WRU Challenge Cup

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Logo of the SWALEC Cup SWALEC Cup.gif
Logo of the SWALEC Cup

The WRU Challenge Cup (currently known as the Specsavers Cup due to sponsorship), or its full name of the Welsh Rugby Union Challenge Cup, is Wales' premier knockout rugby union competition and is organised by the Welsh Rugby Union. As of 2022 it has been divided into separate Cup competitions Premiership Cup, Championship Cup, Division 1 Cup etc. as well as the Bowl and Plate editions for other lower divisions.

Contents

On 26 February 2007, the WRU agreed a new £1 million three-year sponsorship deal with SWALEC, who had previously sponsored the event from the 1992–93 season until the 1998–99 season; the Cup will again become the SWALEC Cup. [1] The SWALEC Cup is a three tier competition with Cup, Plate and Bowl winners. In the inaugural year the SWALEC Plate was competed for by clubs who are knocked out of the SWALEC Cup in the first two rounds, while the SWALEC Bowl was competed for by clubs who are knocked out of the first round of the plate competition. [2] In its second year of the WRU split the three competitions directly with teams from Division 4–6 competing for the Bowl, teams from Division 2–3 competing for the Plate and teams from the Premiership and Division 1 competing for the Cup.

The current Indigo Premiership Cup holders are Llandovery who beat Merthyr 20-18 at the Millennium Stadium on 7th April 2024.

Past winners

YearWinnersScoreRunner-upFinal venueName of Cup
1972 Neath 15–9 Llanelli Cardiff Arms Park WRU Challenge Cup
1973Llanelli30–7 Cardiff
1974Llanelli12–10 Aberavon
1975Llanelli15–6 Aberavon
1976Llanelli16–4 Swansea
1977 Newport 16–15CardiffSchweppes Cup
1978Swansea13–9Newport
1979 Bridgend 18–12 Pontypridd
1980 Bridgend 15–9Swansea
1981Cardiff14–6Bridgend
1982Cardiff12–12
(Cardiff win on try count)		Bridgend
1983 Pontypool 18–6Swansea
1984Cardiff24–19Neath National Stadium
1985Llanelli15–14Cardiff
1986Cardiff28–21Newport
1987Cardiff16–15
(after extra time)		Swansea
1988Llanelli28–13Neath
1989Neath14–13Llanelli
1990Neath16–10Bridgend
1991Llanelli24–9 Pontypool
1992Llanelli16–7Swansea
1993Llanelli21–18NeathSWALEC Cup
1994 Cardiff15–8Llanelli
1995Swansea17–12Pontypridd
1996Pontypridd29–22Neath
1997Cardiff33–26Swansea
1998Llanelli19–12 Ebbw Vale Ashton Gate
1999Swansea37–10Llanelli Ninian Park
2000Llanelli22–12Swansea Millennium Stadium WRU Challenge Cup
2001Newport13–8NeathPrincipality Cup
2002Pontypridd20–17Llanelli
2003Llanelli32–9Newport
2004Neath36–13 Caerphilly Konica Minolta Cup
2005Llanelli25–24Pontypridd
2006Pontypridd26–25Neath
2007 Llandovery 20–18Cardiff
2008Neath28–22Pontypridd
2009 Neath27–21LlanelliSWALEC Cup
2010 Llanelli20–8 Carmarthen
2011 Pontypridd35–24Aberavon
2012 Cross Keys 32–19Pontypridd
2013 Pontypridd34–13Neath
2014 Pontypridd21–8Cross Keys
2015 Bridgend19–15Pontypridd
2016 Llandovery25–18CarmarthenSSE SWALEC Cup
2017 RGC 1404 15–11PontypriddWRU National Cup
2018 Merthyr 41–7Newport
2019Cardiff25–19MerthyrSpecsavers National Cup
2020Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022Newport25–21AberavonIndigo Premiership Cup*
2023Cardiff13-10Newport
2024Llandovery20-18Merthyr

Total finals by club

TeamWinnersRunners-up
Llanelli 146
Cardiff 94
Neath 67
Pontypridd 66
Swansea 37
Bridgend 33
Newport 34
Llandovery 30
Cross Keys 11
Merthyr 12
Pontypool 11
RGC 1404 10
Aberavon 04
Carmarthen Quins 02
Caerphilly 01
Ebbw Vale 01

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "SWALEC becomes new power behind Welsh rugby". Welsh Rugby Union. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
  2. ↑ The Swalec Cup, Bowl and Plate rules 2008/09
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