WRU Challenge Cup

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Logo of the SWALEC Cup

The WRU Challenge Cup (currently known as the Specsavers Cup due to sponsorship), or its full name of 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 will again become the SWALEC Cup.[1] The SWALEC Cup is a three tier competition with Cup, Plate and Bowl winners. In the inaugural year the SWALEC Plate was competed for by clubs who are knocked out of the SWALEC Cup in the first two rounds, while the SWALEC Bowl was competed for by clubs who are knocked out of the first round of the plate competition.[2] In its second year of the WRU split the three competitions directly with teams from Division 4–6 competing for the Bowl, teams from Division 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 7th April 2024.

Past winners

Year Winners Score Runner-up Final venue Name of Cup
1972 Neath 15–9 Llanelli Cardiff Arms Park WRU Challenge Cup
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 Schweppes Cup
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 SWALEC Cup
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 WRU Challenge Cup
2001 Newport 13–8 Neath Principality Cup
2002 Pontypridd 20–17 Llanelli
2003 Llanelli 32–9 Newport
2004 Neath 36–13 Caerphilly Konica Minolta Cup
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 SWALEC Cup
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 SSE SWALEC Cup
2017 RGC 1404 15–11 Pontypridd WRU National Cup
2018 Merthyr 41–7 Newport
2019 Cardiff 25–19 Merthyr Specsavers National Cup
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Newport 25–21 Aberavon Indigo Premiership Cup*
2023 Cardiff 13-10 Newport
2024 Llandovery 20-18 Merthyr

Total finals by club

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

References

  1. ^ "SWALEC becomes new power behind Welsh rugby". Welsh Rugby Union. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
  2. ^ The Swalec Cup, Bowl and Plate rules 2008/09

External links

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