1978–79 John Player Cup

Tournament statistics
Champions| Leicester Tigers (1st title)
| ← 1977–78 (Previous) | (Next) 1979–80 →

|

The 1978–79 John Player Cup was the eighth edition of England's premier rugby union club competition at the time. Leicester won the competition defeating Moseley in the final.[1] The event was sponsored by John Player cigarettes and the final was held at Twickenham Stadium.[2]

## Draw and results[edit]

### First round[edit]

Team one  | Team two  | Score

|
|

Esher | Gosforth | 3-38
Leicester | Northampton | 29-3
Broughton Park | Orrell | 12-9
Exeter | London Scottish | 15-11
Gloucester | Richmond | 3-3*
Harlequins | Plymouth Albion | 21-9
Hartlepool Rovers | Walsall | 13-0
Havant | Rosslyn Park | 0-19
Ipswich | Matson | 6-14
London Irish | Avon & Somerset Police | 32-7
Wasps | Blackheath | 11-0
Moseley | Liverpool | 22-13
Rugby | Coventry | 12-29
Wakefield | Bedford | 12-27
Birkenhead Park | Sale | 9-6
London Welsh | Bath | 28-18

Progressed as away team*

### Second round[edit]

Team one  | Team two  | Score

|
|

Gosforth | Harlequins | 9-3
Leicester | Broughton Park | 30-7
Richmond | Matson | 22-3
Rosslyn Park | Exeter | 7-6
Wasps | Hartlepool Rovers | 10-6
Bedford | Birkenhead Park | 16-8
London Irish | Moseley | 0-10
London Welsh | Coventry | 21-3

### Quarter-finals[edit]

Team one  | Team two  | Score

|
|

Bedford | Leicester | 12-22
Wasps | London Welsh | 6-3
Gosforth | Rosslyn Park | 7-3
Moseley | Richmond | 27-3

### Semi-finals[edit]

Team one  | Team two  | Score

|
|

Gosforth | Moseley | 3-6
Wasps | Leicester | 7-43

### Final[edit]

[3]

21 April 1979

Leicester| 15-12| Moseley

|
|

Try: Steve Kenney
Con: Dusty Hare
Pen: Dusty Hare 2
Drop: Dusty Hare| | Try: Bob Laird
Con: Richard Akenhead
Pen: Richard Akenhead
Drop: Martin Cooper
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Alan Welsby (Lancashire)

|  |

|

| O | Dusty Hare
| N | Mick Newton
| M | Terry Burwell
| L | Paul Dodge
| K | Tim Barnwell
| J | Les Cusworth
| I | Steve Kenney
| G | Garry Adey
| H | Ian "Dosser" Smith
| F | Steve Johnson
| E | Arthur Hazelrigg
| D | Nick Joyce
| C | Steve Redfern
| B | Peter Wheeler (c)
| A | Robin Cowling
Replacements:
| P | Angus Collington
| Q | Brian Hall
| R | Jim Kempin
| S | Jez Krych
| T | Tim Walley
| U | John White
Coach:
Chalkie White
|  |

|

| 15 | Richard Akenhead
| 14 | Alan Thomas
| 13 | Malcolm Swain
| 12 | Barrie Corless
| 11 | Bob Laird
| 10 | Martin Cooper (c)
| 9 | Chris Gifford
| 8 | Derek Nutt
| 7 | Nick Jeavons
| 6 | Russ Field
| 5 | Barry Ayre
| 4 | John Beale
| 3 | Kevin Astley
| 2 | Gary Cox
| 1 | Bert Greaves
Replacements:
| 16 | Andy Watson-Jones for Corless (30m)
| 17 | Steve King for Nutt (50m)
Coach:

## References[edit]

1. ^ Jenkins, Vivian (1979). Rothmans Rugby Yearbook. Brickfield Publications Ltd. ISBN 0354-09087-9.
2. ^ "Times Archives". Oxfordshire Libraries.
3. ^ "Moseley report". Moseley Rugby.co.uk.

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