The British & Irish Cup resumes after a three-week break,
with four of the pools topped by Greene King IPA Championship sides
and a fifth headed by Ireland's flag-bearers Leinster 'A'. The
double B&I Cup champions are in a three-way battle with Jersey
and Saturday's opponents Carmarthen Quins for top spot in Pool
5.
Elsewhere, the tie of the round appears to be at Ashton Gate, where
the Pool 1 pacesetters, Bristol and Pontypridd, two sides with good
B&I Cup pedigrees, go head-to-head in the latest installment of
a rivalry that dates back 115 years. Bristol have won all of their
11 games this season while Pontypridd's only defeat was at the
hands of Andy Robinson's men in Round 3. The Sardis Road fixture
was watched by just under 6,000 fans and another bumper attendance
is expected for Sunday's rematch.
POOL 1
London Scottish v Connacht Eagles, Saturday 29 November, KO
19:00
It has been a case of so near yet so far for London Scottish
in the B&I Cup. The Exiles looked to be heading for their first
win of the competition in Round 3, but two late Connacht tries
meant they had to settle for the consolation of a third losing
bonus point. The 30-27 defeat in Galway leaves Scottish bottom of
the pool with Saturday's opponents two points above them in
third.
Bristol Rugby v Pontypridd, Sunday 30 November, KO
15:00
The respective leaders of the Greene King IPA Championship and
Welsh Premiership clash at Ashton Gate in a tie that could well
decide who qualifies for the knockout stages as winners of Pool 1.
Bristol go into Sunday's match sitting atop the table on 13 points
with Pontypridd four points off the pace in second. A brace of
tries from David Lemi and one from Luke Baldwin saw Bristol win
24-13 at Sardis Road. Since then, Bristol have stretched their
winning start to the season to 11 matches while Pontypridd's league
record remains unblemished.
POOL 2
Rotherham Titans v Ulster Ravens, Saturday 29 November, KO
14:00
Top plays bottom at Clifton Lane on Saturday as Pool 2 leaders
Rotherham go in search of their fourth straight win against an
Ulster side that has yet to taste victory. Titans top the table on
14 points while Ulster have 4. Perry Parker's last-gasp try and
James McKinney's conversion saw Rotherham come from behind to win
31-29 when the sides met in Round 3. Ulster won 31-24 on their only
other visit to Clifton Lane, in December 2011.
Aberavon v Yorkshire Carnegie, Friday 28 November, KO
19:15
Yorkshire Carnegie have encountered lean times since they thrashed
Aberavon 85-0 in Round 3. The Leeds-based outfit have lost to
Rotherham and Bedford and drawn with lowly Plymouth, scoring just
three tries in the process. Aberavon, meanwhile, are rooted to the
bottom of the Welsh Premiership with just one win to their
name.
POOL 3
Munster A v Nottingham Rugby, Saturday 29 November, KO
15:00
A 23-12 reverse to Munster A in Round 3 at Meadow Lane made it
three straights defeats for Nottingham in this year's competition.
The Green & Whites prop up Pool 3 with one point to their name
while former champions Munster are on nine points, four points
behind leaders Worcester. Munster have won all five previous
B&I Cup clashes between the sides.
Worcester Warriors v Moseley, Saturday 29 November, KO
15:00
Worcester secured their first try bonus point and their third win
of the competition when they beat Moseley 39-0 at Billesley Common
in Round 3. Moseley's last win of any description against the
Warriors was a 22-15 victory on December 9, 2000. Worcester go into
the match on 13 points while Moseley have five.
POOL 4
Bedford Blues v Doncaster Knights, Friday 28 November, KO
19:45
Pool 4 leaders Doncaster defend their 100% record in the B&I
Cup against a Bedford side no doubt still smarting from Sunday's
65-14 league defeat to Cornish Pirates. The Knights' last success
at Goldington Road was a 33-31 win in the Championship promotion
play-offs, on 2 April, 2011. Doncaster will hope for a return to
winning ways after losing all three leagues since they beat the
Blues 36-20 at Castle Park in Round 3.
Cross Keys v Cornish Pirates, Saturday 29 November, KO
14:30
Cornish Pirates need to avenge their loss to Cross Keys at Pandy
Park in the semi-final of the 2011/12 competition if they are to
maintain the pressure on Doncaster at the top of Pool 4. Pirates
are currently four points off the pace having won two of their
first three games, including a 34-33 win over Cross Keys in Round
3, while the Welsh side are a further four points adrift on seven
points. Pirates have been involved in three high-scoring matches
with an average of 63 points scored per game. Of all the sides
holding a top two position at the halfway point of the pool stages,
they are the only one with a negative points difference (-2).
POOL 5
Jersey v Plymouth Albion, Friday 28 November, KO
19:30
Jersey go looking for a hat-trick of victories over Albion this
season, after winning 19-0 in the league at St Peter and 22-16 at
Brickfields in the 3rd Round of the B&I Cup. In what is proving
to be the most competitive of all the pools, Jersey are joint top
with Leinster on nine points with third-placed Carmarthen Quins one
point in arrears. Winless Plymouth have three points from three
games.
Leinster A v Carmarthen Quins, Saturday 29 November, KO
13:00
Carmarthen Quins stunned two-time winners Leinster in Round 3,
after coming back from 21-3 down at half-time to win 26-24. A
last-gasp try from replacement prop Ben Leung and Frazier Climo's
brilliant touchline conversion clinched a terrific victory for the
Welsh side, who are currently second in the Welsh Premiership
table. Quins' five-game winning run in all competitions came to an
end at the weekend though, when they were beaten 20-15 away to
Cross Keys.
