The North Midlands Vase is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organized by the North Midlands Rugby Football Union and was first contested during the 2005-06 season when Kings Norton became the first winners when they defeated Oswestry in the final at Stourton Park in Stourbridge.[1] The vase is currently open for clubs ranked in tiers 9-10 of the English rugby union system that fall under the North Midlands RFU umbrella, including sides based in Birmingham and the West Midlands, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire, although one club, Dudley Wasps plays in the Midlands Reserve League, and two others, Bredon Star and Ross Wye, are both based in Gloucestershire and play in Gloucester 1 and Gloucester 2 respectively (tiers 9-10). In 2014 the North Midlands RFU introduced a 'Plate' competition for sides eliminated in the early stages of the vase.[2] It is one of three men's club competitions in the region along with the North Midlands Cup (for tier 5-6 sides) and the North Midlands Shield (for tier 7-8 sides).[3]

North Midlands Vase
SportRugby Union
Instituted2005; 19 years ago (2005)
Number of teams21
Country England
HoldersRoss on Wye (4th title) (2017–18)
Most titlesRoss on Wye (4 titles)
WebsiteNorth Midlands RFU

The current format is as a knock-out cup with a preliminary round, first round, quarter-final, semi-final and final which is held at a neutral venue in May (currently Heathbrook, home of Dudley Kingswinford RFC) along with the cup and shield finals. Due to the disjointed numbers of teams several teams have played in the preliminary round. Teams that lose in either the preliminary or first round stage then contest the plate while winners go on to contest the cup proper.

North Midlands Vase winners

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North Midlands Vase Winners[4]
Season Vase Winner Score Vase Runners–up Plate Winner[a 1] Score Plate Runners-up Venue
2005-06[5] Kings Norton 15-10 Oswestry Stourton Park, Stourbridge, West Midlands
2006-07[6] Kings Norton 10-10 (aet)[a 2] Bournville Stourton Park, Stourbridge, West Midlands
2007-08[7] Ross on Wye 26-13 Cleobury Mortimer Stourton Park, Stourbridge, West Midlands
2008-09[8] Ross on Wye 12-6 Evesham Stourton Park, Stourbridge, West Midlands
2009-10[9][10] Evesham 35-15 Yardley & District Stourton Park, Stourbridge, West Midlands
2010-11[11][12] Dudley Wasps 27-18 Edwardian Stourton Park, Stourbridge, West Midlands
2011-12[13] Edwardian 24-12 Market Drayton Heathbrook, Kingswinford, West Midlands
2012-13[14] Old Yardleians 10-5 Ross on Wye Heathbrook, Kingswinford, West Midlands
2013-14[15] Bredon Star 34-7 Woodrush Heathbrook, Kingswinford, West Midlands
2014-15[16] Evesham 10-9 Cleobury Mortimer Redditch 12-12[a 3] Church Stretton Heathbrook, Kingswinford, West Midlands
2015-16[17] Bredon Star 36-7 Redditch Church Streeton 41-26 Greyhound Heathbrook, Kingswinford, West Midlands
2016-17[18] Ross on Wye 23-14 Bromyard Aldridge RFC 13-11 Aston Old Edwardians Heathbrook, Kingswinford, West Midlands
2017-18 Ross on Wye 41-12 Dudley Wasps Yardley & District 28-11 Greyhound Heathbrook, Kingswinford, West Midlands

Number of wins

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Notes

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  1. ^ Plate competition introduced for 2014-15 season for teams that were knocked out of the first round of the North Midlands Vase.[2]
  2. ^ After extra time and with the game still tied, Kings Norton were announced as winners by virtue of scoring more tries (2-1).
  3. ^ Redditch won by penalty kick decider.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Luctonians will start trophy defence with away tie". Hereford Times. 30 June 2005.
  2. ^ a b "North Midlands Cup draws made". North Midlands RFU. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  3. ^ "NORTH MIDLANDS CUP COMPETITIONS". North Midlands RFU. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  4. ^ "NM VASE PREVIOUS WINNERS". North Midlands RFU. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Kings celebrate a Vase win". Worcester News. 10 May 2006.
  6. ^ "Holders retain Nth Mids Vase". Worcester News. 16 May 2007.
  7. ^ "Luctonians 20-3 Hereford". BBC Sport. 12 May 2008.
  8. ^ "RUGBY: ROSS RFC RETAIN THE NORTH MIDLANDS VASE". Wye Not News. 12 May 2009.
  9. ^ "North Midlands Vase Final". Yardley & District RFC. 9 May 2010.
  10. ^ "Yardley & District vs. Evesham". Yardley & District RFC. 9 May 2010.
  11. ^ "Dudley Wasps Win North Mids Vase". Dudley Kingswinford RFC. 15 May 2011.
  12. ^ "Edwardians look for cup hat-trick at Twickenham". Birmingham Post. 12 May 2011.
  13. ^ "Edwardians 24 Mkt Drayton 12". Market Drayton RFC. 13 May 2012.
  14. ^ "Gavin Oates scores but Ross-on-Wye slip to 10-5 defeat against Old Yardleians in North Midlands Vase final". Worcester News. 16 May 2013.
  15. ^ "Bridgnorth and Bredon Star win silverware at county finals day". North Midlands RFU. 11 May 2014.
  16. ^ "NORTH MIDS CU 2014/15 Season". North Midlands RFU. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  17. ^ "Bees win North Midlands Cup in tense final". North Midlands RFU. 8 May 2016.
  18. ^ "Ross win North Midlands Vase". North Midlands RFU. 7 May 2017.
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