2018–19 Premiership Rugby Cup

The 2018–19 Premiership Cup was the 47th season of England's national rugby union cup competition and the first 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 are no stipulations on player selection, the cup will be seen by many clubs as a development competition, and games will take place during the Autumn International window and during the Six Nations.

2018–19 Premiership Rugby Cup
Tournament details
CountriesEngland
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and knockout
Date26 October 2018 – 17 March 2019
Tournament statistics
Teams12
Matches played27
Attendance262,302 (9,715 per match)
Highest Attendance17,815
Leicester v Worcester
3 November 2018
Lowest Attendance3,824
Sale v Newcastle
3 February 2019
Tries scored157 (5.81 per match)
Top point scorer(s)James Grayson (Northampton)
62 points
Top try scorer(s)Zach Kibirige (Newcastle)
5 tries
Final
ChampionsNorthampton Saints (1st title)
Runners-upSaracens

Northampton Saints became the first ever winners of the Premiership Cup when they defeated Saracens 23 – 9 in the final at Franklin's Gardens on 17 March 2019.[2][3] It was the Saints first domestic cup triumph since winning the 2009–10 LV Cup and their second overall.

Competition format

The competition consists of the twelve English Premiership 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 group. The top team in each pool, plus the best overall runner up, progress to the semi-finals, with the highest ranked teams having home advantage. The winners of the semi-finals then meet at the final in March 2019 to be held at the home ground of the highest ranked remaining team.[4]

Teams and locations
2018–19 Premiership Rugby Cup teams
Club Director of Rugby/Head Coach Captain Kit supplier Stadium Capacity City/Area
Bath Todd Blackadder Matt Garvey Canterbury The Recreation Ground 14,500 Bath
Bristol Bears Pat Lam N/A (Leadership Group)[5] Bristol Sport Ashton Gate 27,000 Bristol
Exeter Chiefs Rob Baxter Jack Yeandle Samurai Sportswear Sandy Park 12,800 Exeter
Gloucester David Humphreys Willi Heinz XBlades Kingsholm Stadium 16,115 Gloucester
Harlequins Paul Gustard
Billy Millard		 James Horwill
Chris Robshaw		 Adidas Twickenham Stoop 14,800 Twickenham, Greater London
Leicester Tigers Geordan Murphy (interim) Tom Youngs Kukri Welford Road 25,849 Leicester
Newcastle Falcons Dean Richards Will Welch ISC Kingston Park 10,200 Newcastle upon Tyne
Northampton Saints Chris Boyd Dylan Hartley
Alex Waller		 Macron Franklin's Gardens 15,249 Northampton
Sale Sharks Steve Diamond Jono Ross Samurai Sportswear AJ Bell Stadium 12,000 Salford, Greater Manchester
Saracens Mark McCall Brad Barritt Nike Allianz Park 10,000[lower-alpha 1] Barnet, Greater London
Wasps Dai Young Joe Launchbury Under Armour Ricoh Arena 32,609 Coventry
Worcester Warriors Alan Solomons GJ van Velze VX3 Sixways Stadium 11,499 Worcester

Pool stage

Pool 1
Pool 1
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Tries For Tries Against Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1Newcastle Falcons43109562331281015
2Exeter Chiefs43108863251381015
3Bath4103967422148116
4Harlequins410373103-30714015
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Total number of tries scored
Green background means the club has qualified for the semi-finals as pool winner.
Blue background means the club has qualified for the semi-finals as the best pool runner up. Updated: 2 February 2019
Note that each team plays 4 games; 3 pool games plus a derby game against a team in another pool.
Source: "Premiership Rugby Cup 2018-19". Premiership Rugby.

Round 1
27 October 2018
15:00
Bath 19 – 27 Harlequins
Try: J. Walker 13' m
Batty (2) 65' c, 72' c
Con: Davies (2/3) 66', 73'
 Report Try: C. Walker 39' m
Dombrandt 43' c
Con: Catrakilis (1/2) 44' c
Pen: Catrakilis (4) 17', 23', 56', 69'
Lang 75'
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 14,509
Referee: Greg Macdonald
28 October 2018
15:00
Newcastle Falcons 22 – 22 Exeter Chiefs
Try: Kibirige (3) 25' c, 33' m, 57' c
Con: Connon (2/3) 26', 58'
Pen: Connon 48'
 Report Try: Bodilly (2) 19' c, 68' c
Short 62' m
Con: Skinner (2/3) 21', 70'
Pen: Skinner 55'
Kingston Park
Attendance: 6,502
Referee: Andrew Jackson

