View source for Anglo-Welsh Cup

{{Short description|Rugby union event}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title = Anglo-Welsh Cup
| logo = 
| pixels = 
| sport = Rugby union
| founded ={{Start date and age|2005}}
| folded ={{Start date and age|2018}}
| formerly = [[RFU Knockout Cup]]
| replaced = [[Premiership Rugby Cup]]
| teams = 16
| countries= {{flagicon|England}} [[England]]<br />{{flagicon|Wales}} [[Wales]]
| champion = [[Exeter Chiefs|Exeter]] (2nd title)
| most_champs = [[Leicester Tigers]] (3 titles)
| TV = [[BBC Sport]] (2005–2009)<br>[[Sky Sports]] (2009–2015)<br>[[TNT Sports (United Kingdom)|BT Sport]] (live, 2016–2018)<br>[[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] (highlights, 2016–2018)
}}
The '''Anglo-Welsh Cup''' ({{Langx|cy|Cwpan Eingl-Gymreig}}), was a cross-border [[rugby union]] knock-out cup competition that featured the 12 [[Premiership Rugby]] clubs and the four Welsh regions. It was a created as a replacement for the [[RFU Knockout Cup]], which featured only English clubs.

The competition was replaced by the [[Premiership Rugby Cup]], involving only the 12 English Premiership clubs, beginning with the 2018&ndash;19 season.<ref name="premier">{{cite news|url=http://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/11366242/anglo-welsh-cup-to-be-replaced-by-the-premiership-rugby-cup|title=Anglo-Welsh Cup to be Replaced by the Premiership Rugby Cup|date=10 May 2018|work=[[Sky Sports]]}}</ref>

==History==
===Background===
====RFU Knockout Cup====
{{Main|RFU Knockout Cup}}
From 1971 to 2005, English clubs played in the [[RFU Knockout Cup]]. At its formation, it was the highest honour that a club could win, as there were no nationally organised leagues until merit leagues were introduced in 1984, followed by the full national league pyramid in 1987. It was an open tournament to any club that was a member of the [[Rugby Football Union]].

====Previous Anglo-Welsh fixtures====
{{Main|1998–99 Welsh rugby union rebel season}}

===2005–2018: Anglo-Welsh Cup===
====2005–09: Initial format====
Starting in the [[2005–06 Powergen Anglo-Welsh Cup|2005–06 season]], the '''[[E.ON UK|Powergen]] Anglo-Welsh Cup''' was formed as a successor tournament to the Knockout Cup. It continued to be organised by the RFU, in co-operation with the [[Welsh Rugby Union]], but featured a new format including only the twelve teams from the [[English Premiership (rugby union)|Guinness Premiership]] and the four regional Welsh sides which competed in the [[United Rugby Championship|Celtic League]]. Teams from the English [[RFU Championship]] and below played in the [[Powergen National Trophy]].

The Welsh clubs' inclusion initially caused them to be expelled from the Celtic League in June 2005. Scottish and Irish officials were angered that the Welsh regions had apparently consented to Powergen Cup fixtures on the same weekend as league matches.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2005/jun/01/rugbyunion.llanelliscarlets |title=Celtic League ejects Welsh clubs |work=The Guardian |date=1 June 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140919003803/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2005/jun/01/rugbyunion.llanelliscarlets |archive-date=19 September 2014}}</ref> By the end of the month, a compromise was reached and the regions were readmitted, with the Welsh sides giving a "substantial financial contribution" and committing to mid-week league fixtures.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wru.wales/2005/06/celtic-league-solution-found/ | title=CELTIC LEAGUE SOLUTION FOUND - Welsh Rugby Union | date=17 June 2005 }}</ref>

In place of the knock-out format, the 16 sides were placed in four pools with three English clubs and one Welsh region in each. The pool stages for this initial format featured one game against each team, followed by semi-finals and a final at [[Twickenham Stadium]]. The pools remained the same for the following season, with home and away fixtures reversed and the club relegated from the Premiership's place taken by the club promoted from the Championship.

