Churchill Cup
Encyclopedia
The Churchill Cup was an annual rugby union
tournament, held in June, contested by representative men's (and formerly women's) teams from Canada
, England
, the United States
, and other invited teams (originally one and later three) from a wide array of countries.
It began in 2003 as an initiative of the governing bodies of the three regular participants—Rugby Canada
, the Rugby Football Union
(RFU), and USA Rugby
—in cooperation with the sport's worldwide governing body, the International Rugby Board
(IRB). The main intent was to provide the USA and Canada with regular international competition. The final edition in 2011 featured invited teams from Italy
, Russia
, and Tonga
, and was won by England Saxons
(that country's "A", or developmental, national team). All three governing bodies of the permanent participants agreed to end the tournament after its 2011 edition, as the IRB will include the USA and Canada in its international Test calendar from 2012. Canada and the USA will, however, continue to be supported by the RFU.
Winston Churchill
.
The tournament was first held in 2003 with only Canada
, England
and the USA
taking part. The tournament was set up to improve the calibre and profile of rugby in North America
, and also to help develop English players not yet part of the full national team
. Because of the gap in skill levels, the England A side (second level, despite the 'A' moniker), rebranded in 2006 as England Saxons
, took part instead of the full England men's side; however, the full England women's side participated.
In 2004, New Zealand were invited, being represented by the New Zealand Māori
men's team and the women's representative team, the Black Ferns. In 2005, Argentina
sent its A side to the men's competition. Originally, New Zealand Māori had been invited, but they declined because it would clash with their fixture with the British and Irish Lions
. There was no women's competition in either 2005 or 2006, largely because of Canada's preparations to host the Women's Rugby World Cup
in 2006
.
Originally, the competition was scheduled only to 2007, as the original contract between Rugby Canada
, the Rugby Football Union
(England) and USA Rugby
was a five-year deal. Under the agreement, Canada would host the first three events, while the USA had an option to host in 2006 and 2007. However, because USA Rugby became involved in hosting the USA Sevens
tournament in the IRB Sevens World Series
, it allowed Canada to be the principal host in 2006, although that competition saw matches in the USA for the first time, in San Jose
(more precisely, in the Silicon Valley
city of Santa Clara
), and three Canadian cities hosted matches: Edmonton
, Toronto
, and Ottawa
.
The organizers increased the number of men's teams competing from four to six, effective with the 2006 competition. South Africa
and Wales
had expressed an interest, but Ireland
and Scotland
accepted invitations for 2006. Both sent A sides to the competition, and the New Zealand Māori returned that year as well.
In 2007, the Churchill Cup was held in England
for the first time. Both Rugby Canada and USA Rugby agreed to the one-time move largely because both countries' national teams would be competing in the 2007 Rugby World Cup
in France
.
The 2008 tournament returned to North America, according to tournament organizers. The participants were Canada, USA Eagles, England Saxons, Ireland A, Scotland A, and an Argentina XV (essentially a 'B', or third string team) replacing the New Zealand Maori, who as of 2008 participate in the Pacific Nations Cup.
Pool matches were held in Ottawa on June 7, Kingston
on June 11, and Toronto on June 14. The finals were held at Toyota Park
in Chicago
on June 21.
The 2009 competition, the first to be held entirely in the US, was held in the Denver area. In addition to the three permanent competitors of Canada, the USA, and England Saxons, Ireland A returned. The Argentina side was a new national selection known as the "Jaguars", initially a major component in the development of a professional player pool for the national team which soon absorbed the country's previous "A" national side. Scotland A was replaced by newcomers Georgia. The winners of the 2009 Churchill Cup was Ireland A.
For detailed results from a given year's competition (including the current year's), please see the relevant year's tournament's article.
, Rugby USA and the Rugby Football Union (England) to hold an annual rugby tournament in North America originally intended to be played between the nations Senior Men's and Women's sides. Canada will host the event from 2003 to 2005, in 2003 and 2004 the event was held in Edmonton, Alberta. While the US will have the option of picking up hosting the last two years of the tournament in 2006 and 2007, with the advent of the USA Sevens in San Diego and the reality of moving such an event, it is entirely likely that the event will remain in Canada, specifically Edmonton, through 2007. With respect to the Women's component, with Canada being awarded the 2006 Women's World Cup of Rugby, to be played in Edmonton and the Ottawa/Montreal region, it was felt that for 2005 and 2006 the Women's component should be removed, with the Women playing in the Canada Cup
of Women's Rugby in Ottawa/Montreal in July 2005 and the Women's World Cup itself in September 2006 in Edmonton and Ottawa/Montreal.
