Saturday 2nd February
Bedford Blues v Sedgley Park
Goldington Road, 3PM
EDF Energy Path: How Blues got here
4th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Otley (8) 8, Bedford Blues (19) 22
Team: Brendan Burke; Alex Page(1T), Liam Roberts, Matt Allen, James Pritchard(1T, 2C, 1PG); Ben Patston, Karl Dickson; Matt Volland, Dan Richmond(1T), Bruno Fortuna; Jon Phillips, Mouritz Botha; Nic Strauss (sin bin 28-38), Sacha Harding, Rory McKay.
Bench: Greg Sammons, Marco Cecere, James Graham, Arthur Brenton, Brett Daynes, Will Chudley, Jim Hinkins.
Replacements used: Graham for Fortuna 46, Cecere for Volland 55, Hinkins for Roberts 55, Brenton for Botha 66, Daynes for Strauss 66, Sammons for Richmond 78.
EDF Energy Path: How Tigers got here
4th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Sedgley Park (6) 37, Ealing Trailfinders (7) 14
Team: Steve Nutt; Chris Hall(1T), Chris Briers(1T), Matt Riley, Jannie Van Deventer; Phil Jones(3C, 2PG), Jamie Albinson(1T); Danny Greenhalgh, Gareth Roberts(1T), Alistair Livesey; Tim Fourie(1T), Ed Norris; Adam Newton, Jimmy Ponton (capt), Dave Livesey.
Bench: Phil Gazzola, Johnny Roddam, Petrus Du Plessis, Juan Crous, Jon Skurr, Andy Craig, Freeman Payne.
Replacements used: Skurr for Livesey 41, Gazzola for Greenhalgh 41, Du Plessis for Livesey 50, Roddam for Roberts 50, Payne for Riley 60.
Bedford Blues, who are in 6th place in National One, reached the final of the National Trophy in 2005/06 where they suffered their only national cup defeat since December 2004 when they lost to Harlequins 23-39. In last season’s EDF Energy National Trophy the Blues were eliminated following a 13-13 draw after extra time at home to Exeter with the Chiefs progressing through to the last eight as the away team as both sides were level on tries scored.
Sedgley Park’s 37-14 win in the 4th round of this season’s EDF Energy National Trophy ended an unwanted run of six successive defeats in national cup ties since they beat Stourbridge in the 2nd round of the senior cup on 29 September 2001. The Tigers’ last away win in any national cup tie came on 18 September 1999 at Driffield in a “basketball style” score, winning 67-52 in that season’s opening round of the senior cup. The Tigers are bidding to reach a first ever national cup competition quarter final. Sedgley Park currently occupy 14th spot in National One and have won just once on the road since October: 24-15 at Rotherham in the league on 8 December.
The two teams have already met in National One this season with Bedford winning 24-20 at Goldington Road in October. Their only previous encounter in national cup competitions was in the 3rd round of the senior cup in October 2000 where the home side, Bedford, won 45-15. Overall the sides have clashed on seven occasions in league play with the Tigers victorious just once: 10-8 at Park Lane in December 2006.
Pertemps Bees v Plymouth Albion
Sharmans Cross Road, 2PM
EDF Energy Path: How Bees got here
4th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Moseley (3) 11, Pertemps Bees (3) 12
Team: Reece Spee; Michael Mangeolles, Alex Grove, Dave Knight, Cameron Mitchell; Paul Knight(4PG), Nick Griffiths (sin bin 25-35); Matt Long (capt), Stewart Pearl, Peter Bucknall; Alex Davidson, Mark Gabey (sin bin 15-25); Russell Earnshaw, Andy Daish, Gareth McComb.
Bench: Phil Osborne, Johnny Redelinghuys, Wacca Kazombaize, Ashley Maggs, Will Matthews, Jim Aston, Jon Higgins.
