Anglo-Welsh Cup
The Anglo -Welsh Cup (currently sponsors due under the name LV = Cup ) is a cup competition for rugby union teams from England and Wales. Eligible are all twelve teams in the English Premiership and the four Welsh representatives of the Pro12. Prior to the 2005/06 season the competition was open only English teams.
In the first phase groups is played with three English teams and a Welsh team in four. Each team meets once against the three group opponents. Subsequently, the four group winners meet in two semi-finals. The trophy winner will be determined in the final. This is also qualified for the Heineken European Cup.
Sponsors
The competition is named after the current main sponsor, this is since 2009 the British company LV = (Liverpool Victoria). Previous sponsors were:
History
The cup competition was first held in 1972 under the name RFU Club Competition. In the early years there was neither a trophy a sponsor. First Cup winner was Gloucester. Since the year 1976, the competition has a main sponsor. Therefore, this was renamed the John Player Cup. In the first seventeen years of the competition of Bath and Leicester dominated, who won four times or three times. In 1989 the name was changed to Pilkington Cup. Over the next nine years, Bath won no less than five times. As of 1998, Tetley 's Bitter for three years main sponsor. After another name change in 2001 ( Powergen, a trademark of E.ON UK) Newcastle could only win more than once.
From the season 2005/ 06 towards a new format has been introduced. Eligible were only the English teams in the Guinness Premiership, first came to the four best teams from Wales. Teams from the National Division One, the second highest English league play since the Powergen National Trophy. The new format brought a 12% increase in audience numbers. At the end of the first Anglo- Welsh Powergen season was his retreat known as the parent company, the German E.ON Group has become a leading sponsor of the Football Association and Wembley Stadium. On Powergen was followed by the Electricité de France, which already the French professional league top support 14. In 2008, the Ospreys won the first Welsh team the trophy.
Finals
RFU Club Competition
John Player Cup
Divided * Cup