1987–88 John Player Cup

1987–88 John Player Special Cup
Countries  England
Champions Harlequins
Runners-up Bristol
Highest attendance 37,000 Harlequins v Bristol at Twickenham

The 1987–88 John Player Special Cup was the seventeenth edition of England's premier rugby union cup competition. Harlequins won the competition, for the first time, defeating Bristol in the final at Twickenham Stadium.[1] The competition was sponsored by John Player cigarettes.[2]

First round

Home Away Score
Askeans London Irish 10-12
Bedford Barkers Butts 35-4
Berry Hill Salisbury 12-0
Devonport Services Maidenhead 11-12
Dixonians Droitwich 21-6
Ealing Southend 10-9
Gordon League Chiltern 44-7
Fylde Hartlepool Rovers 30-9
Leighton Buzzard Derby 10-7
Letchworth Blackheath 0-26
Lewes Havant 15-13
Lichfield Vipers 31-3
London Scottish Sudbury 9-3
Nuneaton Aspatria 4-43
Old Alleynians Maidstone 12-0
Oxford Camborne 14-0
Redruth Old Culverhaysians 26-9
Tynedale Vale of Lune 16-15
Wakefield Morley 22-0
Widnes Birkenhead Park 4-3

Second round

Home Away Score
Berry Hill Lewe 35-9
Dixonians Asptatria 3-53
Gordon League Oxford 18-16
Leighton Buzzard Bedford 6-24
Lichfield Widnes 31-3
London Irish Ealing 13-10
Maidenhead Old Alleynians 13-3
Redruth Blackheath 9-13
Tynedale London Scottish 11-9
Wakefield Fylde 24-21

Third round

Home Away Score
Aspatria Wasps 6-13
Bedford Bristol 4-21
Coventry Tynedale 7-6
Gloucester Orrell 19-9
Gordon League Headingley 10-0
Harlequins Maidenhead 40-0
Lichfield Bath 3-43
London Irish Sale 3-16
London Welsh Berry Hill 10-13
Plymouth Albion Northampton 14-7
Richmond Liverpool St Helens 10-6
Rosslyn Park Leicester 0-15
Ruislip Gosforth 10-13
Saracens Blackheath 15-3
Waterloo Nottingham 19-6
Wakefield Moseley 4-14

Fourth round

Home Away Score
Berry Hill Harlequins 4-17
Bristol Richmond 34-0
Coventry Sale 0-13
Gloucester Wasps 13-24
Gordon League Waterloo 9-11
Leicester Bath 6-13
Moseley Gosforth 33-9
Plymouth Albion Saracens 14-6

Quarter-finals

Home Away Score
Plymouth Albion Wasps 4-26
Harlequins Waterloo 37-4
Moseley Bath 4-3
Sale Bristol 15-19

Semi-finals


Moseley 6 – 34 Bristol
The Reddings

Wasps 16 – 20 Harlequins
Sudbury
(aet, 80 mins 16 – 16)

Final

30 April 1988
Harlequins 28 – 22 Bristol
Try: Will Carling 2
Andrew Harriman
Con: Stuart Thresher
Jamie Salmon
Pen: Stuart Thresher
Jamie Salmon 3
Try: Huw Duggan
Penalty Try
Con: Jonathan Webb
Pen: Jonathan Webb 3
Drop: Ralph Knibbs
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 37,000 (record for competition)
Referee: Fred Howard (Liverpool)
15 Stuart Thresher
14 Andrew Harriman
13 Jamie Salmon
12 Will Carling
11 Everton Davis
10 Adrian Thompson
9 Rupert Moon
8 Richard Langhorn
7 Tim Bell
6 Paul Ackford
5 Neil Edwards
4 Mick Skinner
3 Andy Mullins
2 John Olver (c)
1 Paul Curtis
Replacements:
16 Simon Hunter
17 Richard Cramb
18 Alan Woodhouse
19 D Butcher
20 S Conway
21 Chris Sheasby
Coach:
15 Jonathan Webb
14 Ralph Knibbs
13 David Thomas
12 Huw Duggan
11 John Carr
10 Simon Hogg
9 Richard Harding
8 Paul Collings
7 Wayne Hone
6 Andy Blackmore
5 Nigel Pomphrey (c)
4 Andy Dun
3 John Doubleday
2 Dave Palmer
1 Crayton Phillips
Replacements:
16 Kevin Morgan
17 Paul Jeffrey
18 Kevin Bogira
19 Darryll Hickey
20 Geoff Crane
21 Pete Polledri
Coach:

Records

[1]

Sponsorship

The competition was sponsored, for the last time, by John Player and the prize money was £125,000 (an increase of £15,000). Both finalists received £3,750 each and in thirteen years of sponsorship over £1 million has been provided.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Austin, Michael (1988). Jones, Stephen, ed. John Player Special Cup 1987–88. In Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988–89 (17th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 117–122.
  2. "Times Archives". Oxfordshire Libraries.
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