2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup

The 2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Heineken Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons)[1] was the seventh season of the European Rugby Champions Cup, the annual club rugby union competition run by European Professional Club Rugby (ECPR) for teams from the top six nations in European rugby. It was the 26th season of pan-European professional club rugby competition.

2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
 France
 Ireland
 Scotland
 Wales
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and knockout
Date12 December 2020 – 22 May 2021
Tournament statistics
Teams24
Final
VenueTwickenham Stadium
Champions Toulouse (5th title)
Runners-up La Rochelle

The tournament began on 11 December 2020. The final, originally scheduled to be held at the Stade de Marseille,[2] took place on 22 May 2021 at Twickenham Stadium.[3]

On 11 January 2021, EPCR suspended the tournament as a result of further public health restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

A revised format was announced on 24 February 2021.[5]

Teams

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic delaying the end of the previous tournament twenty-four clubs from the three major European domestic and regional leagues would compete in the Champions Cup in a one-year exceptional basis.[6] EPCR chief Vincent Gaillard confirmed the 24-team tournament in August 2020.[7][8]

The distribution of teams is:

  • England: eight clubs
  • France: eight clubs
    • The top eight clubs in the Top 14
  • Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales: eight clubs
    • The top four sides (not including the South African sides, which are ineligible for EPCR competitions) in both conferences in the Pro14.

While the 2019–20 Top 14 season was cancelled due to COVID-19,[9] the Premiership and Pro14 resumed in August 2020.[10][11] However, the Pro14 announced in June 2020 that their European representation would be decided by standings after round 13, the final series of games before the hiatus.[12] The following teams qualified for the tournament via their league performance.

Premiership Top 14 Pro14
England France Ireland Scotland Wales

Team details

Below is the list of coaches, captain and stadiums with their method of qualification for each team.

Note: Placing shown in brackets, denotes standing at the end of the regular season for their respective leagues, with their end of season positioning shown through CH for Champions, RU for Runner-up and SF for losing Semi-finalist.

Team Coach /
Director of Rugby		 Captain Stadium Capacity Method of qualification
Bath Stuart Hooper Charlie Ewels The Recreation Ground 14,509 Premiership top 8 (4th) (SF)
Bordeaux Bègles Christophe Urios Jefferson Poirot Stade Chaban-Delmas 34,694 Top 14 top 8 (1st)
Bristol Bears Pat Lam Steve Luatua Ashton Gate 27,000 Premiership top 8 (3rd) (SF)
Clermont Franck Azéma Morgan Parra Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin 19,022 Top 14 top 8 (6th)
Connacht Andy Friend Jarrad Butler Galway Sportsgrounds 8,129 Pro14 Conference B (4th)
Dragons Dean Ryan Rhodri Williams Rodney Parade 8,700 Pro14 Conference A (5th)
Edinburgh Richard Cockerill Stuart McInally Murrayfield 12,464[lower-alpha 1] Pro14 Conference B (1st) (SF)
Exeter Chiefs Rob Baxter Jack Yeandle Sandy Park 13,593 Premiership top 8 (1st) (CH)
Glasgow Warriors Danny Wilson Fraser Brown
Ryan Wilson		 Scotstoun Stadium 7,351 Pro14 Conference A (3rd)
Gloucester George Skivington Lewis Ludlow Kingsholm Stadium 16,115 Premiership top 8 (7th)
Harlequins Paul Gustard
Billy Millard		 Stephan Lewies Twickenham Stoop 14,800 Premiership top 8 (6th)
La Rochelle Jono Gibbes Victor Vito Stade Marcel-Deflandre 16,000 Top 14 top 8 (5th)
Leinster Leo Cullen Jonathan Sexton RDS Arena
Aviva Stadium		 18,500
51,700		 Pro14 Conference A (1st) (CH)
Lyon Pierre Mignoni Baptiste Couilloud
Félix Lambey		 Matmut Stadium de Gerland 25,000 Top 14 top 8 (2nd)
Montpellier Xavier Garbajosa Fulgence Ouedraogo Altrad Stadium 15,697 Top 14 top 8 (8th)
Munster Johann van Graan Peter O'Mahony Thomond Park 25,600 Pro14 Conference B (2nd) (SF)
Northampton Saints Chris Boyd Lewis Ludlam
Alex Waller		 Franklin's Gardens 15,200 Premiership top 8 (8th)
Racing 92 Laurent Travers Henry Chavancy Paris La Défense Arena 30,681 Top 14 top 8 (3rd)
Sale Sharks Paul Deacon Jono Ross AJ Bell Stadium 12,000 Premiership top 8 (5th)
Scarlets Glenn Delaney Ken Owens Parc y Scarlets 14,870 Pro14 Conference B (3rd)
Toulon Patrice Collazo Raphaël Lakafia Stade Mayol 18,200 Top 14 top 8 (4th)
Toulouse Ugo Mola Julien Marchand Stade Ernest-Wallon 19,500 Top 14 top 8 (7th)
Ulster Dan McFarland Iain Henderson Ravenhill Stadium 18,196 Pro14 Conference A (2nd) (RU)
Wasps Lee Blackett Dan Robson
Thomas Young		 Ricoh Arena 32,609 Premiership top 8 (2nd) (RU)