In addition to increased TV revenue (the revised Powergen Cup had a new broadcasting agreement with [[BBC Sport]]) and a possible boost to matchday income, the Powergen Cup also offered its winner, if they were a Premiership club, qualification to the even more lucrative [[European Rugby Champions Cup|Heineken Cup]] competition. As base compensation, all 16 Powergen clubs were guaranteed £250,000 each, with a prize fund of up to £200,000 available to semi-finalists.<ref name="anglowelsh">{{cite news |title=Cup resurrects Anglo-Welsh contests of old days |work=Times Online |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,377-1799287,00.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505102418/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,377-1799287,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |access-date=30 September 2006 |date=27 September 2005 }}</ref>

[[File:Llanelli Bath Powergen Cup.jpg|thumb|The Scarlets playing Bath at the [[Millennium Stadium]]]]
Interest in the Powergen Cup was high during the first two rounds. Over 100,000 spectators attended matches, while the television audience peaked at 1.2&nbsp;million on BBC2 for the match between the [[Newcastle Falcons]] and the [[Scarlets|Llanelli Scarlets]].<ref>
[http://www.rfu.com/microsites/powergen/twickenham/index.cfm?StoryID=11857 RFU] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060321092359/http://www.rfu.com/microsites/powergen/twickenham/index.cfm?StoryID=11857 |date=21 March 2006 }}</ref> Overall, the [[2005–06 Powergen Cup|2005–06 cup]] drew a 12% attendance boost in the group stages over the previous year's competition.<ref name="twelve">{{cite web|title=EDF Energy to sponsor UK's premier cup competition |publisher=Rugby Football Union |url=http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.News_Detail/StoryID/14369 |access-date=30 September 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061108162600/http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.News_Detail/StoryID/14369 |archive-date=8 November 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Powergen withdrew all of its rugby sponsorship after the conclusion of the first competition.<ref name="powergen">{{cite web |title=Powergen to end cup sponsorships |work=BBC Sport |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/front_page/4721658.stm |access-date=30 September 2006 |date=16 February 2006 }}</ref> [[EDF Energy]] took over as title sponsor for the [[2006–07 EDF Energy Cup|2006–07 tournament]], renaming the tournament as the '''EDF Energy Cup'''<ref name="sponsor">{{cite web |title=Anglo-Welsh Cup gets new sponsor |work=BBC Sport |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/5234516.stm |access-date=30 September 2006 |date=1 August 2006 }}</ref> in a deal that ran until 2009.

====2009–18: Final Format====
Insurers [[Liverpool Victoria]] became sponsors for the [[2009–10 LV Cup|2009–10 competition]], rebranding the tournament as the '''LV= Cup''' until 2015.<ref name="LV sponsor">{{cite press release|title=LV= sponsors rugby's Anglo-Welsh Tournament |url=http://www.rfu.com/News/2009/October/News%20Articles/291009_LV_Cup_announcement.aspx |publisher=Rugby Football Union |date=29 October 2009 |access-date=30 October 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404091030/http://www.rfu.com/News/2009/October/News%20Articles/291009_LV_Cup_announcement.aspx |archive-date=4 April 2012 }}</ref>

The structure of the competition was altered at this time. It continued to consist of four pools, each consisting of three English and one Welsh team. However, the new format saw teams 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Anglo-Welsh Cup fixtures revealed |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/welsh/8135166.stm |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=6 July 2009 |access-date=9 July 2009 }}</ref> Early rounds of the competition now took place on international fixture dates during the [[Autumn rugby union internationals|Autumn Internationals]] and [[Six Nations Championship]], with the aim of allowing teams to develop their squad players.<ref>{{cite news |title=Anglo-Welsh Cup set to carry on |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/8036494.stm |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=6 May 2009 |access-date=9 July 2009 }}</ref> It also saw the final move away from Twickenham for the first time, with [[Worcester Warriors|Worcester's]] [[Sixways Stadium]] hosting in its place.<ref>{{cite news|title=Northampton 30-24 Gloucester|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8571457.stm|website=BBC Sport|date=21 March 2010 |access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref> The final would continue to be played at various pre-arranged club grounds in the following years.

There was no competition in the 2015–16 season due to the [[2015 Rugby World Cup]] being played in England, which resulted in the late start to the [[2015–16 English Premiership (rugby union)|2015–16 English Premiership season]].<ref name="cancellation">{{cite news |title=LV=Cup cancellation would hit Exeter Chiefs |work=BBC Sport |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/32021451 }}</ref>

The competition returned in the 2016–17 season, known simply as the '''Anglo-Welsh Cup''', with [[BT Sport]] taking over the live TV rights from [[Sky Sports]] and highlights shown on [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]].

