Jump to content

2017–18 European Rugby Champions–Challenge Cup play-offs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2017–18 European Rugby Champions–Challenge Cup play-offs
EventEuropean Rugby Champions Cup Qualification Play-off
Date19–28 May 2017

The 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup-Challenge Cup play-off was the third play-off for entry into the top-level competition of European Club rugby union, the European Rugby Champions Cup.

Format

[edit]

Following a break to ease fixture congestion caused by the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the three-team play-off held in 2015–16 was expanded, and a four-team format was announced.[1][2]

The play-off comprised 3 matches, contested by one team from the Premiership, one from the Top 14, and two from the Pro14.[citation needed]

The two Pro12 teams each played one of the Premiership or Top 14 sides in a single-leg semi-final, held at the home ground of the non-Pro12 side. The winners of these matches then contested a play-off final, with the winner of this match competing in the 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup. The three losing teams all competed in the 2017–18 European Rugby Challenge Cup.[citation needed]

Teams

[edit]

Four teams competed in the play-off, having qualified as either the highest team from each league that did not already qualify for the Champions Cup, or as the winner of the 2016–17 European Rugby Challenge Cup.[3]

The following teams had qualified for the play-off:

League Team Coach Stadium
Aviva Premiership Northampton Saints England Jim Mallinder Franklin's Gardens
Guinness Pro12 Cardiff Blues Wales Danny Wilson Cardiff Arms Park
Connacht Samoa Pat Lam Galway Sportsgrounds
Top 14 Stade Français Argentina Gonzalo Quesada Stade Jean-Bouin

Matches

[edit]

A draw was held on 15 March 2017 to determine the two semi-final matches.[2]

Semi-finals

[edit]
19 May 2017
18:00 CEST
Stade Français France46–21Wales Cardiff Blues
Try: Nayacalevu 32' c
Melikidze 43' c
De Giovanni 51' c
Macalou (2) 60' m, 68' c
Panis 71' m
Daguin 76' m
Con: Steyn (4/6) 33', 44', 52', 69'
Plisson (0/1)
Pen: Steyn (1/1) 10'
ReportTry: Cook (2) 21' c, 63' c
N. Williams 24' c
Con: Anscombe (3/3) 22', 25', 64'
Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris
Attendance: 4,767
Referee: Greg Garner (RFU)
FB 15 France Jérémy Sinzelle
RW 14 Fiji Waisea Nayacalevu downward-facing red arrow 61'
OC 13 France Jonathan Danty
IC 12 South Africa Meyer Bosman
LW 11 France Sekou Macalou
FH 10 South Africa Morné Steyn
SH 9 France Julien Dupuy downward-facing red arrow 63'
N8 8 Italy Sergio Parisse (c)
OF 7 France Matthieu Ugena downward-facing red arrow 34'
BF 6 France Antoine Burban
RL 5 France Paul Gabrillagues downward-facing red arrow 72'
LL 4 South Africa Willem Alberts downward-facing red arrow 66'
TP 3 Australia Paul Alo-Emile downward-facing red arrow 25'
HK 2 France Rémi Bonfils downward-facing red arrow 67'
LP 1 South Africa Heinke van der Merwe downward-facing red arrow 50'
Replacements:
HK 16 France Laurent Panis upward-facing green arrow 67'
PR 17 France Rabah Slimani upward-facing green arrow 50'
PR 18 Georgia (country) Giorgi Melikidze upward-facing green arrow 25'
LK 19 France Mathieu De Giovanni upward-facing green arrow 34'
FL 20 France Raphaël Lakafia upward-facing green arrow 66'
SH 21 France Clément Daguin upward-facing green arrow 63'
FH 22 France Jules Plisson upward-facing green arrow 61'
FL 23 South Africa Jono Ross upward-facing green arrow 72'
Coach:
Argentina Gonzalo Quesada
FB 15 Wales Matthew Morgan
RW 14 Wales Alex Cuthbert
OC 13 Samoa Rey Lee-Lo downward-facing red arrow 7'
IC 12 New Zealand Willis Halaholo downward-facing red arrow 66'
LW 11 Wales Rhun Williams downward-facing red arrow 4'
FH 10 Wales Gareth Anscombe
SH 9 Wales Lloyd Williams
N8 8 New Zealand Nick Williams
OF 7 Wales Ellis Jenkins (c)
BF 6 Wales Josh Navidi
RL 5 Wales Macauley Cook
LL 4 New Zealand Jarrad Hoeata
TP 3 Tonga Taufaʻao Filise downward-facing red arrow 61'
HK 2 Wales Matthew Rees downward-facing red arrow 61'
LP 1 Wales Rhys Gill downward-facing red arrow 57'
Replacements:
HK 16 Wales Kirby Myhill upward-facing green arrow 61' downward-facing red arrow 72'
PR 17 Wales Corey Domachowski upward-facing green arrow 57'
PR 18 Georgia (country) Anton Peikrishvili upward-facing green arrow 61'
LK 19 Wales Seb Davies upward-facing green arrow 72'
FL 20 Wales Sion Bennett upward-facing green arrow 66'
SH 21 Wales Tomos Williams upward-facing green arrow 52'
FH 22 Wales Steven Shingler upward-facing green arrow 7' downward-facing red arrow 52'
CE 23 Wales Garyn Smith upward-facing green arrow 4'
Coach:
Wales Danny Wilson

