2020–21_European_Rugby_Challenge_Cup

2020–21 European Rugby Challenge Cup

2020–21 European Rugby Challenge Cup

Second-tier rugby union competition

The 2020–21 European Rugby Challenge Cup is the seventh edition of the European Rugby Challenge Cup, an annual second-tier rugby union competition for professional clubs. Including the predecessor competition, the original European Challenge Cup, this was the 25th edition of European club rugby's second-tier competition.

Quick Facts Tournament details, Countries ...

The tournament began in December 2020.[1] The final, originally scheduled to be held at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille,[2] took place on 21 May 2021 at Twickenham Stadium.[3]

On 11 January 2021 EPCR announced the competition was suspended temporarily due to new restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] A revised format to finish the tournament was announced on 24 February 2021.[5]

Teams

Fourteen teams will qualified for the 2020–21 European Challenge Cup from Premiership Rugby, the Pro14 and the Top 14, as a direct result of their domestic league performance having not qualified for the Heineken Champions Cup. Although, the two South African Pro14 teams are not eligible.[6]

The distribution of teams was:

  • England: four teams
    • Any teams finishing between 9th and 11th position in the Premiership Rugby that do not qualify for the 2020–21 European Champions Cup
    • The champion of the RFU Championship
  • France: six teams
    • Any teams finishing between 9th and 14th position in the Top 14 that do not qualify for the 2020–21 European Champions Cup
  • Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales: four teams
    • Four teams from the Pro14, excluding the South African teams, that do not qualify for the 2020–21 European Champions Cup
More information Round, Premiership ...

Team details

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

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

Preliminary stage

[[File:
Locations
|1300px|alt=Locations of teams of the European Rugby Challenge Cup.
Red: Competed in pool stage; Green: Entered from Champions Cup.]]
Locations of teams of the European Rugby Challenge Cup.
Red: Competed in pool stage; Green: Entered from Champions Cup.
Main article: 2020–21 European Rugby Challenge Cup preliminary stage

Teams were placed into one of the two tiers, with the higher ranked clubs being put in Tier 1. The nature of the tier system meant that no draw was needed this year. Brackets show each team's ranking and their league. e.g. 9 Top 14 indicates the team was the ninth placed team from the Top 14.

More information Tier 1, Tier 2 ...

The preliminary stage would consist of a single pool of 14 teams. No team would play a team in the same tier and no club would play another club from the same league. Each team was scheduled to play four matches with the top eight teams advancing to the knockout stage. The top eight teams were due to be joined in the round of 16 by the teams finishing between 5th and 8th in each pool of the 2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage.

The revised format announced in February 2021 would see the top 8 teams after 2 pool games advance to the round of 16 along with the eight teams placed between 9th and 12th in each pool of the Champions Cup.[5]

Key to colours
     Top 8, advance to round of 16
     Eliminated from tournament
More information Team, P ...

Last 16 rankings

Key to colours
     Top 8 in Challenge Cup      Champions Cup 17th-24th
More information Team, P ...

Knockout stage

The knockout stage commenced with a round of 16 consisting of the top 8 ranked teams from the preliminary stage and the teams placed between 9th and 12th in each Champions Cup pool. Due to the truncation of the preliminary stage, a draw was used to determine matches in both round of 16 and quarter-finals but no team would 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, Leicester Tigers, London Irish and Ospreys received home advantage.[5]

The draw for the round of 16 and quarter-finals took place on 9 March 2021 in Lausanne, Switzerland.[7]

Bracket

Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
        
England Leicester Tigers 48
Ireland Connacht 32
England Leicester Tigers 39
England Newcastle Falcons 15
Wales Ospreys 24
England Newcastle Falcons 28
England Leicester Tigers 33
Ireland Ulster 24
Wales Dragons 39
England Northampton Saints 43
England Northampton Saints 27
Ireland Ulster 35
England Harlequins 21
Ireland Ulster 57
England Leicester Tigers 17
France Montpellier 18
Italy Zebre 27
England Bath 35
England Bath 26
England London Irish 13
England London Irish 41
Wales Cardiff Blues 35
England Bath 10
France Montpellier 19
France Montpellier 26
Scotland Glasgow Warriors 21
France Montpellier 31
Italy Benetton 25
Italy Benetton 29
France Agen 16

