2015-16_European_Rugby_Challenge_Cup

2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup

2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup

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The 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup was the second edition of the European Rugby Challenge Cup, an annual pan-European rugby union competition for professional clubs. It is also the 20th season of the Challenge Cup competition in all forms, following on from the now defunct European Challenge Cup. Due to the 2015 Rugby World Cup taking place during September and October 2015, the competition began slightly later than usual, with the first round of the group stage, on the weekend of 12/13/14/15 November 2015, and ended with the final on 13 May 2016 in Lyon.[1][2]

Quick Facts Tournament details, Countries ...

Gloucester were the 2014 1–5 champions, having beaten Edinburgh 19–13 in the final.

Montpellier won the cup, defeating Harlequins in the final 26–19.[3][4]

Teams

20 teams qualified for the 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup; a total of 18 qualified from across the Premiership, Pro12 and Top 14, as a direct result of their domestic league performance, with two coming through a play-off. The distribution of teams was:

  • England: 6
  • France: 7
    • Any teams finishing between 8th-12th position in the Top 14. (5 Teams)
    • The champion, and the winner of the promotion play-off, from the Pro D2. (2 Teams)
  • Ireland, Italy, Scotland & Wales: 5 teams
  • Other European Nations: 2 teams

As of 24 May 2015, the following clubs qualified for the Challenge Cup:

More information Aviva Premiership, Top 14 ...

Champions Cup play-off

Main article: 2015–16 European Rugby Champions–Challenge Cup play-offs

The following teams took part in play-off matches to decide the final team in the Champions Cup. The play-off was held between Premiership side Gloucester, as Challenge Cup winners, and teams from the Pro12 and Top 14.

More information Aviva Premiership, Top 14 ...

The play-off was a two-match series, with the winner of the first match progressing to the second, and the winner of that second match qualifying for the Champions Cup. The two losing sides both joined the Challenge Cup.

24 May 2015
15:30 GMT
Gloucester England40–32
(a.e.t.)		Ireland Connacht
Report[5]
Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester
Attendance: 7,633
Referee: Romain Poite (FFR)
31 May 2015
17:00 GMT
Gloucester England22−23France Bordeaux Bègles
Report[6]
Sixways Stadium, Worcester
Attendance: 5,447
Referee: Leighton Hodges (WRU)

Qualifying Competition

Further information: European Rugby Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition § 2014–15

In December 2014, EPCR announced an expanded format for the qualifying competition.

Six teams were to compete in two pools of three. Each team played the other once, either home or away. The winner of each pool then played a two-legged final against last year's qualifying sides, and the winners, on aggregate, took the two remaining places in the Challenge Cup.

Pool 1 play-off

18 April 2015
Rovigo Delta Italy17–17Italy Calvisano
2 May 2015
Calvisano Italy35−7Italy Rovigo Delta
  • Calvisano won the play-off 52–24 on aggregate, and qualified for the Challenge Cup.

Pool 2 play-off

18 April 2015
CSM Baia Mare Romania20–30Russia Enisey-STM
2 May 2015
Enisey-STM Russia33–12Romania CSM Baia Mare
  • Enisey-STM won the play-off 63–32 on aggregate, and competed in the Challenge Cup

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, SF for losing Semi-finalist and QF for losing Quarter-finalist.

More information Team, Coach / Director of Rugby ...

Seeding

The 20 competing teams were seeded and split into four tiers; seeding was based on performance in their respective domestic leagues. Where promotion and relegation is in effect in a league, the promoted team was seeded last, or (if multiple teams are promoted) by performance in the lower tier.[7] So, Pau – who were Pro D2 champions – will be seeded above Agen – who qualified through the Pro D2 play-off.

More information Rank, Top 14 ...

Teams were taken from a league in order of rank and put into a tier. A draw was used to allocate two second seeds to Tier 1; the remaining team went into Tier 2. This allocation indirectly determined which fourth-seeded team entered Tier 2, while the others entered Tier 3.

Given the nature of the Qualifying Competition, a competition including developing rugby nations and Italian clubs not competing in the Pro12, Rugby Europe 1 and Rugby Europe 2 were automatically included in Tier 4, despite officially being ranked 1/2 from that competition.

The brackets show each team's seeding and their league (for example, 1 Top 14 indicates the team was seeded 1st from the Top 14).

More information Tier 1, Tier 2 ...