Replacements used: Higgins for Griffiths 41, Osborne for Bucknall 41, Matthews for Davidson 41, Redelinghuys for Long 53, Aston for Mitchell 53.
EDF Energy Path: How Albion got here
4th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Henley Hawks (3) 3, Plymouth Albion (15) 27
Team: Nat Saumi; Wihan Neethling(1T), Emyr Lewis, Keni Fisilau, Darren Ritchie; Brad Davies(1T, 2C, 1PG), Matt Newman; George Davis, Richard Oxley(2T), Steve Barretto; Tom Hayes, Mike Lewis; Jannie Bornman, Adam Kettle (sin bin 23-33), Chris Lowrie.
Bench: Nigel Cane, Ross Laidlaw, Arran Cruickshanks, Tim Mathias, James Owen, Brett Stroud, Mike Denbee.
Replacements used: Cruickshanks for Saumi 33, Saumi for Cruickshanks 41, Cruickshanks for Fisilau 50, Denbee for Hayes 70, Mathias for Barretto 76, Stroud for Bornman 78.
Pertemps Bees, lie 15th in National One, and have lost just one of their last five ties in the EDF Energy National Trophy: 12-19 at Exeter in last season’s semi-finals. The Bees only home defeat at Sharmans Cross Road in the competition came when Otley were the visitors in November 2005.
Plymouth Albion, who reside in 7th place in the National One table, also perished last season at the semi-final stage 9-17 at Cornish Pirates.
The two sides have already met twice in National One this season with Plymouth taking both matches; 35-11 at Sharmans Cross Road in September and 9-3 at Brickfields on 29 December. The two teams have never played before in the cup but have clashed 13 times in league play with Albion leading the countback by eight wins to five.
Doncaster Knights v Northampton Saints
Castle Park, 2.30PM
EDF Energy Path: How Knights got here
4th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Doncaster Knights (10) 37, Richmond (13) 13
Team: Wes Davies; Paul Bailey(2T), Scott Young(1T), Spencer Davey(1T), Donovan Van Vuuren; Cerith Rees(3C, 2PG), Dan Storey; Richard List, Ben Phillips, John Rawson; Bryn Griffiths, Luke Gross; Oliver Cook, Tom Luke(1T), Chris Planchant.
Bench: Toma Toke, Scott Plevey, Glen Kenworthy, Lisiate Fa'aoso, Anthony Carter, Brad Hunt, Ben Jones.
Replacements used: Kenworthy for Gross 47, Toke for Rawson 55, Plevey for Phillips 65, Fa'aoso for Luke 68.
EDF Energy Path: How Saints got here
4th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Cornish Pirates (3) 3, Northampton Saints (15) 15
Team: Stephen Myler(1C, 1PG); Chris Ashton, Jon Clarke, James Downey(1T), Bruce Reihana (capt); Carlos Spencer, Johnny Howard; Tom Smith, Dylan Hartley, Euan Murray; Matt Lord, Alex Rae; Paul Tupai, Ben Lewitt, Mark Hopley(1T).
Bench: Joe Gray, Soane Tonga'uiha, Barry Stewart (sin bin 80), Phil Hoy, Mark Easter, Mark Robinson, Paul Diggin.
Replacements used: Stewart for Murray 32, Tonga'uiha for Smith 59, Easter for Hopley 67, Robinson for Howard 67, Gray for Hartley 79, Hoy for Rae 79, Diggin for Ashton 79.
Doncaster Knights, who are in 4th place in National One, are attempting to reach back to back quarter finals in the EDF Energy National Trophy having played Cornish Pirates at Castle Park in the last eight last season. This game is the Knights’ fifth successive home draw in the National Trophy. Doncaster’s slip up at Pertemps Bees last Saturday ended a five game winning run in all competitions for the Knights.
This match is Northampton Saints’ 83rd national cup tie since they made their bow in the inaugural season of the RFU Knockout Cup in season 1971/72, Saints’ record in those games is won 48, drawn 1, lost 33. Northampton are presently riding high at the top of National One with a perfect played 20, won 20 record.