Round of 16

Fixtures were announced on 16 March 2021.[8]

2 April 2021
16:00 CET
Zebre Italy27–35England Bath
Try: Bruno 2' c, 9' c, 22' c
Con: Canna (3/3) 3', 10', 23'
Pen: Pescetto (2/3) 67', 71'		ReportTry: Cokanasiga 14' c
Stuart 40' c
Obano 45' c
Watson 61' c
du Toit 78' c
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Attendance: 0
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
2 April 2021
17:30 BST
London Irish England41–35Wales Cardiff Blues
Try: Loader 30' c
Hassell-Collins (2) 49' c, 74' c
Hepetema 71' c
Rona 79' c
Con: Jackson (5/5) 31', 49', 72', 76', 80'
Pen: Jackson (2/3) 13', 39'		ReportTry: Dacey 16' c
Adams 20' c
Harries 57' m
L. Williams 64' c
Con: Evans (3/4) 17', 20', 65'
Pen: Evans (2/3) 27', 46'
Drop: Evans 77'
Brentford Community Stadium
Attendance: 0
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
2 April 2021
21:00 CET
Montpellier France26–21Scotland Glasgow Warriors
Try: Guirado 38' c
Bouthier 43' c
Con: Lozowski (2/2) 40', 44'
Pen: Lozowski (4/6) 14', 24', 58', 71'		ReportPen: Hastings (5/5) 1', 16', 27', 55', 62'
Thompson (2/2) 70', 73'
GGL Stadium
Attendance: 0
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
3 April 2021
16:00 CET
Benetton Italy29–16France Agen
Try: Duvenage 20' m
Ioane 45' m
Brex 62' m
Padovani 73' m
Pen: Garbisi (3/3) 12', 29', 39'		ReportTry: Hayes 1' c
Con: Verdu (1/1) 2'
Pen: Verdu (3/3) 18', 50', 55'
Stadio Comunale di Monigo
Attendance: 0
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)
3 April 2021
15:00 BST
Ospreys Wales24–28England Newcastle Falcons
Try: K. Williams 8' c
D. Evans 12' c
Botha 70' c
Con: Price (3/3) 9', 13', 71'
Pen: Price (1/1) 56'		ReportTry: Davison 33' c
Penalty try 38'
Robinson 41' c
McGuigan 64' m
van der Walt 66' c
Con: Connon (3/4) 34', 42', 67'
Liberty Stadium
Attendance: 0
Referee: Ludovic Cayre (France)
3 April 2021
17:30 BST
Dragons Wales39–43England Northampton Saints
Try: Hewitt (2) 11' c, 33' m
Screech 26' c
S. Davies 50' c
Brown 60' c
Con: S. Davies (4/5) 12', 26', 51', 60'
Pen: S. Davies (2/2) 6', 43'		ReportTry: Naiyaravoro (2) 36' c, 73' c
Sleightholme 41' c
Mitchell 54' c
Harrison 62' m
Collins 74' c
Con: Grayson (5/6) 37', 41, 55', 73' 75'
Pen: Grayson (1/1) 24'
Rodney Parade
Attendance: 0
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (France)
3 April 2021
20:00 BST
Leicester Tigers England48–32Ireland Connacht
Try: Clare (2) 11' m, 65' c
Porter 14' c
Moroni 27' m
Henry 31' c
Wells 73' c
Wiese 78' c
Con: Henry (2/4) 15', 32'
McPhillips (3/3) 66', 74', 79'
Pen: McPhillips (1/1) 57'		ReportTry: Marmion 6' m
E. Masterson 43' c
Wootton 56' c
Boyle 71' c
Con: Carty (2/3) 44', 59'
C. Fitzgerald (1/1) 71'
Pen: Carty (2/3) 23', 40+5'
Mattioli Woods Welford Road
Attendance: 0
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)[lower-alpha 2]
4 April 2021
20:00 BST
Harlequins England21–57Ireland Ulster
Try: Lawday 31' c
Kenningham 64' c
Els 77' c
Con: Herron (3/3) 32', 64', 78'		ReportTry: McCloskey 7' c
Herring (2) 21' c, 55' c
Reidy (2) 26' c, 69' c
Lowry 33' m
Burns 59' c
Mathewson 65' c
Con: Cooney (5/6) 8', 23', 27', 57', 60'
Madigan (2/2) 66', 70'
Pen: Cooney (1/1) 12'
Twickenham Stoop
Attendance: 0
Referee: Romain Poite (France)