In addition to the changes with respect to the Women's component, in 2004 the decision was made to expand the competition to four Nations with the inclusion of an invitational side, which in 2004 was the New Zealand Maori, who won the title in a spectacular overtime match with England. In 2005 Argentina were invited and sent their A side, which provided great entertainment for the fans and a true test of rugby for the founding Nations in the Churchill Cup. Beyond 2005 there was talk of further expanding the event to perhaps six Nations, with three invitational sides participating. This expansion indeed occurred in 2006.
There is further talk of expanding to eight nations which could allow teams like Romania, Russia, France A
and Italy A
.There is also a possibility of the tournament being held in Dubai
; in which case the United Arab Emirates
national team (due to be spun off from the Arabian Gulf team in late 2010) would participate.
. The 2004 Churchill Cup traveled east across the Canadian Rockies to Alberta where games were played in Calgary on the opening weekend and Edmonton for the finals. For 2005 the Churchill Cup was played entirely at Edmonton's 60,000 seat Commonwealth Stadium. The same was initially contemplated for 2006 and 2007, but that plan changed due to the expansion of the tournament in 2006 and logistical issues related to the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
, USA Rugby
and England Saxons
) are permanently placed in the Churchill Cup with three additional teams selected for each tournament year.
(first team) : 2003–2011 (first team) : 2003–2011 (second team) : 2003–2011
The otther: (second or third team, depending on year) : 2005, 2008–2009 (second team) : 2010 (second team) : 2006–2009 (first team) : 2009 (second team) : 2011 (consisting of New Zealand players of Māori heritage) : 2004, 2006–2007 (first team) : 2010–2011 (second team) : 2006–2008 (first team) : 2011 (first team) : 2010
- Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Located in Edmonton, the capital city of Alberta, Commonwealth Stadium is the venue for the Barclays Churchill Cup finals. Commonwealth is also the home of the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos
.
Buck Shaw Stadium
- Santa Clara, California (San Francisco Bay Area)
Named after former Santa Clara football coach, Lawrence T. "Buck" Shaw. The stadium has seen many of that university sporting's achievements. Serving as the home for the Bronco soccer team, the 6,800-seat facility also housed Santa Clara baseball and football historically. Since 2008, it has also been home to the San Jose Earthquakes
of Major League Soccer
.
Twin Elm Rugby Park - Ottawa
With five rugby fields, 12 changing rooms, two lounges, a bar and spectator seating for hundreds of people Twin Elm Rugby Park is situated in South Nepean, in the City of Ottawa. The facility is home to several local clubs, including the Ottawa Harlequins
, the representative side for Eastern Ontario.
York Stadium
- Toronto
Toyota Park
- Bridgeview, Illinois (Chicago area)
Home of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club. Hosted the final of the Churchill Cup in 2008
Infinity Park - Glendale, Colorado (Denver area)
A multi-use facility including a 5,000-seat rugby stadium currently used by the Glendale Raptors. Used for all pool matches in 2009 and 2010.
Dick's Sporting Goods Park - Commerce City, Colorado (Denver area)
Home of the Colorado Rapids
soccer team. Hosted all the finals of the 2009 Churchill Cup.
Red Bull Arena - Harrison, New Jersey (New York City area)
Home of the New York Red Bulls soccer team. Hosted all finals in the 2010 Churchill Cup.
. In recent years with the tournament in Glendale, CO many games have been broadcast on delay on Fox Sports Rocky Mountain. In 2010 NBC covered the Cup and Plate finals live on NBC Universal.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
tournament, held in June, contested by representative men's (and formerly women's) teams from Canada
Canada national rugby union team
The Canada national rugby union team represents Canada in international rugby union. They are governed by Rugby Canada, and play in red and black. Canada is classified by the International Rugby Board as a tier two rugby nation. There are ten tier one nations, and seven tier two nations, the...