20 May 2017
16:00 BST
Northampton Saints England21–15Ireland Connacht
Try: Mallinder 1' c
Groom 56' m
Con: Mallinder (1/2) 2'
Pen: Mallinder (3/3) 15', 23', 70'
ReportTry: Adeolokun 4' c
Heffernan 61' m
Con: Ronaldson (1/2) 4'
Pen: Ronaldson (1/1) 28'
Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
FB 15 Samoa Ahsee Tuala downward-facing red arrow 78'
RW 14 England Ben Foden
OC 13 Tonga Nafi Tuitavake
IC 12 England Luther Burrell downward-facing red arrow 23'
LW 11 Wales George North
FH 10 England Harry Mallinder
SH 9 South Africa Nic Groom downward-facing red arrow 67'
N8 8 France Louis Picamoles
OF 7 England Teimana Harrison downward-facing red arrow 58'
BF 6 England Jamie Gibson yellow card 78' to 80'
RL 5 England Christian Day downward-facing red arrow 64'
LL 4 England Courtney Lawes
TP 3 England Kieran Brookes downward-facing red arrow 62'
HK 2 England Dylan Hartley (c) downward-facing red arrow 59'
LP 1 England Alex Waller downward-facing red arrow 62'
Replacements:
HK 16 England Mike Haywood upward-facing green arrow 78'
PR 17 Fiji Campese Ma'afu upward-facing green arrow 62'
PR 18 England Gareth Denman upward-facing green arrow 62'
LK 19 Fiji Api Ratuniyarawa upward-facing green arrow 64'
FL 20 England Tom Wood upward-facing green arrow 58'
SH 21 England Lee Dickson upward-facing green arrow 67'
FH 22 England Sam Olver
CE 23 Scotland Rory Hutchinson upward-facing green arrow 23'
Coach:
England Jim Mallinder
FB 15 Ireland Tiernan O'Halloran
RW 14 Ireland Niyi Adeolokun
OC 13 South Africa Danie Poolman
IC 12 Ireland Craig Ronaldson
LW 11 Ireland Cian Kelleher downward-facing red arrow 3'
FH 10 Ireland Jack Carty
SH 9 Ireland Kieran Marmion downward-facing red arrow 66'
N8 8 Ireland John Muldoon (c)
OF 7 New Zealand Jake Heenan downward-facing red arrow 56'
BF 6 Ireland Seán O'Brien
RL 5 England James Cannon downward-facing red arrow 51'
LL 4 Ireland Quinn Roux
TP 3 Ireland Finlay Bealham downward-facing red arrow 68'
HK 2 Ireland Dave Heffernan
LP 1 Ireland Denis Buckley
Replacements:
HK 16 Ireland Shane Delahunt
PR 17 Ireland JP Cooney
PR 18 Ireland Conor Carey upward-facing green arrow 68'
LK 19 Ireland Ultan Dillane upward-facing green arrow 51'
FL 20 Fiji Naulia Dawai upward-facing green arrow 56'
SH 21 Ireland Caolin Blade
SH 22 Ireland John Cooney upward-facing green arrow 66'
WG 23 Ireland Matt Healy upward-facing green arrow 3'
Coach:
Samoa Pat Lam

