The Premiership Rugby Cup might not have been around for decades, but since it launched in 2018, it’s become a key part of the English rugby calendar. For Premiership sides, it offers a chance to rotate squads and give valuable minutes to players on the fringes. Since they were added to the competition for Championship clubs, it’s a shot at proving themselves against the best in the country.
The format is fairly straightforward. The competition is split into five groups, each made up of four teams, two from the Premiership and two from the Championship. Each team plays the others in their group twice, home and away. At the end of the group stage, the top two sides progress to the knockout rounds.
There’s a lot at stake, both on and off the field. Winning the cup not only brings silverware but also a £500,000 cash prize, which is something that can make a real difference, especially for Championship sides. Clubs like Northampton Saints and, most recently, Bath, have all lifted the trophy and reaped the benefits.
This season, Coventry Rugby were handed one of the toughest draws in the competition. They were grouped with two Premiership powerhouses in Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers, while fellow Championship side Nottingham Rugby completed the group. For Coventry, it was a real opportunity to measure themselves against top-level opposition, and they didn’t shy away from the challenge.
Club captain Jordon Poole said, “Since the Premiership Cup has been on, we’ve had some good victories, some tough losses and draws along the way. We’ve learnt a lot about where we are as a group.”
Founded in 1874, Coventry Rugby is one of the oldest clubs in the country. A history of ups and downs, including a season in the English top flight, multiple promotions and relegations, and going into liquidation in 2009, has led Coventry to where they are now, a mainstay in the RFU Championship.
Coventry first competed in the Cup in the 2023/24 season, when the RFU announced the competition was expanding to include the top nine Championship clubs. Like this season, Coventry were handed a difficult group featuring Harlequins, Gloucester and Saracens from the Premiership. This cup campaign was seen as a huge success for Coventry. A first-round victory against Saracens has gone down in the history books as one of Coventry’s biggest in their existence. The campaign also featured a 21-21 draw vs Harlequins, and a narrow loss vs Gloucester. This campaign really helped lay the foundations for Coventry’s growth as a club.
This season, despite a second year in a difficult group, there was still an expectation for Coventry to perform well. Overall, despite a couple of frustrating results, they did themselves proud.
Section 1 – Nottingham
Coventry and Nottingham have developed a proper rivalry over the last few seasons. With both teams regularly competing in the Championship, their meetings have become fixtures to watch. Coventry have had the edge recently, seven wins from the last ten, with just two defeats and a draw, but that doesn’t mean the battles haven’t been close. Both sides have similar ambitions, and when the Premiership Cup draw put them in the same group, it felt like the stage was set for another chapter.
The campaign kicked off away at Nottingham back in November. Coventry went into the game flying after five straight wins in the league and carried that confidence into the cup. A few changes were made to the starting side, including debuts for new signings Liam Richman and Charlie Robson, but the intent was clear. This wasn’t just about getting minutes. They wanted to win.
It was a slightly shaky start, with Nottingham going ahead through an early Matt Arden penalty. But Coventry didn’t take long to settle. A slick move through the backs saw Robson get over for his first try in a Coventry shirt, and that seemed to flip the momentum. Another score before the break, this time from Matt Johnson, converted by Richman, sent Coventry in at half-time with the lead.
Nottingham came out with real energy in the second half and got themselves back in it through Ryan Olowofela, but Coventry shifted up a gear and didn’t look back. Tries from Jimmy Martin, Jordon Poole, Ryan Hutler and Will Lane sealed a comfortable 34–15 win and five points to start their cup campaign.
Vice-captain Toby Trinder reflected on the importance of starting strong: “A difficult place to visit and a good side, so putting a confident performance in on the road and starting the campaign with 5 points was really important for us.”
Fast forward to February, and the reverse fixture at the Butts Park Arena was something else entirely. From the off, Coventry were relentless. Early tries from Sam Maunder, Tom Hitchcock and Dafydd-Rhys Tiueti blew Nottingham away before Jimmy Martin put on a show, running in a hat-trick. By the end, Coventry had racked up 76 points in a dominant performance that left no doubt about where the two clubs stand right now.
“Another really confident display scoring over 70 points at home gave us a confidence boost to travel away to Saints,” added Trinder.
Section 2 – Leicester Tigers
For round two of the Cup, Coventry travelled to Welford Road to take on one of the giants of English rugby, Leicester Tigers. It’s a fierce Midlands rivalry that dates back to the late 19th century, with the first recorded meeting in 1892, where Tigers came out on top. In recent decades, though, the fixture has been a rare one. Leicester have spent the last 20 years as Premiership mainstays, while Coventry have been rebuilding in the RFU league system after entering liquidation 16 years ago. So, when the two clubs were drawn together in the cup, it felt significant. A chance for Coventry to test themselves against one of the very best. And that’s exactly what they did.
