RockSalt wrote: As an ex-Connacht season ticket holder - and current Bristol one - I can confirm that Bristol take this competition pretty seriously (particularly in the pool rounds) and will be formidable opposition. They only took their foot of the gas in the semi-finals last season which they were relaxed about losing, as the final was scheduled in between their two play off league fixtures.

Some of these fixtures do clash with the Challenge Cup dates - but unfortunately, for Connacht, this is the only cup competition English Championship clubs are involved in, so the Bristols of this world always have full squads to choose from.

Yes but in fairness RS, after five consecutive seasons in the Championship if Bristol are in the top three they will definitely run their extended Squad/Academy in this competition and not risk injury to key players.

There's nothing but some kudos and a pitifully small amount of shekels to gain from this tournament for them.

Hope they break out of the Championship this season, I like Robinson as a person. Sadly I called right again about Briz in this seasons playoffs, the playoffs are like a tightening noose for them. They should actually push for direct qualification for the League winners, it's shameful that in a "League" competition you can win the Championship and still potentially miss out for promotion to a team who finish 20-30 points behind you...

www.connachtclan.com/forum/3-other-rugby...-power-of-four#25175

As an ex-Connacht season ticket holder - and current Bristol one - I can confirm that Bristol take this competition pretty seriously (particularly in the pool rounds) and will be formidable opposition. They only took their foot of the gas in the semi-finals last season which they were relaxed about losing, as the final was scheduled in between their two play off league fixtures.

Some of these fixtures do clash with the Challenge Cup dates - but unfortunately, for Connacht, this is the only cup competition English Championship clubs are involved in, so the Bristols of this world always have full squads to choose from.

Bristol will be focussing on promotion again next season. Unlike other Championship sides I would be surprised if they put out their strongest XV for B&I cup.

Edit: Forget what I said below it doesn't look like it will tie in with the European games this season.

That is right swift4prez but I remember the previous season they played Newcastle in Athlone the night before the Harlequins home game but with the games back at the Sportsgrounds again this season (I presume) then I think it will probably follow the same course as last year.

With regard to the draw, Bristol were recruiting for the Premiership, not sure how many of the lads they signed are going to them now but they will still be formidable opposition. The other games offer chances of a couple of wins. We won 3 games in this competition last year but we took 3 god awful hammerings on the road. Its hard to match up against seasoned teams playing together week in week out but regardless of that fact we need to improve our away form.

Am I right in saying that last season, if connacht played a Heineken cup game away, it worked out that the Eagles played the b and i cup at home. Could that be same this season?

Matches, real matches with dates and stuff

Following confirmation of the new 20-team tournament structure, the 2014/15 British & Irish Cup fixtures have been unveiled today.
Played across five pools, each with four teams, the Irish, English and Welsh teams making up this coming season's British & Irish Cup will begin the new campaign during the second weekend of October.

Drawn in Pool 5, current cup holders Leinster 'A' will travel to Brickfields for their opening game, facing English Championship side Plymouth Albion.

Girvan Dempsey's men are the only team to have successfully defended their title, securing a win over Leeds Carnegie at Donnybrook last month (full replay below) to retain the trophy after claiming it for the first time in May 2013.

Connacht Eagles will have London Scottish, the Wales 2 qualifiers and Bristol, who lifted the cup in 2011, for company in Pool 1.

2012 champions Munster 'A' have been drawn in Pool 3 along with Worcester Warriors who were relegated from the Aviva Premiership last month. In addition, the men in red will have trips to Moseley and Nottingham, a club they beat home and away in the 2013/14 pool stages.

Meanwhile, Ulster Ravens, who failed to make the quarter-finals last season, will be aiming to get the better of 2013/14 runners-up Leeds Carnegie, Rotherham Titans and the Wales 4 qualifiers in Pool 2.

A local derby awaits Leeds as they host Rotherham in their first round fixture at Headingley. While both sides were knocked out of the Championship play-offs, each impressed across the board last season.

James Lowes' charges showed commitment to playing with ball in hand, scoring 91 tries in the process while Rotherham captivated Championship followers, progressing to the knockout stages for the first time following a seventh place finish in the previous season.

The Welsh participants in the British & Irish Cup will be based on regional play-offs at the start of the season, with final positions in last season's Principality Premiership giving teams 'home advantage'.

Pontypridd represented the Welsh contingent in last year's knockout stages, narrowly losing out to eventual winners Leinster 'A' in a thrilling encounter at Sardis Road.

After discussion among all four Unions, four Principality Premiership teams will continue to represent Wales in the competition, joining the 12 clubs of the Greene King IPA Championship as well as four provincial teams from Ireland.