The draw for the Challenge Cup took place on 17 June 2015 in Neuchatel, Switzerland.[8]

The following restrictions applied to the draw:[8]

  • The 5 pools each consisted of four clubs, one from each of the 4 Tiers.
  • Each pool was required to have one Aviva Premiership club from Tier 1, 2 or 3, one Top 14 club from Tier 1, 2 or 3, and one Pro12 club from Tier 1, 2 or 3 (with the possibility of a second Aviva or Top 14 or Pro12 club coming from Tier 4).
  • If there were two PRO12 clubs in the same pool, they had to be from different countries. (There were 2 Welsh, 1 Irish, 1 Scottish and 1 Italian teams from the Pro12 this year.)
  • Similarly, the two Italian sides (Tier 3 Zebre from the Pro12 and Tier 4 Calvisano from the Qualifying Competition) could not be in the same pool.

Pool stage

Main article: 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup pool stage

The draw took place on 17 June 2015.[9]

Teams will play each other twice, both at home and away, in the group stage, that will begin on weekend of 12/13/14/15 November 2015, and continued through to 21/22/23/24 January 2016, before the pool winners and three best runners-up progressed to the quarter-finals.[9]

Teams will be awarded competition points, based on match result. Teams receive 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw, 1 attacking bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match and 1 defensive bonus point for losing a match by seven points or fewer.[10]

In the event of a tie between two or more teams, the following tie-breakers will be used, as directed by EPCR:

  1. Where teams have played each other
    1. The club with the greater number of competition points from only matches involving tied teams.
    2. If equal, the club with the best aggregate points difference from those matches.
    3. If equal, the club that scored the most tries in those matches.
  2. Where teams remain tied and/or have not played each other in the competition (i.e. are from different pools)
    1. The club with the best aggregate points difference from the pool stage.
    2. If equal, the club that scored the most tries in the pool stage.
    3. If equal, the club with the fewest players suspended in the pool stage.
    4. If equal, the drawing of lots will determine a club's ranking..
Key to colours
     Winner of each pool, advanced to quarter-finals.
     Three highest-scoring second-place teams advanced to quarter-finals.

Pool 1

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: espn.co.uk

Pool 2

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: espn.co.uk

Pool 3

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: espn.co.uk

Pool 4

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: espn.co.uk

Pool 5

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: espn.co.uk

Pool winners and runners-up rankings

More information Rank, Pool Winners ...

Knock-out stage

The eight qualifiers were ranked according to performance in the pool stages, and competed in the quarter-finals, which were held on the weekend of 8/9/10 April 2016. The four top seeds hosted the quarter-finals against the lower seeds, in a 1v8, 2v7, 3v6 and 4v5 format.

The semi-finals were played on the weekend of 22/23/24 April 2016. In lieu of the draw that was used to determine the semi-final pairing, EPCR announced that a fixed semi-final bracket would be set in advance, and that home advantage would be awarded to a side based on "performances by clubs during the pool stages as well as the achievement of a winning a quarter-final match away from home".

Home advantage was awarded as follows:[10]

More information Winner of QF, Semi-final 1 (Home v Away) ...

The winners of the semi-finals would contest the final, at Parc Olympique Lyonnais (called "Grand Stade de Lyon" by EPCR), on 13 May 2016.[2]

Bracket

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
         
1 England Harlequins 38
8 England London Irish 30
1 England Harlequins 30
4 France Grenoble 6
4 France Grenoble 33
5 Ireland Connacht 32
1 England Harlequins 19
6 France Montpellier 26
3 England Sale Sharks 19
6 France Montpellier 25
6 France Montpellier 22
7 Wales Newport Gwent Dragons 12
2 England Gloucester 21
7 Wales Newport Gwent Dragons 23

Quarter-finals

8 April 2016
19:45
Sale Sharks England (3)19–25(6) France Montpellier
Try: Brady 21' m
James 76' m
Pen: Cipriani (3/3) 11', 32', 61'		Report[11]Try: Willemse 14' c
Con: Paillaugue (1/1) 15'
Pen: Paillaugue (6/8) 17', 45', 55', 64', 67', 71'
AJ Bell Stadium
Attendance: 4,557
Referee: John Lacey (IRFU)
9 April 2016
12:45
Gloucester England (2)21–23(7) Wales Newport Gwent Dragons
Try: Morgan 13' m
McColl 63' c
Con: Laidlaw (1/2) 64'
Pen: Laidlaw (3/3) 19', 26', 71'		Report[12]Try: Davies 76' m
Pen: D. Jones (6/6) 9', 16', 32', 39', 44', 54'
Kingsholm Stadium
Attendance: 10,501
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (FFR)
9 April 2016
21:05
Grenoble France (4)33–32(5) Ireland Connacht
Try: Wisniewski 32' c
Dupont 61' c
Diaby 69' c
Con: Wisniewski (3/3) 33', 62', 70'
Pen: Wisniewski (3/3) 20', 37', 40'
Drop: Wisniewski (1/1) 75'		Report[13]Try: Adeolokun (2) 11' c, 28' c
Henshaw 22' m
Healy 42' c
Con: O'Leary (3/4) 12', 29', 43'
Pen: O'Leary (1/1) 53'
Cooney (1/1) 72'
Stade des Alpes
Attendance: 14,077
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
9 April 2016
20:05
Harlequins England (1)38–30(8) England London Irish
Try: Wallace (2) 6' m, 61' m
Care (3) 20' c, 52' m, 74' c
Con: Botica (2/5) 22', 76'
Pen: Botica (3/4) 26', 36', 71'		Report[14]Try: Mulchrone 27' c
McKibbin 44' c
Maitland 50' c
Con: Geraghty (3/3) 28', 45', 51'
Pen: Geraghty (3/3) 13', 24', 33'
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 9,851
Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR)