, England
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
, the United States
United States national rugby union team
USA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
, and other invited teams (originally one and later three) from a wide array of countries.
It began in 2003 as an initiative of the governing bodies of the three regular participants—Rugby Canada
Rugby Canada
Rugby Canada, is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in Canada. Rugby Canada was incorporated in 1974, and stems from the Canadian Rugby Football Union, a body established in 1884 that now governs amateur Canadian football as Football Canada; and the now-defunct Rugby Union of...
, the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
(RFU), and USA Rugby
USA Rugby
USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. It is divided into seven territorial Unions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, Southern California, South, and West...
—in cooperation with the sport's worldwide governing body, the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
(IRB). The main intent was to provide the USA and Canada with regular international competition. The final edition in 2011 featured invited teams from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
, and was won by England Saxons
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
(that country's "A", or developmental, national team). All three governing bodies of the permanent participants agreed to end the tournament after its 2011 edition, as the IRB will include the USA and Canada in its international Test calendar from 2012. Canada and the USA will, however, continue to be supported by the RFU.
Name
The tournament was named after British Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
.
Overview
Canada national rugby union team
The Canada national rugby union team represents Canada in international rugby union. They are governed by Rugby Canada, and play in red and black. Canada is classified by the International Rugby Board as a tier two rugby nation. There are ten tier one nations, and seven tier two nations, the...
, England
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
and the USA
United States national rugby union team
USA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
taking part. The tournament was set up to improve the calibre and profile of rugby in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, and also to help develop English players not yet part of the full national team
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
. Because of the gap in skill levels, the England A side (second level, despite the 'A' moniker), rebranded in 2006 as England Saxons
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
, took part instead of the full England men's side; however, the full England women's side participated.
In 2004, New Zealand were invited, being represented by the New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
men's team and the women's representative team, the Black Ferns. In 2005, Argentina
Unión Argentina de Rugby
The Argentine Rugby Union ) is the governing body for rugby union in Argentina. It is a member of the International Rugby Board with a seat on that body's Executive Council....
sent its A side to the men's competition. Originally, New Zealand Māori had been invited, but they declined because it would clash with their fixture with the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
. There was no women's competition in either 2005 or 2006, largely because of Canada's preparations to host the Women's Rugby World Cup
Women's Rugby World Cup
The Women's Rugby World Cup is the premier international competition in rugby union for women. The tournament is organised by the sport's governing body the International Rugby Board...
in 2006
2006 Women's Rugby World Cup
The 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup took place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The tournament began on 31 August and ended on 17 September 2006. The 2006 tournament was the third World Cup approved by the IRB, the previous two being held 2002 in Spain and in the Netherlands, in 1998...
.
Originally, the competition was scheduled only to 2007, as the original contract between Rugby Canada
Rugby Canada
Rugby Canada, is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in Canada. Rugby Canada was incorporated in 1974, and stems from the Canadian Rugby Football Union, a body established in 1884 that now governs amateur Canadian football as Football Canada; and the now-defunct Rugby Union of...
, the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
(England) and USA Rugby
USA Rugby
USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. It is divided into seven territorial Unions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, Southern California, South, and West...
was a five-year deal. Under the agreement, Canada would host the first three events, while the USA had an option to host in 2006 and 2007. However, because USA Rugby became involved in hosting the USA Sevens
USA Sevens
The USA Sevens is an annual rugby sevens tournament held in the United States. A part of the IRB Sevens World Series, it currently takes place on Saturday and Sunday during the second weekend of February...
tournament in the IRB Sevens World Series
IRB Sevens World Series
The IRB Sevens World Series, known officially as the HSBC Sevens World Series as of the 2010-11 season, through sponsorship from banking group HSBC, and also sometimes called the World Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby union sevens tournaments organised for the first time in the...
, it allowed Canada to be the principal host in 2006, although that competition saw matches in the USA for the first time, in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
(more precisely, in the Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
city of Santa Clara
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
), and three Canadian cities hosted matches: Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
.
The organizers increased the number of men's teams competing from four to six, effective with the 2006 competition. South Africa
South African Rugby Union
The South African Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in South Africa and is affiliated to the International Rugby Board...
and Wales
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
had expressed an interest, but Ireland
Irish Rugby Football Union
The Irish Rugby Football Union is the body managing rugby union in Ireland. The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium, where Irish rugby union international matches are played...
and Scotland
Scottish Rugby Union
The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873, as the Scottish Football Union.-History:...
accepted invitations for 2006. Both sent A sides to the competition, and the New Zealand Māori returned that year as well.
