2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage
The 2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage is the first stage of the 26th season of European club rugby union, and the seventh under the European Rugby Champions Cup format. 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.[1] EPCR chief Vincent Gaillard confirmed the 24-team tournament in August 2020.[2]
Red: Pool A; 
Blue: Pool B. The competition was suspended on 11 January 2021.[3]
Seeding
[edit]For the purposes of the pool draw, the 24 clubs were separated into tiers based on their league finishing position, and clubs from the same league in the same tier were not drawn into the same pool. The number 1 and number 2 ranked clubs from each league are in Tier 1, the number 3 and number 4 ranked clubs are in Tier 2, the number 5 and 6 ranked clubs are in Tier 3, and the number 7 and number 8 ranked clubs are in Tier 4.[4]
Pool play will feature the Tier 1 teams playing the Tier 4 teams in their pool (that are not from the same league) twice in a home and away manner, while the Tier 2 and 3 clubs will follow in a similar manner.
The four teams from each pool with the best points will qualify for the knockout stage. Teams finishing 5th through 8th after pool play will join the Challenge Cup at the round of 16 stage (joining eight qualifiers from the Challenge Cup pool stage) In total, eight weekends of play will be provided for, one less than in previous seasons.
| Tier | Rank | Top 14 | Premiership | Pro14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |  Bordeaux Bègles |  Exeter Chiefs |  Leinster |
| 2 | Lyon | Wasps | Ulster | |
| 2 | 3 | Racing 92 | Bristol Bears |  Edinburgh |
| 4 | Toulon | Bath | Munster | |
| 3 | 5 | La Rochelle | Sale Sharks |  Scarlets |
| 6 | Clermont | Harlequins | Connacht | |
| 4 | 7 | Toulouse | Gloucester | Glasgow Warriors |
| 8 | Montpellier | Northampton Saints | Dragons |
Pool stage
[edit]The draw took place on 28 October 2020, at the Maison du Sport International in Lausanne, Switzerland.[5]
Teams in the same pool play two other teams twice, at home and away, in the group stage that began on the weekend of 11–13 December 2020, and ended prematurely on 18–20 December 2020. The top four teams in each pool progress to the quarter-finals, with the teams ranked 5-8 progressing to the 2020–21 European Rugby Challenge Cup round of 16.
Teams are awarded group points based on match performances. Four points are awarded for a win, two points for a draw, one attacking bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match and one defensive bonus point for losing a match by seven points or fewer.[6]
In the event of a tie between two or more teams, the following tie-breakers are used, as directed by EPCR:
- Where teams have played each other
- The club with the greater number of competition points from only matches involving tied teams.
- If equal, the club with the best aggregate points difference from those matches.
- If equal, the club that scored the most tries in those matches.
- Where teams remain tied and/or have not played each other in the competition (i.e. are from different pools)
- The club with the best aggregate points difference from the pool stage.
- If equal, the club that scored the most tries in the pool stage.
- If equal, the club with the fewest players suspended in the pool stage.
- If equal, the drawing of lots will determine a club's ranking.
