British & Irish Cup: Round 5 Preview
The Greene King IPA Championship looks on course to have a healthy representation in the quarter-finals of the British & Irish Cup, with English sides topping four of the pools with two rounds to go and Leinster ‘A’, winners of the competition for the last two years, heading a fifth.
Bristol, Rotherham Titans, Worcester Warriors and Doncaster Knights all maintained their perfect records in the competition, while Leinster ‘A’ remain in command of Pool 5 after scoring 10 tries in a 67-12 romp over Carmarthen Quins.
BRITISH & IRISH CUP TABLES/STATISTICS
BRITISH & IRISH CUP – ROUND 5 FIXTURES:
POOL 1
Bristol (1st) v London Scottish (3rd), Friday, December 5, 7.45pm
Bristol are guaranteed their place in the quarter-final draw with a round to spare if they beat London Scottish for the third time this season and extend their winning run to 13 matches. Bristol won 22-18 when the sides met earlier in the competition, while the league meeting at Ashton Gate ended in a 42-17 victory for the West Country side.
Pontypridd (2nd) v CONNACHT EAGLES (4th), Sardis Road, Saturday, December 6, 2.30pm
Pontypridd need to bounce back from the disappointment of losing at Bristol with victories in their last two matches if they are to entertain any hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages as one of the three best-placed runners-up. Hooker Liam Belcher scored a hat-trick of tries and there was one each from full-back Aled Summerhill, lock Craig Locke and winger Lewis Williams in Pontypridd’s 42-16 triumph over Connacht Eagles in round 2.
Round 4 Results –
London Scottish 17 Connacht Eagles 7
Bristol 31 Pontypridd 26
POOL 2
Aberavon (3rd) v Rotherham Titans (1st), Saturday, December 6, 2.30pm
Aberavon have conceded more points (179) than any other side at this stage of the competition, and worse could be to come with pool leaders Rotherham Titans arriving in Port Talbot on Saturday. Titans have won all three previous British & Irish Cup meetings between the sides, although their only other visit to the Talbot Athletic Ground in October 2012 was a close run affair. Titans fell 13-0 down before fighting back to win 25-21.
Yorkshire Carnegie (2nd) v ULSTER RAVENS (4th), Laund Hill, Huddersfield, Sunday, December 7, 2.30pm
Yorkshire Carnegie welcome Ulster to Laund Hill, Huddersfield as they take to the road again in the British & Irish Cup. Two tries from winger Dan Tai earned Carnegie an impressive 22-17 victory at the Kingspan Stadium when they last met Ulster Ravens in round 2. Carnegie are the top points scorers in the competition with 153 points from four games.
Round 4 Results –
Aberavon 32 Yorkshire Carnegie 43
Rotherham Titans 52 Ulster Ravens 17
POOL 3
Nottingham (4th) v Moseley (3rd), Sunday, December 7, 3pm
The bottom two sides in Pool 3 meet for the second time in as many weeks in what is effectively a dead-rubber. Nottingham took the honours in the league fixture at Billesley Common, edging a fractious encounter 27-26. The respective out-halves that day, Sam Olver (Moseley) and Dan Mugford (Nottingham) have both received Championship Player of the Month for November nominations.
MUNSTER ‘A’ (2nd) v Worcester Warriors (1st), CIT Sports Stadium, Friday, December 5, 7.30pm
Munster ‘A’ need to beat Worcester to keep their hopes of topping the pool alive. The former champions are five points behind the Warriors, who have won all four of their games to date. The province’s only defeat in the competition came at the hands of the Warriors when they lost 27-23 on October 18 – Ben Sowery saved the day for Worcester with a late try.
Round 4 Results –
Worcester Warriors 31 Moseley 12
Munster ‘A’ 23 Nottingham 16
POOL 4
Cornish Pirates (2nd) v Doncaster Knights (1st), Saturday, December 6, 3pm
A fifth straight victory would guarantee Doncaster a presence in the quarter-final draw for only the second time in their history. Pirates won 24-22 when the sides met in the league on October 4, while the Knights gained revenge with a 29-25 victory in the cup a fortnight later. If beaten, Pirates still have a good chance of qualifying for the knockout stages as one of the best runners-up.
Bedford Blues (3rd) v Cross Keys (4th), Saturday, December 6, 2.30pm
Bedford have only won twice at home in five attempts this season and are without a win to their name in the British & Irish Cup. Cross Keys snatched a 23-22 victory with stoppage time try from captain Leon Andrews when the sides met at Goldington Road back in October. Keys will be looking to take their first English scalp at Pandy Park having lost at home to Doncaster and Cornish Pirates.
Round 4 Results –
Bedford Blues 15 Doncaster Knights 17
Cross Keys 21 Cornish Pirates 30
POOL 5
Jersey (2nd) v LEINSTER ‘A’ (1st), St. Peter, Saturday, December 6, 3pm
Jersey need to halt a run of three straight defeats if they are to remain in contention for top spot in Pool 5. The Channel Islanders are five points behind the two-time British & Irish Cup champions in the standings, having slipped to a disappointing defeat to Plymouth last time out. Leinster ‘A’ won 26-6 on a wet and blustery night in Dublin in round 2.
Plymouth Albion (4th) v Carmarthen Quins (3rd), Saturday, December 6, 3pm
The winners of this tie could still be in contention for a quarter-final place if Jersey beat Leinster ‘A’, preferably without either side picking up a bonus point. Improving Albion picked up their first win of any description for nearly nine months when they defeated Jersey 23-14 at St. Peter in round 4. Plymouth shipped 20 unanswered points in the final quarter to lose 29-16 when they last met Quins at Parc y Scarlets on October 18.
Round 4 Results –
Jersey 14 Plymouth Albion 23
Leinster ‘A’ 67 Carmarthen Quins 12