The update: What now in the cup?

Last season, after the group stage of the Championship Cup, Coventry progressed through the knockout states - the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, to the final at Ealing Trailfinders, losing narrowly there. What are Coventry's prospects this season, as the group stage comes to an end?

First of all, we won't get through to the quarter finals - there are none. As the Championship grew back to twelve teams from eleven, each team gained two matches in the league, one home and one away, and so the RFU cut the quarter final round from the cup, going instead directly to two semi-finals involving four teams.

So, with the group stages having been in three groups of four, the semi-finals will involve the three group winners, and the best performing second placed team.

Coventry are in group 2, currently in second place on 16 points, behind Doncaster on 20. To progress as group winners we would have to beat London Scottish on Friday, ideally with 5 league points (otherwise it gets complicated), and Doncaster have to lose at Bedford on Saturday, ideally with 0 league points.

The other teams in our group cannot catch Coventry or Doncaster.

The alternative route for Coventry to progress would be as the best second place, so this is where the other groups can affect us.

In group one, Ealing Trailfinders are currently on 21 points and Jersey 20. For Coventry to overtake either one, they would  need to lose: either Ealing away to Hartpury, or Jersey at home to Nottingham, both matches, like Coventry on Friday night. Added to this Coventry would need to win, as previously. This route seems unlikely - whichever of Ealing or Jersey is second in this group will almost certainly go through as the best place loser to play Cornish Pirates, as the winners of group 3.

Finishing off on group 1, neither of the other teams can progress, even if they get a shock result against the group leaders.

Finally to group 3. Cornish Pirates have already won the group, and go through. Ampthill are in a similar position to Coventry, would need similar results to Coventry, and would also need a good win against Cornish Pirates in Ampthill next Saturday.

So, it's odds on it will all be decided next Friday night. Apart from our own team winning well, with a faint chance we may be hanging on for the Bedford result on Saturday.

Then we have a week off to regrow chewed finger nails.