Wales’ 12 Principality Premiership sides face play-off matches against other Premiership clubs within their Region over the first two weekends of the season in order to select four clubs that will this season represent Wales in the cross-border competition.
This completes the draw for this season’s British & Irish Cup campaign so Wales’ clubs now know who they will be up against in the competition if they win their Regional play-off final.
The draw was made at a meeting of the WRU and Premiership clubs, and places the winner of the Gwent play-offs in Pool 1 with Ealing, champions Leinster and Mosely, the winner of the Blues play-off between Cardiff and Pontypridd in Pool 2 with competition newcomers Edinburgh Academicals, along with London Welsh who return after a year in the Premiership and London Scottish.
The winner of the Scarlets play-offs will play Bedford, Rotherham and Connacht in Pool 3 and the winner of the Ospreys play-offs will meet Leeds, Bristol and Gala in Pool 4. The British & Irish Cup proper kicks off in October.
Final positions in last season’s Principality Premiership determines the number of matches teams play, and will give teams home advantage.
British & Irish Cup Draw
Pool 1
Newport / Cross Keys or Bedwas
Ealing, Leinster. Moseley
Pool 2
Cardiff or Pontypridd
London Scottish, London Welsh, Edinburgh Academicals
Pool 3
Llanelli / Llandovery / Carmarthen Quins
Bedford, Rotherham, Connacht
Pool 4
Munster A, Nottingham Rugby, Plymouth Albion, Stirling County
Pool 5
Neath / Swansea / Bridgend or Aberavon
Leeds, Bristol, Gala
Pool 6
Cornish Pirates, Ulster Ravens, Ayr, Jersey
Welsh British & Irish Cup Play-Off fixtures:
Friday 30 August
Neath v Bridgend
Saturday 31 August
Aberavon v Swansea; Cross Keys v Newport
Sunday 1 September
Llanelli v Carmarthen
Saturday 7 September
Bedwas v Cross Keys or Newport
Pontypridd v Cardiff
Aberavon or Swansea v Neath or Bridgend
Llandovery v Llanelli or Carmarthen
