1997–98 Tetley's Bitter Cup
The 1997-1998 Tetley's Bitter Cup was the twenty-seventh edition of England's rugby union club competition. Saracens won the competition defeating Wasps in the final.[1] The event was sponsored by Tetley's Brewery and the final was held at Twickenham Stadium.[2]
Draw and Results
First Round (Sep 13)
| Team One |
Team Two |
Score |
| Aspatria | Stockton | 23-13 |
| Barking | Swanage & Wareham | 26-18 |
| Basingstoke | Weston-super-Mare | 10-39 |
| Birmingham/Solihull | Westleigh | 22-10 |
| Bridgwater | Metropolitan Police | 18-30 |
| Broadstreet | Walsall | 25-17 |
| Camberley | Barnstaple | 38-16 |
| Cheltenham | Okehampton | 138-0 |
| Coney Hill | Preston Grasshoppers | 5-16 |
| Haywards Heath | Plymouth | 26-25 |
| Henley | Cambridge | 64-12 |
| Hornets | Havant | 28-72 |
| Launceston | Bicester | 58-6 |
| Lewes | Wimbledon | 12-11 |
| Lichfield | Manchester | 10-28 |
| Longton | Widnes | 22-38 |
| Maidenhead | Amersham & Chiltern | 14-36 |
| Matson | Bishop Stortford | 8-3 |
| North Walsham | Esher | 19-18 |
| Northern | Derby | 49-3 |
| Norwich | Bracknell | 14-25 |
| Nuneaton | Sedgley Park | 11-7 |
| Old Coventrians | Huddersfield | 13-35 |
| Olney | St Ives | 18-20 |
| Sandal | Chester | 30-22 |
| Scunthorpe | Doncaster | 6-23 |
| Selley Oak | Syston | 31-19 |
| Sevenoaks | Cheshunt | 32-13 |
| Sheffield | Old Northamptions | 38-14 |
| Sherborne | Clifton | 19-30 |
| St Benedict’s | Wigton | 9-24 |
| Staines | Redruth | 35-25 |
| Sunderland | Kendal | 8-27 |
| Sutton & Epsom | Banbury | 23-25 |
| Tabard | Harlow | 23-0 |
| Taunton | Canterbury | 34-12 |
| Tynedale | Hinckley | 32-8 |
| Vagabonds (IOM) | Old Brodleians | 18-15 |
| Vale of Lune | Ampthill | 27-25 |
| Whitchurch | Stourbridge | 28-35 |
| Winchester | Ruislip | 20-0 |
| Winnington Park | Stoke | 64-12 |
Second Round (Oct 4)
| Team One |
Team Two |
Score |
| Aspatria | Widnes | 27-18 |
| Birmingham/Solihull | Otley | 9-10 |
| Bracknell | Metropolitan Police | 35-14 |
| Broadstreet | Huddersfield | 41-3 |
| Cheltenham | Sevenoaks | 20-18 |
| Havant | Matson | 19-10 |
| Haywards Heath | Launceston | 20-22 |
| Henley | Camberley | 3-16 |
| Kendal | Harrogate | 9-5 |
| Lewes | North Walsham | 10-42 |
| London Welsh | Clifton | 65-17 |
| Lydney | Amersham & Chiltern | 67-0 |
| Morley | Selly Oak | 41-5 |
| Northern | Tynedale | 5-22 |
| Nottingham | Doncaster | 20-24 |
| Preston Grasshoppers | Manchester | 8-33 |
| Rugby | Vagabonds (IOM) | 46-0 |
| Sandal | Nuneaton | 22-16 |
| Sheffield | Vale of Lune | 42-20 |
| St Ives | Barking | 6-53 |
| Staines | Banbury | 32-12 |
| Stourbridge | Taunton | 69-5 |
| Tabard | Rosslyn Park | 0-31 |
| Weston-super-Mare | Newbury | 17-36 |
| Wharfedale | Wigton | 35-10 |
| Winchester | Reading | 12-26 |
| Winnington Park | Liverpool St Helens | 24-26 |
| Worcester | Leeds | 28-11 |
Third Round (Nov 1)
| Team One |
Team Two |
Score |
| Barking | Exeter | 13-17 |
| Bedford | Staines | 76-15 |
| Blackheath | Sandal | 32-3 |
| Broadstreet | Bracknell | 15-21 |
| Camberley | Kendal | 32-20 |
| Coventry | Sheffield | 83-19 |
| Doncaster | Tynedale | 24-11 |
| Fylde | Aspatria | 48-5 |
| Havant | Rugby | 22-32 |
| London Welsh | Waterloo | 36-34 |
| Lydney | London Scottish | 3-45 |
| Moseley | Liverpool St Helens | 79-10 |
| North Walsham | Rosslyn Park | 11-27 |
| Orrell | Newbury | 16-26 |
| Otley | Manchester | 24-25 |
| Rotherham | Launceston | 67-15 |
| Stourbridge | Reading | 24-58 |
| Wakefield | Morley | 53-14 |
| West Hartlepool | Cheltenham | 41-5 |
| Wharfedale | Worcester | 8-29 |
Fourth Round (Jan 3 & 4)
| Team One |
Team Two |
Score |
| Bath | London Scottish | 24-23 |
| Blackheath | Saracens | 31-59 |
| Bracknell | Rotherham | 3-26 |
| Camberley | Newbury | 10-11 |
| Coventry | Leicester | 14-50 |
| Fylde | Rosslyn Park | 20-5 |
| London Welsh | Gloucester | 18-34 |
| Manchester | London Irish | 13-36 |
| Moseley | Sale | 11-18 |
| Newcastle | Exeter | 34-10 |
| Northampton | Bedford | 31-26 |
| Richmond | Doncaster | 58-8 |
| Rugby | Reading | 26-17 |
| Wasps | Harlequins | 31-26 |
| West Hartlepool | Wakefield | 23-13 |
| Worcester | Bristol | 14-12 |
Fifth Round (Jan 24)
| Team One |
Team Two |
Score |
| Bath | Richmond | 17-29 aet |
| London Irish | Rotherham | 27-14 |
| Northampton | Gloucester | 30-11 |
| Sale | Newbury | 38-11 |
| Saracens | Leicester | 14-13 |
| Wasps | Fylde | 34 -8 |
| West Hartlepool | Rugby | 42-11 |
| Worcester | Newcastle | 0-10 |
Quarter Finals (Feb 28 & Mar 1)
| Team One |
Team Two |
Score |
| London Irish | Wasps | 7-41 |
| Northampton | Newcastle | 17-7 |
| Richmond | Saracens | 30-36 |
| West Hartlepool | Sale | 21-36 |
Semi Finals (Mar 28)
| Team One |
Team Two |
Score |
| Northampton | Saracens | 10-25 |
| Wasps | Sale | 15-9 |
Final
References