The 2010–11 LV Cup (styled as the LV= Cup) was the 40th season of England's national rugby union cup competition, and the sixth to follow the Anglo-Welsh format.

2010–11 LV Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
 Wales
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and knockout
Date4 November 2010 – 20 March 2011
Tournament statistics
Teams16
Matches played35
Attendance272,795 (7,794 per match)
Tries scored174 (4.97 per match)
Top point scorer(s)Nick Evans (Harlequins)
(48 points)[1]
Top try scorer(s)Charlie Sharples (Gloucester)
(8 tries)[2]
Final
VenueFranklin's Gardens, Northampton
Attendance6,848
ChampionsGloucester (5th title)
Runners-upNewcastle Falcons
← 2009–10 (Previous)
(Next) 2011–12 →

The competition consisted of the four Welsh Magners League teams and the twelve Aviva Premiership clubs arranged into pools consisting of three English and one Welsh team. Teams were guaranteed two home and two away pool matches, with teams in Pools 1 and 4 playing each other and teams in Pools 2 and 3 playing each other. The competition took place on international fixture dates during the Autumn Internationals and Six Nations, thus allowing teams to develop their squad players.

The competition made history this season when London Wasps announced that their Round 3 match against Harlequins would be played in Abu Dhabi on January 30, 2011 – making it the first competitive game between two English clubs to take place abroad.[3]

Gloucester claimed the cup with a comprehensive 34–7 victory over Newcastle Falcons in the final at Franklin's Gardens in Northampton. It was the fifth victory for Gloucester in the competition (including one shared title), and the first since the current Anglo-Welsh format was adopted in 2005.

Pool stages

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Points system

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The points scoring system for the pool stages will be as follows:[4]

  • 4 points for a win
  • 2 points for a draw
  • 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match (TB)
  • 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less (LB)

The ranking criteria were:

  • If two or more clubs in the same pool end the pool stage equal on match points, then the order in which they have finished will be determined by:
    • i. the greater number of matches won by the club and
    • ii. if the number of matches won is equal, the club with the greater total number of tries scored and
    • iii. if the total number of tries scored is equal, the club with the greater points difference (points scored for, less points scored against) and
    • iv. if the points difference is equal, the club with the fewer number of red cards and
    • v. if the number of red cards is the same, by the toss a coin.

Pool 1 v Pool 4

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Pool 1
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
  Newcastle Falcons 4 2 0 2 61 59 +2 6 0 1 9
  London Wasps 4 1 0 3 50 101 −51 4 0 1 4[a]
  Cardiff Blues 4 0 1 3 56 104 −48 4 0 0 2
  Leicester Tigers 4 0 0 4 60 141 −81 6 0 0 0
Source: [6]
Notes:
  1. ^ London Wasps were deducted 1 competition point for fielding an ineligible player.[5]
Pool 4
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
  Harlequins 4 4 0 0 123 65 +58 13 1 0 17
  Bath 4 3 0 1 110 51 +59 12 1 1 14
  Ospreys 4 3 0 1 82 55 +27 8 1 1 14
  Exeter Chiefs 4 2 1 1 90 56 +34 9 1 0 11
Source: [6]

Round 1

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5 November 2010
19:30
Leicester Tigers  25–34  Harlequins
Report
Welford Road
Attendance: 16,197
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
5 November 2010
19:45
Bath  29–19  Cardiff Blues
Report
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 11,911
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
6 November 2010
15:00
Exeter Chiefs  29–6  London Wasps
Report
Sandy Park
Attendance: 7,799
Referee: Neil Paterson (Scotland)
6 November 2010
18:30
Newcastle Falcons  18–17  Ospreys
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 3,307
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth (England)

Round 2

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12 November 2010
19:30
Cardiff Blues  23–23  Exeter Chiefs
Report
Cardiff City Stadium
Attendance: 7,018
Referee: David Jones (Wales)
12 November 2010
19:45
Ospreys  46–13  Leicester Tigers
Report
Brewery Field
Attendance: 6,632
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
14 November 2010
15:00
Harlequins  28–20  Newcastle Falcons
Report
The Stoop
Attendance: 9,450
Referee: David Rose (England)
14 November 2010
15:00
London Wasps  18–16  Bath
Report
Adams Park
Attendance: 6,518
Referee: Martin Fox (England)