The Knights and the Saints have met just once before: in National One at Franklin’s Gardens on 13 October when Northampton ran out 39-17 winners. The Saints will actually make the trip to Castle Park two weeks running as the return encounter in National One is scheduled for 10 February.
Esher v Blaydon
Pillar Data Arena, 2.30PM
EDF Energy Path: How Esher got here
4th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Esher (17) 39, Worthing (3) 8
Team: Neil Hallett(4C, 2PG); Stuart Turton, Kevin Fisher, Toby Clouston(1T), Dougie Flockhart(3T); Dave Hewitt, Graham Barr; Graham Dewes(1T), Michael Mayhew (sin bin 39-49), Jamie Pearson; Mark Butterworth, Paul Barker; Mike Blakeburn, Thomas Yellowlees, Lee Starling.
Bench: Andrew Alexander, Emmanuel Amapakabo, David Millard, James Campbell, Simon Gaynor, Ian Barnes, Richard Briggs.
Replacements used: Briggs for Hewitt 41, Campbell for Yellowlees 46, Yellowlees for Campbell 49, Alexander for Pearson 54, Millard for Dewes 54, Campbell for Mayhew 54, Gaynor for Blakeburn 61, Barnes for Barr 61, Amapakabo for Butterworth 69.
EDF Energy Path: How Blaydon got here
3rd Rd: 8/12/2007 – Old Patesians (0) 6, Blaydon (15) 15
Team: James Hamer(1T); James Kyle, Martin Shaw, Adam Dehaty, Andrew Fenby(1T); Nicholas Gawdy, Gavin Charlton; Paul Winter, Matt Hall, James Isaacson(1T); Dave Guthrie, Andrew Archibald; Duncan Brown, Andrew Wright, Jason Smithson.
Bench: Justin Clarke, Mark Darlington, Daniel Kyle, Michael Dungait, Charlie Roe, Andrew Harrison,
Replacements used: Dungait for Charlton 19, D.Kyle for Dungait 36, Clarke for Winter 58, Harrison for Isaacson 62, Darlington for Brown 71, Roe for Hall 71.
4th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Preston Grasshoppers (3) 10, Blaydon (14) 24
Team: Daniel Kyle(3C, 1PG); Ralph Smith, Martin Shaw, James Kyle(1T), Andrew Fenby; Nicholas Gawdy, Dominic Shaw; Justin Clarke, Mark Darlington(1T), Paul Winter; Dave Guthrie, Dave Whitehead (sin bin 39); Selwyn St Bernard, Andrew Wright, Ben Chisholm(1T).
Bench: James Isaacson, James Burns, Nick Williams, Jason Smithson, Patrick Desmond,
Replacements used: Desmond for Wright 41, Smithson for Bernard 52, Isaacson for Winter 52, Burns for Chisholm 54.
Esher are another club who are bidding to reach a first ever national cup quarter final, Esher have reached this stage just once before, two season’s ago where they fell at the hands of Bedford. Esher currently occupy 8th position in the National One table.
Blaydon, are in 9th place in National Two, and have the best match winning percentage in national cup ties of any of the 16 teams left in the 5th round of the EDF Energy National Trophy, having won 25 of their 36 ties so far for an almost 70% success rate.
The two teams have never met before in league or cup competitions.
Exeter Chiefs v Coventry
Sandy Park, 3PM
EDF Energy Path: How Chiefs got here
4th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Wharfedale (5) 24, Exeter Chiefs (29) 39
Team: Gary Kingdom; Stephen Ward(1T), Alifatu Junior Fatialofa, Wade Kelly(1T), Josh Drauninui; Tony Yapp(3C, 1PG), Clive Stuart-Smith; Shane Kingsland(1T), Simon Jenkins, Joe Horn-Smith; Chris Bentley, Lewis Stevenson; Tony Walker(1T), Gary Willis, Chad Slade(1T).
