RFU Junior Vase

The RFU Junior Vase is a rugby union national knockout cup competition in England run by the Rugby Football Union, which has been competed for since 1990.^[1][2] It is mostly contested by 1st XV teams at level 9 of the English rugby union system, although sides as low as level 12 or even outside the league system can sometimes enter. The competition is a national one, but split into regions until the national semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London. Presently, the RFU Junior Vase is the fifth most important club cup competition in England, behind the Premiership Rugby Cup, RFU Championship Cup, RFU Intermediate Cup and RFU Senior Vase.

RFU Senior Vase

Current season or competition: 2018–19 RFU Junior Vase
Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	1990; 34 years ago (1990)
Number of teams	Levels 9-12 of English rugby
Nations	England (RFU)
Holders	Reeds Weybridge (1st title) (2019 - 20)
Most titles	Bradford Salem, Sheffield Tigers (2 titles)
Website	England Rugby
Related competition	Intermediate Cup, Senior Vase

History

The Vase was first contested for during the 1990–91 season, when it was known as the Provincial Insurance Cup (named after its sponsors).^[1][2] It was introduced by the RFU to provide a national cup competition for junior clubs in the English rugby union system not already competing in the Pilkington Cup, with a number of knock-out rounds culminating in the final held at Twickenham Stadium. The competition would have a number of different sponsors over the course of its history, including Provincial Insurance, Pilkington, NPI, Tetley's Brewery, Powergen and EDF Energy.^[3][4][5][6] Since the 2009–10 season the competition has been known as the RFU Junior Vase and is competed for by clubs playing in at level 9 of the league system. It is currently un-sponsored.

Current format

The rounds are contested on a regional basis between the four regional unions (North, Midlands, London & South East, South West) until the semi-finals, where the winner of each region enters the national competition, with the winner of each semi-final meeting at the final at Twickenham Stadium.^[7] Each region has a different qualification method (more detail on this below) and at the end of this qualification there are four regional champions who play in the national semi-finals the ground being one of the semi-finalist's home. The semi-finals pairings are London & South East against South West and Midlands against North.

North

The format for northern teams involved in the RFU Junior Vase is a league-cup hybrid with each county union in the region typically selecting one representative each (although Cheshire have two representatives for the 2018–19 competition). The first stage features a mini league with clubs from Cheshire and Lancashire meeting in one pool and clubs from Durham County, Northumberland and Yorkshire, meeting in the other, each side playing 2 games each. The winners of each group then meet in the north final to determine who goes forward to the national semi-finals.^[8] The competition involves representative teams from the following unions and level 9-10 leagues:

• Cheshire – Lancs/Cheshire Division 3
• Durham County – Durham/Northumberland 3
• Lancashire – Lancs/Cheshire Division 3^{[a 1]}
• Northumberland – Durham/Northumberland 3
• Yorkshire – Yorkshire 3, Yorkshire 4

Midlands

The format for Midlands teams involved in the RFU Junior Vase is a direct knockout cup with a 1st round, 2nd round, 3rd round, semi-finals and final, with all sides from the eligible leagues taking part. The winner of the final goes forward to the national semi-finals.^[10] The competition involves unions and clubs from the following level 9-10 leagues:

• East Midlands – Midlands 4 East (South)
• Leicestershire – Midlands 4 East (South)
• North Midlands – Midlands 4 West (North), Midlands 4 West (South), Midlands 5 West (North), Midlands 5 West (South)
• Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire – Midlands 4 East (North), Midlands 4 East (South)
• Staffordshire – Midlands 4 West (North), Midlands 5 West (North)
• Warwickshire – Midlands 4 West (South), Midlands 5 West (South)

London and South East

As with the Midlands the format for London and South East teams involved in the RFU Junior Vase is a direct knockout cup with a 1st round, 2nd round, 3rd round, semi-finals and final, with all eligible teams taking part. The winner of the final goes forward to the national semi-finals.^[11] The competition involves 1st XV teams from the following unions and level 9-12 leagues:

• Eastern Counties – Eastern Counties 1
• Essex – Essex Canterbury Jack 1
• Hampshire – Hampshire Premier, Hampshire 1
• Hertfordshire / Middlesex – Herts/Middlesex 1, Herts/Middlesex 2
• Kent – Shepherd Neame Kent 1, Shepherd Neame Kent 2
• Surrey – Surrey 1, Surrey 2, Surrey 3, Surrey 4
• Sussex – Sussex 1