In 2007, the Churchill Cup was held in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for the first time. Both Rugby Canada and USA Rugby agreed to the one-time move largely because both countries' national teams would be competing in the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The 2008 tournament returned to North America, according to tournament organizers. The participants were Canada, USA Eagles, England Saxons, Ireland A, Scotland A, and an Argentina XV (essentially a 'B', or third string team) replacing the New Zealand Maori, who as of 2008 participate in the Pacific Nations Cup.
Pool matches were held in Ottawa on June 7, Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
on June 11, and Toronto on June 14. The finals were held at Toyota Park
Toyota Park (Bridgeview)
Toyota Park is a soccer-specific stadium located at 71st Street and Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview, Illinois. It is the home stadium of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, members of Major League Soccer . Toyota Park was developed at a cost of around $100 million. The facility opened June 11, 2006...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on June 21.
The 2009 competition, the first to be held entirely in the US, was held in the Denver area. In addition to the three permanent competitors of Canada, the USA, and England Saxons, Ireland A returned. The Argentina side was a new national selection known as the "Jaguars", initially a major component in the development of a professional player pool for the national team which soon absorbed the country's previous "A" national side. Scotland A was replaced by newcomers Georgia. The winners of the 2009 Churchill Cup was Ireland A.
Results
| Year | Host city/cities | Men's Cup Winner | Men's Plate Winner | Men's Bowl Winner | Women's Cup Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 2003 Churchill Cup The 2003 Churchill Cup was held between 14 June and 28 June 2003 in Vancouver, Canada. It was the inaugural year of the Churchill Cup. Three rugby union teams took part in the men's competition: Canada, England A and the USA.... |
 VancouverVancouver Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,... |
No competition | No competition | ||
| 2004 2004 Churchill Cup The 2004 Churchill Cup was held between 14 June and 21 June 2004 in Calgary and Edmonton, Canada. It was the second edition of the Churchill Cup competition... |
Calgary Calgary Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies... and Edmonton Edmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... |
No Competition | |||
| 2005 2005 Churchill Cup The 2005 Churchill Cup was held between 14 June and 21 June 2005 in Edmonton, Canada. It was the third edition of the Churchill Cup competition... |
Edmonton Edmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... |
No Competition | No competition | ||
| 2006 2006 Churchill Cup The 2006 Churchill Cup is a Rugby Union competition, typically between the second teams of various top tier international Rugby nations and the first teams of traditionally less prominent teams, such as Canada and the USA. It first began on June 3, 2006 and ended on June 17. The 2006 competition... |
Edmonton Edmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... , Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... , Ottawa Ottawa Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...  San JoseSan Jose, California San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay... (Santa Clara Santa Clara, California Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the... ) |
No competition | |||
| 2007 2007 Churchill Cup The 2007 Churchill Cup was held from May 18 to June 2, 2007. It was the fifth year of the Churchill Cup. Six rugby union teams took part: Canada, England Saxons, Ireland A, New Zealand Māori, Scotland A, and the USA.-Format:... |
 StockportStockport Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name... , Exeter Exeter Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the... , Henley Henley-on-Thames Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead... , Northampton Northampton Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is... and London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
No competition | |||
| 2008 2008 Churchill Cup The 2008 Churchill Cup took place between 7 June and 21 June 2008 in what was the sixth year of the tournament. Six rugby union teams took part: , England Saxons, Ireland A, Scotland A, the , and an Argentinian XV.-Participation:... |
Ottawa Ottawa Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario... , Kingston Kingston, Ontario Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post... , Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... ChicagoChicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... |
No competition | |||
| 2009 2009 Churchill Cup The 2009 Churchill Cup took place between June 6 and June 21, 2009, in the seventh year of the tournament.For the first time in the tournament's history, all rounds were held in the United States in an effort to reduce the cost of the tournament after the discontinued sponsorship by Barclays and to... |