Bench: Sam Blythe, Brett Sturgess, James Hanks, Andy Miller, Kevin Barrett, Danny Gray(1T), Mark Fatialofa.
Replacements used: M.Fatialofa for J.Fatialofa 11, Barrett for M.Fatialofa 52, Sturgess for Horn-Smith 59, An.Miller for Walker 59, Hanks for Bentley 71, Blythe for Jenkins 71, Gray for Stuart-Smith 74.
EDF Energy Path: How Coventry got here
4th Rd: 13/1/2008 – Mounts Bay (0) 3, Coventry (12) 12
Team: Ben Toft; Kurt Johnson, Brett Davey, Ben Russell(1T, 1C), Lee Parry; Myles Dorrian, Tom Slater; Carl Rimmer, Chris Whitehead, Robbie Dugard; Greg Gillanders, Ian Nimmo; Henno Venter, Darren Clayton, Laurie McGlone(1T).
Bench: Ricky Whitehall, Rudi Brits, Ollie Hodge, Danny Hodge, Nathan Jones, Mike Walls, Sam Montague.
Replacements used: Hodge for Clayton 53, Jones for Slater 72.
Exeter Chiefs, who are in 2nd place in National One, were losing finalists in the EDF Energy National Trophy last season, and have lost just one home cup tie since November 2000: 35-37 to Bedford in the semi-finals of this competition in 2005/06. The Chiefs’ 39-24 win at Wharfedale in the last round was their 50th victory in 82 national cup ties. Exeter’s only defeat in their last 22 league and cup matches at Sandy Park since November 2006 was 11-25 to high flying Northampton on 10 November 2007.
Last season Coventry reached the last eight of the EDF Energy National Trophy, their first appearance in a national cup quarter-final since 1986/87. Coventry have won three of their last four away games in all competitions and are placed 9th in National One.
The only previous occasion that the two teams have been drawn together in a cup competition was in the 2nd round of the senior cup in February 1978 at the County Ground where Coventry won 34-0. The National One encounter at the Butts Park Arena on 1 December went the way of the Chiefs, 31-19, whilst Cov’s only previous visit to Sandy Park ended in a 13-all draw in September 2006.
Launceston v Blackheath
Polson Bridge, 2.30PM
EDF Energy Path: How All Blacks got here
4th Rd: 19/1/2008 – Nuneaton (7) 14, Launceston (10) 41
Team: Jon Fabian(1C, 1PG); Matt Jess(1T), Ryan Westren, Steve Perry, Marc Dibble(1T); Scott Ireland(4C, 1PG), Ben Turner; Richard Liddington, Keith Brooking, Wayne Reed(3T); Dave Sims, Mike Myerscough; Josh Lord, Tony Roques, Tinus Du Plessis (sin bin 31-41).
Bench: Jason Bolt, Tom Hurdwell, Bryn Jenkins, Tom Rawlings, Sam Alford, Pete Fisher, Mark Scrivener.
Replacements used: Fisher for Fabian 38, Alford for Turner 51, Jenkins for Sims 54, T.Rawlings for Du Plessis 62, Scrivener for Westren 62, Hurdwell for Liddington 62, Bolt for Brooking 69.
EDF Energy Path: How ‘Heath got here
3rd Rd: 8/12/2007 – Paignton (3) 3, Blackheath (10) 23
Team: Frankie Neale(1PG); S. Hamilton, Nathan Ampofo, Mike Staten, Ranako Daley; Matt Vaughan, Oliver Capwin; Rudolf Thirion(2T), Tom Lindsay(1T), Timothy Tunnicliffe; Tom Bason, Chris Rowe; Neil Dewale, James Kellard, John Aseme(1T).
Bench: P. Mayo, Roman Piotrowski, Samuel Wardingley, Dean Bick, Nick Porter, Richard Pike, Tom Lawy.
