The 2016âÂÂ17 Anglo-Welsh Cup was the 45th season of England's national rugby union cup competition, and the 11th to follow the Anglo-Welsh Cup format. The competition returned after a one-year hiatus due to being dropped due to the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England.
The competition consisted of the four Welsh Pro12 teams and the twelve English Premiership clubs arranged in pools of three English and one Welsh team. English clubs were allocated to the pools depending on their final positions in the 2015âÂÂ16 Aviva Premiership. Teams played two home and two away pool matches, with teams in Pools 1 and 4 playing each other and teams in Pools 2 and 3 playing each other. The top team from each pool qualified for the semi-finals. The competition took place during the Autumn International window and during the Six Nations.
Saracens were defending champions after claiming the cup with a 23âÂÂ20 victory over Exeter Chiefs in the 2014âÂÂ15 final at Franklin's Gardens in Northampton. This was Saracens second title in the competition. The 2016âÂÂ17 Anglo-Welsh Cup was won by Leicester Tigers who won their eighth cup title by defeating Exeter Chiefs 16âÂÂ12 in the final held at Twickenham Stoop. Freddie Burns had an excellent tournament for the Tigers, scoring 64 points overall including 11 in the final, to finish as the competition's top point scorer, while Josh Adams was top try scorer with 6 tries from only 2 games for Worcester Warriors.
The points scoring system for the pool stages will be as follows:
62-10 Wasps at home to Worcester Warriors on 13 November 2016
31-6 Ospreys away to Cardiff Blues on 18 November 2016
62-25 Exeter Chiefs at home to Cardiff Blues on 13 November 2016<br> 62-10 Wasps at home to Worcester Warriors on 13 November 2016
Exeter Chiefs at home to Cardiff Blues on 13 November 2016<br> Wasps at home to Worcester Warriors on 13 November 2016
Exeter Chiefs at home to Cardiff Blues on 13 November 2016<br> Wasps at home to Worcester Warriors on 13 November 2016<br> Exeter Chiefs at home to Wasps on 28 January 2017
Harlequins at home to Exeter Chiefs on 5 November 2016<br> Northampton Saints away to Newcastle Falcons on 6 November 2016<br> Bath at home to Gloucester on 27 January 2017
Northampton Saints away to Newcastle Falcons on 6 November 2016
Joe Simmonds for Exeter Chiefs at home to Cardiff Blues on 13 November 2016
Michele Campagnaro for Exeter Chiefs at home to Wasps on 28 January 2017
Joe Simmonds for Exeter Chiefs at home to Cardiff Blues on 13 November 2016<br> Joe Simmonds for Exeter Chiefs at home to Wasps on 28 January 2017
Nick Evans for Harlequins at home to Exeter Chiefs on 5 November 2016<br> Sam Olver for Northampton Saints away to Newcastle Falcons on 6 November 2016<br> Rhys Priestland for Bath at home to Gloucester on 27 January 2017
Sam Olver for Northampton Saints away to Newcastle Falcons on 6 November 2016
Leicester Tigers at home to Northampton Saints on 28 January 2017
Cardiff Blues at home to Worcester Warriors on 4 February 2017
Leicester Tigers
Cardiff Blues