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East Midlands derby first TV pick in streamlined Premiership Cup
By Jon Newcombe
The 2024/25 Premiership Rugby Cup will feature 20 teams with at least one match per round televised live by TNT Sports.
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The 10 Premiership Rugby clubs are joined by the same amount from The Championship – with Cambridge and Chinnor the second-tier clubs to miss out.
The winners of the five pools of four teams plus the three best runners-up will progress through to the quarter-finals, with the home-and-away pool fixtures being played in the November and February Test windows.
The knock-out stages will then take place on consecutive weekends in early March with the Premiership Rugby Cup Final scheduled for the weekend of March 15, live on TNT Sports.
Gallagher Premiership Rugby champions Northampton Saints’ round one game against East Midlands rivals Leicester will be the first televised fixture on Friday November 1st, followed a week later by Harlequins versus 2023/23 Championship winners Ealing Trailfinders.
The TV cameras will then be at Kingsholm in round three as defending Premiership Cup champions take on Hartpury University RFC for the second time in Pool 5, on November 22nd, with the local rivals having also been drawn together in round one.
TNT Sports picks for Rounds 4 to 6 will be made after Round 3.
Northern clubs Newcastle, Sale Sharks, Doncaster and Caldy make up Pool 1, while Leicester and Northampton are joined in a Midlands-based Pool 2 by Coventry and Nottingham.
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Pool 3 consists of capital clubs in Harlequins, Saracens, Ealing Trailfinders and London Scottish, Pool 4 pairs together Bath, Bristol, Bedford and Ampthill, while the West Country theme is rounded off in Pool 5 with Exeter and Cornish Pirates joining Gloucester and Hartpury.
Cherry and Whites skipper Lewis Ludlow sent a warning to anyone looking to wrestle the cup away from Kingsholm.
The England back-row said: “Having that taste of success has made us hungrier than ever. So make no bones about it, we want to keep that Premiership Rugby Cup here at Kingsholm.
“Winning the first piece of silverware for Gloucester Rugby in nine years was a memorable moment for everyone connected to the club. We have an extremely passionate fanbase, so to lift the Premiership Rugby Cup trophy at Kingsholm was truly special.
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“We know the quality that lies in all three of our pool opponents’ squads. But we’re especially looking forward to kicking things off against our neighbours, Hartpury.
“I was fortunate enough to go to Hartpury myself, it was a big part of my journey both on and off the field. There’s a strong bond between the two clubs, so it’s sure to be a great occasion for rugby in Gloucestershire.”
Pool 1: Newcastle, Sale, Doncaster, Caldy
Pool 2: Leicester, Northampton, Coventry, Nottingham
Pool 3: Harlequins, Saracens, Ealing, London Scottish
Pool 4: Bath, Bristol, Bedford, Ampthill
Pool 5: Exeter, Gloucester,. Cornish Pirates, Hartpury
Click here for the full Premiership Rugby Cup 2024/25 fixture list.