[6]

Round 2
3 November 2018
13:00
Exeter Chiefs 25 – 18 Bath (1 BP)
Try: Short 15' m
Devoto 32' c
O'Flaherty 51' c
Con: J. Simmonds (2/3) 33', 52'
Pen: J. Simmonds 46'
Skinner 77'
 Report Try: Batty 38' m
Wilson (2) 55' m, 74' m
Con: Davies (0/2)
Atkins (0/1)
Pen: Davies 4'
Sandy Park
Attendance: 12,693
Referee: Dean Richards
4 November 2018
15:00
(1 BP) Harlequins 21 – 23 Newcastle Falcons
Try: Boyce 55' m
Dombrandt 60' c
Con: Catrakilis (1/2) 61'
Pen: Catrakilis (3) 10', 20', 48'
 Report Try: Bettencourt 31' c
Stevenson 50' c
Con: Connon (2/2) 32', 50'
Pen: Connon (2) 13', 30'
Swiel 71'
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 8,027[7]
Referee: Mike Hudson

[8]

Round 3
9 November 2018
19:45
Newcastle Falcons 22 – 7 Bath
Try: Young 18' c
Hammersley 43' c
Sinoti 65' m
Con: Hodgson (2/3) 20', 44'
Pen: Hodgson 26'
 Report Try: Bayliss 75' c
Con: Davies 76'
Kingston Park
Attendance: 5,425
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
10 November 2018
13:00
(1 BP) Exeter Chiefs 29 – 13 Harlequins
Try: Capstick 27' c
Keast 32' m
O'Flaherty 34' m
Lawday 40' m
J. Simmonds 57' c
Con: J. Simmonds (2/5) 27', 57'
 Report Try: Ward 79' c
Con: Smith (1/1) 79'
Pen: Smith (2) 2', 38'
Sandy Park
Attendance: 11,927
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

[9]

Pool 2
Pool 2
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Tries For Tries Against Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1Worcester Warriors4301123725118114016
2Saracens4310110704015102016
3Sale Sharks41124894-46612006
4Leicester Tigers400469125-56717011
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Total number of tries scored
Green background means the club has qualified for the semi-finals as pool winner.
Blue background means the club has qualified for the semi-finals as the best pool runner up. Updated: 2 February 2019
Note that each team plays 4 games; 3 pool games plus a derby game against a team in another pool.
Source: "Premiership Rugby Cup 2018-19". Premiership Rugby.

Round 1
26 October 2018
19:45
(1 BP) Worcester Warriors 35 – 3 Sale Sharks
Try: Adams 4' c
Hougaard 26' c
Venter 31' c
Phillips 53' c
Williams '76' c
Con: Wier (4/4) 5', 27', 32', 55'
Shillcock (1/1) 77'
 Report Pen: Wilkinson 15'
Sixways Stadium
Attendance: 6,606
Referee: Adam Leal
27 October 2018
15:00
Saracens 29 – 21 Leicester Tigers
Try: Burger 7' m
Vailanu (2) 39' m, 46' c
Con: Malins (1/3) 47'
Pen: Malins (4) 21', 52', 57', 66'
 Report Try: Feao 62' c
Wells 70' m
Con: J. Ford (1/2) 62'
Pen: J. Ford (3) 2', 6', 30'
Allianz Park
Attendance: 7,194
Referee: Christophe Ridley

[6]

Round 2
2 November 2018
20:00
Sale Sharks 15 – 15 Saracens
Try: Odogwu 36' c
Cliff 57' m
Con: Cliff (1/2)
Pen: Cliff 4'
 Report Try: Kpoku 16' c
Gallagher 23' m
Con: Malins (1/2) 17'
Pen: Malins 67'
AJ Bell Stadium
Attendance: 4,687
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
3 November 2018
Leicester Tigers 12 – 31 Worcester Warriors (1 BP)
Try: Owen 57' m
Reffell 65' c
Con: Hardwick (1/2) 66'
 Report Try: Hill 1' c
Weir 5' c
Hougaard 14' m
Heem (2) 28' c, 61' m
Con: Weir (3/5) 2', 7', 28'
Welford Road Stadium
Attendance: 17,815[10]
Referee: Hamish Smales[10]