Seeding

The twenty four teams would be broken down into two pools of twelve. Originally, four rounds of inter-pool play was to be followed by a knockout stage, featuring two-legged quarterfinals, and single leg semi-finals and final (to be held in Marseille on 22 May 2021). However at suspension of the tournament in January 2021, only two rounds of the pool stage were completed and the revised format would introduce a round of 16 following these.[5]

For the purposes of the pool draw, the clubs would be separated into tiers based on their league finishing position, and clubs from the same league in the same tier would not be drawn into the same pool. The number 1 and number 2 ranked clubs from each league will be in Tier 1, the number 3 and number 4 ranked clubs would be in Tier 2, the number 5 and 6 ranked clubs would be in Tier 3, and the number 7 and number 8 ranked clubs would be Tier 4.

The pool stage would feature the Tier 1 teams playing the Tier 4 teams in their pool (that are not from the same league) twice in a home or away manner, while the Tier 2 and 3 clubs would follow in a similar manner.[8]

When the revised format was announced, the top eight teams from each pool would qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions Cup and teams finishing between 9th and 12th in each pool would join the Challenge Cup at the Round of 16 stage, joining eight qualifiers from the Challenge Cup pool stage. Due to the suspension in January 2021, only six weekends of play would be provided for, three less than in previous seasons.[5]

Tier Rank Top 14 Premiership Pro14
11 Bordeaux Bègles Exeter Chiefs Leinster
2 Lyon Wasps Ulster
23 Racing 92 Bristol Bears Munster
4 Toulon Bath Edinburgh
35 La Rochelle Sale Sharks Scarlets
6 Clermont Harlequins Connacht
47 Toulouse Gloucester Glasgow Warriors
8 Montpellier Northampton Saints Dragons

Pool stage
Main article: 2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage
[[File:
Locations
|1500px|alt=Locations of teams of the 2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage.
Green: Pool A; Red: Pool B.]]
Locations of teams of the 2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage.
Green: Pool A; Red: Pool B.

The draw took place on 28 October 2020 at the Maison du Sport International in Lausanne, Switzerland. The 24 teams were draw into the two pools as follows, this also shows their opponents.[13] Fixtures were announced on 13 November 2020.

