Champions Cup revamp set to cut English teams down to 5

[Darc Tiger]

The number of English clubs in the Champions Cup could be reduced from eight to five next year as part of a radical overhaul to streamline the European tournament into a more elite competition.

Telegraph Sport understands that negotiations between key stakeholders are at an advanced stage to make the tournament more prestigious by reducing it from 24 to 18 clubs for the start of the 2024/25 season.

The new format will see 18 clubs split into three pools of six, with each club playing each once except for those clubs which are from the same domestic league.

The three pool winners and the best-placed runner-up will automatically qualify for the quarterfinals, with the next eight ranked clubs facing each other in a ‘barrage’ knock-out round to make the last eight.

The automatic qualifiers will have the advantage of earning a weekend off – EPRC will recompense the clubs for missing out on a home match during the barrage round – and will also have more time to sell tickets and market their home quarter-final.

Another perceived benefit of the concentration of the best clubs in a more streamlined competition is a boost to the status of the second-tier Challenge Cup.

https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fw ... to-five%2F

[ourla]

Makes sense given our reduced league anyway

[No6_Flanker]

Indeed but what is wrong with 16 teams in 4 pools of 4!

[Scott1]

Indeed but what is wrong with 16 teams in 4 pools of 4!

This ^

[drc_007]

Indeed but what is wrong with 16 teams in 4 pools of 4!

Agreed.

[johnthegriff]

Looks of six means 5 matches so presumably luck will decide if your team gets 3 home or just two so clubs can no longer include European fixtures in the season ticket. The Heineken Cup was a wonderful competition it did need a little tweak here and there notably the best loser qualification for knock out stages where advantage went to the pools with notably weaker teams. Four groups of four with top two going through after playing each other home and away would work.
I do think that whatever the format it should be a European competition and not open to South African sides.

[Scott1]

Looks of six means 5 matches so presumably luck will decide if your team gets 3 home or just two so clubs can no longer include European fixtures in the season ticket. The Heineken Cup was a wonderful competition it did need a little tweak here and there notably the best loser qualification for knock out stages where advantage went to the pools with notably weaker teams. Four groups of four with top two going through after playing each other home and away would work.
I do think that whatever the format it should be a European competition and not open to South African sides.

No it doesn't mate because you don't play teams from your own league in the group stages. So if say Sarries are in our group we would only play 4 games. Think that's right

[Scott1]

How will this work though? Very easy if it's 6 from each league then it will be 2 from each league in each group. But our league wouldn't deserve to have 6 teams as its a smaller league. So does that mean that some teams will end up playing less group games than others? Help! Lol

[Tiglon]

Indeed but what is wrong with 16 teams in 4 pools of 4!

Exactly! Why do they insist on trying to make the format complicated?

Rugby keeps banging on about how it wants to grow the game, but seems determined to make it difficult for new fans to work out what the hell is going on.

Even I've given up trying to figure out how each new CC format works every season.

Stop trying to be clever and just keep it simple.

[Old Hob]

Indeed but what is wrong with 16 teams in 4 pools of 4!

Exactly! Why do they insist on trying to make the format complicated?

Rugby keeps banging on about how it wants to grow the game, but seems determined to make it difficult for new fans to work out what the hell is going on.

Even I've given up trying to figure out how each new CC format works every season.

Stop trying to be clever and just keep it simple.

Plus 1.
You're in a pool but you play the teams from another pool...

[Scott1]

Indeed but what is wrong with 16 teams in 4 pools of 4!

Exactly! Why do they insist on trying to make the format complicated?

Rugby keeps banging on about how it wants to grow the game, but seems determined to make it difficult for new fans to work out what the hell is going on.

Even I've given up trying to figure out how each new CC format works every season.

Stop trying to be clever and just keep it simple.

Plus 1.
You're in a pool but you play the teams from another pool...

Thought it was from your own pool in this new monstrosity

[Old Hob]

Sorry Scott, I meant in previous incarnations.

[Hot_Charlie]

Looking forward to the 24/25 unfathomable revamp already.

Good to see them bringing a mainstream sponsor on board that will appeal to the average fan too.

[Offside]

Jeopardy and resurrection! Someone thinks fans will be more engaged if their failing team has another chance in the repechage round. Works for rowing I suppose but baffling for the occasional fan who does not want to think too hard to understand what is the risk and reward for the game they are watching.

[Darc Tiger]

URC switching to purely merit based qualification.

https://www.unitedrugby.com/latest/news ... c-stronger