
RICHARDS BACKS NEW EUROPEAN COMPETITION
Three cross border club competitions have been introduced for the start of the 2014-15 campaign with the European Rugby Champions Cup to replace the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup to be rebranded as the European Rugby Challenge Cup, while there will also be a new tournament called the Qualifying Competition.
“The new structure will undoubtedly benefit everyone – the clubs, supporters, TV and commercial partners and the move can only be good for the game,” said Falcons director of rugby Richards.
He added: “There is a clear merit based route to gaining qualification for the European Rugby Champions Cup and the fact that there will be a third competition as well as the European Rugby Challenge Cup shows that that the game is branching into new markets.
“The agreement is eight years with strong governance over the three tournaments which gives the competition a lot of stability.”
A new organisation based in Switzerland called European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) will replace European Rugby Cup (ERC).
European Rugby Champions Cup qualification:
20 clubs qualifying through the finishing positions in their leagues from the preceding season:
– top 6 from TOP 14
– top 6 from Premiership Rugby
– top 7 from PRO 12, with at least one club from each country participating in the league
– the 20th place will be taken by the winner of a play off between:
For the first season: The 7th highest finishing club from TOP 14 and the 7th highest finishing club from Premiership Rugby. This play-off will be played in May 2014, either as one match (in which case, there will be a draw for home advantage) or as home/away.
For subsequent seasons: The 7th highest finishing club from TOP 14, the 7th highest finishing club from Premiership Rugby and the 8th and 9th highest finishing clubs from PRO 12 (or the two highest finishing which have not already qualified automatically).
From 2015 season, if the previous season’s European Rugby Challenge Cup winner has not already qualified through its finishing position in its league, it will participate in the play-off by taking a place given to its league.
The play-off will take place over two dates.
First date: 7th club of TOP 14 versus 8th or 9th from PRO 12 and the 7th club of Premiership Rugby versus 8th or 9th from PRO 12. The matches will be played at the home venues of the TOP 14 and Premiership Rugby clubs.
Second date: The two winners from the first matches. The venue will be selected by a draw.
European Rugby Challenge Cup qualification:
20 clubs comprising 18 clubs from TOP 14, Premiership Rugby and PRO 12
Two clubs from the qualifying competition organised with FIRA-AER (Fédération Internationale de Rugby Amateur – Association Européenne de Rugby)