The 2014–15 LV Cup (styled as the LV= Cup) is the 44th season of England's national rugby union cup competition, and the tenth to follow the Anglo-Welsh format.

2014–15 LV Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
 Wales
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and knockout
Date1 November 2014 – 22 March 2015
Tournament statistics
Teams16
Final
VenueFranklin's Gardens, Northampton[1]
Attendance8,685
ChampionsSaracens (2nd title)
Runners-upExeter Chiefs
← 2013–14 (Previous)
(Next) 2016–17 →

The competition consists of the four Welsh Pro12 teams and the twelve English Premiership clubs arranged into pools consisting of three English and one Welsh team. English clubs have been allocated to the pools depending on their finish in the 2013–14 Aviva Premiership. Teams are 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 top team from each pool qualifies for the semi-finals. The competition will take place during the Autumn Internationals window and during the Six Nations thus allowing teams to develop their squad players.

Exeter Chiefs were the defending champions this season after claiming the cup with a 15–8 victory over Northampton Saints in the final at Sandy Park in Exeter.[2] The final was won by Saracens 23–20 over Exeter Chiefs with a last-minute penalty from Ben Spencer securing the Londoners' second title in the competition.

Pool stages

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Points system

The points scoring system for the pool stages will be as follows:[3]

  • 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)

Pool 1 v Pool 4

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Pool 1
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
  Saracens (2) 4 4 0 0 101 62 +39 10 6 1 0 17
  Gloucester 4 3 0 1 102 69 +33 10 7 1 1 14
  Newport Gwent Dragons 4 2 0 2 121 116 +5 14 14 2 1 11
  Bath 4 2 0 2 86 59 +27 11 6 2 1 11
Updated 8 February 2015
Source: Premiership Rugby
Pool 4
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
  Exeter Chiefs (4) 4 3 0 1 101 100 +1 12 12 1 0 13
  Ospreys 4 1 0 3 82 114 −32 9 12 1 1 6
  Harlequins 4 1 0 3 79 94 −15 8 10 0 2 6
  London Welsh 4 0 0 4 44 102 −58 4 11 0 2 2
Updated 8 February 2015
Source: Premiership Rugby

Round 1

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1 November 2014
15:00
(BP) Bath  47–7  London Welsh
Try: Northcote-Green (2) 4' m, 51' c
Woodburn 24' c
Penalty try 38' c
Banahan 40' m
Lane 75' m
Garratt 80' m
Con: Henson (3/7)
Pen: Henson (2/2) 11', 32'
ReportTry: Scott 60' c
Con: Robinson (1/1)
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 13,300

1 November 2014
15:00
(BP) Exeter Chiefs  28–27  Gloucester (BP)
Try: Hughes 40' c
Vainikolo 55' m
Penalty try 78' c
Con: Sweeney (2/3)
Pen: Sweeney (3/3) 8', 41', 64'
ReportTry: Evans 34' c
Meakes 42' c
Thomas 61' c
Con: Thomas (3/3)
Pen: Thomas (2/2) 7', 47'
Sandy Park
Attendance: 13,300
Referee: Simon Harding (RFU)

2 November 2014
13:00
Saracens  25–20  Harlequins (BP)
Try: Taylor 25' c
Ellery 28' m
Wilson 59' c
Con: Spencer (2/3)
Pen: Spencer (2/2) 3', 70'
ReportTry: Lambert 57' c
Walker 63' c
Con: Swiel (2/2)
Pen: Grimoldby (1/1) 33'
Swiel (1/1) 75'
Allianz Park
Attendance: 7,012
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)

17 November 2014
19:35
(BP) Ospreys  35–51  Newport Gwent Dragons (BP)
Try: Dirksen 49' c
Howells 52' c
Griffiths 56' c
Penalty try 66' c
Natoga 71' c
Con: Davies (5/5)
ReportTry: Wardle 8' c
L. Evans 11' c
J. Evans (2) 16' c, 40+1' c
Hill (2) 30' c, 46' c
Con: R. Jones (6/6)
Pen: R. Jones (2/2) 6', 26'
Brewery Field
Attendance: 2,736

Pool 2 v Pool 3

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Pool 2
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
  Northampton Saints (3) 4 3 0 1 98 53 +45 13 5 2 0 14
  Cardiff Blues 4 3 0 1 95 119 −24 10 16 1 0 13
  Sale Sharks 4 2 0 2 102 100 +2 12 13 2 0 10
  London Irish 4 0 0 4 69 118 −49 5 14 0 1 1
Updated 8 February 2015
Source: Premiership Rugby
Pool 3
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
  Leicester Tigers (1) 4 4 0 0 106 46 +60 14 3 2 0 18
  Newcastle Falcons 4 2 0 2 114 91 +23 15 10 2 1 11
  Wasps 4 1 0 3 120 128 −8 14 15 3 2 9
  Scarlets 4 1 0 3 50 99 −49 5 12 0 1 5
Updated 8 February 2015
Source: Premiership Rugby

Semi finals

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Team One Team Two Score
Saracens Northampton Saints 24–20
Leicester Tigers Exeter Chiefs 22–30

Final

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22 March 2015
Saracens  23–20  Exeter Chiefs
Try: David Strettle (2)
Nick de Jager
Con: Ben Spencer
Pen: Ben Spencer (2)
Try: Max Bodilly (2)
Con: Gareth Steenson 2
Pen: Ceri Sweeney 2
Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
Attendance: 8,365
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
FB 15   Ben Ransom
RW 14   Mike Ellery
OC 13   Marcelo Bosch
IC 12   Tim Streather
LW 11   David Strettle
FH 10   Nils Mordt
SH 9   Ben Spencer
N8 8   Ernst Joubert
OF 7   Matt Hankin
BF 6   Nick de Jager
RL 5   Hayden Smith
LL 4   Maro Itoje (c)
TP 3   Juan Figallo
HK 2   Jared Saunders
LP 1   Richard Barrington
Replacements:
HK 16   Scott Spurling
PR 17   Titi Lamositele
PR 18   Biyi Alo
LK 19   George Kruis
FL 20   Kelly Brown
SH 21   Tom Whiteley
FH 22   Alex Goode
FB 23   Cătălin Fercu
Coach:
  Mark McCall
FB 15   Max Bodilly
RW 14   Fet'u Vainikolo
OC 13   Adam Hughes
IC 12   Sireli Naqelevuki
LW 11   Tom James
FH 10   Ceri Sweeney (c)
SH 9   Haydn Thomas
N8 8   Kai Horstmann
OF 7   Sam Simmonds
BF 6   Ben White
RL 5   Jerry Sexton
LL 4   Mitch Lees
TP 3   Moray Low
HK 2   Elvis Taione
LP 1   Brett Sturgess
Replacements:
HK 16   Greg Bateman
PR 17   Carl Rimmer
PR 18   Alex Brown
LK 19   Ed Holmes
FL 20   Joel Conlon
SH 21   Dave Lewis
FH 22   Gareth Steenson
CE 23   Byron McGuigan
Coach:
  Rob Baxter

References

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  1. ^ "Franklin's Gardens to host LV= Cup final".
  2. ^ "LV= Cup final: Exeter Chiefs 15–8 Northampton Saints". 16 March 2014.
  3. ^ "About the LV= Cup". Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2014.