WRU Challenge Cup
The WRU Challenge Cup (currently known as the SWALEC 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.
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 champions are Llandovery who defeated Carmarthen at the Millennium Stadium on 1 May 2016 by 25 points to 18.
Past winners
| Year | Winners | Score | Runner-up | Final venue | Name of Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Neath | 15 – 9 | Llanelli | Cardiff Arms Park | WRU Challenge Cup |
| 1973 | Llanelli | 30 – 7 | Cardiff | ||
| 1974 | 12 – 10 | Aberavon | |||
| 1975 | 15 – 6 | ||||
| 1976 | 16 – 4 | Swansea | |||
| 1977 | Newport | 16 – 15 | Cardiff | Schweppes Cup | |
| 1978 | Swansea | 13 – 9 | Newport | ||
| 1979 | Bridgend | 18 – 12 | Pontypridd | ||
| 1980 | 15 – 9 | Swansea | |||
| 1981 | Cardiff | 14 – 6 | Bridgend | ||
| 1982 | 12 – 12 (Cardiff win on try count) | ||||
| 1983 | Pontypool | 18 – 6 | Swansea | ||
| 1984 | Cardiff | 24 – 19 | Neath | National Stadium | |
| 1985 | Llanelli | 15 – 14 | Cardiff | ||
| 1986 | Cardiff | 28 – 21 | Newport | ||
| 1987 | 16 – 15 (after extra time) |
Swansea | |||
| 1988 | Llanelli | 28 – 13 | Neath | ||
| 1989 | Neath | 14 – 13 | Llanelli | ||
| 1990 | 16 – 10 | Bridgend | |||
| 1991 | Llanelli | 24 – 9 | Pontypool | ||
| 1992 | 16 – 7 | Swansea | |||
| 1993 | 21 – 18 | Neath | SWALEC Cup | ||
| 1994 | Cardiff | 15 – 8 | Llanelli | ||
| 1995 | Swansea | 17 – 12 | Pontypridd | ||
| 1996 | Pontypridd | 29 – 22 | Neath | ||
| 1997 | Cardiff | 33 – 26 | Swansea | ||
| 1998 | Llanelli | 19 – 12 | Ebbw Vale | Ashton Gate | |
| 1999 | Swansea | 37 – 10 | Llanelli | Ninian Park | |
| 2000 | Llanelli | 22 – 12 | Swansea | Millennium Stadium | WRU Challenge Cup |
| 2001 | Newport | 13 – 8 | Neath | Principality Cup | |
| 2002 | Pontypridd | 20 – 17 | Llanelli | ||
| 2003 | Llanelli | 32 – 9 | Newport | ||
| 2004 | Neath | 36 – 13 | Caerphilly | Konica Minolta Cup | |
| 2005 | Llanelli | 25 – 24 | Pontypridd | ||
| 2006 | Pontypridd | 26 – 25 | Neath | ||
| 2007 | Llandovery | 20 – 18 | Cardiff | ||
| 2008 | Neath | 28 – 22 | Pontypridd | ||
| 2009 | Neath | 27 – 21 | Llanelli | SWALEC Cup | |
| 2010 | Llanelli | 20 – 8 | Carmarthen Quins | ||
| 2011 | Pontypridd | 35 - 24 | Aberavon | ||
| 2012 | Cross Keys | 32 - 19 | Pontypridd | ||
| 2013 | Pontypridd | 34 - 13 | Neath | ||
| 2014 | Pontypridd | 21 - 8 | Cross Keys | ||
| 2015 | Bridgend | 19-15 | Pontypridd | ||
| 2016 | Llandovery | 25-18 | Carmarthen | Principality Stadium | SSE SWALEC Cup |
Total finals by club
| Team | Winners | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| Llanelli | 14 | 6 |
| Cardiff | 7 | 4 |
| Neath | 6 | 7 |
| Pontypridd | 6 | 6 |
| Swansea | 3 | 7 |
| Bridgend | 3 | 3 |
| Newport | 2 | 3 |
| Pontypool | 1 | 1 |
| Cross Keys | 1 | 1 |
| Llandovery | 1 | 0 |
| Aberavon | 0 | 3 |
| Caerphilly | 0 | 1 |
| Carmarthen Quins | 0 | 1 |
| Ebbw Vale | 0 | 1 |
See also
References
- ^ "SWALEC becomes new power behind Welsh rugby". Welsh Rugby Union. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
- ^ The Swalec Cup, Bowl and Plate rules 2008/09