[8]

Round 3
10 November 2018
15:00
(1 BP) Leicester Tigers 16 – 18 Sale Sharks
Try: Thompson 39' c
Con: Hardwick (1/1) 40'
Pen: Hardwick (3) 21', 25', 52'
 Report Try: Webber 16' m
Penalty try 76'
Con: Du Preez (0/1)
Pen: Du Preez (2) 10', 20'
Welford Road Stadium
Attendance: 17,023
Referee: Simon Harding
11 November 2018
15:00
(1 BP) Saracens 34 – 22 Worcester Warriors (1 BP)
Try: Burger 21' m
Lewington 33' m
Earl 42' c
Crossdale (2) 45' m, 63' m
Skelton 52' c
Con: Malins (0/2)
Whiteley (2/4) 42', 53'
 Report Try: Van Breda 25' c
Williams 37' m
Hammond 55' m
Olivier 68' m
Con: Van Breda (1/4) 26'
Allianz Park
Attendance: 4,804[11]
Referee: Matthew O'Grady

[9]

Pool 3
Pool 3
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Tries For Tries Against Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1Northampton Saints4301125725318102115
2Bristol Bears42028595-1011111110
3Gloucester42025892-34813109
4Wasps400463111-48714011
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Total number of tries scored
Green background means the club has qualified for the semi-finals as pool winner.
Blue background means the club has qualified for the semi-finals as the best pool runner up. Updated: 2 February 2019
Note that each team plays 4 games; 3 pool games plus a derby game against a team in another pool.
Source: "Premiership Rugby Cup 2018-19". Premiership Rugby.

Round 1
27 October 2018
14:00
(1 BP) Northampton Saints 51 – 24 Bristol Bears (1 BP)
Try: Grayson 5' m
Van Wyk (2) 9' m, 28' c
Mitchell 40'+2 c
Marshall 48' c
Furbank 58' c
Kellaway 68' c
Con: Grayson (4/6) 29', 40'+3, 48', 59'
Furbank (1/1) 70'
Pen: Grayson (2) 19', 25'
 Report Try: Lindsay 16' m
Crane 54' c
Pincus 71' m
Lam 78' c
Con: Madigan (2/4) 56', 79'
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 12,172
Referee: Simon Harding
27 October 2018
15:00
(1 BP) Gloucester 31 – 7 Wasps
Try: Terry 2' m
Vellacott 18' m
Evans 21' c
Coetzer 25' c
Mullis 75' c
Con: Evans (2/4) 22', 24'
Chapman 76'
 Report Try: Barbeary 80'+1 c
Con: Jardine 80'+2
Kingsholm Stadium
Attendance: 12,709
Referee: Michael Hudson

[6]

Round 2
2 November 2018
19:45
Bristol Bears 21 – 13 Gloucester
Try: Haining 27' c
Thomas 65' c
Heenan 74' c
Con: Sheedy (2/2) 28', 75'
Eden (1/1) 67'
 Report Try: Penalty Try 80'+4
Pen: Williams (2) 42', 49'
Ashton Gate Stadium
Attendance: 9,944[12]
Referee: Adam Leal
4 November 2018
15:00
(1 BP) Wasps 14 – 15 Northampton Saints
Try: Watson 13' c
Willis 47' c
Con: Searle (2/2) 14', 48'
 Report Try: Naiyaravoro 62' m
Eadie 80+1' c
Con: Grayson (1/2) 80+2'
Pen: Grayson 51'
Ricoh Arena
Attendance: 9,042
Referee: Sara Cox

[8]

Round 3
9 November 2018
19:45
Gloucester 14 – 12 Northampton Saints (1 BP)
Try: Banahan 20' c
Grobler 80'+1 c
Con: Twelvetrees (2/2) 21', 80'+4
 Report Try: Francis 4' m
Reinach 41' c
Con: Grayson (1/2) 42'
Kingsholm Stadium
Attendance: 11,499
Referee: Greg Macdonald
11 November 2018
15:00
Wasps 19 – 30 Bristol Bears
Try: Bassett 16' c
Con: Sopoaga (1/1) 17'
Pen: Sopoaga (4) 5', 28', 48', 69'
 Report Try: Edwards (2) 22' c, 76' c
Malton 44' c
Con: Sheedy (3/3) 23', 46', 77'
Pen: Sheedy (3) 2', 31', 73'
Ricoh Arena
Attendance: 8,352
Referee: Andrew Jackson

[9]

Round 4 (derby games)

After three pool games, each team will play a 'derby' game against a team in another pool, with results counting towards the final standings in each pool.

