2011–12 British and Irish Cup

The 2011–12 British and Irish Cup was the 3rd season of the annual rugby union competition for second tier, semi-professional clubs from Britain and Ireland. First round matches began on Wednesday 21 September 2011 and the final was held on Friday 27 April 2012.[3]

2011–12 British and Irish Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
Ireland Ireland
 Scotland
 Wales
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and knockout
DateSeptember 2011 - April 2012
Tournament statistics
Teams24
Matches played55
Attendance48,328 (879 per match)
Tries scored271 (4.93 per match)
Top point scorer(s)Noel Reid (Leinster A)
(80 points)[1]
Top try scorer(s)Kristian Baller (Cross Keys)
(6 tries)[2]
Final
VenueMusgrave Park, Cork
Attendance2,500
ChampionsIreland Munster A (1st title)
Runners-upWales Cross Keys
← 2010–11 (Previous)
(Next) 2012–13 →

Defending champions Bristol had a very poor campaign and were unable to make it out of the pool stages. Munster A lifted the cup, comfortably defeating Cross Keys 31–12 in the final. They became the first Irish side to claim the title, and the third different side to win in the competition's three-year history.

Teams

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The allocation of teams is as follows:

  England   Ireland   Scotland   Wales

Competition format

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The pool stage saw a change in format and consisted of six pools of four teams playing cross-pool matches, giving each team two home and two away matches. Matches between English teams were played mid-week. Pool matches took place from 21 September to 18 December. The top team from each pool qualified for the quarter-finals, together with the two runners–up with the best records.

  • Pool 1 teams Ayr, Cornish Pirates, Moseley and Neath, played the teams in Pool 2 Bristol Rugby, Cross Keys, Plymouth Albion and Munster
  • Pool 3 teams Aberavon, Bedford Blues, Leinster and London Scottish, played the teams in Pool 4: Esher Rugby, Llanelli, London Welsh and Melrose
  • Pool 5: Currie, Doncaster, Rotherham and Pontypridd, played the teams in Pool 6: Leeds Carnegie, Nottingham Rugby, Swansea and Ulster Ravens[3][4][5]

Pool stages

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Pool 1 v Pool 2

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Pool 1
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
  Cornish Pirates 4 4 0 0 128 31 +97 17 2 0 18
  Ayr 4 2 0 2 44 72 −28 4 0 1 9
  Moseley 4 2 0 2 46 106 −60 5 1 0 9
  Neath 4 1 0 3 62 108 −46 6 1 0 5
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 4 points for a win; 2 points for a draw; 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less; 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
Pool 2
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
  Cross Keys 4 3 0 1 122 58 +64 15 3 0 15
  Munster A 4 3 0 1 67 22 +45 6 1 1 14
  Plymouth Albion 4 1 0 3 66 91 −25 8 0 2 6
  Bristol 4 0 0 4 62 109 −47 7 0 2 2
Source: [6]
Rules for classification: 4 points for a win; 2 points for a draw; 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less; 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
21 September 2011
17:00
Cornish Pirates  50 – 22  Bristol
Stats
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 1,612

