Combi gears up for Cup and Vase draws; Bath U18s draw thriller

The draws for rugby’s Davis Access Bath & District Combination Cup and Vase competitions will be made next week.

The Recreation Ground in Bath | Photo © Pajor Pawel / Shutterstock.com

All of the Combination clubs have been ranked based on their level and 2024-25 final league position.

The top-eight-ranked clubs will contest the Cup.

The other clubs will take part in the Vase. The top-four-ranked of these sides will be drawn separately and will play each other in the quarter-finals.

The draws will take place at 7.15pm on Wednesday 27th August.

In the Cup draw will be Walcot, University of Bath, Keynsham, Midsomer Norton, Frome, Chippenham, Trowbridge and Devizes.

Avon, Combe Down, Corsham and Melksham will be going straight through to the Vase last eight.

The remaining sides in the Vase draw will be Oldfield Old Boys, Old Sulians, Bath Saracens, Avonvale, Westbury, Colerne, Warminster and Bradford-on-Avon.

The Cup and Vase finals will again be played at the Rec, home of Bath Rugby.

Last season’s finals were staged on Wednesday 7th May. University of Bath lifted the Cup by beating Chippenham 29-12 – and Avon won the Vase, seeing off Corsham 31-26.

Meanwhile, Bath Rugby’s Under-18s opened their PREM Next Gen campaign with a dramatic 45-45 draw with Saracens at the StoneX Stadium on Saturday 16th August.

Bath were 21-12 adrift after 18 minutes, cut the deficit to 21-17 by the turnaround and then surged 38-21 ahead thanks to three converted tries in the second period.

The hosts then scored 12 unanswered points, only for a converted touchdown to leave Bath 45-33 up after 56 minutes. However, Saracens responded in kind and then added a five-pointer from the final play to level matters.

Bath will continue their PREM Next Gen season on Saturday 23rd August when they host Harlequins at Chippenham RFC’s Allington Fields (2.30pm; free entry).