| Top 4 of each pool, advance to quarter-finals | |
| Teams 5–8 in pool advance to 2020–21 European Rugby Challenge Cup round of 16. |
(C) denotes the team has qualified for the Champions Cup quarter-finals
(Q) denotes the team has qualified for the Challenge Cup quarter-finals
(q) denotes team has at least qualified for the quarter-finals of one of the tournaments
Pool A
[edit]| P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leinster | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 33 | +37 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Wasps | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 22 | +35 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Bordeaux Bègles | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 20 | +43 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| La Rochelle | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 8 | +33 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Scarlets | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 19 | +32 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Edinburgh | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 28 | -4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Toulon | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 42 | -16 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Sale Sharks | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 42 | -13 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Northampton Saints | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 51 | -20 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Bath | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 51 | -32 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Montpellier | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 68 | -40 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dragons | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 71 | -55 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Round 1
[edit]| 11 December 2020 17:30 |
| (1 BP) Northampton Saints | 12–16 | Bordeaux Bègles |
| Pen: Biggar (4/4) 7', 13', 27', 45' | Report | Try: Cordero 74' c Con: Jalibert (1/1) 75' Pen: Botica (3/4) 25', 36', 40' +2 |
| Franklin's Gardens Attendance: 2,000[a] Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales) |
| 12 December 2020 16:15 |
| Toulon | 26–14 | Sale Sharks |
| Try: Villière 29' c Moyano 56' c Con: Carbonel (2/2) 30', 57' Pen: Carbonel (4/4) 21', 27', 40'+1, 45' | Report | Try: Yarde 66' c Phillips 70' c Con: MacGinty (2/2) 67', 71' |
| Stade Mayol Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland) |
| 12 December 2020 15:15 |
| (1 BP) Bath | 19–23 | Scarlets |
| Try: McConnochie 19' m Stuart 53' m Pen: Spencer (3/3) 3', 26', 35' | Report | Try: G. Davies 8' c Hardy 65' c Con: Halfpenny (2/2) 9', 65' Pen: Halfpenny (3/4) 33', 47', 76' |
| Recreation Ground Attendance: 2,000[a] Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (France) |
| 12 December 2020 17:30 |
| Dragons | 8–24 | Wasps (1 BP) |
| Try: Holmes 50' m Pen: S. Davies (1/3) 24' | Report | Try: Cruse 20' m Robson 30' c J. Willis 70' m Young 73' m Con: Gopperth (2/4) 30', 74' |
| Rodney Parade Referee: Romain Poite (France) |
| 12 December 2020 18:30 |
| Montpellier | 14–35 | Leinster (1 BP) |
| Try: N'Gandebe 77' m Pen: Paillaugue (3/3) 21', 33', 43' | Report | Try: van der Flier 5' m Frawley 26' m Kearney 36' c Leavy 69' m O'Brien 80' c Con: R. Byrne (1/3) 37' H. Byrne (1/2) 80' +1 Pen: R. Byrne (1/1) 11' H. Byrne (1/1) 64' |
| GGL Stadium Referee: Karl Dickson (England) |
| 12 December 2020 20:00 |
| (1 BP) Edinburgh | 8–13 | La Rochelle |
| Try: Kinghorn 52' m Pen: van der Walt (1/1) 38' | Report | Try: Rhule 25' m Sinzelle 43' m Pen: Plisson (1/2) 12' |
| BT Murrayfield Referee: Luke Pearce (England) |
Round 2
[edit]| 18 December 2020 17:30 |
| (1 BP) Scarlets | Cancelled[b] 28–0 | Toulon |
| Parc y Scarlets Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) |
| 18 December 2020 20:00 |
| (1 BP) Wasps | 33–14 | Montpellier |
| Try: Barbeary (2) 23' m, 63' c Gaskell 28' c Odogwu 50' c Atkinson 80' m Con: Gopperth (3/4) 28', 51', 63' Atkinson (1/1) 80'+1 | Report | Try: Lozowski 32' c Reilhac 46' c Con: Paillaugue (2/2) 33', 47' |
| Ricoh Arena Attendance: 0[c] Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland) |
| 19 December 2020 13:00 |
| Leinster | 35–19 | Northampton Saints |
