Cup Progress by Season

Nottingham (Notts) RFC (1st team) have competed in the following cup competitions:

  • 1886-1920 – Midland Counties Cup (Divisional)
  • 1971-1982 – John Player Cup (National)
  • 1982-1988 – John Player Special Cup (National)
  • 1988-1997 – Pilkington Cup (National)
  • 1997-2001 – Tetley’s Bitter Cup (National)
  • 2001-2005 – Powergen Cup (National)
  • 2005-2006 – Powergen National Trophy (National)
  • 2006-2009 – EDF Energy National Trophy (National)
  • 2009-2018 – British & Irish Cup (Cross Border)
  • 2018-2023 – Championship Cup (National)
  • 2023-2024 – Premiership Cup (National)

National Cups – 1971-2009 and 2018-2024
Divisional Cups – 1885-1920
Cross-Border Cups – 2009-2018


Notes

  • Up to and including the 2023-2024 season
  • The introduction of the Midland Merit Table in 1972-1973 resulted in the top 5 teams automatically qualifying for the following seasons National Cup. The bottom 4 clubs along with 4 additional Midland Clubs to qualify attempted for the 6th and final place through a knock-out competition.
  • The Midland Merit Table consisted of 9 Clubs:
    • Bedford
    • Birmingham
    • Coventry
    • Leicester
    • Moseley
    • Northampton
    • Nottingham
    • Nuneaton
    • Rugby

Key

  • * Lost after extra time
  • # Lost on ‘away’ rule, scores still level after extra time

National Cups

SeasonCompetitionProgressOpponents
1971-1972John Player CupRound 2Leicester
Coventry
1972-1973John Player CupRound 1Coventry
1973-1974John Player CupRound 1Saracens
1974-1975John Player CupRound 1Sale
1975-1976John Player CupRound 1Moseley
1975-1976John Player Cup – QualifyingQuarter-finalLeicester
1976-1977John Player CupDid not qualify
1976-1977John Player Cup – QualifyingQualified for 1977-1978 competitionRugby
Kettering
Birmingham
1977-1978John Player CupRound 3Wakefield
1977-1978John Player Cup – QualifyingFinalBirmingham
Loughborough Colleges
Walsall
1978-1979John Player CupDid not qualify
1979-1980John Player CupRound 4Northampton
Harlequins
1980-1981John Player CupQuarter-finalBirmingham
Derby
Camp Hill
Bath
Gosforth
1981-1982John Player CupRound 3Sale
1982-1983John Player Special CupQuarter-finalLiverpool
St Ives
Coventry
1983-1984John Player Special CupSemi-finalSolihull
Newark
Stourbridge
Moseley
London Scottish
Bath
1984-1985John Player Special CupRound 4Northampton
London Welsh
1985-1986John Player Special CupQuarter-finalSouthend
Wakefield
#Wasps
1986-1987John Player Special CupRound 4Lydney
Wasps
1987-1988John Player Special CupRound 3Waterloo
1988-1989Pilkington CupQuarter-finalBedford
Richmond
Harlequins
1989-1990Pilkington CupQuarter-finalRosslyn Park
Orrell
Gloucester
1990-1991Pilkington CupSemi-finalLondon Scottish
Richmond
London Irish
*Harlequins
1991-1992Pilkington CupRound 3Bath
1992-1993Pilkington CupRound 4Worcester
Coventry
Leicester
1993-1994Pilkington CupRound 4Gloucester
1994-1995Pilkington CupRound 4Bristol
1995-1996Pilkington CupRound 5London Scottish
Gloucester
1996-1997Pilkington CupRound 5London Scottish
1997-1998Tetleys Bitter CupRound 2Doncaster
1998-1999Tetleys Bitter CupRound 4Preston Grasshoppers
Wharfedale
Exeter
1999-2000Tetleys Bitter CupRound 4Stourbridge
Redruth
Manchester
2000-2001Tetleys Bitter CupRound 2Morley
2001-2002Powergen CupRound 2Dudley Kingswinford
2002-2003Powergen CupRound 4Cleckheaton
Barking
London Welsh
2003-2004Powergen CupRound 2Fylde
2004-2005Powergen CupRound 4Newbury
Bristol
2005-2006Powergen National TrophySemi-finalLydney
Blaydon
London Welsh
Harlequins
2006-2007EDF Energy National TrophyRound 5Sedgley Park
Coventry
2007-2008EDF Energy National TrophySemi-finalNewbury
London Welsh
Launceston
Exeter
2008-2009EDF Energy National TrophySemi-finalBlaydon
Cornish Pirates
Mounts Bay
Leeds
2018-2019Championship CupGroup stage 3rd



Quarter-final
Coventry
Doncaster
Yorkshire ‘Leeds’

Ealing
2019-2020Championship CupGroup stage 1st



Quarter-final
Semi-final (Cancelled – COVID-19)
Cornish Pirates
London Scottish
Yorkshire ‘Leeds’

Doncaster
Ealing
2020-2021Championship CupNo competition – COVID-19
2021-2022Championship CupRound 1Bedford
2022-2023Championship CupGroup stage 4thEaling
Jersey
Hartpury University
2023-2024Premiership CupGroup stage 5thCoventry
Gloucester
Harlequins
Hartpury University
Saracens