2014–15 LV Cup

The 2014–15 LV Cup (styled as the LV= Cup) is the 44th season of England's national rugby union cup competition, and the tenth to follow the Anglo-Welsh format.

2014–15 LV Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
 Wales
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and knockout
Date1 November 2014 – 22 March 2015
Tournament statistics
Teams16
Final
VenueFranklin's Gardens, Northampton[1]
Attendance8,685
ChampionsSaracens (2nd title)
Runners-upExeter Chiefs

The competition consists of the four Welsh Pro12 teams and the twelve English Premiership clubs arranged into pools consisting of three English and one Welsh team. English clubs have been allocated to the pools depending on their finish in the 2013–14 Aviva Premiership. Teams are guaranteed two home and two away pool matches, with teams in Pools 1 and 4 playing each other and teams in Pools 2 and 3 playing each other. The top team from each pool qualifies for the semi-finals. The competition will take place during the Autumn Internationals window and during the Six Nations thus allowing teams to develop their squad players.

Exeter Chiefs were the defending champions this season after claiming the cup with a 15–8 victory over Northampton Saints in the final at Sandy Park in Exeter.[2] The final was won by Saracens 23–20 over Exeter Chiefs with a last-minute penalty from Ben Spencer securing the Londoners' second title in the competition.

Pool stages
Points system

The points scoring system for the pool stages will be as follows:[3]

  • 4 points for a win
  • 2 points for a draw
  • 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match (TB)
  • 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less (LB)

Pool 1 v Pool 4
Pool 1
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
Saracens (2)440010162+391061017
Gloucester430110269+331071114
Newport Gwent Dragons4202121116+514142111
Bath42028659+271162111
Updated 8 February 2015
Source: Premiership Rugby
Pool 4
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
Exeter Chiefs (4)4301101100+112121013
Ospreys410382114−32912116
Harlequins41037994−15810026
London Welsh400444102−58411022
Updated 8 February 2015
Source: Premiership Rugby

Round 1
1 November 2014
15:00
(BP) Bath 47–7 London Welsh
Try: Northcote-Green (2) 4' m, 51' c
Woodburn 24' c
Penalty try 38' c
Banahan 40' m
Lane 75' m
Garratt 80' m
Con: Henson (3/7)
Pen: Henson (2/2) 11', 32'
 Report Try: Scott 60' c
Con: Robinson (1/1)
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 13,300
1 November 2014
15:00
(BP) Exeter Chiefs 28–27 Gloucester (BP)
Try: Hughes 40' c
Vainikolo 55' m
Penalty try 78' c
Con: Sweeney (2/3)
Pen: Sweeney (3/3) 8', 41', 64'
 Report Try: Evans 34' c
Meakes 42' c
Thomas 61' c
Con: Thomas (3/3)
Pen: Thomas (2/2) 7', 47'
Sandy Park
Attendance: 13,300
Referee: Simon Harding (RFU)
2 November 2014
13:00
Saracens 25–20 Harlequins (BP)
Try: Taylor 25' c
Ellery 28' m
Wilson 59' c
Con: Spencer (2/3)
Pen: Spencer (2/2) 3', 70'
 Report Try: Lambert 57' c
Walker 63' c
Con: Swiel (2/2)
Pen: Grimoldby (1/1) 33'
Swiel (1/1) 75'
Allianz Park
Attendance: 7,012
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
17 November 2014
19:35
(BP) Ospreys 35–51 Newport Gwent Dragons (BP)
Try: Dirksen 49' c
Howells 52' c
Griffiths 56' c
Penalty try 66' c
Natoga 71' c
Con: Davies (5/5)
 Report Try: Wardle 8' c
L. Evans 11' c
J. Evans (2) 16' c, 40+1' c
Hill (2) 30' c, 46' c
Con: R. Jones (6/6)
Pen: R. Jones (2/2) 6', 26'
Brewery Field
Attendance: 2,736

Pool 2 v Pool 3
Pool 2
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
Northampton Saints (3)43019853+451352014
Cardiff Blues430195119−2410161013
Sale Sharks4202102100+212132010
London Irish400469118−49514011
Updated 8 February 2015
Source: Premiership Rugby
Pool 3
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
Leicester Tigers (1)440010646+601432018
Newcastle Falcons420211491+2315102111
Wasps4103120128−81415329
Scarlets41035099−49512015
Updated 8 February 2015
Source: Premiership Rugby

Semi finals
Team One Team Two Score
SaracensNorthampton Saints24–20
Leicester TigersExeter Chiefs22–30

Final
22 March 2015
Saracens 23–20 Exeter Chiefs
Try: David Strettle (2)
Nick de Jager
Con: Ben Spencer
Pen: Ben Spencer (2)
 Try: Max Bodilly (2)
Con: Gareth Steenson 2
Pen: Ceri Sweeney 2
Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
Attendance: 8,365
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
FB15 Ben Ransom
RW14 Mike Ellery
OC13 Marcelo Bosch
IC12 Tim Streather
LW11 David Strettle
FH10 Nils Mordt
SH9 Ben Spencer
N88 Ernst Joubert
OF7 Matt Hankin
BF6 Nick de Jager
RL5 Hayden Smith
LL4 Maro Itoje (c)
TP3 Juan Figallo
HK2 Jared Saunders
LP1 Richard Barrington
Replacements:
HK16 Scott Spurling
PR17 Titi Lamositele
PR18 Biyi Alo
LK19 George Kruis
FL20 Kelly Brown
SH21 Tom Whiteley
FH22 Alex Goode
FB23 Cătălin Fercu
Coach:
Mark McCall
FB15 Max Bodilly
RW14 Fet'u Vainikolo
OC13 Adam Hughes
IC12 Sireli Naqelevuki
LW11 Tom James
FH10 Ceri Sweeney (c)
SH9 Haydn Thomas
N88 Kai Horstmann
OF7 Sam Simmonds
BF6 Ben White
RL5 Jerry Sexton
LL4 Mitch Lees
TP3 Moray Low
HK2 Elvis Taione
LP1 Brett Sturgess
Replacements:
HK16 Greg Bateman
PR17 Carl Rimmer
PR18 Alex Brown
LK19 Ed Holmes
FL20 Joel Conlon
SH21 Dave Lewis
FH22 Gareth Steenson
CE23 Byron McGuigan
Coach:
Rob Baxter

References
  1. "Franklin's Gardens to host LV= Cup final".
  2. "LV= Cup final: Exeter Chiefs 15–8 Northampton Saints". 16 March 2014.
  3. "About the LV= Cup". Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
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