format)". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper (595). 9 February 2020. pp. 18 & 32.
- "Premiership Rugby Cup Final between Sale and Harlequins postponed due to coronavirus outbreak". Evening Standard. 13 March 2020.