Devon RFU Senior Cup
The Devon Senior Cup is an annual rugby union league and cup club competition organized by the Devon Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced in the 1886-87 season and the inaugural competition was won by Tiverton.[1] During the early years of the cup the format changed several times from a knock-out competition to a league format, then to hybrid league/cup, then back to being a knock-out cup once again. The competition also was had periods of inactivity, with World War I preventing play for a number of seasons and then the cup being cancelled in the 1930s before being reintroduced for the 1969-70 season when it was won by St. Luke's College (now University of Exeter). The Havill Plate was introduced in the 1970s for teams knocked out of the first round of the cup which would continue until 1999. Competitions similar to the Havill Plate were introduced in 2009 for teams that got knocked out of the earlier stages of the cup were introduced - plate (semi finals) and vase (quarter finals) - but these were discontinued due to a lack of interest by the clubs involved.[2]
Sport | Rugby Union |
---|---|
Instituted | 1886 |
Number of teams | 8 (Cup) 4 (Shield) |
Country | England |
Holders | Exeter University (five titles) (2021-22) |
Most titles | Exeter (16 titles) |
Website | Devon RFU |
The Devon Senior Cup is currently the premier county cup competition for club sides based in Devon that play in tier 5 (South West One) of the English rugby union league system. For 2022-23 the format was two conference divisions of four teams playing three games to determine the top two in each pool, who go through to the semi-finals. The bottom two teams in the pools go through to the Devon Senior Shield, where two semi-finals are played to determine the finalists.
Devon Senior Cup winners
Devon Senior Plate winners
| |||||||
Season | Winner | Score | Runners–up | Venue | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009-10[36] | Paignton | 28-3 | Cullompton | Stafford Park, Cullompton | |||
2010-11[34][37] | Barnstaple | 50-12 | Brixham | Pottington Road, Barnstaple | |||
Devon Senior Shield winners
| |||||||
Season | Winner | Score | Runners–up | Venue | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-19[38] | Okehampton | 24–20 | Devonport Services | Showground, Okehampton | |||
Devon Senior Vase winners
| |||||||
Season | Winner | Score | Runners–up | Venue | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009-10[39] | Tiverton | 20-15 | Kingsbridge | Coronation Field, Tiverton | |||
2010-11[40] | Cullompton | N/A[a 7] | Paignton | Stafford Park, Cullompton | |||
Number of wins
Cup
|
Plate
|
Shield
|
Vase
|
Notes
- The 1890-91 season saw the competition renamed the Devon League Cup and would take place in the form of a league for the next five seasons.
- 1907 final was replayed after the first game finished 0-0.
- 1912 final was replayed after first game at Recreation Ground, Torquay finished 0-0.
- 1913 final was replayed after first game finished 3-3.
- extra time played after game finished 4-4 after 80 minutes.
- 1926 final was replayed after the first game finished 3-3.
- Final was awarded to Cullompton as Paignton were unable to raise a side.[34]
- If you include the Devon Cup titles won by Plymouth Albion's parent clubs - Devonport Albion and Plymouth RFC - that merged to create the modern club in the 1920s then they have actually won 23 titles which would make them the most prolific team in the competition's history.
- Exeter University's figure includes Devon Cups won by St. Luke's College before it was amalgamated into Exeter University in 1978.
See also
References
- "History - Tiverton Rugby Club". Tiverton Rugby Club. Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- "Finalists have no enthusiasm for the Devon Senior Plate". This is Cornwall. 22 April 2011.
- "16th Season 1887-8" (PDF). Exeter Chiefs Supporters Club. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- "17th Season 1888-9" (PDF). Exeter Chiefs Supporters Club. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- "18th Season 1889-90" (PDF). Exeter Chiefs Supporters Club. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- "19th Season 1890-91" (PDF). Exeter Chiefs Supporters Club. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- "History Sidmouth RFC". Sidmouth RFC. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- "33rd Season 1904-95" (PDF). Exeter Chiefs Supporters Club. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- "37th Season 1908-09" (PDF). Exeter Chiefs Supporters Club. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- "Brixham Rugby Introduction". Brixham RFC. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- "Exmouth RFC Club History". Exmouth RFC. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- "1900-1939". BRFC Supporters. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- "DEVON CUP FINAL RUGBY PROGRAMME 1969". ebay. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- "Steve is still going strong after 50-year association with The Mariners!". Pembrokeshire Sport. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- "Reunion for Barnstaple's 1975 Devon Cup rugby team". North Devon Journal. 19 March 2015. Archived from the original on 14 August 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- "Exeter v. Gloucester - Gloucester Rugby Heritage" (PDF). Gloucester Rugby Heritage. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- "History Okehampton RFC". Oke Rugby. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
- Wevill, Richard (23 April 2013). "Rugby club reflecting on two glorious moments". Mid Devon Gazette. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- "Cockles are in a mood to retain grip on cup". Western Morning New. 6 April 2012.
- "Brixham win semi-final to set up Devon Cup final showdown". Brixham RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- "'Professional' Barum deserve cup triumph". North Devon Journal. 26 April 2005.
- "Exmouth pipped at the post". Exmouth Journal. 10 April 2008.
- "Barum win the Devon Senior Cup". North Devon Journal. 25 April 2009.
- "Full-strength Teigns have Force for final". Western Morning News. 11 May 2010.
- "Second-half display wins Devon Cup for Exmouth". Western Morning News. 25 April 2011.
- "Exmouth claim second successive County Cup win". Exmouth Journal. 1 May 2012.
- "Early end to Barnstaple's Devon Senior Cup final challenge at Exmouth". North Devon Journal. 6 May 2013.
- "RUGBY DEVON CUP FINAL: Exmouth hold on tight to cup as Newton Abbot fade away". Torquay Herald Express. 8 May 2014. Archived from the original on 4 January 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- "RUGBY: Brixham beat Newton Abbot to win Devon Senior Cup for the first in 83 years". Torquay Herald Express. 14 March 2015. Archived from the original on 18 March 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- "RUGBY: Brixham get into good position but lose Devon Senior Cup to Exmouth at Imperial Ground". Torquay Herald Express. 1 May 2016.
- "Brixham claim Devon Senior Cup with hard-earned win over Okehampton". Devon RFU. 29 April 2017.
- "DEVON SENIOR CUP WINNERS". Ivybridge RFC (Pitchero). 13 May 2018.
- "Exmouth lose Easter Saturday Devon Cup final at Barnstaple". Exmouth Journal. 20 April 2019.
- "DRFU Handbook 2011-12" (PDF). Devon RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- "Devon Senior Cup winners". Devon RFU. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- "Cully beaten by Paignton". Western Morning News. 3 May 2010.
- "Senior Plate date fails to inspire Brixham or Barum". This is Devon. 22 April 2011.
- "GALLERY: Devonport Services so close to cup final upset against Okehampton". Plymouth Gazette. 22 April 2019.
- "Okehampton dig in to edge out determined Crediton and claim inaugural cup victory". This is Cornwall. 3 May 2010.
- "Cullompton win the cup and never win a game!". Cullompton RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 1 February 2017.