Glendale Glendale, Colorado The city of Glendale is a Home Rule Municipality located in an exclave of Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The population was 4,547 at the 2000 census. The entire city is surrounded on all sides by the City and County of Denver. Therefore, as a municipal entity, it is also an enclave... and Commerce City Commerce City, Colorado The city of Commerce City is a Home Rule Municipality located in Adams County, Colorado, United States. Commerce City is a northern suburb of Denver and now the 18th most populous municipality in the state of Colorado... |
No competition | |||
| 2010 2010 Churchill Cup The 2010 Churchill Cup, the eighth edition of an annual international rugby union tournament, was taking place in the Denver and New York City metropolitan areas... |
Glendale Glendale, Colorado The city of Glendale is a Home Rule Municipality located in an exclave of Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The population was 4,547 at the 2000 census. The entire city is surrounded on all sides by the City and County of Denver. Therefore, as a municipal entity, it is also an enclave... and Harrison Harrison, New Jersey Harrison is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 13,620. The town is a suburb of the nearby city of Newark, New Jersey.-Geography:Harrison is located at .... |
No competition | |||
| 2011 2011 Churchill Cup The 2011 Churchill Cup, the ninth edition of an annual international rugby union tournament, took place in Northampton, Esher, Gloucester and Worcester... |
Northampton Northampton Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is... , Gloucester Gloucester Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham.... , Esher Esher Esher is a town in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge in South East England near the River Mole. It is a very prosperous part of the Greater London Urban Area, largely suburban in character, and is situated 14.1 miles south west of Charing Cross.... , and Worcester Worcester The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the... |
TBC |
- No Plate awarded in 2004 or 2005. Those were played as consolation finals.
For detailed results from a given year's competition (including the current year's), please see the relevant year's tournament's article.
Early history
The Churchill Cup event, named after former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, "Britain's Man of the Century", sees a five-year agreement amongst England, Canada and the USA with each forming part of the new company, "Churchill Cup Inc.". Former Prime Minister Churchill shared close ties with the United States - his mother was American - and obviously with Canada during the Second World War, so it is fitting that is tournament bears his name.Concept
Born of an English tour of North America in 2001, the Churchill Cup of Rugby came to fruition in 2003, in Vancouver. The tournament arises out of a 5 year agreement between Rugby CanadaRugby Canada
Rugby Canada, is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in Canada. Rugby Canada was incorporated in 1974, and stems from the Canadian Rugby Football Union, a body established in 1884 that now governs amateur Canadian football as Football Canada; and the now-defunct Rugby Union of...
, Rugby USA and the Rugby Football Union (England) to hold an annual rugby tournament in North America originally intended to be played between the nations Senior Men's and Women's sides. Canada will host the event from 2003 to 2005, in 2003 and 2004 the event was held in Edmonton, Alberta. While the US will have the option of picking up hosting the last two years of the tournament in 2006 and 2007, with the advent of the USA Sevens in San Diego and the reality of moving such an event, it is entirely likely that the event will remain in Canada, specifically Edmonton, through 2007. With respect to the Women's component, with Canada being awarded the 2006 Women's World Cup of Rugby, to be played in Edmonton and the Ottawa/Montreal region, it was felt that for 2005 and 2006 the Women's component should be removed, with the Women playing in the Canada Cup
Canada Cup
The Canada Cup refers to several types of professional sporting events held in Canada: It is also the previous name of the World Cup of Golf and the World Cup of Hockey.* Canada Cup for men's professional ice hockey* Canada Cup...
of Women's Rugby in Ottawa/Montreal in July 2005 and the Women's World Cup itself in September 2006 in Edmonton and Ottawa/Montreal.
In addition to the changes with respect to the Women's component, in 2004 the decision was made to expand the competition to four Nations with the inclusion of an invitational side, which in 2004 was the New Zealand Maori, who won the title in a spectacular overtime match with England. In 2005 Argentina were invited and sent their A side, which provided great entertainment for the fans and a true test of rugby for the founding Nations in the Churchill Cup. Beyond 2005 there was talk of further expanding the event to perhaps six Nations, with three invitational sides participating. This expansion indeed occurred in 2006.
There is further talk of expanding to eight nations which could allow teams like Romania, Russia, France A
France A national rugby union team
The France A national rugby union team, known previously as France XV national rugby union team and France B national rugby union team, are the second national rugby union team behind the French national side.-History:...
and Italy A
Italy A national rugby union team
The Italy A national rugby union team are the second national rugby union team in Italy after the national side. They compete every year in the IRB Nations Cup.-Fixtures:IRB Nations Cup 2010...