Play-off final

[edit]

The draw for the semi-finals was also used to decide that the winner of the second semi-final would have home advantage in the play-off final.[2]

26 May 2017
19:45 BST
Northampton Saints England23–22France Stade Français
Try: Foden 45' c
Tuala 71' c
Con: Mallinder (2/2) 45', 73'
Pen: Mallinder (3/5) 19', 29', 38'
ReportTry: Nayacalevu 3' c
Sinzelle 22' m
Camara 34' c
Con: Plisson (2/3) 4', 35'
Pen: Plisson (1/1) 10'
Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
Attendance: 10,273
Referee: John Lacey (IRFU)
FB 15 Samoa Ahsee Tuala downward-facing red arrow 75'
RW 14 England Ben Foden
OC 13 Tonga Nafi Tuitavake downward-facing red arrow 53'
IC 12 England Luther Burrell
LW 11 Wales George North
FH 10 England Harry Mallinder
SH 9 South Africa Nic Groom downward-facing red arrow 66'
N8 8 France Louis Picamoles downward-facing red arrow 53'
OF 7 England Tom Wood (c) Red card 63'
BF 6 England Teimana Harrison
RL 5 England Christian Day downward-facing red arrow 60'
LL 4 England Courtney Lawes
TP 3 England Kieran Brookes downward-facing red arrow 60'
HK 2 England Dylan Hartley downward-facing red arrow 66'
LP 1 England Alex Waller downward-facing red arrow 66'
Replacements:
HK 16 England Mike Haywood upward-facing green arrow 66'
PR 17 Fiji Campese Ma'afu upward-facing green arrow 66'
PR 18 England Gareth Denman upward-facing green arrow 60'
LK 19 Fiji Api Ratuniyarawa upward-facing green arrow 60'
FL 20 England Jamie Gibson upward-facing green arrow 53'
SH 21 England Lee Dickson upward-facing green arrow 66'
FH 22 England Sam Olver upward-facing green arrow 75'
CE 23 Scotland Rory Hutchinson yellow card 62' to 72' upward-facing green arrow 53'
Coach:
England Jim Mallinder
FB 15 France Djibril Camara downward-facing red arrow 65'
RW 14 Fiji Waisea Nayacalevu
OC 13 France Geoffrey Doumayrou
IC 12 France Jonathan Danty downward-facing red arrow 22'
LW 11 France Jérémy Sinzelle
FH 10 France Jules Plisson
SH 9 Australia Will Genia downward-facing red arrow 76'
N8 8 South Africa Jono Ross
OF 7 France Raphaël Lakafia
BF 6 France Antoine Burban downward-facing red arrow 44'
RL 5 France Paul Gabrillagues (c) downward-facing red arrow 60'
LL 4 South Africa Willem Alberts
TP 3 Australia Paul Alo-Emile
HK 2 France Rémi Bonfils yellow card 42' to 52' downward-facing red arrow 74'
LP 1 Georgia (country) Zurab Zhvania downward-facing red arrow 51'
Replacements:
HK 16 South Africa Craig Burden upward-facing green arrow 44' downward-facing red arrow 53'
PR 17 France Rabah Slimani upward-facing green arrow 51'
PR 18 Georgia (country) Giorgi Melikidze upward-facing green arrow 74'
LK 19 France Mathieu De Giovanni upward-facing green arrow 60'
N8 20 Italy Sergio Parisse upward-facing green arrow 53'
SH 21 France Clément Daguin upward-facing green arrow 76'
FH 22 South Africa Morné Steyn upward-facing green arrow 65'
CE 23 South Africa Meyer Bosman upward-facing green arrow 22'
Coach:
Argentina Gonzalo Quesada

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Revised play-off format agreed for 2015/16 Champions Cup". epcrugby.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Champions Cup play-offs". epcrugby.com.
  3. ^ "Champions Cup qualification 2017/18 and play-offs". epcrugby.com.