2023-24_European_Rugby_Champions_Cup

2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup

2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup

Rugby union competition

Not to be confused with 2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup.

The 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup is the tenth season of the European Rugby Champions Cup, the annual club rugby union competition run by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) for teams from the top five nations in European rugby and South Africa. It was the 29th season of pan-European professional club rugby competition.

Quick Facts Tournament details, Countries ...

This was the second time the tournament features the top teams from South Africa, following the second United Rugby Championship season.

The tournament commenced in May 2024. The final was held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Tottenham, England on 25 May 2024, and won by Toulouse for the sixth time, defeating Leinster 31-22.[1]

Teams

Twenty-four clubs from the three major European domestic and regional leagues qualified to compete in the 2023–24 edition of the Champions Cup.

The distribution of teams is:

  • England: eight clubs
  • France: eight clubs
    • The top eight clubs from the Top 14
  • Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, Wales: eight clubs
    • The top side in each of the four regional shields from the United Rugby Championship (one Irish, one Welsh, one South African and one either Scottish or Italian), along with the remaining top four ranked clubs regardless of nation, within the league, that didn't win their respective shield. If the club that wins the championship has not qualified by the methods above then that club, the four shield winners and the remaining top three ranked clubs regardless of nation, within the league, that didn't win their respective shield will qualify.
More information Premiership, Top 14 ...

Team details

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, and QF for losing Quarter-finalist.

More information Team, Coach(es) / Director of Rugby ...
Notes
  1. London Irish originally qualified as one of the top 8 Premiership teams, after finishing 5th in the 2022–23 season. However, the club was officially suspended from all professional competitions on 6 June 2023, due to financial insolvency.[2] As a consequence, their spot in the Champions Cup was awarded to Bristol Bears, the highest ranked team outside the top 8.[3]

Pool stage

[[File:
Locations
|1300px|alt=Locations of European teams of the 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup group stage.
Red: Pool A; Blue: Pool B; Green: Pool C; Purple: Pool D.]]
Locations of European teams of the 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup group stage.
Red: Pool A; Blue: Pool B; Green: Pool C; Purple: Pool D.
Locations of London teams of the 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup group stage.
Red: Pool A; Blue: Pool B.
Locations of South African teams of the 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup group stage.
Red: Pool A; Purple: Pool D.
Main article: 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage

Teams are awarded four points for a win, two for a draw, one bonus point for scoring four tries in a game, and one bonus point for losing by less than eight points.

The draw for the pool stage took place on 21 June 2023.[4] Unlike the previous season, the format consisted of four pools with six teams in each. The rules of the draw stipulated that the 2022–23 champions of the three European domestic leagues (Saracens, Toulouse and Munster) and the 2022–23 Champions Cup winners (La Rochelle) would each be drawn into separate pools. The remaining 20 teams were then drawn at random, with the only condition being that no more than two teams from the same domestic league could be placed into each pool.

Pool A

More information Pool A, P ...

Pool B

More information Pool B, P ...

Pool C

More information Pool C, P ...

Pool D

More information Pool D, P ...

Knockout stage

The knockout stage will begin with the round of 16, starting on 5 April 2024, and concludes with the final on 25 May 2024.

Like in 2022/23 the round of 16 will consist of a single leg match, consisting of the top four ranked teams from each Pool respectively. All clubs will thereafter be ranked in descending order based firstly on their ranking in their pool and subsequently on the number of match points they have accumulated, to create an overall ranking from 1 to 16. The pool winners will be ranked 1 to 4, the second-placed clubs will be ranked 5 to 8, the third-placed clubs will be ranked 9 to 12, and the fourth-placed clubs will be ranked 13 to 16.

Whilst the round of 16 follows a pre-determined format, the quarter-finals will see home advantage given to the higher ranked team based on a pre-determined match-up. The semi-finals are to be played at a neutral venue, with the higher ranked team having home country advantage.

Seeding

More information Rank, Team ...