Quarter-finals

9 April 2021
20:00 BST
Bath England26–13England London Irish
Try: McNally 8' c
Stuart (2) 23' c, 31' m
Mercer 67' c
Con: Spencer (3/4) 9', 24', 68'		ReportTry: Creevy 5' c
Con: Jackson (1/1) 6'
Pen: Jackson (2/2) 40', 63'
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 0
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
10 April 2021
12:30 BST
Leicester Tigers England39–15England Newcastle Falcons
Try: Potter (2) 4' m, 80' c
Penalty try (2) 13', 75'
Moroni 46' c
Con: McPhillips (1/2) 47'
Ford (1/1) 80+1'
Pen: McPhillips (1/1) 17'
Ford (1/1) 56'		ReportTry: Wacokecoke 32' m
Penny 48' c
Con: Connon (1/2) 50'
Pen: Connon (1/1) 9'
Mattioli Woods Welford Road
Attendance: 0
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
10 April 2021
20:00 BST
Northampton Saints England27–35Ireland Ulster
Try: Mitchell 4' c
Freeman (2) 32' m, 34' c
Sleightholme 58' m
Con: Francis (2/4) 6', 35'
Pen: Francis (1/1) 16'		ReportTry: Penalty try 11'
Herring 24' c
M. Moore 46' c
Cooney 61' c
Stockdale 72' c
Con: Cooney (4/4) 25', 47', 62', 73'
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 0
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (France)
10 April 2021
21:00 CET
Montpellier France31–25Italy Benetton
Try: Paillaugue (2) 11' m, 54' c
Willemse 36' c
Con: Paillaugue (2/3) 37', 55'
Pen: Paillaugue (3/3) 4', 29', 60'
Drop: Bouthier 24'		ReportTry: Garbisi 45' c
Con: Garbisi (1/1) 46'
Pen: Garbisi (5/6) 1', 6', 14', 27', 31'
Allan (1/1) 65'
GGL Stadium
Attendance: 0
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)

Semi-finals

The draw for the semi-finals took place on 11 April 2021 at BT Sport's studios in London.[2]

30 April 2021
20:00 BST
Leicester Tigers England33–24Ireland Ulster
Try: Wiese 44' c
Genge 52' c
Porter 73' c
Con: Ford (3/3) 44', 54', 75'
Pen: Ford (3/4) 6', 19', 49'
Drop: Ford 58'		ReportTry: Henderson 15' c
Burns 21' c
Timoney 67' c
Con: Cooney (2/2) 16', 22'
Lowry (1/1) 68'
Pen: Cooney (1/1) 9'
Mattioli Woods Welford Road
Attendance: 0
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)
1 May 2021
20:00 BST
Bath England10–19France Montpellier
Try: Dunn 2' c
Con: B. Spencer (1/1) 3'
Pen: B. Spencer (1/2) 26'		ReportTry: Camara 22' c
Con: Paillaugue (1/1) 23'
Pen: Paillaugue (3/5) 19', 31', 36'
Pollard (1/1) 79'
Recreation Ground
Attendance: 0
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)

