ALES Cup Group

Blackball Rules

The tournament begins with two groups of eight teams. Each team’s final league position determines which knockout competition they enter:

  • ALES Cup – Teams finishing 1st to 4th in Group A and Group B
  • ALES Jug – Teams finishing 5th and 6th in each group
  • ALES Wooden Spoon – Teams finishing 7th and 8th in each group

ALES Cup – Seeded Knockout Format

The ALES Cup bracket will be seeded according to group-stage standings:

  • A1 vs B4 – Winner faces B2 / A3
  • B2 vs A3 – Winner faces A1 / B4
  • B1 vs A4 – Winner faces A2 / B3
  • A2 vs B3 – Winner faces B1 / A4

The higher‑ranked team is the home team in the Quarter Final of the ALES Cup with the Semi Final being played at a neutral venue.

ALES Jug – Knockout Format

The four losing teams from the ALES Cup Quarter Finals will enter the ALES Jug Quarter Finals alongside the 5th and 6th placed team from Group A & Group B.

  • These fixtures will be determined by a random draw with no seeding being used. 
  • The Semi Final being played at a neutral venue. 

ALES Wooden Spoon – Knockout Format

The four losing teams from the ALES Jug Quarter Finals will then join the 7th and 8th placed teams from the group stage to form the Wooden Spoon Quarter Finals.

  • Again, fixtures will be decided via a random draw with no seeding being used.
  • The Semi Final being played at a neutral venue. 

Entry Criteria

Teams are assigned to Group A or B based on the current league positions from Division 1 & Division 2 (Confirmed 20/01/2026)

Rules

Match Format

All matches follow BlackBall rules and are split into three sections:

  1. 5 Singles matches
  2. 3 Doubles matches
  3. 5 Singles matches

Players are locked into their assigned sections, after which the app will automatically randomise the match order.

This ensures a fair draw and prevents stronger teams from strategically front-loading players during the knockout stages.

Note - this is different to how the current league format has been played all year. This format will return for the League but will NOT be used in the Cup.