Key to colours
     Top 8 in each pool, advance to round of 16.
     Teams ranked 9th–12th in each pool advance to 2020–21 European Rugby Challenge Cup round of 16

Pool A
Team
 P W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts
Leinster 22007033+37942010
Wasps 22005722+35932010
Bordeaux Bègles 22006320+4381109
La Rochelle 2200418+3361109
Scarlets 22005119+3262109
Edinburgh 21012428-424015
Toulon 21012642-1626004
Sale Sharks 20022942-1343011
Northampton Saints 20023151-2035011
Bath 20021951-3226011
Montpellier 20022868-40310000
Dragons 20021671-55211000

[14]

Pool B
Team
 P W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts
Lyon 22008310+731211010
Racing 92 22007529+461142010
Toulouse 22005722+35832010
Munster 22006038+2255008
Clermont 21018277+5118206
Bristol Bears 21016569-499206
Exeter Chiefs 21014228+1464105
Gloucester 21014889-41612105
Ulster 20025667-1179123
Connacht 20024053-1358011
Harlequins 20021470-5629000
Glasgow Warriors 2002070-70010000

[15]

Knockout stage

The knockout stage will commence with a round of 16 consisting of the top 8 ranked teams from each pool. Due to the truncation of the pool stage, a draw will be used to determine matches in both round of 16 and quarter-finals but no team will face a team from the same league in the round of 16. Teams which won both their matches and were not awarded points due to COVID cancellations would be guaranteed home advantage. Therefore, Bordeaux Bègles, Leinster, Munster, Racing 92 and Wasps will receive home advantage.

The draw for the round of 16 and quarter-finals took place on 9 March 2021 in Lausanne, Switzerland.[5]

Bracket
Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals #Final
        
Wasps 25
Clermont 27
Clermont 12
Toulouse 21
Munster 33
Toulouse 40
Toulouse 21
Bordeaux Bègles 9
Bordeaux Bègles 36
Bristol Bears 17
Bordeaux Bègles 24
Racing 92 21
Racing 92 56
Edinburgh 3
Toulouse 22
La Rochelle 17
Gloucester 16
La Rochelle 27
La Rochelle 45
Sale Sharks 21
Scarlets 14
Sale Sharks 57
La Rochelle 32
Leinster 23
Exeter Chiefs 47
Lyon 25
Exeter Chiefs 22
Leinster 34
Leinster Bye
Toulon

    Round of 16

    Fixtures were announced on 16 March 2021.[16]