4th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Blackheath (12) 24, Halifax (3) 3
Team: Frankie Neale(1T, 1C); Ranako Daley, Samuel Wardingley, Nick Maurer(1T), Mike Staten; Matt Leek(1C), Joe Simpson(1T); Rudolf Thirion, Tom Lindsay(1T), Timothy Tunnicliffe; Tom Bason, Chris Rowe; James Kellard, David Allen, Dave Packer.
Bench: Alex Natera, Oliver Capwin, Des Brett, Mark Harlow-Singh, Alex Jerrett, Nathan Ampofo, Jason Mellors.
Replacements used: Ampofo for Staten 15, Capwin for Simpson 41, Jerrett for Leek 41, Mellors for Allen 48, Harlow-Singh for Packer 51, Natera for Lindsay 64, Brett for Thirion 64.
By reaching the 5th round of the EDF Energy National Trophy this season Launceston have already progressed further than ever before in any national cup competition. The Cornish All Blacks have only once previously been knocked out by a team from a lower league: in October 2004 in the 3rd round of the senior cup when they entertained Halifax and were beaten 5-9. Launceston are searching for some good cheer in the cup because in National One they are struggling in 16th spot with just four wins so far.
Blackheath are in their 33rd national cup campaign and are bidding to reach a first ever quarter-final tie. In fact the last time Blackheath even played in the last 16 was way back in season 1985/86 when Wasps were the visitors to Rectory Field in the senior cup and won 24-12. Blackheath are currently in 4th place in the National Two table.
Launceston and Blackheath have already met before in the National Trophy with ‘Heath winning 38-24 at the Rectory Field in the 4th round two seasons ago. Launceston have taken the last four league encounters between the two with Blackheath’s last win on Cornish All Blacks soil coming in March 2005.
Nottingham v London Welsh
Meadow Lane
EDF Energy Path: How Notts got here
4th Rd: 13/1/2008 – Nottingham (17) 55, Newbury Blues (10) 24
Team: Greig Tonks(2C); Andy Savage(1T), Matt Smith(1T), Tim Molenaar, Alex Dodge; Ben Thompson, Chris Pilgrim; Matt Parr, Alex Loney(1T), Nigel Hall; Lee Morley, Nic Rouse(1T); Craig Hammond, Luke Sherriff(2T), Dan Montagu.
Bench: Ryan Hopkins, Joe Duffey, Tim Stannard, Sam Raven(1T), David Jackson(1T, 3C), Josh Kay(1T), Rohann Nirmalendran.
Replacements used: Hopkins for Parr 52, Raven for Rouse 70, Stannard for Montagu 70, Jackson for Molenaar 71, Nirmalendran for Tonks 71, Kay for M.Smith 78, Duffey for Loney 80.
EDF Energy Path: How Welsh got here
4th Rd: 13/1/2008 – Redruth (6) 6, London Welsh (6) 19
Team: Paul Sampson(1T); Paul Mackey, James Storey, Rob Jewell, Greg Evans; Matt Jones(3PG), Rhys Evans; Charlie Beech(1T), Adam Kwasnicki, Kristian Gay; Kevin Burke, Howard Quigley; Paul Cox, Simon Etheredge, Jon Mills.
Bench: Paul Doran-Jones, Sunia Koto Vuli, Ben Thomas, Matt Corker, Allen Chilten, Tom Marks, Greg Nicholls.
Replacements used: Doran-Jones for Etheredge 30, Chilten for Evans 41, Marks for Storey 42, Koto Vuli for Kwasnicki 49, Corker for Quigley 76, Thomas for Mills 76.
Nottingham lie in 3rd spot in National One and were semi-finalists in this competition in 2005/06. They have lost just one home cup tie since 2000: 10-24 to Harlequins in the last four two season’s ago. Nottingham have lost just one of their last nine encounters in all competitions since November: 10-22 at Doncaster in National One on 19 January.