Monday 01 January 0001
Group A
Pos Entry P W L D F A FD BD RD Points
1 Three Tuns 2 2 0 0 20 6 14 0 2 26
2 NRS 2 2 0 0 20 6 14 0 0 24
3 SS&NR Club 2 2 0 0 16 10 6 0 0 20
4 Egham & Hythe Whites 1 1 0 0 8 5 3 0 0 10
5 Egham & Hythe Youth 2 0 2 0 10 16 -6 0 0 10
6 London Stone 2 0 2 0 7 19 -12 0 0 7
7 Egham & Hythe Ladies 2 0 2 0 6 20 -14 0 0 6
8 Staines Cons New 1 0 1 0 4 9 -5 0 0 4
Match 1 | 03 February 2026
vs
1
Three Tuns
London Stone
3
NRS
Egham & Hythe Ladies
4
SS&NR Club
Egham & Hythe Youth
Match 2 | 10 February 2026
vs
5
Staines Cons New
Three Tuns
6
Egham & Hythe Ladies
Egham & Hythe Whites
7
Egham & Hythe Youth
NRS
8
London Stone
SS&NR Club
Match 3 | 17 February 2026
vs
10
Egham & Hythe Whites
vs
Egham & Hythe Youth
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
11
NRS
vs
SS&NR Club
National Reserve Social Club (Table 1)
12
Staines Cons New
vs
London Stone
Staines Conservative Club (Table 1)
Match 1 | 24 February 2026
vs
2
Egham & Hythe Whites
vs
Staines Cons New
Tue 24 Feb 2026 @ 8:00 PM
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
Match 3 | 24 February 2026
vs
9
Three Tuns
vs
Egham & Hythe Ladies
Tue 24 Feb 2026 @ 8:00 PM
Three Tuns (Table 1)
Match 4 | 03 March 2026
vs
13
Egham & Hythe Youth
vs
Three Tuns
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
14
SS&NR Club
vs
Egham & Hythe Whites
Chertsey SS&NR (Table 1)
15
London Stone
vs
NRS
London Stone (Table 1)
16
Egham & Hythe Ladies
vs
Staines Cons New
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 2)
Match 5 | 10 March 2026
vs
17
Three Tuns
vs
SS&NR Club
Three Tuns (Table 1)
18
Egham & Hythe Whites
vs
NRS
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
19
Staines Cons New
vs
Egham & Hythe Youth
Staines Conservative Club (Table 1)
20
Egham & Hythe Ladies
vs
London Stone
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 2)
Match 6 | 17 March 2026
vs
21
NRS
vs
Three Tuns
National Reserve Social Club (Table 1)
22
London Stone
vs
Egham & Hythe Whites
London Stone (Table 1)
23
SS&NR Club
vs
Staines Cons New
Chertsey SS&NR (Table 1)
24
Egham & Hythe Youth
vs
Egham & Hythe Ladies
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
Match 7 | 24 March 2026
vs
25
Three Tuns
vs
Egham & Hythe Whites
Three Tuns (Table 1)
26
Staines Cons New
vs
NRS
Staines Conservative Club (Table 1)
27
Egham & Hythe Ladies
vs
SS&NR Club
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 2)
28
Egham & Hythe Youth
vs
London Stone
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
Match 8 | 26 May 2026
vs
29
London Stone
vs
Three Tuns
London Stone (Table 1)
30
Staines Cons New
vs
Egham & Hythe Whites
Staines Conservative Club (Table 1)
31
Egham & Hythe Ladies
vs
NRS
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 2)
32
Egham & Hythe Youth
vs
SS&NR Club
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
Match 9 | 02 June 2026
vs
33
Three Tuns
vs
Staines Cons New
Three Tuns (Table 1)
34
Egham & Hythe Whites
vs
Egham & Hythe Ladies
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
35
NRS
vs
Egham & Hythe Youth
National Reserve Social Club (Table 1)
36
SS&NR Club
vs
London Stone
Chertsey SS&NR (Table 1)
Match 10 | 09 June 2026
vs
37
Egham & Hythe Ladies
vs
Three Tuns
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 2)
38
Egham & Hythe Youth
vs
Egham & Hythe Whites
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
39
SS&NR Club
vs
NRS
Chertsey SS&NR (Table 1)
40
London Stone
vs
Staines Cons New
London Stone (Table 1)
Match 11 | 30 June 2026
vs
41
Three Tuns
vs
Egham & Hythe Youth
Three Tuns (Table 1)
42
Egham & Hythe Whites
vs
SS&NR Club
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
43
NRS
vs
London Stone
National Reserve Social Club (Table 1)
44
Staines Cons New
vs
Egham & Hythe Ladies
Staines Conservative Club (Table 1)
Match 12 | 07 July 2026
vs
45
SS&NR Club
vs
Three Tuns
Chertsey SS&NR (Table 1)
46
NRS
vs
Egham & Hythe Whites
National Reserve Social Club (Table 1)
47
Egham & Hythe Youth
vs
Staines Cons New
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
48
London Stone
vs
Egham & Hythe Ladies
London Stone (Table 1)
Match 13 | 14 July 2026
vs
49
Three Tuns
vs
NRS
Three Tuns (Table 1)
50
Egham & Hythe Whites
vs
London Stone
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
51
Staines Cons New
vs
SS&NR Club
Staines Conservative Club (Table 1)
52
Egham & Hythe Ladies
