British & Irish Cup fixtures announced

The 2013-14 British & Irish Cup fixtures have been announced today following confirmation of the Greene King IPA Championship season earlier this week.
The cross-border competition will kick off on the weekend of October 12 with an ‘Exiles’ clash in Oxford between London Welsh and London Scottish.
Across the Irish Sea, current cup holders Leinster A will begin their title defence against newcomers Ealing Trailfinders, who will make their debut in the competition having been promoted from National League One last season.
Following a review at the end of last season, the competition will now involve 24 teams instead of 32 with four Principality Premiership teams will now represent Wales in the competition, joining the 12 clubs of the Green King IPA Championship as well as four from each of Ireland and Scotland.
Selection of the Welsh teams will be based on regional play-offs at the start of next season, with final positions in this season’s Principality Premiership giving teams home field advantage.
The new format will be based on the Heineken Cup with the winner of each group and the two best second ranked from one to eight and qualifying for the quarter-finals which will take place on
RFU Professional Rugby Director Rob Andrew said: “The British & Irish Cup offers up some really traditional clashes between old rivals, and this season promises to be no different. With the revision to the structure and a reduction in clubs, the Organising Committee is confident that this will be one of the most competitive seasons yet in the competition.”
Fixtures
Round 1 (Weekend of October 12)
Pool 1: Leinster A V Ealing Trailfinders, Wales 3 V Moseley
Pool 2: London Welsh V London Scottish, Edinburgh Academicals V Wales 2
Pool 3: Rotherham V Bedford, Wales 4 V Connacht
Pool 4: Plymouth v Nottingham, Munster A V Stirling County
Pool 5: Bristol Rugby v Leeds Carnegie, Gala v Wales 1
Pool 6: Cornish Pirates V Ulster Ravens, Jersey v Ayr
Round 2 (Weekend of October 19)
Pool 1: Ealing Trailfinders v Wales 3, Moseley v Leinster A
Pool 2: London Scottish v Edinburgh Academicals, Wales 2 v London Welsh
Pool 3: Bedford Blues v Wales 4, Connacht v Rotherham
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby v Munster A, Stirling County v Plymouth Albion
Pool 5: Leeds Carnegie v Gala, Wales 1 v Bristol Rugby
Pool 6: Ulster Ravens v Jersey RFC, Ayr vs Cornish Pirates
Round 3 (Weekend of December 7)
Pool 1: Moseley v Ealing Trailfinders, Leinster A v Wales 3
Pool 2: Wales 2 v London Scottish, London Welsh v Edinburgh Academicals
Pool 3: Connacht v Bedford Blues, Rotherham v Wales 4
Pool 4: Stirling County v Nottingham Rugby, Plymouth Albion v Munster A
Pool 5: Wales 1 v Leeds Carnegie, Bristol Rugby v Gala
Pool 6: Ayr v Ulster Ravens, Cornish Pirates v Jersey RFC
Round 4 (Weekend of December 14)
Pool 1: Ealing Trailfinders v Mosely, Wales 3 v Leinster A
Pool 2: London Scottish v Wales 2, Edinburgh Academicals v London Welsh
Pool 3: Bedford Blues v Connacht, Wales 4 v Rotherham Titans
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby v Stirling County, Munster A v Plymouth Albion
Pool 5: Leeds Carnegie v Wales 1, Gala v Bristol Rugby
Pool 6: Ulster Ravens v Ayr, Jersey RFC v Cornish Pirates
Pool 5 (Weekend of January 11)
Pool 1: Leinster A v Moseley, Wales 3 v Ealing Trailfinders
Pool 2: London Welsh v Wales 2, Edinburgh Academicals v London Scottish
Pool 3: Rotherham Titans v Connacht, Wales 4 v Bedford Blues
Pool 4: Plymouth Albion v Stirling County, Munster A v Nottingham Rugby
Pool 5: Bristol Rugby v Wales 1, Gala v Leeds Carnegie
Pool 6: Cornish Pirates v Ayr, Jersey RFC v Ulster Ravens
Round 6 (Weekend of January 18)
Pool 1: Ealing Trailfinders v Leinster A, Moseley v Wales 3
Pool 2: London Scottish v London Welsh, Wales 2 v Edinburgh Academicals
Pool 3: Bedford Blues v Rotherham Titans, Connacht v Wales 4
Pool 4: Nottingham Rugby v Plymouth, Stirling County v Munster A
Pool 5: Leeds Carnegie v Bristol Rugby, Wales 1 v Gala
Pool 6: Ulster Ravens v Cornish Pirates, Ayr v Jersey RFC
Quarter-finals: Weekend of April 5
Semi-finals: Weekend of April 26
Final: Weekend of May 24