Round 3

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29 January 2011
14:15
Bath  11–6  Newcastle Falcons
Report
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 11,631
Referee: Rob Debney (England)
29 January 2011
15:00
Exeter Chiefs  35–10  Leicester Tigers
Report
Sandy Park
Attendance: 7,445
Referee: Tim Hayes (Wales)
29 January 2011
18:30
Cardiff Blues  7–29  Ospreys
Report
Cardiff City Stadium
Attendance: 10,320
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
30 January 2011
19:15 GST[a]
London Wasps  13–38  Harlequins
Report
Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi[7]
Attendance: 4,856
Referee: Martin Fox (England)

Round 4

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4 February 2011
19:30
Leicester Tigers  12–26  Bath
Report
Welford Road
Attendance: 13,156
Referee: James Jones (Wales)
6 February 2011
15:00
Newcastle Falcons  17–3  Exeter Chiefs
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 3,863
Referee: Chris White (England)
6 February 2011
15:15
Harlequins  23–7  Cardiff Blues
Report
The Stoop
Attendance: 8,723
Referee: David Rose (England)
6 February 2011
15:00
Ospreys  18–13  London Wasps
Report
Brewery Field
Attendance: 4,800
Referee: Dean Richards (England)

Pool 2 v Pool 3

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Pool 2
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
  Newport Gwent Dragons 4 3 0 1 75 69 +6 8 0 0 12
  Saracens 4 2 1 1 116 72 +44 15 2 0 11[b]
  London Irish 4 1 0 3 75 125 −50 9 1 0 5
  Leeds Carnegie 4 0 0 4 70 143 −73 8 1 1 2
Source: [6]
Notes:
  1. ^ 15:15 GMT
  2. ^ Saracens were deducted 1 competition point for fielding an ineligible player.[8]
Pool 3
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
  Gloucester 4 3 0 1 119 52 +67 18 3 1 16
  Northampton Saints 4 2 1 1 108 86 +22 14 1 0 11
  Scarlets 4 2 0 2 93 89 +4 9 1 0 9
  Sale Sharks 4 2 0 2 89 109 −20 12 1 0 9
Source: [6]

Round 1

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4 November 2010
19:35
Newport Gwent Dragons  18–12  Gloucester
Report
Rodney Parade
Attendance: 5,244
Referee: James Jones (Wales)
5 November 2010
19:45
Sale Sharks  39–14  London Irish
Report
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 5,106
Referee: Llyr Ap Geraint-Roberts (England)
6 November 2010
12:00
Scarlets  52–13  Leeds Carnegie
Report
Parc y Scarlets
Attendance: 5,013
Referee: Tim Hayes (Wales)
7 November 2010
15:00
Saracens  22–22  Northampton Saints
Report
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 6,015
Referee: Chris White (England)

Round 2

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12 November 2010
19:45
Northampton Saints  28–3  Newport Gwent Dragons
Report
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 12,209
Referee: Sean Davey (England)
13 November 2010
13:00
Gloucester  36–10  Saracens
Report
Kingsholm Stadium
Attendance: 10,120
Referee: C Hayes (England)
14 November 2010
14:30
London Irish  16–25  Scarlets
Report
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 9,795
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
14 November 2010
15:00
Leeds Carnegie  17–23  Sale Sharks
Report
Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 3,184
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth (England)

Round 3

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28 January 2011
19:45
Sale Sharks  20–28  Newport Gwent Dragons
Report
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 5,126
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
29 January 2011
15:00
Scarlets  7–34  Saracens
Report
Parc y Scarlets
Attendance: 6,610
Referee: Llyr Ap Geraint-Roberts (England)
30 January 2011
15:00
Leeds Carnegie  16–30  Gloucester
Report
Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 1,498
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
30 January 2011
15:00
London Irish  37–20  Northampton Saints
Report
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 8,636
Referee: James Jones (Wales)