South West

The format for the south-west teams in the RFU Junior Vase is more complex with different methods of qualification decided on by the county unions that they represent. Clubs that are affiliated with Dorset & Wilts and Gloucestershire play in county based knock-out competitions first. The winners of the Dorset & Wilts competition then plays in the Southern Counties semi-finals against representatives from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, while the Gloucestershire winners play in the South West Counties semi-finals against representative from Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, with the winners then meeting in a regional final. Finally, the Southern Counties and South West Counties winners meet to determine qualification for the national semi-finals.^[12] Teams involved (1st XV only) are typically from the following unions and level 9-12 leagues:

• Berkshire / Buckinghamshire / Oxfordshire – Berks/Bucks & Oxon Championship
• Cornwall – Cornwall League 1
• Devon – Devon League 1
• Dorset & Wilts – Dorset & Wilts 2 North, Dorset & Wilts 2 South, Dorset & Wilts 3 North, Dorset & Wilts 3 South
• Gloucestershire – Gloucester 1
• Somerset – Somerset 1

Competition results

Season	Winner	Score	Runners–up	Name
1990–91	Bradford Salem (N)	12–6^[13]	Bicester (SW)	Provincial Insurance Cup^[1]^[2]
1991–92	Bradford Salem (N)	17–12^[13]	Bicester (SW)
1992–93	Fleetwood (N)	13–7^[2]	Hitchin (SE)
1993–94	Malvern (M)	8–6^[14]	Old Hamptonians (SE)	Pilkington Shield
1994–95	Bedford Queens (M)	11-10^[15]	St Albans (SE)
1995–96	Medicals (N)	10–6^[16]	Helston (SW)
1996–97	Harpenden (SE)	34–29^[17]	Crewe (M)	NPI Junior Cup^[3]
1997–98	Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. (N)	40–8^[18]	West Leeds (N)	Tetley's Bitter Vase^[4]
1998–99	Billericay (SE)	19–3^[19]	Silhillians (M)
1999–00	Sheffield Tigers (N)	20–11^[20]	Bank of England (SE)
2000–01	Malton & Norton (N)	36–20^[18]	Hoylake (N)
2001–02	Heath (N)	16–10^[21]	Bromley (SE)	Powergen Junior Vase^[5]
2002–03	Old Alleynians (SE)	16–10^[22]	Shipston-on-Stour (SW)
2003–04	Leodiensians (N)	13–13^[23]^[a 2]	North Ribblesdale (N)
2004–05	Sheffield Tigers (N)	30–13^[24]	Solihull (M)
2005–06	Dorking (SE)	46–3^[25]	Cleobury Mortimer (SW)
2006–07	Hartpury College (SW)	72–12^[26]	Billericay (SE)	EDF Energy Junior Vase^[6]
2007–08	Castleford (N)	14–11^[27]	Doncaster Phoenix (N)
2008–09	Brighton (SE)	32–20^[28]	Liskeard-Looe (SW)
2009–10	Teddington (SE)	43–21^[29]	Bramley Phoenix (N)	RFU Junior Vase
2010–11	H.A.C. (SE)	37–6^[30]	Edwardians (M)
2011–12	Baildon (N)	6–3^[31]	Harrow (SE)
2012–13	Newent (SW)	58–29^[32]	Baildon (N)
2013–14	Longlevens (SW)	23–12^[33]	Rugby Lions (M)
2014–15	Battersea Ironsides (SE)	23–7^[34]	Northallerton (N)
2015–16	Old Cranleighans (SE)	50–0^[35]	Buxton (N)
2016–17	Goole (N)	31–24^[36]	Spartans (Gloucester) (SW)
2017–18	Old Otliensians (N)	32–21^[37]	South Molton (SW)
2018–19	Reeds Weybridge (SE)	42–5^[38]	Thornensians (N)
(N) stands for Northern region, (M) for Midlands, (SE) for London & South East, (SW) for South-west

Number of wins

Club

• Bradford Salem (2)
• Sheffield Tigers (2)
• Baildon (1)
• Battersea Ironsides (1)
• Bedford Queens (1)
• Billericay (1)
• Brighton (1)
• Castleford (1)
• Dorking (1)
• Fleetwood (1)
• Goole (1)
• H.A.C. (1)
• Harpenden (1)
• Hartpury College (1)
• Heath (1)
• Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. (1)
• Leodiensians (1)
• Longlevens (1)
• Malton & Norton (1)
• Malvern (1)
• Medicals (1)
• Newent (1)
• Old Alleynians (1)
• Old Cranleighans (1)
• Old Otliensians (1)
• Reeds Weybridge (1)
• Teddington (1)