The first meeting in November, away at Welford Road, turned out to be Coventry’s performance of the season. The start wasn’t ideal when former Coventry favourite, and 2023/24 player of the season, Will Wand, scored against his old club just four minutes in. But Coventry responded with real intent. They clicked into gear quickly and produced a blistering first half. Tries from Aaron Hinkley, Jordon Poole, David Opoku and Tom Hitchcock, along with a handful of conversions from Tommy Mathews, gave the visitors a healthy lead at the break. Leicester mounted some pressure in the second half, but Coventry stood strong. A late try from Senitiki Nayalo sealed a stunning 33–19 win, Coventry’s first-ever victory at Welford Road, and a statement performance against one of the top sides in the country.
Reflecting on the occasion, Trinder said: “Old club rivals away from home was one we were all extremely excited for as soon as the fixture was released. It was incredible to go there and get a win — a day that will live long in our memories and the fans.”
However, the return fixture was a different story. Leicester arrived at Butts Park Arena with a point to prove. Just like the reverse, they started quickly. Finn Theobald-Thomas opened the scoring in the third minute, and Will Wand added a brace on his return to his old ground. To their credit, Coventry never backed down. Tries from Hinkley, Oli Morris, Jevaughn Warren and Josh Barton showed their attacking threat, but the Premiership class of Tigers ultimately proved too much. The game ended 68–26 in favour of Leicester, reminding everyone that the gap from the Premiership still exists.
“Probably the strongest side we faced on paper in terms of Premiership appearances within their team,” Trinder admitted. “We held our own for large periods of that game and had multiple chances to take the lead. With a lot of positives, the scoreline did not flatter us — it just shows the margins for error get punished so quickly at the top level.”
Section 3 – Northampton Saints
Finally, Coventry came up against the current Premiership champions, Northampton Saints. With both clubs founded in the 19th century and just under 30 miles apart, this had all the ingredients of a proper old-school Midlands derby. Saints have been a top-flight regular throughout the professional era, lifting the Premiership trophy twice, and heading into this season, it had been over 15 years since these two sides had met in a competitive fixture. For Coventry, it was a rare and exciting chance to show just how far they’ve come with a shot at the very best.
The first meeting took place in November 2024 at Butts Park Arena. Coventry came into it full of belief, fresh off the back of a historic win away at Leicester and a strong opening round victory over Nottingham. Saints, as expected, had also won both of their first two cup games. The conditions were cold and wet, perfect for a physical contest.
As had been the pattern in earlier games, Coventry conceded early. Full-back George Hendy ran the length of the pitch to put Saints ahead inside 15 minutes. But Coventry responded brilliantly. Tries from Matt Kvesic and winger Ryan Hutler turned the game on its head. With 20 minutes to go, Saints showed their class. Chunya Munga crashed over to give the visitors the lead, and a third try from Curtis Langdon sealed it. Coventry pushed until the final whistle, but the game ended 19–10 in Saints’ favour. Despite the loss, it was another performance to be proud of. Coventry had matched the Premiership champions for large parts of the game, and a sold-out Butts Park Arena gave them a deserved ovation at full-time.
Trinder reflected on the narrow loss, saying: “A really strong Saints team visited in awful stormy conditions. Our confidence was really high, and to lose by a score — we did ourselves very proud, although there were chances where we could’ve gone on to win it!”
Former England international Matt Kvesic, also stated, “Mixed emotions, we showed really good fight. It was annoying not to stay unbeaten, especially at home, but they brought a really strong side and we came up just short.”
When the two sides met again in February at Franklin’s Gardens, it was a different story. Coventry had their moments with tries from Jimmy Martin, David Opoku, and a powerful line break from Tom Hitchcock showed their attacking quality, but Saints were ruthless in the second half. Four converted tries after the break saw them pull away to a 50–23 win. While the scoreline was tough to take, there were still positives for Coventry. Competing with one of the best sides in the country, home and away, showed the kind of progress this squad is making.
Trinder summed up the performance: “We defended like Trojans for the first 20 minutes and showed real attacking efficiency with the ball, but by the last 20/30 minutes there was too much fatigue and it ended in a tough defeat, although there were so many positives to take.”
When you look back at Coventry’s cup run this season, it’s hard not to feel a real sense of pride. It didn’t end in a quarter-final spot or a fairytale finish, but it wasn’t about that. This was about putting a marker down by showing what this squad is about and proving they’re not just here to make up the numbers.
From a strong start away at Nottingham to that unforgettable win at Welford Road, and even in the tougher moments, there were performances that showed real growth, grit, and quality. The players stood up, the fans showed up, and the club sent a message.
There were lessons, of course, with moments that showed the gap between the tiers, but more importantly, there were signs that the gap is getting smaller, and if this cup run is anything to go by, Coventry are only heading in one direction.
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