This tie is the fifth successive away draw for London Welsh in the EDF National Trophy. In the last round the Exiles 19-6 away win at Redruth represented their 50th victory in 86 national cup ties.
London Welsh will make the trip to Meadow Lane two weeks running, as the two also met there last Sunday in National One with Nottingham running out 34-6 victors. The two sides have met on three previous occasions in cup competitions: the 4th round of the senior cup at Beeston in February 1985 with the Exiles winning 12-11, at the same stage in 2002/03 at Old Deer Park with Welsh again victorious 52-7, and in the quarter final of the National Trophy in January 2006 at Beeston where the Archers won 34-3.
Rotherham Titans v Manchester
Clifton Lane, 2PM
EDF Energy Path: How Titans got here
4th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Cambridge (8) 15, Rotherham Titans (16) 16
Team: Charlie Spon-Smith; Jim MacDonald, Mark Lawson, Rob Connolly, Geoff Griffiths; Jamie Lennard(1C, 3PG), Neil Chivers; Jamie Kilbane, Frazer Wilford, Anton O'Donnol; James Waterhouse, Tim Maslanyk; Barry Jacobsz(1T), Jamie Sutton (sin bin 52), Ben Wade.
Bench: Phil Boulton, Nigel Conroy, Mike McComish, Lou Reed, Jamie Blackwood, Tom Allen, Chris Hallam.
Replacements used: Boulton for O'Donnol 60, Allen for Lawson 62, Blackwood for Spon-Smith 76.
EDF Energy Path: How Manchester got here
3rd Rd: 8/12/2007 – Manchester (3) 11, Caldy (0) 0
Team: Matt O'Regan; Ben Coulbeck, Andre Wilson, Scott Rawlings, Gareth Wynne(2PG); Chris Buck, Will Cliff; Tom Mantell, Aled Davies, Nick Flynn; Paul Ralph, Matt Owen; Callum Baldwin, Thomas Allerton, Jonathan Keep.
Bench: Marshall Gadd, Gareth Stephens, Seb Moss, Craig Wilson(1T), Richard Wainwright, James Bramhall,
Replacements used: Wainwright for O'Regan 41, C.Wilson for Davies 41, Moss for Baldwin 41, Stephens for Ralph 47, Gadd for Mantel 61.
4th Rd: 12/1/2008 – Tynedale (3) 10, Manchester (7) 22
Team: Ben Coulbeck; Gareth Wynne(1T, 2C, 1PG), Andre Wilson, Scott Rawlings, Andy Vilk; Richard Wainwright, Will Cliff; Marshall Gadd(1T), Aled Davies, Nick Flynn; Paul Ralph, Matt Owen(1T); Jonathan Keep, Adam Knight, Seb Moss.
Bench: Matt O'Regan, Henry Platt, Garth Dew, Stuart Eborall, James Bramhall, Tom Mantell, Sion Williams.
Replacements used: O'Regan for Vilk 22, Bramhall for Cliff 54, Platt for Gadd 54, Mantel for Davies 54, Eborall for Keep 63, Dew for Knight 63, Williams for S.Rawlings 63.
This game is Rotherham’s first home tie in the National Trophy since they entertained Halifax on 5 November 2005. The Titans have played against teams from lower leagues on nine previous occasions in national cup competitions and they are yet to lose. Rotherham are in 11th place in the National One table and have slipped to five defeats in their last six matches at Clifton Lane.
Manchester, 3rd placed in National Two, have reached just one previous quarter-final in a national cup competition: in 1999/2000 they visited London Wasps and lost 3-62. The last time Manchester knocked out a club from a higher league was when National One side Sedgley Park were the visitors in the 3rd round of the 2004/05 senior cup and were defeated 44-20.
The clubs have met on six previous occasions in the second tier of the English leagues between 1999-2003 with Rotherham victorious in all six matches with the “closest” margin of victory being 24 points.
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EDF Energy Cup News