Final

21 May 2021
20:00
Leicester Tigers England17–18France Montpellier
Try: Wells 32' c
Wiese 46' c
Con: Ford (2/2) 34', 47'
Pen: Ford (1/2) 8'		ReportTry: Rattez 13' c
Goosen 57' m
Con: Paillaugue (1/2) 14'
Pen: Paillaugue (2/3) 16', 50'
Twickenham Stadium
Attendance: 10,000[lower-alpha 3]
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
FB15England Freddie Steward
RW14England Guy Porterdownward-facing red arrow 19'
OC13Argentina Matías Moroni
IC12England Dan Kelly
LW11Fiji Nemani Nadolodownward-facing red arrow 68'
FH10England George Ford
SH9England Richard Wigglesworthdownward-facing red arrow 45'
N88South Africa Jasper Wiese
OF7South Africa Cyle Brinkdownward-facing red arrow 29'
BF6South Africa Hanro Liebenberg
RL5England Calum Greendownward-facing red arrow 77'
LL4England Harry Wellsdownward-facing red arrow 60'
TP3England Dan Coledownward-facing red arrow 52'
HK2England Tom Youngs (c)downward-facing red arrow 52'
LP1England Ellis Gengedownward-facing red arrow 65'
Substitutions:
HK16England Charlie Clareupward-facing green arrow 52'
PR17South Africa Luan de Bruinupward-facing green arrow 65'
PR18England Joe Heyesupward-facing green arrow 52'
LK19Scotland Cameron Hendersonupward-facing green arrow 77'
FL20Wales Tommy Reffellupward-facing green arrow 29'
SH21England Ben Youngsupward-facing green arrow 45'
FH22England Zack Henryupward-facing green arrow 68'
WG23Fiji Kini Murimurivaluupward-facing green arrow 19'
Coach:
England Steve Borthwick
FB15France Anthony Bouthier
RW14France Arthur Vincentdownward-facing red arrow 43'
OC13South Africa Johan Goosen
IC12South Africa Jan Serfonteindownward-facing red arrow 63'
LW11France Vincent Rattez
FH10England Alex Lozowski
SH9France Benoît Paillauguedownward-facing red arrow 62'
N88France Alexandre Bécognéeyellow card 29' to 40'downward-facing red arrow 52'upward-facing green arrow 55'
OF7France Yacouba Camara
BF6France Fulgence Ouedraogodownward-facing red arrow 25'
RL5France Paul Willemsedownward-facing red arrow 77'
LL4France Florian Verhaeghedownward-facing red arrow 67'
TP3France Mohamed Haouasdownward-facing red arrow 65'
HK2France Guilhem Guirado (c)yellow card 44' to 54'downward-facing red arrow 65'
LP1France Enzo Forletta
Substitutions:
HK16South Africa Bismarck du Plessisupward-facing green arrow 52'downward-facing red arrow 55'upward-facing green arrow 65'
PR17South Africa Robert Rodgers
PR18United States Titi Lamositeleupward-facing green arrow 65'
LK19Canada Tyler Duguidupward-facing green arrow 77'
FL20South Africa Jacques du Plessisupward-facing green arrow 25'
SH21South Africa Cobus Reinachupward-facing green arrow 62'
FH22South Africa Handré Pollardupward-facing green arrow 63'
CE23France Gabriel N'Gandebeupward-facing green arrow 43'
Coach:
France Philippe Saint-André

See also

Notes

  1. Hill was named as Worcester's club captain in July 2020, with Matt Moulds serving as team captain.
  2. Replaces Pascal Gaüzère who was originally appointed to the fixture but changed to Jones on 26 March
  3. Capacity limited to 10,000 due to national restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

  1. [1]
    "New EPCR dates for 2019/20 announced". European Professional Club Rugby. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  2. [2]
    "EPCR statement – 2021 Marseille finals and semi-final matches". European Professional Club Rugby. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  3. [3]
    "Twickenham Stadium to host 2021 EPCR finals". European Professional Club Rugby. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  4. [4]
    "EPCR tournaments temporarily suspended". European Professional Club Rugby. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  5. [5]
    "Revised EPCR tournament formats for 2020/21 season announced". European Professional Club Rugby. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  6. [6]
    "New EPCR tournament formats agreed for 2020/21 season". European Professional Club Rugby. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  7. [7]
    "All you need to know about the European Rugby Challenge Cup knockout stage draws". European Professional Club Rugby. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  8. [8]
    "Challenge Cup Round of 16 fixture dates announced". European Professional Club Rugby. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
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