The 2015/16 British & Irish Cup fixtures have been revealed as the cross-border competition enters its seventh year.
For the fourth season running, Jersey will have Irish opposition in their pool, having been drawn against Connacht Eagles in Pool 5, which is completed by Championship rivals Doncaster Knights and the 'Dragons Premiership Select' side from Wales.
Newcomers Ealing Trailfinders travel to Billesley Common to face fellow Championship competitors Moseley for their return to the British & Irish Cup during the second weekend in November.
In the second of three all-English Round One ties, Cornish Pirates will host London Welsh at the Mennaye while 2014/15 runners-up Doncaster Knights will face Jersey.
Rotherham Titans meanwhile welcome two time Cup winners Leinster ‘A’ to Clifton Lane in Round One. The Dublin men exited the competition at the semi-final stage last year after suffering a two-point defeat to eventual winners Worcester Warriors.
2012 title holders Munster ‘A’ travel to the Athletic Ground for their opening fixture of the new season to face London Scottish who recorded their highest ever season finish in the Championship last season, while Ulster Ravens meet Pool Two opponents Bristol Rugby.
Following a wide-ranging review of competition structures across the game in Wales, Welsh teams in the competition will be represented by combined Regional Premiership squad teams. This follows the use of regional squad players by some Welsh representatives, including Jersey's opponents Carmarthen Quins, in the 2014/15 B&I Cup.
The four Welsh 'Premiership Select' squads will compete in the 2015/16 season "to help facilitate the development pathway structure for Welsh rugby."
2015-16 British & Irish Cup structure:
Teams
* 12 Greene King IPA Championship clubs
* 4 Welsh Regional Premiership squads
* 4 Irish provinces – Connacht Eagles, Munster 'A', Leinster 'A' and Ulster Ravens
Pool Stages
*Taking place on 13-15, 20-22 November, 11-13, 18-20 December and 15-17, 23 January.
* 5 pools of 4 playing home and away
* 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 bonus point for a) scoring 4 or more tries and/or b) losing by 7 points or less
Quarter finals
* Taking place on weekend of March 12 2016
* Top side in each pool progress to knockout stage, plus three best runners-up
* 8 quarter-finalists ranked with teams ranked 1-4 having home advantage
Semi-finals and final
* Four winning quarter finalists progress to semi -final draw which takes place on weekend of March 19 2016
* Winning semi-finalists progress to final to take place on weekend of April 9 2016
Pools
Pool 1: Ealing Trailfinders, Moseley, Leinster ‘A’, Rotherham Titans
Pool 2: Bedford Blues, Scarlets Premiership Select, Bristol Rugby, Ulster Ravens
Pool 3: Ospreys Premiership Select, Yorkshire Carnegie, Munster ‘A’, London Scottish
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby, Cardiff Blues Premiership Select, London Welsh, Cornish Pirates
Pool 5: Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select, Connacht Eagles, Doncaster Knights, Jersey
Round 1- November 13/14/15
Pool 1
Moseley v Ealing Trailfinders
Rotherham Titans v Leinster ‘A’
Pool 2
Scarlets Premiership Select v Bedford Blues
Ulster Ravens v Bristol Rugby
Pool 3
Yorkshire Carnegie v Ospreys Premiership Select
London Scottish v Munster ‘A’
Pool 4
Cardiff Blues Premiership Select v Nottingham Rugby
Cornish Pirates v London Welsh
Pool 5
Connacht Eagles v Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select
Jersey v Doncaster Knights (Saturday November 14th, k-o tbc)
Round 2- November 20/21/22
Pool 1
Ealing Trailfinders v Rotherham Titans
Leinster ‘A’ v Moseley
Pool 2
Bedford Blues v Ulster Ravens
Bristol Rugby v Scarlets Premiership Select
Pool 3
Ospreys Premiership Select v London Scottish
Munster ‘A’v Yorkshire Carnegie
Pool 4
Nottingham Rugby v Cornish Pirates
London Welsh v Cardiff Blues Premiership Select
Pool 5
Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select v Jersey
Doncaster Knights v Connacht Eagles
Round 3- December 11/12/13
Pool 1
Leinster ‘A’ v Ealing Trailfinders
Moseley v Rotherham Titans
Pool 2
Bristol Rugby v Bedford Blues
Scarlets Premiership Select v Ulster Ravens
Pool 3
Munster ‘A’ v Ospreys Premiership Select
Yorkshire Carnegie v London Scottish
Pool 4
London Welsh v Nottingham Rugby
Cardiff Blues Premiership Select v Cornish Pirates
Pool 5
Doncaster Knights v Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select
Connacht Eagles v Jersey
Round 4- December 18/19/20
Pool 1
Ealing Trailfinders v Leinster ‘A’
Rotherham Titans v Moseley
Pool 2
Bedford Blues v Bristol Rugby
Ulster Ravens v Scarlets Premiership Select
Pool 3
Ospreys Premiership Select v Munster ‘A’
London Scottish v Yorkshire Carnegie
Pool 4
Nottingham Rugby v London Welsh
Cornish Pirates v Cardiff Blues Premiership Select
Pool 5
Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select v Doncaster Knights
Jersey v Connacht Eagles (Saturday December 19th, k-o tbc)
Round 5- January 15/16/17
Pool 1
Moseley v Leinster ‘A’
Rotherham Titans v Ealing Trailfinders
Pool 2
Scarlets Premiership Select v Bristol Rugby
Ulster Ravens v Bedford Blues
Pool 3
Yorkshire Carnegie v Munster ‘A’
London Scottish v Ospreys Premiership Select
Pool 4
Cardiff Blues Premiership v London Welsh
Cornish Pirates v Nottingham Rugby
Pool 5
Connacht Eagles v Doncaster Knights
Jersey v Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select (Saturday January 16th, k-o tbc)
Round 6- January 23
Pool 1
Ealing Trailfinders v Moseley
Leinster ‘A’ v Rotherham Titans
Pool 2
Bedford Blues v Scarlets Premiership Select
Bristol Rugby v Ulster Ravens
Pool 3
Ospreys Premiership Select v Yorkshire Carnegie
Munster ‘A’ v London Scottish
Pool 4
Nottingham Rugby v Cardiff Blues Premiership Select
London Welsh v Cornish Pirates
Pool 5
Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select v Connacht Eagles
Doncaster Knights v Jersey