.There is also a possibility of the tournament being held in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
; in which case the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
national team (due to be spun off from the Arabian Gulf team in late 2010) would participate.
Purpose
North American rugby has often despaired in the lack of high quality competition in the continent. As other countries participate in the annual Tri-Nations or Six Nations tournaments, Canada and the US are left to schedule one off invitational games with other Nations, subject to other nations being able to accommodate such games in their schedules. In the Men's competition, the middle-power Canadian and American sides can test their mettle against some of the best players England and Ireland has to offer, and now New Zealand and Argentina with the inclusion of an invitational side. The competition also allows England and Ireland to develop players who do not regularly participate in the national squad.Logistics
The 2003 inaugural tournament was played in Vancouver at Thunderbird StadiumThunderbird Stadium
Thunderbird Stadium is an outdoor stadium on the University Endowment Lands of British Columbia, west of Vancouver's city limits. It is used primarily for soccer and football by the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. It seats 3,500 in the main grandstand...
. The 2004 Churchill Cup traveled east across the Canadian Rockies to Alberta where games were played in Calgary on the opening weekend and Edmonton for the finals. For 2005 the Churchill Cup was played entirely at Edmonton's 60,000 seat Commonwealth Stadium. The same was initially contemplated for 2006 and 2007, but that plan changed due to the expansion of the tournament in 2006 and logistical issues related to the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Teams
The three founding members (Rugby CanadaRugby Canada
Rugby Canada, is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in Canada. Rugby Canada was incorporated in 1974, and stems from the Canadian Rugby Football Union, a body established in 1884 that now governs amateur Canadian football as Football Canada; and the now-defunct Rugby Union of...
, USA Rugby
USA Rugby
USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. It is divided into seven territorial Unions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, Southern California, South, and West...
and England Saxons
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
) are permanently placed in the Churchill Cup with three additional teams selected for each tournament year.
(first team) : 2003–2011 (first team) : 2003–2011 (second team) : 2003–2011
The otther: (second or third team, depending on year) : 2005, 2008–2009 (second team) : 2010 (second team) : 2006–2009 (first team) : 2009 (second team) : 2011 (consisting of New Zealand players of Māori heritage) : 2004, 2006–2007 (first team) : 2010–2011 (second team) : 2006–2008 (first team) : 2011 (first team) : 2010
All Time Results Table
| Nation | Number of appearances | Games | Wins | Losses | Best result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8 | 4 | 4 | Runner-Up: 2005 | |
| 9 | 24 | 9 | 15 | Runner-Up: 2010, 2011 | |
| 9 | 25 | 21 | 4 | Champion: 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 | |
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Plate Champion 2010 | |
| 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6th Place: 2009 | |
| 4 | 12 | 9 | 3 | Champion: 2009 | |
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Plate Champion: 2011 | |
| 3 | 8 | 7 | 1 | Champion: 2004, 2006 | |
| 2 | 6 | 1 | 5 | Bowl Champion: 2010 | |
| 3 | 9 | 5 | 4 | Runner-Up: 2006, 2008 | |
| 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4th Place: 2011 | |
| 9 | 25 | 5 | 20 | Runner-Up: 2003 | |
| 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6th Place: 2010 |
Locations
Commonwealth StadiumCommonwealth Stadium (Edmonton)
Commonwealth Stadium is a sports stadium located in the Norwood Area of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, primarily used by the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. The stadium is owned and operated by the City of Edmonton.- History :...
- Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Located in Edmonton, the capital city of Alberta, Commonwealth Stadium is the venue for the Barclays Churchill Cup finals. Commonwealth is also the home of the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
.
Buck Shaw Stadium
Buck Shaw Stadium
Buck Shaw Stadium is a 10,300-seat soccer stadium at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. The stadium is the current home of the Santa Clara Broncos soccer teams and was the former home of the now defunct Santa Clara football team as well as the Santa Clara baseball team. The baseball...