21 September 2011
19:30
Moseley  29 – 25  Plymouth Albion
Stats
Billesley Common
Attendance: 305

12 October 2011
19:45
Bristol  10 – 14  Moseley
Stats
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 2,023

12 October 2011
19:45
Plymouth Albion  0 – 38  Cornish Pirates
Stats
The Brickfields
Attendance: 1,425

11 November 2011
19:00
Munster A  6 – 10  Cornish Pirates
Stats
Clonmel RFC
Attendance: 500

12 November 2011
15:00
Cross Keys  42 – 3  Moseley
Stats
Pandy Park

12 November 2011
19:45
Plymouth Albion  17 – 18  Ayr
Stats
The Brickfields
Attendance: 1,077

13 November 2011
15:00
Bristol  16 – 29  Neath
Stats
Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 2,865

19 November 2011
14:30
Neath  9 – 23  Munster A
Stats
The Gnoll

19 November 2011
15:00
Ayr  7 – 32  Cross Keys
Stats
Millbrae

10 December 2011
14:00
Munster A  9 – 3  Ayr
Stats
Tralee RFC
Attendance: 400

10 December 2011
14:30
Cross Keys  45 – 18  Neath
Stats
Pandy Park

17 December 2011
14:30
Ayr  16 – 14  Bristol
Stats
Millbrae

17 December 2011
15:00
Moseley  0 – 29  Munster A
Stats
Billesley Common
Attendance: 854

17 December 2011
15:00
Neath  6 – 24  Plymouth Albion
Stats
The Gnoll
Attendance: 1,257

18 December 2011
14:00
Cornish Pirates  30 – 3  Cross Keys
Stats
Mennaye Field
Attendance: 2,259

Pool 3 v Pool 4

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Pool 3
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
  Leinster A 4 3 1 0 117 75 +42 13 2 0 16
  Bedford Blues 4 2 1 1 137 104 +33 19 1 1 12
  Aberavon 4 1 0 3 89 97 −8 12 1 1 6
  London Scottish 4 1 0 3 47 162 −115 4 0 0 4
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 4 points for a win; 2 points for a draw; 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less; 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
Pool 4
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
  Llanelli 4 2 1 1 148 66 +82 16 2 1 13
  London Welsh 4 2 1 1 125 85 +40 12 1 1 12
  Melrose 4 2 0 2 60 95 −35 7 0 0 8
  Esher 4 1 0 3 105 144 −39 15 2 0 6
Source: [6][7]
Rules for classification: 4 points for a win; 2 points for a draw; 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less; 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
21 September 2011
19:30
London Scottish  9 – 44  London Welsh
Stats
Richmond Athletic Ground
Attendance: 853

21 September 2011
19:45
Bedford Blues  62 – 30  Esher
Stats
Goldington Road
Attendance: 1,544

12 October 2011
19:30
London Welsh  30 – 33  Bedford Blues
Stats
The Avenue, Sunbury
Attendance: 749

12 October 2011
19:45
Esher  43 – 10  London Scottish
Stats
Molesey Road
Attendance: 539

12 November 2011
14:30
London Welsh  27 – 19  Aberavon
Stats
Old Deer Park
Attendance: 840

12 November 2011
15:00
Esher  18 – 32  Leinster A
Stats
Molesey Road
Attendance: 914


13 November 2011
14:00
Melrose  19 – 17  Bedford Blues
Stats
The Greenyards
Attendance: 715

19 November 2011
14:30
Aberavon  22 – 47  Llanelli
Stats
Talbot Athletic Ground
Attendance: 450

19 November 2011
18:00
Leinster A  42 – 20  Melrose
Stats
Donnybrook
Attendance: 685

10 December 2011
14:00
Melrose  9 – 8  Aberavon
Stats
The Greenyards
Attendance: 497

11 December 2011
13:00
Llanelli  13 – 19  Leinster A
Stats
Parc y Scarlets

17 December 2011
14:30
Aberavon  40 – 14  Esher
Stats
Talbot Athletic Ground
Attendance: 312

17 December 2011
15:00
Bedford Blues  25 – 25  Llanelli
Stats
Goldington Road
Attendance: 1,900

17 December 2011
15:00
London Scottish  28 – 12  Melrose
Stats
Richmond Athletic Ground
Attendance: 1,060

18 December 2011
14:00
Leinster A  24 – 24  London Welsh
Stats
Donnybrook

Pool 5 v Pool 6

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Pool 5
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
  Pontypridd 4 2 0 2 90 61 +29 12 1 2 11
  Rotherham 4 1 0 3 57 76 −19 7 1 2 7
  Doncaster 4 1 0 3 76 114 −38 9 1 2 7
  Currie 4 1 0 3 83 103 −20 8 1 1 6
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 4 points for a win; 2 points for a draw; 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less; 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
Pool 6
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
  Ulster Ravens 4 4 0 0 115 60 +55 14 2 0 18
  Nottingham 4 4 0 0 98 79 +19 10 1 0 17
  Leeds Carnegie 4 2 0 2 77 61 +16 12 1 1 10
  Swansea 4 1 0 3 64 106 −42 6 0 1 5
Source: [6]
Rules for classification: 4 points for a win; 2 points for a draw; 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less; 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match
21 September 2011
19:30
Leeds Carnegie  17 – 3  Rotherham
Stats
Headingley Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 785