Round 4

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3 February 2011
19:15
Newport Gwent Dragons  26–9  Scarlets
Report
Rodney Parade
Attendance: 4,628
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
5 February 2011
15:00
Gloucester  41–8  London Irish
Report
Kingsholm Stadium
Attendance: 10,686
Referee: Gwyn Morris (Wales)
5 February 2011
15:00
Northampton Saints  38–24  Leeds Carnegie
Report
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 13,456
Referee: Sean Davey (England)
6 February 2011
15:00
Saracens  50–7  Sale Sharks
Report
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 5,014
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)

Knock–out stage

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Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
13 March 2011 – Kingsholm
 
 
  Gloucester 45
 
20 March 2011 – Franklin's Gardens
 
  Newport Gwent Dragons 17
 
  Gloucester 34
 
11 March 2011 – The Stoop
 
  Newcastle Falcons 7
 
  Harlequins 20
 
 
  Newcastle Falcons 21
 

Qualification criteria

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The top teams from each pool qualify for the knockout stages. The pool winners will be decided by the following criteria:[4]

1. The pool winner will be the club with the highest number of match points in each pool. The pool winners will be ranked 1 to 4 by reference to the number of match points earned in the pools.
2. If two or more clubs in the same pool end the pool stage equal on match points, then the order in which they have finished will be determined by:
i. the greater number of matches won by the club and
ii. if the number of matches won is equal, the club with the greater total number of tries scored and
iii. if the total number of tries scored is equal, the club with the greater points difference (points scored for, less points scored against) and
iv. if the points difference is equal, the club with the fewer number of red cards and
v. if the number of red cards is the same, by the toss a coin.

Each of the four qualifying clubs shall be ranked as above and shall play each other as follows:

Semi-final 1 – 1st ranked club v 4th ranked club
Semi-final 2 – 2nd ranked club v 3rd ranked club

The first club listed in each of the semi-final matches shall be the home club.

Qualifiers
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
1   Harlequins 4 4 0 0 123 65 +58 13 1 0 17
2   Gloucester 4 3 0 1 119 52 +67 18 3 1 16
3   Newport Gwent Dragons 4 3 0 1 75 69 +6 8 0 0 12
4   Newcastle Falcons 4 2 0 2 61 59 +2 6 0 1 9
Source: [citation needed]

Semi-finals

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11 March 2011
20:00
Harlequins  20–21  Newcastle Falcons
Try: Dickson 1' c
Brown 70' c
Con: Clegg (2/2)
Pen: Clegg (2/2) 5', 22'
ReportTry: Gopperth 56' c
Tuʻipulotu 80' m
Con: Gopperth (1/2)
Pen: Gopperth (3/3) 6', 36', 64'
The Stoop, London
Attendance: 6,555
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

13 March 2011
13:00
Gloucester  45–17  Newport Gwent Dragons
Try: Hazell 3' m
Fuimaono-Sapolu 11' c
Robinson 32' m
Sharples (4) 44' c, 53' c, 56' c, 64' c
Con: Robinson (5/7) 11', 44', 53', 56', 64'
ReportTry: A. Jones 50' m
Brew 71' m
Groves 78' c
Con: Tovey (1/3) 78'
Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester
Attendance: 12,533
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)

Final

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20 March 2011
15:30
Gloucester  34–7  Newcastle Falcons
Try: Voyce 6' c
Fuimaono-Sapolu 57' c
Sharples 66' c
Dawidiuk 80' c
Con: Robinson (4/4) 6', 57', 66', 80'
Pen: Robinson (2/2) 20', 51'
ReportTry: Eves 74' c
Con: Gopperth (1/1) 74'
Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
Attendance: 6,848
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)

Touch judges:
Wayne Barnes (England)
Paul Dix (England)

Top scorers

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See also

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Points". itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Tries". itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  3. ^ "Wasps/Quins game moved overseas". BBC Sport. 5 January 2011.
  4. ^ a b "About the LV= Cup". LV=. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  5. ^ "London Wasps statement on LV=Cup point deduction". www.wasps.co.uk. 2 December 2010. Archived from the original on 29 December 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  6. ^ a b c d "Group Tables LV= Cup Previous Seasons". www.premiershiprugby.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  7. ^ http://www.premiershiprugby.com/premiership/news/25156.php Wasps move LV= Cup fixture to Abu Dhabi
  8. ^ "Unregistered player gives Saracens one point deduction in LV Cup". www.rugbyworld.com. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2013.