Counting down the minutes.

How it works

The British & Irish Cup 2009-10 is a new 24 team competition played between the following:

•12 English Championship clubs (Bedford, Birmingham & Solihull, Bristol Rugby, Cornish Pirates, Coventry, Doncaster, Exeter Chiefs, London Welsh, Moseley, Nottingham Rugby, Plymouth Albion, Rotherham Titans)

•top 6 finishers in the 2008-9 Welsh Principality Premiership clubs (Aberavon, Cardiff, Llanelli, Neath, Newport, Pontypridd)

•3 Irish provinces - Munster, Leinster and Ulster

•3 Scottish teams - top two finishers in Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership Division 1 (champions Ayr and runners-up Heriot's) and Gael Force - a team drawn from Edinburgh and Glasgow and members of Scottish Rugby's National Academy

Pool Stages

•4 pools of 6 playing once (5 matches)

•pools based on travel/geography with the aim of maximising local interest and minimising cost to teams and supporters
•4 points for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 bonus point for either a) scoring 4 or more tries or b) losing by 7 points or less

•pool matches scheduled for November 7 and 28, February 13, February 27, March 13 (all dates to be confirmed)

•pool winners progress to knockout stage

Semi finals and final

•4 pool winners progress to semi finals and final

•Semi finals scheduled for April 24, final for May 15