21 September 2011
19:45
Nottingham  33 – 29  Doncaster
Stats
Meadow Lane
Attendance: 682

12 October 2011
15:00
Rotherham  17 – 22  Nottingham
Stats
Clifton Lane
Attendance: 337

12 October 2011
19:30
Doncaster  24 – 22  Leeds Carnegie
Stats
Castle Park
Attendance: 710

11 November 2011
19:30
Ulster Ravens  39 – 7  Doncaster
Stats
Deramore Park

12 November 2011
15:00
Swansea  6 – 13  Rotherham
Stats
St Helens
Attendance: 250

13 November 2011
15:00
Leeds Carnegie  31 – 16  Currie
Stats
Headingley Rugby Stadium
Attendance: 925

13 November 2011
15:00
Nottingham  20 – 17  Pontypridd
Stats
Meadow Lane
Attendance: 1,349

18 November 2011
19:30
Currie  13 – 28  Ulster Ravens
Stats
Malleny Park
Attendance: 652

19 November 2011
14:30
Pontypridd  39 – 17  Swansea
Stats
Sardis Road
Attendance: 1,400

10 December 2011
14:30
Ulster Ravens  17 – 16  Pontypridd
Stats
Deramore Park

10 December 2011
15:00
Swansea  21 – 38  Currie
Stats
St Helens
Attendance: 150

17 December 2011
13:30
Rotherham  24 – 31  Ulster Ravens
Stats
Clifton Lane
Attendance: 581

17 December 2011
14:00
Doncaster  16 – 20  Swansea
Stats
Castle Park
Attendance: 1,217

17 December 2011
14:30
Pontypridd  18 – 7  Leeds Carnegie
Stats
Sardis Road
Attendance: 950

17 December 2011
15:00
Currie  16 – 23  Nottingham
Stats
Malleny Park
Attendance: 310

Knock–out stages

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Qualifiers

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The six pool winners and the two best runners up proceeded to the knock out stages. The best four qualifiers (pool winners) had home advantage in the quarter finals.

Qualification Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
Pool 1 Winner   Cornish Pirates 4 4 0 0 128 31 +97 17 2 0 18
Pool 6 Winner   Ulster Ravens 4 4 0 0 115 60 +55 14 2 0 18
Pool 3 Winner   Leinster A 4 3 1 0 117 75 +42 13 2 0 16
Pool 2 Winner   Cross Keys 4 3 0 1 122 58 +64 15 3 0 15
Pool 4 Winner   Llanelli 4 2 1 1 148 66 +82 16 2 1 13
Pool 5 Winner   Pontypridd 4 2 0 2 90 61 +29 12 1 2 11
Pool 6 Runner-up   Nottingham 4 4 0 0 98 79 +19 10 1 0 17
Pool 2 Runner-up   Munster A 4 3 0 1 67 22 +45 6 1 1 14
Source: [citation needed]
 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
22 January 2012 – Donnybrook
 
 
  Leinster A32
 
6 April 2012 – RDS
 
  Pontypridd0
 
  Leinster A29
 
20 January 2012 – Ravenhill
 
  Munster A36
 
  Ulster Ravens9
 
27 April 2012 – Musgrave Park
 
  Munster A20
 
  Munster A31
 
21 January 2012 – Pandy Park
 
  Cross Keys12
 
  Cross Keys32
 
7 April 2012 – Pandy Park
 
  Llanelli8
 
  Cross Keys20
 
22 January 2012 – Mennaye Field
 
  Cornish Pirates16
 
  Cornish Pirates33
 
 
  Nottingham3
 

Quarter-finals

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20 January 2012
19:30
Ulster Ravens  9 – 20  Munster A
Pen: Jackson (3) 8', 45', 60'Report
Stats
Try: Scanlon 31' c
Deasy 39' c
Con: Deasy (2/2)
Pen: Deasy (2) 2', 58'
Ravenhill
Referee: James Matthew (SRU)

21 January 2012
18:30
Cross Keys  32 – 8  Llanelli
Try: S Jones (2) 12' c, 21' c
Hodge 45' m
Trowbridge 53' c
Con: S Jones (3)
Pen: S Jones (2) 8', 53'
Report
Stats
Try: Evans 77' m
Pen: Evans 36'
Pandy Park
Attendance: 228
Referee: Paul Haycock (IRFU)