| Try: Murphy 3' c Healy 16' c Kearney 40'+2 m Gibson-Park 43' c Con: R. Byrne (3/4) 4', 17', 44' Pen: R. Byrne (3/3) 28', 61', 72' | Report | Try: Dingwall 22' c James 35' c Isiekwe 44' m Con: Hutchinson (2/3) 22', 35' |
| RDS Arena Referee: Pierre Brousset (France) |
| 19 December 2020 16:15 |
| (1 BP) La Rochelle | Cancelled[d] 28–0 | Bath |
| Stade Marcel-Deflandre Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales) |
| 19 December 2020 20:00 |
| (1 BP) Sale Sharks | 15–16 | Edinburgh |
| Try: Solomona 13' c Janse van Rensburg 20' m Con: R. du Preez (1/2) 15' Pen: R. du Preez (1/1) 70' | Report | Try: Bennett 52' c Con: van der Walt (1/1) 53' Pen: van der Walt (3/4) 58', 62', 71' |
| AJ Bell Stadium Attendance: 0[c] Referee: Romain Poite (France) |
| 19 December 2020 21:00 |
| (1 BP) Bordeaux Bègles | 47–8 | Dragons |
| Try: Diaby 8' c Jalibert 44' c Cordero (3) 33' m, 42' c, 61' c Lamothe 40'+2 Lam 73' c Con: Jalibert (5/6) 9', 40'+3, 42', 44', 62' Botica (1/1) 74' | Report | Try: Tompkins 70' Pen: Lewis 12' |
| Stade Chaban-Delmas Referee: Christophe Ridley (England) |
The pool stage was temporarily suspended following round 2.[3] It was later confirmed that rounds 3 and 4 would not take place.[8]
Pool B
[edit]| P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyon | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 83 | 10 | +73 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Racing 92 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 29 | +46 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Toulouse | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 22 | +35 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Munster | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 38 | +22 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Clermont | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 82 | 77 | +5 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Bristol Bears | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 65 | 69 | -4 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Exeter Chiefs | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 28 | +14 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Gloucester | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 89 | -41 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Ulster | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 56 | 67 | -11 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Connacht | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 40 | 53 | -13 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Harlequins | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 70 | -56 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Glasgow Warriors | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 70 | -70 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Round 1
[edit]| 11 December 2020 20:00 |
| (1 BP) Ulster | 22–29 | Toulouse (1 BP) |
| Try: Herring (2) 14' c, 57' c Madigan 17' m Con: Cooney (2/3) 15', 59' Pen: Cooney (1/2) 44' | Report | Try: Kolbe (2) 20' c, 65' m Dupont 39' c Arnold 53' c Con: Ramos (3/4) 21', 40', 54' Pen: Ramos (1/1) 77' |
| Kingspan Stadium Referee: Matthew Carley (England) |
| 12 December 2020 13:00 |
| (1 BP) Bristol Bears | 38–51 | Clermont (1 BP) |
| Try: Malins 21' c Byrne 36' c Randall 49' c Lloyd 74' c S. Piutau 78' c Con: Sheedy (3/3) 22', 37', 50' Malins (2/2) 74', 78' Pen: Sheedy (1/1) 43' | Report | Try: Matsushima (3) 4' c, 27' m, 69' c Naqalevu 7' c Penaud (2) 15' c, 53' c Lee 64' m Con: Lopez (5/7) 5', 8', 16', 54', 70' Pen: Lopez (2/2) 39', 45' |
| Ashton Gate Attendance: 0[c] Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland) |
| 13 December 2020 14:00 |
| (1 BP) Lyon | 55–10 | Gloucester |
| Try: Mignot (3) 10' c, 53' m, 62' c Nakaitaci 14' m Rodda 18' c Bastareaud 25' c Ngatai 43' c Cretin 74' c Con: Wisniewski (5/7) 11', 19', 25', 45', 64' Berdeu (1/1) 74' Pen: Wisniewski (1/1) 47' | Try: Nagle-Taylor 20' c Con: Barton (1/1) 21' Pen: Barton (1/1) 28' |
| Matmut Stadium de Gerland Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland) |
| 13 December 2020 16:15 |
| (1 BP) Racing 92 | 26–22 | Connacht (1 BP) |
| Try: Colombe 6' c Beale 17' c Taofifénua 24' m Bird 51' c Con: Machenaud (1/1) 7' Iribaren (2/3) 19', 52' | Report | Try: Healy 40'+1 m Wootton 62' c Oliver 76' c Con: Daly (2/2) 63', 76' Pen: Carty (1/1) 12' |
| Paris La Défense Arena Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) |
| 13 December 2020 15:15 |