===2018–present: Premiership Rugby Cup===

{{main article|Premiership Rugby Cup}}

In the [[2017–18 Anglo-Welsh Cup]], all four of the Welsh regions finished bottom of their pools.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42846647 |title=Anglo-Welsh Cup: Beaten Welsh regions to make exit |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 January 2018 |access-date=12 May 2018}}</ref> In May 2018, the [[Welsh Rugby Union]] announced that they were going to be setting up a Welsh under-23s competition for their regions and would thus be unable to commit to Anglo-Welsh Cup games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/16216876.End_of_Anglo-Welsh_Cup_confirmed/ |title=End of Anglo-Welsh Cup confirmed |work=South Wales Argus |date=10 May 2018 |access-date=12 May 2018}}</ref> On 10 May, Premiership Rugby Limited, which organises the English top flight, then announced that the Anglo-Welsh Cup would be replaced by the Premiership Rugby Cup, which would be solely for the English Premiership clubs.<ref name=sl>{{cite web|url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/everything-know-far-new-premiership-1557112 |title=Everything we know so far about the new Premiership Rugby Cup Bath Rugby will play in next season |date=11 May 2018 |publisher=Somerset Live |access-date=12 May 2018}}</ref> The Cup was created to continue to allow younger English Premiership players to compete in more matches at Premiership stadiums.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/11366242/anglo-welsh-cup-to-be-replaced-by-the-premiership-rugby-cup |title=Anglo-Welsh Cup to be replaced by the Premiership Rugby Cup |work=Sky Sports |access-date=12 May 2018}}</ref>

==List of winners==

{| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+Anglo-Welsh Cup
!scope="col"|Season
!scope="col"|Winners
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Runners-up
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Attendance
!scope="col"|Ref
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2005–06 Powergen Cup(1)|[[2005–06 Powergen Cup|2005–06]]}}
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Wasps RFC|London Wasps]]
|align=center| 26–10
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Scarlets|Llanelli Scarlets]]
| [[Twickenham Stadium|Twickenham]]
|align=center| 57,212
|
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2006–07 EDF Energy Cup(1)|[[2006–07 EDF Energy Cup|2006–07]]}}
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Leicester Tigers]]
|align=center| 41–35
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Ospreys (rugby union)|Ospreys]]
| [[Twickenham Stadium|Twickenham]]
|align=center| 43,312
| <ref>{{cite news|title=Leicester 41-35 Ospreys|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6494935.stm|website=BBC Sport|date=15 April 2007 |access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2007–08 EDF Energy Cup(1)|[[2007–08 EDF Energy Cup|2007–08]]}}
!scope=row|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Ospreys (rugby union)|Ospreys]]
|align=center| 23–6
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Leicester Tigers]]
| [[Twickenham Stadium|Twickenham]]
|align=center| 65,756
| <ref>{{cite news|title=EDF Energy Cup final|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/7338472.stm|date= 12 April 2008|access-date= 18 October 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414233446/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7338472.stm|archive-date= 14 April 2008}}</ref>
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2008–09 EDF Energy Cup(1)|[[2008–09 EDF Energy Cup|2008–09]]}}
!scope=row|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Cardiff Blues]]
|align=center| 50–12
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Gloucester Rugby|Gloucester]]
| [[Twickenham Stadium|Twickenham]]
|align=center| 54,899
|
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2009–10 LV Cup(1)|[[2009–10 LV Cup|2009–10]]}}
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Northampton Saints]]
|align=center| 30–24
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Gloucester Rugby|Gloucester]]
| [[Sixways Stadium]], [[Worcester, England|Worcester]]
|align=center| 12,024
| <ref>{{cite news|title=Northampton 30-24 Gloucester|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8571457.stm|website=BBC Sport|date=21 March 2010 |access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2010–11 LV Cup(1)|[[2010–11 LV Cup|2010–11]]}}
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Gloucester Rugby|Gloucester]]
|align=center| 34–7
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Newcastle Falcons]]
| [[Franklin's Gardens]], [[Northampton]]
|align=center| 6,848
| <ref>{{cite news|title=Gloucester 34-7 Newcastle|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/9429097.stm|website=BBC Sport|date=20 March 2011 |access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2011–12 LV Cup(1)|[[2011–12 LV Cup|2011–12]]}}
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Leicester Tigers]]
|align=center| 26–14
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Northampton Saints]]
| [[Sixways Stadium]], [[Worcester, England|Worcester]]
|align=center| 11,895
|<ref>{{cite web|title=Match Centre |url=http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures/1361.php |website=Premiership Rugby |access-date=23 August 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107124338/http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures/1361.php |archive-date=7 January 2016 }}</ref>
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2012–13 LV Cup(1)|[[2012–13 LV Cup|2012–13]]}}
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Harlequin F.C.|Harlequins]]
|align=center| 32–14
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Sale Sharks]]
| [[Sixways Stadium]], [[Worcester, England|Worcester]]
|align=center| 8,100
| <ref>{{cite web|title=Match Centre |url=http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures/23547.php#T3EMWrP4wZJOBQVw.97 |website=Premiership Rugby |access-date=23 August 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924081242/http://www.premiershiprugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures/23547.php |archive-date=24 September 2015 }}</ref>
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2013–14 LV Cup(1)|[[2013–14 LV Cup|2013–14]]}}
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Exeter Chiefs]]
|align=center| 15–8 
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Northampton Saints]]
| [[Sandy Park]], [[Exeter]]
|align=center| 10,744
| <ref>{{cite news|title=LV= Cup final: Exeter Chiefs 15-8 Northampton Saints|work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/26551754|access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2014–15 LV Cup(1)|[[2014–15 LV Cup|2014–15]]}}
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]]
|align=center| 23–20
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Exeter Chiefs]]
| [[Franklin's Gardens]], [[Northampton]]
|align=center| 8,865
| <ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/31986591|title=LV Cup final: Saracens 23-20 Exeter Chiefs|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref>
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2015–16 LV Cup(1)|2015–16}}
|colspan=6 style="text-align: center;"| ''No competition due to [[2015 Rugby World Cup|Rugby World Cup]]''
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2016–17 LV Cup(1)|[[2016–17 Anglo-Welsh Cup|2016–17]]}}
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Leicester Tigers]]
|align=center|16–12
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Exeter Chiefs]]
| [[Twickenham Stoop]], [[London]]
|align=center| 6,834
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/18950833/a-tom-brady-try-helps-leicester-tigers-hold-chiefs-anglo-welsh-glory|publisher=ESPN|title=Brady helps Leicester Tigers hold out Chiefs for Anglo-Welsh glory|date=19 March 2017 }}</ref>
|-
|align=center|{{sort|2017–18 LV Cup(1)|[[2017–18 Anglo-Welsh Cup|2017–18]]}}
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Exeter Chiefs]]
|align=center|28–11
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Bath Rugby|Bath]]
| [[Kingsholm Stadium]], [[Gloucester]]
|align=center| 8,074
| 
|-
|}