Region

• North (14)
• London & South East (10)
• South West (3)
• Midlands (2)

Notes

1. The breakaway of 19 Lancashire RFU clubs at the start of the 2017–18 season meant that no clubs from this union have been involved in the RFU Junior Vase since that season.^[9]
2. Leodiensians won the 2004 final on tries scored - 2 to 1.^[23]

See also

• Anglo-Welsh Cup
• EDF Energy Trophy
• Premiership Rugby Cup
• RFU Championship Cup
• RFU Intermediate Cup
• RFU Senior Vase
• Rugby union in England

References

1. "Twickenham in North Ribb sight". Telegraph & Argus. 14 November 2013.
2. "Rugby Union / Commentary: Fleetwood confirm their progress with cup triumph: Provincial Insurance end sponsorship but English junior clubs' competition continues its success in inspiring the game's grass roots". The Independent. 5 April 1993.
3. "History". Harpenden Rugby Club. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
4. "Rugby the winner as trade joins the pack". The Morning Advertiser. 8 March 1999.
5. "Powergen to sponsor English National Cup". ESPN. 6 December 2001.
6. "EDF extends rugby sponsorship with new RFU and Premier deal". Marketing Week. 3 August 2006.
7. "RFU Junior Vase". England RFU. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
8. "Northern Division Cups". England RFU. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
9. "North West league restructuring (June 14, 2018)". RFU North. 14 June 2018.
10. "Midlands Division Cups". England RFU. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
11. "London & SE Division Cups". England RFU. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
12. "South West Division Cups". England RFU. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
13. "CUP HONOURS". Bicester Rugby (Pitchero). Retrieved 16 November 2018.
14. "Rugby Union: Malvern lap up atmosphere". The Independent. 9 May 1994.
15. "Club History". St Albans Rugby Club (Pitchero). Retrieved 16 November 2018.
16. "History 2". Medicals RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 16 November 2018.
17. "1996-99 Rugby World Information". Rugbyrelics.com. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
18. "Twickenham in North Ribb sight". Telegraph & Argus. 6 February 2004.
19. "Rugby: Billericay revel in finest hour". Daily Gazette. 20 April 1999.
20. "Club History". Sheffield Tigers RUFC. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
21. "Gloucester head back to second". The Telegraph. 21 April 2002.
22. "Powergen Shield final: Jones sends Exeter home empty-handed". The Telegraph. 7 April 2003.
23. "Fired up Leos take Twickers title ... just". Yorkshire Evening Post. 19 April 2004.
24. "Sheffield Tigers 1st XV Triple Trophy Season 2004-2005". Sheffield Tigers RUFC. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
25. "Dorking clinch Vase triumph". ESPN. 9 April 2006.
26. "Billericay RFC 12-72 Hartpury College". BBC Essex. 12 May 2007.
27. "Castleford 14 Doncaster Phoenix 11". Yorkshire Post. 12 May 2008.
28. "Brave Lions put up quite a fight". Cornish Times. 15 May 2009.
29. "Teddington cap season with Twickenham triumph". Your Local Guardian. 17 May 2010.
30. "HAC win the RFU Junior Vase". Rugby World. 14 May 2011.
31. "Baildon are swiftly back on the Twickenham trail". Telegraph & Argus. 11 May 2012.
32. "'Incredible' Vase victory". Ledbury Reporter. 10 May 2013.
33. "Longlevens lift Junior Vase with dazzling display". England Rugby. 4 May 2014.
34. "BATTERSEA IRONSIDES TRIUMPH IN JUNIOR VASE". England Rugby. 3 May 2015.
35. "Twickenham cup final was 'unbelievable' experience for Buxton RUFC". Buxton Advertiser. 7 May 2016.
36. "Spartans dreams dashed as they lose 31-24 to Goole at Twickenham". Gloucestershire Live. 8 May 2017.
37. "By George it's a great day for Otliensians". Telegraph & Argus. 11 May 2018.
38. "Reeds Weybridge in comfortable Junior Vase victory". England Rugby. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.

External links

• RFU