Bracket

Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
            
1 France Toulouse 31
16 France Racing 92 7
1 France Toulouse 64
8 England Exeter Chiefs 26
8 England Exeter Chiefs 21
9 England Bath 15
1 France Toulouse 38
5 England Harlequins 26
4 France Bordeaux 45
13 England Saracens 12
4 France Bordeaux 41
5 England Harlequins 42
5 England Harlequins 28
12 Scotland Glasgow Warriors 24
1 France Toulouse 31
2 Ireland Leinster 22
2 Ireland Leinster 36
15 England Leicester Tigers 22
2 Ireland Leinster 40
10 France La Rochelle 13
7 South Africa Stormers 21
10 France La Rochelle 22
2 Ireland Leinster 20
3 England Northampton Saints 17
3 England Northampton Saints 24
14 Ireland Munster 14
3 England Northampton Saints 59
6 South Africa Bulls 22
6 South Africa Bulls 59
11 France Lyon 19

Round of 16

5 April 2024
20:00
Harlequins England (5)28–24(12) Scotland Glasgow Warriors
Try: Esterhuizen 22' c
M. Smith 33' c
Murley 40+1' c
Riley 75' c
Con: M. Smith (4/4) 24', 34', 40+2', 77'		ReportTry: Cummings 2' c
Matthews 49' c
Horne 52' c
Con: Horne (3/3) 3', 50', 53'
Pen: Horne (1/1) 59'
Twickenham Stoop, London
Attendance: 12,852
Referee: Tual Trainini (France)
6 April 2024
13:30
Bulls South Africa (6)59–19(11) France Lyon
Try: De Klerk (2) 12' c, 77' m
Papier (2) 20' c, 53' c
Coetzee 27' c
Vermaak 33' c
Le Roux 48' m
Kriel 67' c
C. Smith 71' c
Con: Goosen (5/6) 13', 21', 28', 34', 54'
C. Smith (2/3) 69', 72'		ReportTry: Page-Relo 30' c
Penalty try 46'
Abrahams 55' m
Con: Jackson (1/2) 31'
Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Attendance: 7,516
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
6 April 2024
16:00
Stormers South Africa (7)21–22(10) France La Rochelle
Try: Jantjies 27' c
Hartzenberg 79' m
Con: Libbok (1/2) 29'
Pen: Libbok (3/3) 3', 22', 45'		ReportTry: Penverne 49' c
Alldritt 61' c
Sclavi 68' m
Con: Hastoy (2/3) 49', 62'
Pen: Hastoy (1/1) 54'
Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Attendance: 27,660
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
6 April 2024
15:00
Exeter Chiefs England (8)21–15(9) England Bath
Try: Vintcent 23' c
Fisilau 55' c
Roots 65' c
Con: Slade (3/3) 23', 56', 66'		ReportTry: du Toit 20' m
Hill 27' c
Con: Spencer (1/2) 28'
Pen: Spencer (1/1) 48'
Sandy Park, Exeter
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Luc Ramos (France)
6 April 2024
18:30
Bordeaux France (4)45–12(13) England Saracens
Try: Garcia (2) 36' c, 48' c
Depoortère (2) 60' c, 66' c
Bielle-Biarrey (2) 63' c, 75' c
Con: Lucu (4/4) 37', 48', 62', 64'
Garcia (2/2) 67', 76'
Pen: Lucu (1/1) 29'		ReportTry: Lewington 71' m
Willis 78' c
Con: Goode (1/2) 80'
Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
Attendance: 28,097
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
6 April 2024
20:00
Leinster Ireland (2)36–22(15) England Leicester Tigers
Try: Gibson-Park (3) 12' c, 23' m, 29' c
Henshaw 49' c
Conan 71' c
Con: R. Byrne (3/4) 13', 30', 50'
H. Byrne (1/1) 72'
Pen: R. Byrne (1/1) 9'		ReportTry: Pollard 4' c
Cronin 45' m
Clare 75' c
Con: Pollard (2/3) 5', 76'
Pen: Pollard (1/1) 28'
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Attendance: 40,775
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
7 April 2024
12:30
Northampton Saints England (3)24–14(14) Ireland Munster
Try: Ramm 9' c
Freeman 35' c
Hendy (2) 60' m, 72'
Con: Smith (2/4) 10', 36'		ReportTry: O'Brien 14' c
Haley 27' c
Con: Crowley (2/2) 15', 28'
Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
Attendance: 15,153
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
7 April 2024
16:00
Toulouse France (1)31–7(16) France Racing 92
Try: Mauvaka 5' m
Lebel 33' m
Costes 55' c
Ahki 68' c
Roumat 80' c
Con: Kinghorn (3/5) 56', 69', 80+2'		ReportTry: Ben Arous 74' c
Con: Tedder (1/1) 75'
Stade Ernest-Wallon, Toulouse
Attendance: 18,504
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)