| (1 BP) Exeter Chiefs | 42–0 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Try: S. Simmonds 13' c Gray 24' c Hogg 42' c Yeandle 54' c Woodburn 66' c Hill 80'+2 c Con: J. Simmonds (6/6) 15', 24', 43', 55', 68', 80'+3 | Report |
| Sandy Park Attendance: 2,000[a] Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France) |
| 13 December 2020 17:30 |
| Munster | 21–7 | Harlequins |
| Try: Penalty try 50' Coombes 70' m Pen: Hanrahan (2/2) 13', 38' Healy (1/1) 63' | Report | Try: Murley 56' c Con: Smith (1/1) 57' |
| Thomond Park Referee: Pascal Gauzère (France) |
Round 2
[edit]| 19 December 2020 13:00 |
| Glasgow Warriors | Cancelled[e] 0–28 | Lyon (1 BP) |
| Scostoun Referee: Karl Dickson (England) |
| 19 December 2020 15:15 |
| (1 BP) Gloucester | 38–34 | Ulster (2 BP) |
| Try: Rees-Zammit 6' c Penalty try (2) 27', 75' Atkinson 42' c Barton 80'+5 c Con: Evans (3/3) 8', 44', 80'+6 Pen: Evans (1/1) 23' | Report | Try: Burns 11' c Cooney 68' c Lowry 53' c Penalty try 58' Con: Cooney (3/3) 12', 54', 66' Pen: Cooney (2/3) 34', 66' |
| Kingsholm Attendance: 2,000[a] Referee: Alex Ruiz (France) |
| 19 December 2020 18:30 |
| (1 BP) Clermont | 31–39 | Munster |
| Try: Raka 1' c Penalty try 7' Penaud 15' c Fourcade 24' c Con: Lopez (3/3) 2', 16', 26' Pen: Lopez (1/1) 61' | Report | Try: Haley 29' c Stander 70' c O'Byrne 78' c Con: Hanrahan (3/3) 30', 72', 78' Pen: Hanrahan (6/6) 5', 9', 20', 44', 53', 58' |
| Stade Marcel-Michelin Referee: Matthew Carley (England) |
| 20 December 2020 15:15 |
| Harlequins | 7–49 | Racing 92 (1 BP) |
| Try: Steele 61' c Con: Smith (1/1) 62' | Report | Try: Thomas 4' c Le Guen 17' c Zebo 42' m Colombe 50' m Taofifénua 58' m Baubigny 71' c Trinh-Duc 77' c Con: Machenaud (2/4) 5', 18' Trinh-Duc (2/2) 72', 78' Pen: Machenaud (2/2) 13', 22' |
| Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 0[c] Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland) |
| 20 December 2020 16:15 |
| (1 BP) Toulouse | Cancelled[f] 28–0 | Exeter Chiefs |
| Stade Ernest Wallon Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland) |
| 20 December 2020 17:30 |
| Connacht | 18–27 | Bristol Bears (1 BP) |
| Try: O'Halloran 57' c Porch 75' m Con: Carty (1/2) 58' Pen: Carty (2/2) 40'+2, 67' | Report | Try: Byrne 35' m Holmes 48' c O'Conor 51' c Lloyd 72' m Con: Sheedy (2/4) 49', 52' Pen: Sheedy (1/1) 79' |
| The Sportsground Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France) |
The competition was temporarily suspended following round 2.[3] It was later confirmed that rounds 3 and 4 would not take place.[8]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c d Spectators limited to 2,000 due to local restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ^ Due to a positive COVID-19 test on the Scarlets team, Toulon chose to forfeit the match on safety grounds.
- ^ a b c d Match played behind closed doors due to local restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ^ Several Bath Rugby players have been required to self-isolate due to COVID-19 and therefore are unable to field a team.
- ^ Due to a number of positive tests for COVID-19 on the Exeter Chiefs team. Several members of Glasgow are forced to self isolate and they are unable to field a team and therefore forfeit the match.
- ^ Due to a number of positive tests for COVID-19 on the Exeter Chiefs team they are unable to field a team and therefore forfeit the match.
References
[edit]- ^ "New EPCR dates for 2019/20 announced". European Professional Club Rugby. 2020-06-25. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
- ^ "New EPCR tournament formats agreed for 2020/21 season". European Professional Club Rugby. 2020-09-02. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
- ^ a b c "EPCR tournaments temporarily suspended". European Professional Club Rugby. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
- ^ "New EPCR tournament formats agreed for 2020/21 season". European Professional Club Rugby. 2020-09-02. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
- ^ "Heineken Champions Cup Pool Draw maps out first steps on road to Marseille 2021". European Professional Club Rugby. 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
- ^ "Champions Cup Rules". epcrugby.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
- ^ "Pool Tables". Heineken Champions Cup. EPCR. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Postponed matches will not be rearranged". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
- ^ "Pool Tables". Heineken Champions Cup. EPCR. Retrieved 29 October 2020.