The 2014–15 LV Cup (styled as the LV= Cup) is the 44th season of England's national rugby union cup competition, and the tenth to follow the Anglo-Welsh format.

The competition consists of the four Welsh Pro12 teams and the twelve English Premiership clubs arranged into pools consisting of three English and one Welsh team. English clubs have been allocated to the pools depending on their finish in the 2013–14 Aviva Premiership. Teams are guaranteed two home and two away pool matches, with teams in Pools 1 and 4 playing each other and teams in Pools 2 and 3 playing each other. The top team from each pool qualifies for the semi-finals. The competition will take place during the Autumn Internationals window and during the Six Nations thus allowing teams to develop their squad players.

Exeter Chiefs were the defending champions this season after claiming the cup with a 15–8 victory over Northampton Saints in the final at Sandy Park in Exeter. The final was won by Saracens 23–20 over Exeter Chiefs with a last-minute penalty from Ben Spencer securing the Londoners' second title in the competition.

Pool stages Points system The points scoring system for the pool stages will be as follows: 4 points for a win 2 points for a draw 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match (TB) 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less (LB)

Pool 1 v Pool 4 Pool 1TeamPWDLPFPAPDTFTATBLBPts Saracens (2) 4 4 0 0 101 62 +39 10 6 1 0 17 Gloucester 4 3 0 1 102 69 +33 10 7 1 1 14 Newport Gwent Dragons 4 2 0 2 121 116 +5 14 14 2 1 11 Bath 4 2 0 2 86 59 +27 11 6 2 1 11 Updated 8 February 2015Source: Premiership Rugby

Pool 4TeamPWDLPFPAPDTFTATBLBPts Exeter Chiefs (4) 4 3 0 1 101 100 +1 12 12 1 0 13 Ospreys 4 1 0 3 82 114 −32 9 12 1 1 6 Harlequins 4 1 0 3 79 94 −15 8 10 0 2 6 London Welsh 4 0 0 4 44 102 −58 4 11 0 2 2 Updated 8 February 2015Source: Premiership Rugby

Round 1

Pool 2 v Pool 3 Pool 2TeamPWDLPFPAPDTFTATBLBPts Northampton Saints (3) 4 3 0 1 98 53 +45 13 5 2 0 14 Cardiff Blues 4 3 0 1 95 119 −24 10 16 1 0 13 Sale Sharks 4 2 0 2 102 100 +2 12 13 2 0 10 London Irish 4 0 0 4 69 118 −49 5 14 0 1 1 Updated 8 February 2015Source: Premiership Rugby

Pool 3TeamPWDLPFPAPDTFTATBLBPts Leicester Tigers (1) 4 4 0 0 106 46 +60 14 3 2 0 18 Newcastle Falcons 4 2 0 2 114 91 +23 15 10 2 1 11 Wasps 4 1 0 3 120 128 −8 14 15 3 2 9 Scarlets 4 1 0 3 50 99 −49 5 12 0 1 5 Updated 8 February 2015Source: Premiership Rugby

Semi finals Team One Team Two Score Saracens Northampton Saints 24–20 Leicester Tigers Exeter Chiefs 22–30

Final

FB 15 Ben RansomRW 14 Mike ElleryOC 13 Marcelo BoschIC 12 Tim StreatherLW 11 David StrettleFH 10 Nils Mordt SH 9 Ben SpencerN8 8 Ernst JoubertOF 7 Matt Hankin BF 6 Nick de JagerRL 5 Hayden SmithLL 4 Maro Itoje (c)TP 3 Juan FigalloHK 2 Jared SaundersLP 1 Richard BarringtonReplacements:HK 16 Scott SpurlingPR 17 Titi LamositelePR 18 Biyi AloLK 19 George KruisFL 20 Kelly BrownSH 21 Tom WhiteleyFH 22 Alex GoodeFB 23 Cătălin FercuCoach: Mark McCall FB 15 Max BodillyRW 14 Fet'u VainikoloOC 13 Adam HughesIC 12 Sireli NaqelevukiLW 11 Tom JamesFH 10 Ceri Sweeney (c)SH 9 Haydn ThomasN8 8 Kai HorstmannOF 7 Sam SimmondsBF 6 Ben WhiteRL 5 Jerry SextonLL 4 Mitch LeesTP 3 Moray Low HK 2 Elvis TaioneLP 1 Brett SturgessReplacements:HK 16 Greg BatemanPR 17 Carl RimmerPR 18 Alex BrownLK 19 Ed HolmesFL 20 Joel ConlonSH 21 Dave LewisFH 22 Gareth SteensonCE 23 Byron McGuiganCoach: Rob Baxter

References