    2 April 2021
    17:30 IST
    Leinster Cancelled[lower-alpha 2] Toulon
    2 April 2021
    20:00 BST
    Gloucester 16–27 La Rochelle
    Try: Ackermann 31' c
    Con: Barton (1/1) 32'
    Pen: Barton (3/3) 2', 12', 59'
    		 Report Try: Leyds 8' m
    Retière 22' c
    Con: West (1/2) 23'
    Pen: West (3/3) 17', 48', 55'
    Plisson (2/2) 65', 71'
    Kingsholm
    Attendance: 0
    Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
    3 April 2021
    12:30 BST
    Wasps 25–27 Clermont
    Try: Odogwu 5' c
    Bassett 23' c
    Harris 54' m
    Con: Umaga (2/3) 5', 24'
    Pen: Umaga (2/2) 39', 40+2'
    		 Report Try: Bézy 11' c
    Ravai 17' c
    Matsushima 80+2' c
    Con: Nanai-Williams (1/1) 12'
    Lopez (2/2) 20', 80+3'
    Pen: Lopez (2/3) 52', 67'
    Ricoh Arena
    Attendance: 0
    Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
    3 April 2021
    15:00 IST
    Munster 33–40 Toulouse
    Try: Earls (2) 24' m, 27' m
    Coombes (2) 50' c, 80' c
    Con: Carbery (1/3) 51'
    Casey (1/1) 80'
    Pen: Carbery (2/2) 14', 40+1'
    Hanrahan (1/1) 65'
    		 Report Try: Lebel 42' c
    Marchand 54' c
    Dupont (2) 67' c, 76' c
    Con: Ntamack (4/4) 43', 55', 68', 77'
    Pen: Ntamack (4/6) 3', 16', 30', 75'
    Thomond Park
    Attendance: 0
    Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
    3 April 2021
    17:30 BST
    Exeter Chiefs 47–25 Lyon
    Try: Hill (2) 14' m, 25' c
    O'Flaherty 28' c
    Devoto 38' c
    Ewers 50' c
    Penalty try 62'
    Woodburn 75' c
    Con: J. Simmonds (4/5) 27', 30', 39', 51'
    Skinner (1/1) 77'
    		 Report Try: Couilloud 5' c
    Mignot 8' c
    Cretin 79' m
    Con: Wisniewski (2/3) 6', 9'
    Pen: Wisniewski (2/2) 17', 34'
    Sandy Park
    Attendance: 0
    Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
    4 April 2021
    13:30 CET
    Racing 92 56–3 Edinburgh
    Try: Chat 25' c
    Machenaud 33' c
    Joseph 62' c
    Gogichashvili 66' c
    Thomas (2) 69' c, 74' m
    Trinh-Duc 79' c
    Con: Machenaud (2/2) 26', 34'
    Iribaren (4/5) 63', 67', 70', 80'
    Pen: Machenaud (2/3) 7', 31'
    Gibert (1/2) 56'
    		 Report Pen: Kinghorn (1/1) 13'
    4 April 2021
    16:00 CET
    Bordeaux Bègles 36–17 Bristol Bears
    Try: Jalibert 44' c
    Dweba 70' c
    Ducuing 79' c
    Con: Jalibert (1/1) 45'
    Lucu (2/2) 71', 80'
    Pen: Jalibert (5/6) 9', 15', 21', 34', 40'
    		 Report Try: Purdy 6' m
    Pen: Sheedy (4/4) 13', 17', 26', 55'
    4 April 2021
    17:30 BST
    Scarlets 14–57 Sale Sharks
    Try: Owens 46' c
    J. Morgan 76' c
    Con: Halfpenny (2/2) 47', 76'
    		 Report Try: van der Merwe (2) 16' c, 29' c
    MacGinty 41' c
    Yarde 51' c
    Beaumont 62' c
    Quirke 77' c
    Con: MacGinty (6/6) 17', 31', 42', 53', 63', 78'
    Pen: MacGinty (5/5) 2', 25', 36', 68', 70'
    Parc y Scarlets
    Attendance: 0
    Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

    Quarter-finals
    10 April 2021
    16:00 CET
    La Rochelle 45–21 Sale Sharks
    Try: Alldritt 28' m
    Leyds 36' c
    Rhule (2) 41' c, 51' m
    Doumayrou (2) 61' c, 69' m
    Con: West (3/6) 37', 42', 62'
    Pen: West (3/4) 11', 21', 65'
    		 Report Try: S. James 40+1' c
    McGuigan 76' m
    Con: MacGinty (1/2) 40+4'
    Pen: MacGinty (3/4) 9', 26', 33'
    10 April 2021
    17:30 BST
    Exeter Chiefs 22–34 Leinster
    Try: O'Flaherty (2) 2' c, 7' c
    Ewers 42' m
    Con: J. Simmonds (2/3) 3', 9'
    Pen: J. Simmonds (1/1) 47'
    		 Report Try: Lowe 17' c
    Larmour (2) 28' c, 56' m
    Con: Sexton (1/1) 18'
    R. Byrne (1/2) 29'
    Pen: R. Byrne (5/5) 32', 40', 50', 65', 79'
    Sandy Park
    Attendance: 0
    Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
    11 April 2021
    13:30 CET
    Bordeaux Bègles 24–21 Racing 92
    Pen: Jalibert (8/9) 5', 16', 22', 48', 59', 61', 74', 80+2'
    		 Report Pen: Machenaud (4/5) 2', 25', 44', 53'
    Iribaren (2/2) 67', 79'
    Drop: Gibert 14'
    11 April 2021
    16:00 CET
    Clermont 12–21 Toulouse
    Pen: Parra (4/5) 24', 28', 41', 57'
    		 Report Pen: Ntamack (7/9) 32', 39', 43', 48', 55', 61', 64', 72'