22 January 2012
14:00
Cornish Pirates  33 – 3  Nottingham
Try: Maidment 17' c
Short 21' c
Ward 65' m
Cooper 70' c
Cook 79' c
Con: Cook (4/5)
Report
Stats
Pen: Hallett 34'
Mennaye Field
Attendance: 1,492
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)

22 January 2012
14:00
Leinster A  32 – 0  Pontypridd
Try: Gilsenan 14' c
Macken (2) 39' c, 53' c
Hudson 72' m
Con: Reid (3/3)
Marsh (0/1)
Pen: Reid (2) 2', 5'
Report
Stats
Donnybrook
Attendance: 780
Referee: Greg MacDonald (RFU)

Semi-finals

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6 April 2012
18:00
Leinster A  29 – 36
(a.e.t.)
  Munster A
Try: McGrath 45' c
Ryan 49' c
Con: Reid (2/2)
Pen: Reid (5/9) 13', 33', 57', 61', 80+10'
Report
Stats
Try: O'Mahony 51' c
O'Dea 54' c
Kilcoyne 80+9' c
Con: Deasy (3/3)
Pen: Deasy (5/7) 8', 23', 38', 64', 80+7'
Royal Dublin Society
Attendance: 4,895
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)

7 April 2012
15:00
Cross Keys  20 – 16  Cornish Pirates
Try: Baller (2) 5' c, 50' c
Con: S. Jones (2/2)
Pen: S. Jones (2) 3', 13'
Report
Stats
Try: Penalty try 35' c
Con: Cook (1/1)
Pen: Cook (3) 29', 44', 54'
Pandy Park
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Cammy Rudkin (SRU)

Final

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27 April 2012
17:30
Munster A  31 – 12  Cross Keys
Try: Williams 26' c
O'Dea 43' c
Dineen 67' m
Con: Deasy (2/3)
Pen: Deasy (4/6) 3', 13', 25', 56'
Report
Stats
Pen: Tovey (4/6) 3', 6', 16', 36'
Musgrave Park
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: James Matthews (SRU)

Top scorers

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Geography

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Team Stadium Capacity City/Area/Country
  Aberavon Talbot Athletic Ground 3,000 Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
  Ayr Millbrae Unknown Alloway, South Ayrshire, Scotland
  Bedford Blues Goldington Road 4,684 Bedford, Bedfordshire, England
  Bristol Memorial Stadium 12,100 Bristol, England
  Cornish Pirates Mennaye Field 3,500 Penzance, Cornwall, England
  Cross Keys Pandy Park Unknown Crosskeys, Caerphilly County Borough, Wales
  Currie Malleny Park Unknown Balerno, Edinburgh, Scotland
  Doncaster Castle Park 3,075 Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England
  Esher Molesey Road Unknown Esher, England
  Leeds Carnegie Headingley Stadium 21,062 Headingley, Leeds, England
  Leinster A Donnybrook 7,000 Dublin, Leinster, Ireland
  Llanelli Parc y Scarlets 14,870 Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales
  London Scottish Richmond Athletic Ground 1,000 seat stand Richmond, London, England
  London Welsh Old Deer Park 5,850 London, England
  Melrose The Greenyards Unknown Melrose, Scottish Borders, Scotland
  Moseley Billesley Common 3,000+ (650 seated) Birmingham, West Midlands, England
  Munster A Musgrave Park 8,300 Cork, County Cork, Ireland
  Neath The Gnoll 7,500 Neath, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
  Nottingham Meadow Lane 19,588 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
  Plymouth Albion The Brickfields 6,500 Plymouth, Devon, England
  Pontypridd Sardis Road 7,861 Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales
  Rotherham Clifton Lane 2,500 Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England
  Swansea St Helens 4,500 Swansea, Wales
  Ulster A Ravenhill 12,125 Belfast, Ulster, Northern Ireland

References

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  1. ^ a b "British & Irish Cup Top Point Scorers". Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  2. ^ a b "British & Irish Cup Top Try Scorers". Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  3. ^ a b The Cornishman 23 June 2011.
  4. ^ "Welsh clubs discover British and Irish Cup opponents". WalesOnline. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  5. ^ "British Irish Cup - Cornish Pirates". Archived from the original on 2011-10-18. Retrieved 2011-07-03.
  6. ^ a b c "Ulster Rugby". Archived from the original on 8 April 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  7. ^ "British & Irish Cup Tables". BBC. 19 November 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
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