The Middlesex RFU Senior Cup is an annual
rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the
Middlesex Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced during the 1971–72 season, with the inaugural winners being
Saracens. It is the most important cup competition organised by the Middlesex RFU ahead of the
Senior Bowl and
Senior Vase. The cup was originally open to all sides in
Middlesex, including such illustrious names as
Harlequins,
Saracens and
Wasps, but after the 1986–87 season and the incorporation of the
Courage Leagues the cup was for limited to the smaller clubs in the county (what were considered 'junior' sides).[1]
The Senior Cup is currently open to the top 8 club sides based in the historic county of Middlesex (London/
Greater London) that typically play between tiers 6–7 of the
English rugby union league system – although only 5 sides entered during the 2016–17 competition. The format is a knockout cup with a first round, semi-finals and a final to be held at one of the finalist's home ground between March–June.[2]