===List of champions===
{| class="wikitable"
|- 
! #
! Team
! Wins
! Years
|- 
|1
| [[Leicester Tigers|Leicester]]
| 3
| [[2006–07 EDF Energy Cup|2007]], [[2011–12 LV Cup|2012]], [[2016–17 Anglo-Welsh Cup|2017]]
|-
|2
| [[Exeter Chiefs|Exeter]]
| 2
| [[2013–14 LV Cup|2014]], [[2017–18 Anglo-Welsh Cup|2018]]
|-
|3=
| [[Cardiff Blues|Cardiff]]
| 1
| [[2008–09 EDF Energy Cup|2009]]
|-
|3=
| [[Gloucester Rugby|Gloucester]]
| 1
| [[2010–11 LV Cup|2011]]
|-
|3=
| [[Harlequin F.C.|Harlequins]]
| 1
| [[2012–13 LV Cup|2013]]
|-
|3=
| [[Northampton Saints|Northampton]]
| 1
| [[2009–10 LV Cup|2010]]
|-
|3=
| [[Ospreys (rugby union)|Ospreys]]
| 1
| [[2007–08 EDF Energy Cup|2008]]
|-
|3= 
| [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]]
| 1
| [[2014–15 LV Cup|2015]]
|-
|3=
| [[Wasps RFC|Wasps]]
| 1
| [[2005–06 Powergen Anglo-Welsh Cup|2006]]
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Sports}}
* [[RFU Championship Cup]]
* [[EDF Energy Trophy]]
* [[RFU Intermediate Cup]]
* [[RFU Senior Vase]]
* [[RFU Junior Vase]]
* [[Rugby union in England]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20151021103854/http://www.anglowelshcup.com/ Anglo Welsh Cup website]

{{Anglo-Welsh Cup}}
{{Rugby union in England}}
{{Rugby union in Wales}}
{{Top-level rugby union club competitions}}

[[Category:Anglo-Welsh Cup| ]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 2005]]
[[Category:Rugby union cup competitions in England]]
[[Category:Rugby union competitions in Wales]]
[[Category:Premiership Rugby]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events disestablished in 2018]]
[[Category:Defunct rugby union cup competitions]]