- Santa Clara, California (San Francisco Bay Area)
Named after former Santa Clara football coach, Lawrence T. "Buck" Shaw. The stadium has seen many of that university sporting's achievements. Serving as the home for the Bronco soccer team, the 6,800-seat facility also housed Santa Clara baseball and football historically. Since 2008, it has also been home to the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
Twin Elm Rugby Park - Ottawa
With five rugby fields, 12 changing rooms, two lounges, a bar and spectator seating for hundreds of people Twin Elm Rugby Park is situated in South Nepean, in the City of Ottawa. The facility is home to several local clubs, including the Ottawa Harlequins
Ottawa Harlequins
The Ottawa Harlequins are a Canadian rugby union team based in eastern Ontario. The team plays in the Rugby Canada Super League and draws most of its players from the Eastern Ontario Rugby Union, one of fourteen Rugby Unions that have rep teams in the RCSL.They play their home games at Twin Elm...
, the representative side for Eastern Ontario.
York Stadium
York Stadium
York Stadium is an outdoor football and soccer stadium located at York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the home of the York Lions.-History:...
- Toronto
Toyota Park
Toyota Park (Bridgeview)
Toyota Park is a soccer-specific stadium located at 71st Street and Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview, Illinois. It is the home stadium of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, members of Major League Soccer . Toyota Park was developed at a cost of around $100 million. The facility opened June 11, 2006...
- Bridgeview, Illinois (Chicago area)
Home of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club. Hosted the final of the Churchill Cup in 2008
Infinity Park - Glendale, Colorado (Denver area)
A multi-use facility including a 5,000-seat rugby stadium currently used by the Glendale Raptors. Used for all pool matches in 2009 and 2010.
Dick's Sporting Goods Park - Commerce City, Colorado (Denver area)
Home of the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
soccer team. Hosted all the finals of the 2009 Churchill Cup.
Red Bull Arena - Harrison, New Jersey (New York City area)
Home of the New York Red Bulls soccer team. Hosted all finals in the 2010 Churchill Cup.
Media coverage
In Australia the Churchill Cup is broadcast on Setanta SportsSetanta Sports Australia
Setanta Sports Australia is a sports television channel operating in Australia and is available to homes and businesses across all of Australia...
. In recent years with the tournament in Glendale, CO many games have been broadcast on delay on Fox Sports Rocky Mountain. In 2010 NBC covered the Cup and Plate finals live on NBC Universal.
See also
- 2007 Churchill Cup2007 Churchill CupThe 2007 Churchill Cup was held from May 18 to June 2, 2007. It was the fifth year of the Churchill Cup. Six rugby union teams took part: Canada, England Saxons, Ireland A, New Zealand Māori, Scotland A, and the USA.-Format:...
- Argentina Jaguars
- Canada national rugby union teamCanada national rugby union teamThe Canada national rugby union team represents Canada in international rugby union. They are governed by Rugby Canada, and play in red and black. Canada is classified by the International Rugby Board as a tier two rugby nation. There are ten tier one nations, and seven tier two nations, the...
- England SaxonsEngland SaxonsEngland Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
- Georgia national rugby union teamGeorgia national rugby union teamThe Georgia national rugby union team represents Georgia in rugby union. The team's nickname, The Lelos, comes from lelo burti, a traditional Georgian sport with strong similarities to rugby. Lelo has been adopted as the Georgian word for "try"...
- Ireland Wolfhounds
- New Zealand Māori rugby union teamNew Zealand Maori rugby union teamNew Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
- Scotland A national rugby union teamScotland A national rugby union teamThe Scotland A team are the second national rugby union team behind the Scottish national side.-History:Scotland's status as one of the leading rugby nations in the Northern Hemisphere, made the SRU to field a second team, first known as Scotland XV, and currently as Scotland A, which can play at...
- United States national rugby union teamUnited States national rugby union teamUSA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
- Uruguay national rugby union teamUruguay national rugby union teamThe Uruguay national rugby union team is the representative side of Uruguay, governed by the Unión de Rugby del Uruguay. They have been playing international rugby since 1948. Their jersey is blue and black and they are known as Los Teros. They qualified twice for the Rugby World Cup, in 1999 and...
- Rugby union in CanadaRugby union in CanadaRugby union is a minority team sport in Canada; it is relatively strong as a participation sport, particularly in several hotspots like British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador, but does not attract the same level of spectator support...
External links
- Churchill Cup official site