Cornwall Super Cup

Cornish Super Cup
SportRugby Union
Instituted2007; 17 years ago (2007)
Ceased2017; 7 years ago (2017)
Number of teams3
Country England
HoldersCamborne (2016–17)
Most titlesRedruth (2 titles)
WebsiteCornish RFU

The Cornwall Super Cup is an annual English Rugby Union club competition founded in 2007, organized by the Cornwall Rugby Football Union and was last sponsored by Tribute Ales.[1] Previously the competition was competed for by the top three Cornish national league teams (tier 3 and below of the English rugby union league system) - Redruth, Camborne and Launceston. Currently, the competition is competed for by Camborne and Launceston, due to the fact that they are the top Cornish sides that are in the same division (South West Premier - tier 5), with Redruth one division higher in National League 2 South.

The Cornish Super Cup was originally introduced for the 2007-08 (then sponsored by Skinner's Brewery) as a 6-game round robin competition between three of the county's top sides, including Launceston (National 1), Mounts Bay (National 3 South) and Redruth (National 2),[2][3] with the notable exception being the Cornish Pirates (National 1). This would mean that these sides would no longer participate in the Cornwall Senior Cup as they had previously. By the end of the season the lowest ranked team in terms of division, Mounts Bay, were the champions having defeated the Launceston at the final held at the Mennaye Field.[4]

For the following season the competition expanded to include the Cornish Pirates.[5] The intention was that all four teams would play each other twice in a group stage – with the top two teams meeting at the final at Tregorrick Park in St Austell. Owing a variety of reasons (mostly fixture congestion) a large number of games were un-played and the CRFU had to cancel the competition.[6][7] Since this cancellation the cup has been played between the Launceston and Redruth as a two legged final (separate from league games) for 2009-10 before switching to the current system of doubling up as league games after a hiatus of several years. At the moment the Launceston and Redruth are in the same division so playing the cup as part of the league helps avoid the fixture congestion that plagued previous versions although with Launceston's relegation from the 2015–16 National League 2 South the future of the Cornish Super Cup is uncertain.[8]

Despite Launceston's relegation, the Cornish Super Cup would return for the 2015–16 season. This time the cup would feature three Cornish teams - with National League 3 South West newcomers Camborne being added to face Launceston (National League 3 South West) and local rivals Redruth (National League 2 South) - and the format changing to that of a mini league.[9] Following Launceston's second successive relegation the competition has since been discontinued as no teams are in the same division.[10]

After a gap of 2 seasons, the Cornwall Super Cup returned for the 2019–20 season. This time it would be contested by Camborne and Launceston only - with both sides league fixtures against each in South West Premier (tier 5) counting towards the cup.[11]

  1. ^ "TRIBUTE ALE SPONSORSHIPS". St Austell Brewery. 20 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Smart New Deal For South West Refs". SIBA. 4 December 2007. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  3. ^ "New Fixtures-Cornwall Super Cup and Tamar League". Redruth Rugby. 8 September 2007. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  4. ^ "Mounts Bay win the Cornwall Super Cup". RugbyNetwork.net. 24 March 2008.
  5. ^ "Pirates join Cornwall Super Cup". BBC Sport. 15 July 2008.
  6. ^ "'Super Cup' Final Cancelled". Cornish Pirates. 2 April 2009.
  7. ^ "Holders St Ives start their cup defence at home". West Briton. 18 June 2009. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  8. ^ "Defeat will confirm All Blacks relegation". Cornish Guardian. 2 March 2016.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Fingers firmly crossed as Duchy confirm new format". Duchy Diary. Cornwall Sunday Independent. 7 August 2016. p. 60.
  10. ^ "Cornish All Blacks relegated after narrow defeat at Lydney". Bude Today. 7 April 2017.
  11. ^ "Launceston". Camborne RFC (Pitchero). 5 December 2019.