26 January 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Bristol Bears (P3) 10 – 12 Exeter Chiefs (P1)
Try: Edwards 41' c
Con: Madigan (1/1) 41'
Pen: Madigan (1) 51'
 Report Try: Holmes 8' m
Penalty Try 68'
Con: Skinner (0/1)
Ashton Gate Stadium
Attendance: 8,845
Referee: Luke Pearce
26 January 2019
15:00
Harlequins (P1) 12 – 32 Saracens (P2) (1 BP)
Try: Ibuanokpe 2' c
Elia 42' m
Con: Lang (1/2) 3'
 Report Try: Vailanu 4' m
Malins 68' c
Kpoku 49' c
Segun 79' c
Con: Malins (0/1)
Lozowski (3/3) 50', 69', 80'
Pen: Malins 18'
Lozowski 45'
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 14,800
Referee: Wayne Barnes
26 January 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Northampton Saints (P3) 47 – 20 Leicester Tigers (P2)
Try: Grayson 14' c
Fish 25' m
Barrow 29' c
Brüssow 45' c
Reinach (2) 73' c, 79' c
Collins 78' c
Con: Grayson (6/7) 15', 31', 46', 74', 79', 80'
 Report Try: F.Tuilagi 7' c
J. Ford 66' c
Con: J. Ford (2/2) 8', 67'
Pen: J. Ford (2) 34', 49'
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 13,900
Referee: Adam Leal
3 February 2019
15:00
(1 BP) Worcester Warriors (P2) 35 – 23 Wasps (P3)
Try: Heem (2) 53' c, 68' c
Ventor 60' c
Waller 65' m
Con: Weir (3/4) 54', 60', 67'
Pen: Weir (3) 21', 26', 37'
 Report Try: Bassett 16' m
Miller 44' m
Carr 78' c
Con: Sopoaga (0/1)
Searle (1/2) 78'
Pen: Sopoaga 23'
Searle 51'
Sixways Stadium
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Mike Hudson
3 February 2019
15:00
Sale Sharks (P2) 12 – 28 Newcastle Falcons (1 BP) (P1)
Try: Van Rensburg 23' c
Beaumont 72' m
Con: Cliff (1/1) 24'
Wilkinson (0/1)
 Report Try: Chick 9' c
Goneva 57' c
Kibirige 65' c
Blamire 75' c
Con: Flood (3/3) 9', 58', 66'
Connon (1/1) 76'
AJ Bell Stadium
Attendance: 3,824[13]
Referee: Hamish Smales
4 February 2019
19:30
Bath (P1) 52 – 0 Gloucester (P3)
Try: Rokoduguni (4) 2' c, 56' c, 72' c, 78' c
McConnochie 15' c
Walker 38' c
Homer 64' c
Con: Priestland (5/5) 3', 17', 39'+1, 57', 65'
Burns (2/2) 73', 79'
Pen: Priestland 13'
 Report
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 7,644[14]
Referee: JP Doyle[14]
  • Game originally due to be played on 2 February but postponed twice due to snow.[15][16]

[17][18]

Knock-out stage

The four qualifiers are seeded according to performance in the pool stage. The top 2 seeds host the semi-finals against the lower seeds, in a 1 v 4, 2v 3 format. Note, if two teams qualify from the same pool, they can still be drawn together in the semi-finals.

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

[19]

Rank Pool leaders Pts Wins Diff PF TF
1Worcester Warriors1635112318
2Northampton Saints1535312518
3Newcastle Falcons153339512
Rank Pool runners–up Pts Wins Diff PF TF
4Saracens1634011015
5Exeter Chiefs153258813
6Bristol Bears102-108511
 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
Sixways
 
