The WRU Challenge Cup (currently known as the Specsavers Cup due to sponsorship), officially called the Welsh Rugby Union Challenge Cup, is Wales' premier knockout rugby union competition and is organised by the Welsh Rugby Union. As of 2022, it has been divided into separate Cup competitions Premiership Cup, Championship Cup, Division 1 Cup etc. as well as the Bowl and Plate editions for other lower divisions.
On 26 February 2007, the WRU agreed a new £1 million three-year sponsorship deal with SWALEC, who had previously sponsored the event from the 1992–93 season until the 1998–99 season; the Cup was renamed the SWALEC Cup once again.[1] The SWALEC Cup is a three-tier competition with Cup, Plate and Bowl winners. In the inaugural year, the SWALEC Plate was contested by clubs that were knocked out of the SWALEC Cup in the first two rounds, while the SWALEC Bowl was contested by clubs that were eliminated in the first round of the Plate competition.[2] In its second year, the WRU directly split the three competitions, with teams from Divisions 4–6 competing for the Bowl, teams from Divisions 2–3 competing for the Plate, and teams from the Premiership and Division 1 competing for the Cup.
The current Indigo Premiership Cup holders are Llandovery who beat Merthyr 20-18 at the Millennium Stadium on 7 April 2024.
Past winners
edit| Year | Winners | Score | Runner-up | Final venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Neath | 15–9 | Llanelli | Cardiff Arms Park |
| 1973 | Llanelli | 30–7 | Cardiff | |
| 1974 | Llanelli | 12–10 | Aberavon | |
| 1975 | Llanelli | 15–6 | Aberavon | |
| 1976 | Llanelli | 16–4 | Swansea | |
| 1977 | Newport | 16–15 | Cardiff | |
| 1978 | Swansea | 13–9 | Newport | |
| 1979 | Bridgend | 18–12 | Pontypridd | |
| 1980 | Bridgend | 15–9 | Swansea | |
| 1981 | Cardiff | 14–6 | Bridgend | |
| 1982 | Cardiff | 12–12 (Cardiff win on try count) |
Bridgend | |
| 1983 | Pontypool | 18–6 | Swansea | |
| 1984 | Cardiff | 24–19 | Neath | National Stadium |
| 1985 | Llanelli | 15–14 | Cardiff | |
| 1986 | Cardiff | 28–21 | Newport | |
| 1987 | Cardiff | 16–15 (after extra time) |
Swansea | |
| 1988 | Llanelli | 28–13 | Neath | |
| 1989 | Neath | 14–13 | Llanelli | |
| 1990 | Neath | 16–10 | Bridgend | |
| 1991 | Llanelli | 24–9 | Pontypool | |
| 1992 | Llanelli | 16–7 | Swansea | |
| 1993 | Llanelli | 21–18 | Neath | |
| 1994 | Cardiff | 15–8 | Llanelli | |
| 1995 | Swansea | 17–12 | Pontypridd | |
| 1996 | Pontypridd | 29–22 | Neath | |
| 1997 | Cardiff | 33–26 | Swansea | |
| 1998 | Llanelli | 19–12 | Ebbw Vale | Ashton Gate |
| 1999 | Swansea | 37–10 | Llanelli | Ninian Park |
| 2000 | Llanelli | 22–12 | Swansea | Millennium Stadium |
| 2001 | Newport | 13–8 | Neath | |
| 2002 | Pontypridd | 20–17 | Llanelli | |
| 2003 | Llanelli | 32–9 | Newport | |
| 2004 | Neath | 36–13 | Caerphilly | |
| 2005 | Llanelli | 25–24 | Pontypridd | |
| 2006 | Pontypridd | 26–25 | Neath | |
| 2007 | Llandovery | 20–18 | Cardiff | |
| 2008 | Neath | 28–22 | Pontypridd | |
| 2009 | Neath | 27–21 | Llanelli | |
| 2010 | Llanelli | 20–8 | Carmarthen | |
| 2011 | Pontypridd | 35–24 | Aberavon | |
| 2012 | Cross Keys | 32–19 | Pontypridd | |
| 2013 | Pontypridd | 34–13 | Neath | |
| 2014 | Pontypridd | 21–8 | Cross Keys | |
| 2015 | Bridgend | 19–15 | Pontypridd | |
| 2016 | Llandovery | 25–18 | Carmarthen | |
| 2017 | RGC 1404 | 15–11 | Pontypridd | |
| 2018 | Merthyr | 41–7 | Newport | |
| 2019 | Cardiff | 25–19 | Merthyr | |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2021 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2022 | Newport | 25–21 | Aberavon | |
| 2023 | Cardiff | 13-10 | Newport | |
| 2024 | Llandovery | 20-18 | Merthyr | |
| 2025 | Llandovery | 0-0 | Ebbw Vale | |
Total finals by club
edit| Team | Winners | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| Llanelli | 14 | 6 |
| Cardiff | 9 | 4 |
| Neath | 6 | 7 |
| Pontypridd | 6 | 6 |
| Swansea | 3 | 7 |
| Bridgend | 3 | 3 |
| Newport | 3 | 4 |
| Llandovery | 3 | 0 |
| Cross Keys | 1 | 1 |
| Merthyr | 1 | 2 |
| Pontypool | 1 | 1 |
| RGC 1404 | 1 | 0 |
| Aberavon | 0 | 4 |
| Carmarthen Quins | 0 | 2 |
| Caerphilly | 0 | 1 |
| Ebbw Vale | 0 | 1 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "SWALEC becomes new power behind Welsh rugby". Welsh Rugby Union. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
- ^ The Swalec Cup, Bowl and Plate rules 2008/09