Gwent rivals to meet in B&I Cup group stages

LAST season’s British & Irish Cup runners-up Cross Keys have been drawn alongside Gwent rivals Newport in the pool stages of this year’s competition.

Keys and Newport are in Pool Four with Irish side Connacht and former Aviva Premiership outfit Newcastle Falcons as the tournament expands to take in 32 clubs from all four of the home nations.

In a change to the format, every team will play each other home and away with only the winners of the eight pools going through to the quarter-finals.

Cup holders Munster ‘A’ are in Pool Seven with Aberavon, Plymouth Albion and Rotherham Titans while Bridgend and Cardiff lock horns in Pool One alongside Ulster and 2011 champions Bristol.

Pontypridd, semi-finalists in 2011, face Leinster, Leeds Carnegie and Championship new boys Jersey, and Llanelli, who reached the last eight before losing to Keys, take on Gala, London Scottish and Moseley in Pool Six.

Two Welsh clubs, Swansea and Carmarthen Quins go in Pool Three with Dundee HSFP and Cornish Pirates, Bedwas and Neath have Stirling County and former runners-up Bedford Blues for company in Pool Two and Llandovery do battle with Melrose, Nottingham and Doncaster Knights in Pool Eight.

“These changes reflect the commitment of all the Unions and clubs to help grow the profile of the B&I Cup within the rugby calendar,” said competition manager Chris Burns.

The dates for the pool games are as follows: Round 1, October 12-14; Round 2, October 19-21; Round 3, December 7-9; Round 4, December 14-16; Round 5, January 11-13; Round 6, January 19.

The quarter-finals will be played on the weekend of April 5-7, the semi-finals on April 26-28 and the final is on May 17.

Pool 1: Bristol, Bridgend Ravens, Cardiff, Ulster

Pool 2: Bedford Blues, Bedwas, Neath, Stirling County

Pool 3: Carmarthen Quins, Dundee HSFP, Cornish Pirates, Swansea

Pool 4: Connacht, Cross Keys, Newcastle Falcons, Newport

Pool 5: Jersey, Leeds Carnegie, Leinster, Pontypridd

Pool 6: Gala, Llanelli, London Scottish, Moseley

Pool 7: Aberavon, Munster, Plymouth Albion, Rotherham Titans

Pool 8: Doncaster Knights, Llandovery, Melrose, Nottingham