The 1978–79 John Player Cup was the eighth edition of England's premier rugby union club competition at the time. Leicester won the competition defeating Moseley in the final. The event was sponsored by John Player cigarettes and the final was held at Twickenham Stadium.
Draw and results
First round Team one Team two ScoreEsher Gosforth 3-38Leicester Northampton 29-3Broughton Park Orrell 12-9Exeter London Scottish 15-11Gloucester Richmond 3-3*Harlequins Plymouth Albion 21-9Hartlepool Rovers Walsall 13-0Havant Rosslyn Park 0-19Ipswich Matson 6-14London Irish Avon & Somerset Police 32-7Wasps Blackheath 11-0Moseley Liverpool 22-13Rugby Coventry 12-29Wakefield Bedford 12-27Birkenhead Park Sale 9-6London Welsh Bath 28-18 Progressed as away team*
Second round Team one Team two ScoreGosforth Harlequins 9-3Leicester Broughton Park 30-7Richmond Matson 22-3Rosslyn Park Exeter 7-6Wasps Hartlepool Rovers 10-6Bedford Birkenhead Park 16-8London Irish Moseley 0-10London Welsh Coventry 21-3
Quarter-finals Team one Team two Score Bedford Leicester 12-22Wasps London Welsh 6-3Gosforth Rosslyn Park 7-3Moseley Richmond 27-3
Semi-finals Team one Team two ScoreGosforth Moseley 3-6Wasps Leicester 7-43
Final
O Dusty Hare N Mick Newton M Terry Burwell L Paul Dodge K Tim Barnwell J Les Cusworth I Steve Kenney G Garry Adey H Ian "Dosser" Smith F Steve Johnson E Arthur Hazelrigg D Nick Joyce C Steve Redfern B Peter Wheeler (c) A Robin CowlingReplacements: P Angus Collington Q Brian Hall R Jim Kempin S Jez Krych T Tim Walley U John WhiteCoach: Chalkie White 15 Richard Akenhead 14 Alan Thomas 13 Malcolm Swain 12 Barrie Corless 11 Bob Laird 10 Martin Cooper (c) 9 Chris Gifford 8 Derek Nutt 7 Nick Jeavons 6 Russ Field 5 Barry Ayre 4 John Beale 3 Kevin Astley 2 Gary Cox 1 Bert GreavesReplacements: 16 Andy Watson-Jones for Corless (30m) 17 Steve King for Nutt (50m)Coach:
References