Semi-finals

22 April 2016
19:45
Harlequins England30–6France Grenoble
Try: Roberts 11' c
Evans 53' c
Lowe 68' c
Con: Botica (1/1) 12'
Evans (2/2) 54', 68'
Pen: Botica (2/2) 6', 17'
Evans (1/2) 66'		Report[15]Pen: Wisniewski (2/2) 15', 26'
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 10,563
Referee: John Lacey (IRFU)
23 April 2016
18:30
Montpellier France22–12Wales Newport Gwent Dragons
Try: B. du Plessis 59' c
Con: Catrakilis (1/1) 60'
Pen: Catrakilis (4/4) 20', 28', 32', 54'
Paillaugue (1/1) 35'		Report[16]Try: Amos 61' m
Meyer 77' c
Con: O'Brien (1/2) 78'
Altrad Stadium
Attendance: 7,692
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)

Final

13 May 2016
21:00
Harlequins England19–26France Montpellier
Try: Yarde 71' c
Con: Botica (1/1) 72'
Pen: Evans (3/3) 4', 31', 34'
Botica (1/1) 77'		Report[17]Try: Mogg 22' c, 47' c
Con: Catrakilis (2/2) 23', 48'
Pen: Catrakilis (4/4) 7', 28', 54', 67'
Grand Stade de Lyon, Lyon
Attendance: 28,556
Referee: John Lacey (IRFU)

Attendances

  • Does not include final as this is held at a neutral venue.
More information Club, Home Games ...

[18]

See also

Notes

  1. Although Murrayfield's full capacity is 67,144, only the lower section of the West Stand, with a capacity of 12,464, is generally opened for Edinburgh fixtures.

References

  1. [1]
    "Key 2015/16 EPCR dates and Champions Cup play-offs : EPCRugby.com | News | European Rugby Champions Cup". epcrugby.com. Retrieved 2015-05-02.
  2. [2]
    "Lyon to host 2016 Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals with Edinburgh chosen for 2017". EPCRugby. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  3. [3]
    "Harlequins 19 Montpellier 26: Quins unable to give Conor O'Shea last hurrah in Challenge Cup final". Daily Telegraph. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  4. [4]
    "European Challenge Cup final: Harlequins 19-26 Montpellier". BBC Sport. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  5. [5]
    "Champions Cup play-off: Gloucester 40-32 Connacht". 24 May 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via www.bbc.com.
  6. [6]
    "European Rugby Champions Cup: Gloucester 22-23 Bordeaux-Begles". 31 May 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  7. [7]
    "Watch the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Pool Draws live : News | ERC | Official Website". ERCRugby.com. 7 June 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-10-31. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  8. [8]
    European Rugby Pool Draws for 2015/16 season - EPCRugby.com
  9. [9]
    "European heavyweights to clash following 2015/16 Pool Draws". EPCRugby. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  10. [10]
    "EPCR Competition Rules". Archived from the original on 2015-04-20. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
  11. [11]
    "European Rugby Challenge Cup (ECPR)". epcrugby.com. Archived from the original on 2016-11-04. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  12. [12]
    "European Rugby Challenge Cup (ECPR)". epcrugby.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-17. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  13. [13]
    "European Rugby Challenge Cup (ECPR)". epcrugby.com. Archived from the original on 2016-06-17. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  14. [14]
    "European Rugby Challenge Cup (ECPR)". epcrugby.com. Archived from the original on 2017-09-18. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  15. [15]
    "European Rugby Challenge Cup (ECPR)". epcrugby.com. Archived from the original on 2016-05-29. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  16. [16]
    "European Rugby Challenge Cup (ECPR)". epcrugby.com. Archived from the original on 2017-09-17. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  17. [17]
    "European Rugby Challenge Cup (ECPR)". epcrugby.com. Archived from the original on 2016-05-17. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  18. [18]
    "European Rugby Challenge Cup 15/16 Home attendance". Rugby Statbunker. 9 April 2016.
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