Due to changes in the competition dates, Scottish clubs will not participate in the 2014/15 competition meaning that this coming season's tournament will move from 24 teams to 20, playing in five pools of four.

2014/15 BRITISH & IRISH CUP POOLS:

POOL 1: London Scottish, Wales 2, Bristol, CONNACHT EAGLES

POOL 2: Rotherham Titans, Leeds Carnegie, ULSTER RAVENS, Wales 4

POOL 3: Worcester Warriors, Nottingham, Moseley, MUNSTER 'A'

POOL 4: Wales 1, Cornish Pirates, Doncaster Knights, Bedford Blues

POOL 5: LEINSTER 'A', Plymouth Albion, Wales 3, Jersey

2014/15 BRITISH & IRISH CUP STRUCTURE:

Teams

- 12 Greene King IPA Championship clubs
- 4 Welsh Principality Premiership clubs
- 4 Irish provinces (Connacht Eagles, Leinster 'A', Munster 'A' and Ulster Ravens)

Pool Stages

- Taking place on October 11, 18 and 25, November 29 and December 6 and 13, 2014
- 5 pools of 4 playing home and away
- 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 bonus point for a) scoring 4 or more tries and/or b) losing by 7 points or less

Quarter-Finals

- Taking place on January 24, 2015
- Top side in each pool progress to knockout stages, plus three best runners-up
- 8 quarter-finalists ranked with teams ranked 1-4 having home advantage

Semi-Finals & Final

- Four winning quarter finalists progress to semi-final draw which takes place on weekend of March 13/14/15, 2015
- Winning semi-finalists progress to final to take place on weekend of April 3/4/5, 2015

2014/15 BRITISH & IRISH CUP - POOL FIXTURES:

Round 1 - October 10/11/12

Pool 1
Wales 2 v London Scottish
Bristol v Connacht Eagles

Pool 2
Leeds Carnegie v Rotherham Titans
Wales 4 v Ulster Ravens

Pool 3
Nottingham v Worcester Warriors
Munster 'A' v Moseley

Pool 4
Cornish Pirates v Bedford Blues
Wales 1 v Doncaster Knights

Pool 5
Plymouth Albion v Leinster 'A'
Jersey v Wales 3

Round 2 - October 17/18/19

Pool 1
London Scottish v Bristol
Connacht Eagles v Wales 2

Pool 2
Rotherham Titans v Wales 4
Ulster Ravens v Leeds Carnegie

Pool 3
Worcester Warriors v Munster 'A'
Moseley v Nottingham

Pool 4
Bedford Blues v Wales 1
Doncaster Knights v Cornish Pirates

Pool 5
Leinster 'A' v Jersey
Wales 3 v Plymouth Albion

Round 3 - October 24/25/26

Pool 1
Connacht Eagles v London Scottish
Bristol v Wales 2

Pool 2
Rotherham Titans v Ulster Ravens
Leeds Carnegie v Wales 4

Pool 3
Moseley v Worcester Warriors
Nottingham v Munster 'A'

Pool 4
Doncaster Knights v Bedford Blues
Cornish Pirates v Wales 1

Pool 5
Wales 3 v Leinster 'A'
Plymouth Albion v Jersey

Round 4 - November 28/29/30

Pool 1
London Scottish v Connacht Eagles
Bristol v Wales 2

Pool 2
Rotherham Titans v Ulster Ravens
Wales 4 v Leeds Carnegie

Pool 3
Worcester Warriors v Moseley
Munster 'A' v Nottingham

Pool 4
Bedford Blues v Doncaster Knights
Wales 1 v Cornish Pirates

Pool 5
Leinster 'A' v Wales 3
Jersey v Plymouth Albion

Round 5 - December 5/6/7

Pool 1
Wales 2 v Connacht Eagles
Bristol v London Scottish

Pool 2
Leeds Carnegie v Ulster Ravens
Wales 3 v Rotherham Titans

Pool 3
Nottingham v Moseley
Munster 'A' v Worcester Warriors

Pool 4
Cornish Pirates v Doncaster Knights
Wales 1 v Bedford Blues

Pool 5
Plymouth Albion v Wales 3
Jersey v Leinster 'A'

Round 6 - December 12/13/14

Pool 1
London Scottish v Wales 2
Connacht Eagles v Bristol

Pool 2
Rotherham Titans v Leeds Carnegie
Ulster Ravens v Wales 4

Pool 3
Worcester Warriors v Nottingham
Moseley v Munster 'A'

Pool 4
Bedford Blues v Cornish Pirates
Doncaster Knights v Wales 1

Pool 5
Leinster 'A' v Plymouth Albion
Wales 3 v Jersey

Quarter-Finals: January 23/24/25

Semi-Finals: March 13/14/15

Final: April 3/4/5