Quarter-finals

13 April 2024
16:00
Bordeaux France (4)41–42(5) England Harlequins
Try: Lucu 19' m
Buros 24' c
Depoortère 42' c
Bielle-Biarrey 59' c
Tambwe (2) 64' c, 75' m
Con: Lucu (4/6) 25', 43', 60', 65'
Pen: Lucu (1/1) 52'		ReportTry: Porter (2) 2' c, 29' c
Penalty try 8'
W. Evans 40' c
Dombrandt 56' c
Green 71' c
Con: Smith (5/5) 3', 30', 42', 58', 73'
Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
Attendance: 28,056
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
13 April 2024
17:30
Leinster Ireland (2)40–13(10) France La Rochelle
Try: Lowe (2) 16', 60'
Gibson-Park 37'
Baird 42'
Sheehan 56'
Con: Byrne (3/4) 18', 38', 43'
Pen: Byrne (3/3) 7', 27', 31'		ReportTry: Penverne 40'
Con: Hastoy 40'
Pen: Hastoy (2/2) 19', 28'
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Attendance: 50,055
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
13 April 2024
20:00
Northampton Saints England (3)59–22(6) South Africa Bulls
Try: Ramm 10’
Lawes 15’
Sleightholme 20’
Mitchell (2) 24’, 67'
Coles 40’
Ramm 47'
Dingwall 50'
Augustus 72'
Con: Smith (7/9) 11', 16', 21', 25', 41', 51', 68'		ReportTry: Hanekom 13'
Van der Merwe 31'
De Klerk 35'
Con: Smith (2/3) 14', 36'
Pen: Smith (2/3) 17'
Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
Attendance: 12,972
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
14 April 2024
16:00
Toulouse France (1)64–26(8) England Exeter Chiefs
Try: Ntamack 7'
Willis 31'
Kinghorn (2) 47', 55'
Ahki (2) 50', 74'
Dupont 57'
Cruz Mallía (2) 66', 78'
Con: Kinghorn (5/5) 8', 32', 48', 52', 56'
Ramos (3/4) 58', 68', 75'
Pen: Kinghorn 20'		ReportTry: Roots 16'
Wimbush 61'
Con: Slade (2/2) 17', 62'
Pen: Slade (4/4) 5', 12', 28', 43'
Stade Ernest-Wallon, Toulouse
Attendance: 18,678
Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)

Semi-finals

4 May 2024
17:30
Leinster Ireland (2)20–17(3) England Northampton Saints
Try: Lowe (3) 10' c, 14' m, 43' m
Con: R. Byrne (1/3) 11'
Pen: R. Byrne (1/1) 29'		ReportTry: Hendy 58' c
Seabrook 74' c
Con: Smith (2/2) 59', 74'
Pen: Smith (1/1) 39'
Croke Park, Dublin
Attendance: 82,300
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
5 May 2024
16:00
Toulouse France (1)38–26(5) England Harlequins
Try: Lebel 3' m
Mauvaka 17' c
Flament 26' m
Dupont (2) 32' c, 36' c
Cruz Mallía 67' c
Con: Kinghorn (3/5) 20', 34', 37'
Ramos (1/1) 69'		ReportTry: Smith 13' c
Evans 23' m
Murley 45' c
Green 52' c
Con: Smith 14', 46', 53'
Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse
Attendance: 32,494
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)

Final

Main article: 2024 European Rugby Champions Cup Final
25 May 2024
14:45 BST (UTC+01)
Leinster Ireland22–31 (a.e.t.)France Toulouse
Try: Van der Flier 93'
Con: Frawley (1/1) 97'
Pen: Byrne (4/5) 18', 43', 46', 65'
Frawley (1/1) 77'		ReportTry: Lebel 82'
Con: Ramos (1/1) 84'
Pen: Kinghorn (4/5) 4', 7', 36', 57'
Ramos (4/5) 70', 88', 92', 95'
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Attendance: 61,531
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)

Leading scorers

Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not yet earned international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-WR nationalities.

More information Rank, Player ...

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Leinster lose out once again as Toulouse win sixth Champions Cup". RTE Sport. 25 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  2. [2]
    "London Irish file for administration after being suspended from Gallagher Premiership and all leagues by RFU". Sky Sports. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  3. [3]
    "Bristol Bears to replace London Irish in Champions Cup, EPCR confirm". BBC Sport. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  4. [4]
    "Heavyweight clashes to savour for 2023/24 season as EPCR pool draws completed". EPCR. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  5. [5]
    "Tournament Statistics". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
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