 
Worcester Warriors22
 
Franklin's Gardens
 
Saracens38
 
Northampton Saints23
 
Franklin's Gardens
 
Saracens9
 
Northampton Saints59
 
 
Newcastle Falcons33
 

Semi-finals
8 February 2019
19:45
Worcester Warriors 22 – 38 Saracens
Try: David 43' m
Howe (2) 56' c, 80' c
Con: Weir (2/3) 57', 80'+1
Pen: Van Breda 40'
 Report Try: Whiteley 5' c
Segun 10' m
Malins 59' c
Vailanu 65' c
Con: Lozowski (3/4) 6', 60', 66'
Pen: Lozowski (4) 27', 35', 51', 54'
Sixways
Attendance: 5,115
Referee: Christophe Ridley
9 February 2019
12:15
Northampton Saints 59 – 33 Newcastle Falcons
Try: Furbank 28' c
Tuala 35' c
Ludlam 38' c
Gibson 41' m
Fish 46' c
Naiyaravoro 55' c
Brüssow (2) 65' c, 75' m
Burrell 68' c
Con: Grayson (7/9) 29', 36', 38', 47', 56', 66', 70'
 Report Try: Takulua 1' c
Matavesi 9' c
Goneva 13' c
Kibirige 31' c
Harris 50' m
Con: Connon (4/5) 2', 9', 13', 32'
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 5,994
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

[20]

Final
17 March 2019
15:00
Northampton Saints 23 – 9 Saracens
Try: Harrison 7' m
Wood 23' m
Tuala 30' c
Con: Grayson (1/3) 31'
Pen: Grayson 55'
Francis 72'
 Report Pen: Malins (3) 11', 20', 28'
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 15,250[21]
Referee: Ian Tempest

[2][3]

Attendances
Club Home
matches		 Total Average Highest Lowest % Capacity
Bath222,15311,07714,5097,64476%
Bristol Bears218,7899,3959,9448,84535%
Exeter Chiefs224,62012,31012,69311,92796%
Gloucester224,20812,10412,70911,49975%
Harlequins222,82711,41414,8008,02777%
Leicester Tigers234,83817,41917,81517,02367%
Newcastle Falcons211,9275,9646,5025,42558%
Northampton Saints447,31611,82915,2505,99478%
Sale Sharks28,5114,2564,6873,82435%
Saracens211,9985,9997,1944,80460%
Wasps217,3948,6979,0428,35227%
Worcester Warriors317,7215,9076,6065,11551%

[6][8][9][17][18][20][21]

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).

Season records

Notes
  1. Allianz Park typically has a capacity of 10,000 but this can be raised to 15,000 with temporary seating.

See also

References
  1. "Premiership Rugby Cup to replace Anglo-Welsh Cup from next season". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  2. "Match Report: Northampton Saints 23-9 Saracens". Premiership Rugby. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  3. "Premiership Rugby Cup Final: Northampton beat Saracens with three first-half tries". BBC Sport. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  4. "Premiership Rugby Cup Tables". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  5. "Bristol Bears Premiership Rugby". Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  6. "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper (528). 28 October 2018. pp. 8–11 & 38.
  7. "Harlequins 21 Falcons 23". Newcastle Falcons. 4 November 2018.
  8. "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper (529). 4 November 2018. pp. 14–17 & 38.
  9. "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper (530). 11 November 2018. pp. 16–19 & 34.
  10. "Deacon left red-faced by toothless display by Tigers". The RUGBYPaper (529). Rugby Paper Ltd. 4 November 2018. p. 28.
  11. "Match Reaction: Saracens 34-22 Worcester Warriors". Premiership Rugby. 11 November 2018.
  12. "Bristol 21 13 Gloucester". BBC Sport. 2 November 2018.
  13. "Sale 12 Falcons 28". Newcastle Falcons. 3 February 2019.
  14. "England international scores four tries as young Gloucester Rugby side are well beaten by Bath Rugby in derby". Gloucestershire Live. 4 February 2019.
  15. "Bath Rugby v Gloucester Rugby kick-off time confirmed". Premiership Rugby. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  16. "Bath Rugby and Gloucester Rugby fixture rearranged due to weather". Premiership Rugby. 3 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  17. "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper (541). 27 January 2019. pp. 8–9 & 40.
  18. "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper (542). 3 February 2019. p. 23.
  19. "Premiership Rugby Cup (Competition Format)". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  20. "Premiership Rugby Cup". The RugbyPaper (543). 10 February 2019. pp. 20–21 & 38.
  21. "James Grayson inspires Northampton to Premiership Cup glory over Saracens". The Telegraph. 17 March 2019.
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