Jack Carty And Connacht Given Spot In Revamped Champions Cup

Wednesday, 2 September 2020 11:19

The competition will be expanded to 24 teams next season.

Athlone's Jack Carty will get the opportunity to play in the Champions Cup next season.

It's after tournament organisers confirmed that 24 teams will take part in an expanded competition.

In a massive structural overhaul, teams will now be divided into two pools of 12 and play one another over eight game weekends, with four rounds of matches in the pool stage followed by a knockout stage consisting of home and away quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final in Marseille on 22 May 2021.

The four highest-ranked clubs in each pool will qualify for the quarter-finals, and the clubs ranked numbers 5 to 8 in each pool will compete in the knockout stage of the Challenge Cup.

“With an expanded knockout stage and no repeats of domestic matches during the pool stage, this format creates brand new competitive opportunities for Europe’s elite clubs and their fans,” said EPCR Chairman, Simon Halliday.

“In this time of change, the Heineken Champions Cup with its global stars of the game, its passionate supporters and its unique match-day atmosphere undoubtedly remains The One to Win.”

The 2020/21 season will begin the weekend of 11/12/13 December.

QUALIFIED CLUBS FOR 2020/21 HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP

PRO14: Leinster Rugby, Edinburgh Rugby, Munster Rugby, Ulster Rugby, Scarlets, Glasgow Warriors, Connacht Rugby, Dragons (Rankings TBC at conclusion of current season)
TOP 14: Bordeaux-Bègles, Lyon, Racing 92, RC Toulon, La Rochelle, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Toulouse, *Montpellier or Castres Olympique
Premiership : TBC

QUALIFIED CLUBS FOR 2020/21 CHALLENGE CUP

PRO14: Benetton Rugby, Cardiff Blues, Zebre Rugby Club, Ospreys
TOP 14: Bayonne, Castres Olympique, Brive, Pau, Agen, Stade Français Paris
Premiership: Newcastle Falcons (A further 3 clubs TBC at conclusion of current season)

The EPCR Board has unanimously agreed that new Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup tournament formats will be introduced for the 2020/21 season 🏉

Read all about it 🔽https://t.co/AA0Ede50Wd
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) September 2, 2020