vs
Egham & Hythe Youth
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 2)
Match 14 | 21 July 2026
vs
53
Egham & Hythe Whites
vs
Three Tuns
Egham & Hythe RBL (Table 1)
54
NRS
vs
Staines Cons New
National Reserve Social Club (Table 1)
55
SS&NR Club
vs
Egham & Hythe Ladies
Chertsey SS&NR (Table 1)
56
London Stone
vs
Egham & Hythe Youth
London Stone (Table 1)
Group B
Pos Entry P W L D F A FD BD RD Points
1 WR Sports A 2 1 1 0 18 8 10 1 1 22
2 Eddies 2 2 0 0 15 11 4 0 0 19
3 Staines Cons D 2 2 0 0 15 11 4 0 0 19
4 WR All Stars 2 1 1 0 15 11 4 0 0 17
5 Sunbury Con Club B 2 0 2 0 12 14 -2 0 1 13
6 Shepperton Sports 2 1 1 0 10 16 -6 0 0 12
7 Jolly Butcher 2 0 2 0 11 15 -4 0 0 11
8 Sunbury Con Club A 2 1 1 0 8 18 -10 0 0 10
Match 1 | 03 February 2026
vs
57
WR Sports A
Eddies
58
Shepperton Sports
WR All Stars
59
Staines Cons D
Jolly Butcher
60
Sunbury Con Club A
Sunbury Con Club B
Match 2 | 10 February 2026
vs
61
Eddies
WR All Stars
62
Jolly Butcher
Shepperton Sports
63
Sunbury Con Club B
Staines Cons D
64
WR Sports A
Sunbury Con Club A
Match 3 | 17 February 2026
vs
65
Eddies
vs
Jolly Butcher
Eddie's Social Club (Table 1)
66
Shepperton Sports
vs
Sunbury Con Club B
Shepperton Sports (Table 1)
67
Sunbury Con Club A
vs
Staines Cons D
Sunbury Con Club (Table 1)
68
WR All Stars
vs
WR Sports A
WR Sports (Table 1)
Match 4 | 03 March 2026
vs
69
Sunbury Con Club B
vs
Eddies
Sunbury Con Club (Table 1)
70
Shepperton Sports
vs
Sunbury Con Club A
Shepperton Sports (Table 1)
71
Staines Cons D
vs
WR Sports A
Staines Conservative Club (Table 1)
72
WR All Stars
vs
Jolly Butcher
WR Sports (Table 1)
Match 5 | 10 March 2026
vs
73
Sunbury Con Club A
vs
Eddies
Sunbury Con Club (Table 1)
74
Shepperton Sports
vs
Staines Cons D
Shepperton Sports (Table 1)
75
WR All Stars
vs
Sunbury Con Club B
WR Sports (Table 1)
76
Jolly Butcher
vs
WR Sports A
Jolly Butcher (Table 1)
Match 6 | 17 March 2026
vs
77
Staines Cons D
vs
Eddies
Staines Conservative Club (Table 1)
78
WR Sports A
vs
Shepperton Sports
WR Sports (Table 1)
79
Sunbury Con Club A
vs
WR All Stars
Sunbury Con Club (Table 1)
80
Jolly Butcher
vs
Sunbury Con Club B
Jolly Butcher (Table 1)
Match 7 | 24 March 2026
vs
81
Eddies
vs
Shepperton Sports
Eddie's Social Club (Table 1)
82
WR All Stars
vs
Staines Cons D
WR Sports (Table 1)
83
Jolly Butcher
vs
Sunbury Con Club A
Jolly Butcher (Table 1)
84
Sunbury Con Club B
vs
WR Sports A
Sunbury Con Club (Table 1)
Match 8 | 26 May 2026
vs
85
Eddies
vs
WR Sports A
Eddie's Social Club (Table 1)
86
WR All Stars
vs
Shepperton Sports
WR Sports (Table 1)
87
Jolly Butcher
vs
Staines Cons D
Jolly Butcher (Table 1)
88
Sunbury Con Club B
vs
Sunbury Con Club A
Sunbury Con Club (Table 1)
Match 9 | 02 June 2026
vs
89
WR All Stars
vs
Eddies
WR Sports (Table 1)
90
Shepperton Sports
vs
Jolly Butcher
Shepperton Sports (Table 1)
91
Staines Cons D
vs
Sunbury Con Club B
Staines Conservative Club (Table 1)
92
Sunbury Con Club A
vs
WR Sports A
Sunbury Con Club (Table 1)
Match 10 | 09 June 2026
vs
93
Jolly Butcher
vs
Eddies
Jolly Butcher (Table 1)
94
Sunbury Con Club B
vs
Shepperton Sports
Sunbury Con Club (Table 1)
95
Staines Cons D
vs
Sunbury Con Club A
Staines Conservative Club (Table 1)
96
WR Sports A
vs
WR All Stars
WR Sports (Table 1)
Match 11 | 30 June 2026
vs
97
Eddies
vs
Sunbury Con Club B
Eddie's Social Club (Table 1)
98
Sunbury Con Club A
vs
Shepperton Sports
Sunbury Con Club (Table 1)
99
WR Sports A
vs
Staines Cons D
WR Sports (Table 1)
100
Jolly Butcher
vs
WR All Stars
Jolly Butcher (Table 1)
Match 12 | 07 July 2026
vs
101
Eddies
vs
Sunbury Con Club A
Eddie's Social Club (Table 1)
102
Staines Cons D
vs
Shepperton Sports
Staines Conservative Club (Table 1)
103
Sunbury Con Club B
vs
WR All Stars
Sunbury Con Club (Table 1)
104
WR Sports A
vs
Jolly Butcher
WR Sports (Table 1)
Match 13 | 14 July 2026
vs
105
Eddies
vs
Staines Cons D
Eddie's Social Club (Table 1)
106
Shepperton Sports
vs
WR Sports A
Shepperton Sports (Table 1)
107
WR All Stars
vs
Sunbury Con Club A
WR Sports (Table 1)
108
Sunbury Con Club B
vs
Jolly Butcher
Sunbury Con Club (Table 1)
Match 14 | 21 July 2026
vs
109
Shepperton Sports
vs
Eddies
Shepperton Sports (Table 1)
110
Staines Cons D
vs
WR All Stars
Staines Conservative Club (Table 1)
111
Sunbury Con Club A
vs
Jolly Butcher
Sunbury Con Club (Table 1)
112
WR Sports A
vs
Sunbury Con Club B
WR Sports (Table 1)
.