2019–20 European Rugby Champions Cup | |
---|---|
Tournament details | |
Countries |
England France Ireland Italy Scotland Wales |
Tournament format(s) | Round-robin and knockout |
Date | 15 November 2019 – 17 October 2020 |
Tournament statistics | |
Teams | 20 |
Matches played | 60 |
Attendance | 779,079 (12,985 per match) |
Highest attendance | 42,041 - Leinster v Northampton Saints 14 December 2019 |
Lowest attendance | 3,114 - Benetton v Lyon 14 December 2019 |
Tries scored | 333 (5.55 per match) |
Top point scorer(s) |
Joe Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs) 95 points |
Top try scorer(s) |
Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs) 8 tries |
Final | |
Venue | Ashton Gate, Bristol |
Champions | Exeter Chiefs (1st title) |
Runners-up | Racing 92 |
The 2019–20 European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Heineken Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) [1] was the sixth season of the European Rugby Champions Cup, the annual club rugby union competition run by European Professional Club Rugby (ECPR) for teams from the top six nations in European rugby. It was the 25th season of pan-European professional club rugby competition.
The tournament began on 15 November 2019. The knock-out stage of the tournament was rescheduled from April and May to September and October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the final, originally scheduled for 23 May 2020 at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille in France, taking place on 17 October 2020 at Ashton Gate in Bristol. [2]
Twenty clubs from the three major European domestic and regional leagues competed in the Champions Cup. Nineteen of these qualified directly as a result of their league performance. The final place was awarded in the following order: [3]
The distribution of teams is:
The following teams qualified for the tournament.
Gallagher Premiership | Top 14 | Guinness Pro14 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
England | France | Ireland | Italy | Scotland | Wales |
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, QF for losing Quarter-finalist, and PO for the Pro14 7th place play-off winner.
The twenty competing teams are seeded and split into four tiers, each containing five teams.
For the purpose of creating the tiers, clubs are ranked based on their domestic league performances and on their qualification for the knockout phases of their championships, so a losing quarter-finalist in the Top 14 would be seeded below a losing semi-finalist, even if they finished above them in the regular season. [5]
Rank | Top 14 | Premiership | Pro14 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Toulouse | Saracens | Leinster |
2 | Clermont | Exeter Chiefs | Glasgow Warriors |
3 | Lyon | Gloucester | Munster |
4 | La Rochelle | Northampton Saints | Ulster |
5 | Racing | Harlequins | Connacht |
6 | Montpellier | Bath | Benetton |
7 | Sale Sharks | Ospreys |
Based on these seedings, teams are placed into one of the four tiers, with the top-seeded clubs being put in Tier 1. The nature of the tier system means that a draw is needed to allocate two of the three second-seed clubs to Tier 1. The fourth-seed team from the same domestic league as the second-seed team which was put in Tier 2 will also be placed in Tier 2. Brackets show each team's seeding and their league. e.g. 1 Top 14 indicates the team was the top seed from the Top 14.
Tier 1 | Saracens (1 Prem) | Leinster (1 Pro14) | Toulouse (1 Top 14) | Exeter Chiefs (2 Prem) | Clermont (2 Top 14) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tier 2 | Glasgow Warriors (2 Pro14) | Gloucester (3 Prem) | Munster (3 Pro14) | Lyon (3 Top 14) | Ulster (4 Pro14) |
Tier 3 | Northampton Saints (4 Prem) | La Rochelle (4 Top 14) | Harlequins (5 Prem) | Connacht (5 Pro14) | Racing (5 Top 14) |
Tier 4 | Bath (6 Prem) | Benetton (6 Pro14) | Montpellier (6 Top 14) | Ospreys (7 Pro14) | Sale Sharks (CC) |
The following restrictions will apply to the draw:
The draw took place on 19 June 2019, in Lausanne, Switzerland. [6]
Teams in the same pool play each other twice, at home and away, in the group stage that begins on the weekend of 15–17 November 2019, and continues through to 17–19 January 2020. The five pool winners and three best runners-up progress to the quarter finals.
