European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) has confirmed that the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup will be returning to a multi-pool format for the 2023/2024 season.
The structural change follows the historic first season with South African sides and is welcomed with the two-pool format lacking clarity for fans.
Both competitions will be played over eight weekends with four pool stage rounds and four playoff rounds which will result in the best teams making it to the 2024 finals at the Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium in London.
Pleased with the changes
EPCR Chairman Dominic McKay was pleased to announce the changes and believes the new structure is a result of close communication and discussion with stakeholders.
“We are delighted to announce the new formats for the 2023/24 season. We’ve been working hard with our Leagues and key stakeholders to ensure we have the right competition structures – for players and clubs – but also crucially for supporters,” McKay said.
“Our focus has always been to ensure that everyone can easily understand, engage with and follow our tournaments, and also to ensure we have a structure that creates real sporting jeopardy in as many matches as possible.
“We reached this conclusion following a thorough process during which we engaged with stakeholders in a meaningful way – not just our Leagues and unions, but also with our broadcasters, partners and around 1,000 rugby enthusiasts in order to canvass their views.
“We will continue to work with our stakeholders to look at ways in which we can improve both tournaments, an objective which is at the heart of our strategy and commitment to fans, clubs and partners.
“Our competitions truly are the pinnacle of professional club rugby, and we have to ensure that they continue to engage and to enthrall existing and new audiences along the way.”
Champions Cup
24 clubs will compete in the Champions Cup, with eighth from the United Rugby Championship (URC), Top14 and Premiership.
Champions Cup holders, La Rochelle and league winners Munster and Saracens will be joined by the Top14 league winners in Tier 1. That is unless La Rochelle wins the league title, in which case European runners-up Leinster will be elevated to the top tier.
Tier 2 consists of the remaining 20 clubs, which will be allocated into the pools in an ‘open’ draw considering the following conditions:
-A maximum of two teams from the same league in a pool.
-Teams from the same URC shield cannot be in the same pool.
-No matches will be played between clubs from the same league; four matches will be played against four clubs from different leagues.
Once the pool stage is completed, the top four from each pool advance to the last-16, whilst the fifth-placed teams move into the Challenge Cup.
Challenge Cup
18 teams initially contest the Challenge Cup and will be divided into three pools of six where clubs from the same URC shield, Premiership and the two invitees will be kept apart.
Same-league matches will be kept to a minimum, with four games being played in the group stage, with the top four from each group advancing to the playoffs.
The pool draws will take place at the Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium on June 21.
2023/24 CHAMPIONS CUP QUALIFIERS
TOP 14 – Stade Rochelais, Stade Toulousain, Racing 92, Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Lyon, Stade Français Paris, RC Toulon, Aviron Bayonnais
PREMIERSHIP – Saracens, Sale Sharks, Leicester Tigers, Northampton Saints, Harlequins, Exeter Chiefs, Bath Rugby, Bristol Bears (replacing London Irish)
UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP – Munster Rugby, Stormers, Leinster Rugby, Ulster Rugby, Glasgow Warriors, Bulls, Connacht Rugby, Cardiff Rugby
2023/24 EPCR CHALLENGE CUP QUALIFIERS
UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP – Sharks, Lions, Benetton Rugby, Edinburgh Rugby, Ospreys, Scarlets, Dragons RFC, Zebre Parma
TOP 14 – Castres Olympique, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Montpellier Herault Rugby, Section Paloise, USAP, Oyonnax Rugby
PREMIERSHIP – Gloucester Rugby, Newcastle Falcons
INVITED – Two clubs to be confirmed
2023/24 WEEKENDS
Round 1 – 8/9/10 December 2023
Round 2 – 15/16/17 December 2023
Round 3 – 12/13/14 January 2024
Round 4 – 19/20/21 January 2024
Round of 16 – 5/6/7 April 2024
Quarter-finals – 12/13/14 April 2024
Semi-finals – 3/4/5 May 2024
EPCR Challenge Cup final – Friday 24 May 2024, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Champions Cup final – Saturday 25 May 2024, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
READ MORE: ‘If I had known, I would have made a different decision’ – Warren Gatland
The article EPCR confirms highly-anticipated format revamp for European competitions appeared first on Planetrugby.com.
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