2015/16 British & Irish Cup fixtures

The 2015/16 British & Irish Cup fixtures have been revealed as the cross-border competition enters its seventh year.

Newcomers Ealing Trailfinders travel to Billesley Common to face fellow Championship competitors Moseley for their return to the British & Irish Cup during the second weekend in November.

In the second of three all-English round one ties, Cornish Pirates will host London Welsh at the Mennaye while 2014/15 runners-up Doncaster Knights will face Jersey RFC.

Meanwhile, Rotherham Titans welcome two-time winners Leinster 'A' to Clifton Lane in round one. The Dubliners exited the competition at the semi-final stage last year after suffering a two-point defeat to eventual winners Worcester Warriors.

Title-holders from 2012, Munster 'A', travel to the Athletic Ground for their opening fixture of the new season to face London Scottish, who recorded their highest ever season finish in the Championship last season, while Ulster Ravens meet Pool 2 opponents Bristol Rugby.

Following a wide-ranging review of competition structures across the game in Wales, Welsh teams in the competition will be represented by combined Regional Premiership squad teams.

Ospreys Premiership Select, Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select, Cardiff Blues Premiership Select and Scarlets Premiership Select will compete in the 2015/16 season to help facilitate the development pathway structure for Welsh rugby.

Bedford Blues, Yorkshire Carnegie, Nottingham Rugby and Connacht Eagles will be the first to face the new Welsh opposition when the competition begins on 13 November.

2015-16 British & Irish Cup structure and fixtures

Teams

Twelve Greene King IPA Championship clubs
Four Welsh Regional Premiership squads
Four Irish provinces – Connacht Eagles, Munster 'A', Leinster 'A' and Ulster Ravens

Pool Stages

Taking place on 13-15, 20-22 November, 11-13, 18-20 December and 15-17, 23 January.
Five pools of 4 playing home and away
Four points for a win, two for a draw, one bonus point for a) scoring 4 or more tries and/or b) losing by 7 points or less

Quarter-finals

Taking place on weekend of 12 March, 2016
Top side in each pool progress to knockout stage, plus three best runners-up
Eight quarter-finalists ranked with teams ranked 1-4 having home advantage

Semi-finals and final

Four winning quarter finalists progress to semi -final draw which takes place on weekend of March 2016
Semi-finalists progress to final to take place on weekend of 9 April 2016

Pools

Pool 1: Ealing Trailfinders, Moseley, Leinster 'A', Rotherham Titans
Pool 2: Bedford Blues, Scarlets Premiership Select, Bristol Rugby, Ulster Ravens
Pool 3: Ospreys Premiership Select, Yorkshire Carnegie, Munster 'A', London Scottish
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby, Cardiff Blues Premiership Select, London Welsh, Cornish Pirates
Pool 5: Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select, Connacht Eagles, Doncaster Knights, Jersey RFC