USA Rugby Elite Cup
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 | |
| Sport | Rugby union football |
|---|---|
| Inaugural season | 2013 (first and only) |
| Replaced by | USA Rugby Super League |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| Country | United States (USA Rugby) |
| Champions |  SFGG[1] |
| Website | Elite Cup |
The USA Rugby Elite Cup was an American rugby union competition which ran for just one season in 2013. The competition was founded in 2012,[2] replacing the USA Rugby Super League involving top USA rugby clubs.[3] The inaugural Elite Cup tournament began on 16 March 2013, but the competition folded at the end of 2013.[4]
Pool stage
Two pools of four teams play three games, one against each other team in their pool. There is no inter-pool play. The pools are divided geographically, East & West. Four points are awarded for a win and two points for a draw. A bonus point is awarded for a loss by seven points or fewer, or for scoring four tries or more. The top two teams from each pool qualify for the semi-finals. The two pool winners have home field advantage.
Knock-out stage
The semi-finals are East 1 vs East 2 and West 1 vs West 2. The semi-finals are played at the home stadiums of the higher-seeded teams.
