Allianz Cup (women's rugby union) explained

Allianz Cup
Current Season:2023–24 Allianz Cup
Last Season:2022–23 Allianz Cup
Sport:Rugby union
Administrator:RFU
Teams:9
Country: England
Champions:Saracens (1st title)
Champ Season:2023–24
Most Successful Club:Exeter Chiefs (2 titles)
Related Comps:Premiership Women's Rugby

The Allianz Cup is an English women's rugby union knockout cup competition for teams that compete in Premiership Women's Rugby. It was created in 2021 to act as Premiership Women's Rugby, then Premier 15s, equivalent to the men's Premiership Rugby Cup.[1] It typically takes place in the international windows, giving more opportunities to inexperienced players.[2]

Format

The Allianz Cup uses a format where Premiership Women's Rugby clubs are divided into two pools based on their previous season's finishing positions. Over five rounds, each team played every other team once, with a combination of two home games, two away games, and one bye week.

The top two teams from each pool progressed to the semi-finals, which were hosted at the venues of the highest-ranked clubs. These semi-finals are accompanied by a third-place play-off and a grand final. The grand final took place at the home venue of the club with the most significant points difference.

The bottom four ranked teams participated in fifth, seventh, and ninth-place play-offs. The venues for these play-offs were determined by the league tables.[3]

For the 2023–24 competition, with the withdrawal of Worcester Warriors Women reducing the participating teams to nine,[4] [5] the nine teams were divided into a pool of four and a pool of five. The top two teams from each pool advanced to the semi-finals, the semi-finals are accompanied by a third-place play-off and a grand final, while the third-place team from each pool progressed to a two-legged 5th-6th place play-off, with the winner determined by aggregate score. The fourth-placed team from the pool of four and the fourth and fifth-placed teams from the pool of five advanced to a 7th-9th place play-off, utilizing a round-robin format to determine the finishing order of the three teams.[6]

Finals

width= pxwidth= pxYearwidth= pxWinnerwidth= pxScorewidth= pxRunner-upwidth= pxVenuewidth= px
2021–22scope=rowExeter Chiefs57–12HarlequinsSandy Park, Exeter[7] [8]
2022–23scope=row29–19SaracensSandy Park, Exeter[9] [10]
2023–24scope=rowSaracens31–17Bristol BearsShaftesbury Park, Bristol[11]

List of champions

TeamWinsYears
122021–22, 2022–23
2Saracens12023–24

Notes and References

  1. News: Premier 15s: 2021-22 season to include new Allianz Cup competition . . 6 August 2023 . 7 August 2021 . en-UK.
  2. News: All you need to know about the Allianz Cup . Rugbyworld.com . 27 October 2021 . 6 August 2023 . en-UK.
  3. News: Let the Allianz Cup begin!. Rugbypass.com . 6 September 2022 . 25 August 2023 . en-UK.
  4. Web site: Allianz Cup Pool Tables Updated Following the Withdrawal of Warriors Women . . 27 February 2024 . 27 October 2023.
  5. Web site: Worcester Warriors Women pull out of league & cup . . 27 February 2024 . 17 October 2023.
  6. Web site: Allianz Cup Moves Into Overdrive As Knockout Rounds Are Confirmed . . 27 February 2024 . 21 February 2024.
  7. Web site: Match Centre - Exeter Chiefs Women v Harlequins Women . . 27 February 2024.
  8. Web site: Allianz Cup: Exeter Chiefs' victory a 'stepping stone' to 'next chapter' . . 27 February 2024 . 25 April 2022.
  9. Web site: Match Centre - Exeter Chiefs Women v Saracens Women . . 27 February 2024.
  10. Web site: Allianz Cup: Exeter Chiefs boss praises young squad after retaining trophy . . 27 February 2024 . 2 May 2023.
  11. Web site: Saracens defeat Bristol to claim Allianz Cup . . 28 April 2024 . 28 April 2024.