    Semi-finals

    The draw for the semi-finals took place on 11 April 2021 at BT Sport's studios in London. As a result of the pandemic all matches will be held at the designated club's home ground.[2]

    1 May 2021
    16:00 CET
    Toulouse 21–9 Bordeaux Bègles
    Try: Lebel 5' m
    Dupont 71' c
    Con: Ntamack (1/2) 72'
    Pen: Ntamack (3/3) 38', 44', 64'
    		 Report Pen: Jalibert (3/4) 3', 20', 68'
    2 May 2021
    16:00 CET
    La Rochelle 32–23 Leinster
    Try: Alldritt 65' c
    Skelton 73' c
    Con: West (2/2) 67', 75'
    Pen: West (5/6) 15', 32', 36', 46', 56'
    Drop: West 18'
    		 Report Try: Furlong 8' c
    Byrne 77' c
    Con: Byrne (2/2) 8', 77'
    Pen: Byrne (3/4) 20', 26', 52'

    Final
    Main article: 2021 European Rugby Champions Cup Final
    22 May 2021
    16:45
    La Rochelle 17–22 Toulouse
    Try: Kerr-Barlow 72' m
    Pen: West (4/6) 7', 26', 32', 40'
    		 Report Try: Cruz Mallía 59' c
    Con: Ntamack (1/1) 60'
    Pen: Ntamack (5/5) 4', 10', 37', 46', 69'
    Twickenham Stadium
    Attendance: [lower-alpha 3]
    Referee: Luke Pearce (England)

    Notes
    1. Although Murrayfield's full capacity is 67,144, only the lower section of the East Stand, with a capacity of 12,464, is generally opened for Edinburgh fixtures.
    2. Toulon had one non-travelling player resulting positive to coronavirus in the week before the game, and therefore Leinster progressed to quarter-finals.[17]
    3. Capacity limited to 10,000 due to national restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

    See also

    References
    1. "Heineken® Returns as Headline Sponsor of European Rugby Champions Cup". Heineken. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original on 15 October 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
    2. "EPCR statement – 2021 Marseille finals and semi-final matches". European Professional Club Rugby. 2021-03-31. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
    3. "Twickenham Stadium to host 2021 EPCR finals". European Professional Club Rugby. 2021-04-30. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
    4. "EPCR tournaments temporarily suspended". European Professional Club Rugby. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
    5. "Revised EPCR tournament formats for 2020/21 season announced". European Professional Club Rugby. 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
    6. "New EPCR dates for 2019/20 announced". European Professional Club Rugby. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
    7. "Connacht set to play in 24 team Champions Cup Rugby 2020/21". Sports News Ireland. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
    8. "New EPCR tournament formats agreed for 2020/21 season". European Professional Club Rugby. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
    9. "Coronavirus: French Top 14 cancelled, relegation scrapped". ESPN. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
    10. "Premiership rugby return: New faces, new laws, new champions to be crowned". BBC Sport. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
    11. "Bragging rights for Zebre as Pro14 returns in Italy". RTÉ Sport. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
    12. "Target Date Set For Guinness PRO14 Restart". Munster Rugby. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020. PRO14 Rugby has agreed that rankings for European qualification for the 2020/21 season would be decided on the Conference table positions from Round 13. This will include the points awarded to teams whose postponed games in Round 13 have been deemed 0-0 draws.
    13. "Heineken Champions Cup Pool Draw maps out first steps on road to Marseille 2021". European Professional Club Rugby. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
    14. "Pool Tables". Heineken Champions Cup. EPCR. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    15. "Pool Tables". Heineken Champions Cup. EPCR. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    16. "Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 fixture dates announced". European Professional Club Rugby. 2021-03-16. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
    17. "Leinster Rugby v RC Toulon - match result decision". European Professional Club Rugby. 2021-04-02. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.