Teams are awarded group points based on match performances. Four points are awarded for a win, two points for a draw, one attacking bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match and one defensive bonus point for losing a match by seven points or fewer. [7]
In the event of a tie between two or more teams, the following tie-breakers are used, as directed by EPCR:
Winner of each pool, advance to quarter-finals. | |
Three second-place teams with the highest number of points advance to quarter-finals. |
P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leinster (1) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 199 | 76 | 123 | 28 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 28 |
Northampton Saints (7) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 166 | 183 | –17 | 19 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
Lyon | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 108 | 141 | –33 | 14 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
Benetton | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 96 | 169 | –73 | 12 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exeter Chiefs (2) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 186 | 105 | 81 | 25 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 27 |
Glasgow Warriors | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 141 | 115 | 26 | 17 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 17 |
La Rochelle | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 107 | 146 | –39 | 14 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
Sale Sharks | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 92 | 160 | –68 | 11 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clermont (4) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 207 | 114 | 93 | 24 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 24 |
Ulster (6) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 129 | 107 | 22 | 16 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 21 |
Harlequins | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 114 | 166 | –52 | 13 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
Bath | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 102 | 165 | –63 | 12 | 20 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Racing 92 (5) | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 194 | 126 | 68 | 26 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 23 |
Saracens (8) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 121 | 88 | 33 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
Munster | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 124 | 97 | 27 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 16 |
Ospreys | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 83 | 211 | –128 | 11 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toulouse (3) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 162 | 85 | 77 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 27 |
Gloucester | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 140 | 140 | 0 | 19 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 14 |
Montpellier | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 118 | 157 | –39 | 12 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
Connacht | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 120 | 158 | –38 | 15 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
Rank | Pool leaders | Pts | Diff | TF |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Leinster | 28 | 123 | 28 |
2 | Exeter Chiefs | 27 | 81 | 25 |
3 | Toulouse | 27 | 77 | 19 |
4 | Clermont | 24 | 93 | 24 |
5 | Racing 92 | 23 | 68 | 26 |
Rank | Pool runners–up | Pts | Diff | TF |
6 | Ulster | 21 | 22 | 16 |
7 | Northampton Saints | 19 | –17 | 19 |
8 | Saracens | 18 | 33 | 13 |
9 | Glasgow Warriors | 17 | 26 | 17 |
10 | Munster | 16 | 27 | 13 |
Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||
4 | Clermont | 27 | ||||||||||||
5 | Racing 92 | 36 | ||||||||||||
5 | Racing 92 | 19 | ||||||||||||
8 | Saracens | 15 | ||||||||||||
1 | Leinster | 17 | ||||||||||||
8 | Saracens | 25 | ||||||||||||
5 | Racing 92 | 27 | ||||||||||||
2 | Exeter Chiefs | 31 | ||||||||||||
2 | Exeter Chiefs | 38 | ||||||||||||
7 | Northampton Saints | 15 | ||||||||||||
2 | Exeter Chiefs | 28 | ||||||||||||
3 | Toulouse | 18 | ||||||||||||
3 | Toulouse | 36 | ||||||||||||
6 | Ulster | 8 |
19 September 2020 15:00 |
Leinster (1) | 17–25 | (8) Saracens |
Try:
Porter 48' c Larmour 61' c Con: Sexton (2/2) 49', 63' Pen: Sexton (1/1) 5' | Report | Try:
Goode 36' c Con: Goode (1/1) 38' Pen: Goode (3/4) 2', 8', 10', 79' Daly (2/4) 24', 27' |
Aviva Stadium Referee: Pascal Gaüzère ( FFR) |
19 September 2020 18:45 |
Clermont (4) | 27–36 | (5) Racing 92 |
Try:
Falgoux 22' m Fofana 60' c Matsushima 70' c Penaud 77' m Con: Lopez (2/4) 61', 70' Pen: Lopez (1/1) 31' | Report | Try:
Dupichot 3' m Trinh-Duc 39' c Con: Iribaren (1/2) 40' Pen: Iribaren (6/6) 8', 12', 29', 35', 54', 58' Machenaud (2/2) 64', 74' |
Stade Marcel-Michelin Referee: Romain Poite ( FFR) |
20 September 2020 13:30 |
Toulouse (3) | 36–8 | (6) Ulster |
Try:
Kolbe (2) 2' m, 39' c Dupont 50' c Ramos 66' c Ahki 61' c Con: Ramos (4/5) 40'+1, 52', 63', 69' Pen: Ramos (1/2) 14' | Report | Try:
Cooney 72' m Pen: Cooney (1/1) 26' |
Stade Ernest-Wallon Referee: Wayne Barnes ( RFU) |
20 September 2020 17:30 |
Exeter Chiefs (2) | 38–15 | (7) Northampton Saints |
Try:
Maunder 17' c Vermeulen (2) 25' c, 77' c Nowell 42' c J. Hill 54' c Con: J. Simmonds (4/4) 17', 26', 43', 55' Steenson (1/1) 79' Pen: J. Simmonds (1/1) 61' | Report | Try:
Harrison 37' c Dingwall 57' m Con: Biggar (1/2) 38' Pen: Biggar (1/1) 7' |
Sandy Park Referee: Matthew Carley ( RFU) |
26 September 2020 14:00 |
Racing 92 (5) | 19–15 | (8) Saracens |
Try:
Imhoff 76' c Con: Machenaud (1/1) 77' Pen: Iribaren (3/4) 11', 32', 40'+1 Machenaud (1/1) 68' | Report | Pen: Goode (5/5) 24', 30', 43', 47', 53' |
Paris La Défense Arena Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Nigel Owens ( WRU) |
26 September 2020 15:30 |
Exeter Chiefs (2) | 28–18 | (3) Toulouse |
Try:
Williams (2) 31' c, 60' c S. Simmonds 40' c J. Simmonds 70' c Con: J. Simmonds (4/4) 32', 40'+1, 61', 71' | Report | Try:
Placines 36' m Lebel 76' c Con: Ramos (1/2) 76' Pen: Ramos (2/3) 5', 14' |
Sandy Park Attendance: 0 Referee: Andrew Brace ( IRFU) |
17 October 2020 16:45 |
Exeter Chiefs (2) | 31–27 | (5) Racing 92 |
Try:
Cowan-Dickie 8' c S. Simmonds 16' c Williams 40'+1 c Slade 45' c Con: J. Simmonds (4/4) 9', 17', 40'+1, 46' Pen: J. Simmonds (1/1) 80'+1 | Report | Try:
Zebo (2) 20' m, 43', m Imhoff 32' c Chat 50' c Con: Russell (1/2) 32' Machenaud (1/2) 51' Pen: Machenaud (1/1) 65' |
Ashton Gate,
Bristol Referee: Nigel Owens ( WRU) |
Most points
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Most tries
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Team
44–3 Saracens at home to Ospreys on 23 November 2019
45–7 Glasgow Warriors away to Sale Sharks on 18 January 2020
53–21 Clermont at home to Harlequins on 16 November 2019
Clermont at home to Bath on 15 December 2019
Clermont at home to Harlequins on 16 November 2019
Northampton Saints at home to Lyon on 17 November 2019
Toulouse away to Gloucester on 15 November 2019
|
Player
Dan Biggar for Northampton Saints at home to Lyon on 17 November 2019
Garry Ringrose for Leinster at home to Benetton on 16 November 2019
Adam Hastings for Glasgow Warriors away to Sale Sharks on 18 January 2020
Dan Biggar for Northampton Saints at home to Lyon on 17 November 2019
Zack Holmes for Toulouse away to Gloucester on 15 November 2019 Attendances
Leinster at home to Northampton Saints on 14 December 2019
Benetton at home to Lyon on 14 December 2019
Leinster
Benetton
|