2014–15 European Rugby Champions–Challenge Cup play-offs

The 2014–15 European Rugby Champions Cup-Challenge Cup play-off was the first play-off for entry into the top-level competition of European Club rugby union, the European Rugby Champions Cup.

2014–15 European Rugby Champions–Challenge Cup play-offs
EventEuropean Rugby Champions Cup Qualification Play-off
Aggregate Score, after 2 Legs
Date18 and 24 May 2014
VenueAdams Park, High Wycombe
Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris

In March 2014, following the announcement of new European club competitions, the European Rugby Champions Cup and the European Rugby Challenge Cup, it was announced that the final place in the Champions Cup competition would be awarded by a play-off.

For the 2014–15 season, this was a two-legged play-off between the seventh placed teams from the 2013–14 Aviva Premiership season, and the 2013–14 Top 14 season. Following the completion of both legs, the team with the highest aggregate score took the twentieth berth in the 2014–15 European Rugby Champions Cup, the new top-tier competition, while the loser will play in the second tier 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

Teams edit

League Team Coach Stadium
Aviva Premiership   Wasps   Dai Young Adams Park
Top 14   Stade Français   Gonzalo Quesada Stade Jean-Bouin

Legs edit

On 29 April 2014, it was announced that the play off would take place over two legs, with each side hosting one leg.[1][2] The draw to decide which team would hold home-advantage for each leg took place on 6 May 2014[3]

First leg edit

18 May 2014
15:00 BST
Wasps  30–29  Stade Français
Try: Varndell 26' c
Johnson 44' c
Simpson 59' c
Con: Goode (3/3) 27', 46', 61'
Pen: Goode (3/3) 2', 15', 80'
Report[4]Try: Taulafo 10' c
Camara 31' m
Fillol 61' c
Nayacalevu Vuidravuwalu 73' c
Con: Dupuy (1/2) 10'
Fillol (2/2) 62', 74'
Pen: Dupuy (1/3) 55'
Adams Park
Attendance: 5,125
Referee: John Lacey (IRFU)
FB 15   Andrea Masi
RW 14   William Helu
OC 13   Elliot Daly
IC 12   Chris Bell (c)
LW 11   Tom Varndell
FH 10   Andy Goode
SH 9   Joe Simpson
N8 8   Nathan Hughes   77'
OF 7   James Haskell   55' to 65'
BF 6   Ashley Johnson   65'   77'
RL 5   Tom Palmer   50'
LL 4   Joe Launchbury
TP 3   Phil Swainston   69'
HK 2   Carlo Festuccia   65'
LP 1   Matt Mullan   61'
Replacements:
HK 16   Tom Lindsay   65'
PR 17   Simon McIntyre   61'
PR 18   Taione Vea   69'
LK 19   Kearnan Myall   50'
N8 20   Guy Thompson   65'
SH 21   Brett Sheehan
FH 22   Joe Carlisle
CE 23   Charlie Hayter
Coach:
  Dai Young
FB 15   Hugo Bonneval
RW 14   Julien Arias
OC 13   Waisea Nayacalevu
IC 12   Meyer Bosman
LW 11   Djibril Camara   69'
FH 10   Morné Steyn   53'   72'   74'
SH 9   Julien Dupuy   56'
N8 8   David Lyons
OF 7   Sylvain Nicolas   2'
BF 6   Antoine Burban
RL 5   Pascal Papé (c)
LL 4   Alexandre Flanquart   63'
TP 3   Rabah Slimani   48'   77'
HK 2   Laurent Sempéré   53'
LP 1   Sakaria Taulafo   48'
Replacements:
HK 16   Laurent Panis   53'   77'
PR 17   Heinke van der Merwe   48'
PR 18   Davit Kubriashvili   48'
LK 19   Anton van Zyl   63'
FL 20   Scott LaValla   2'
SH 21   Jérôme Fillol   56'
FH 22   Jules Plisson   53'   72' to 74'
WG 23   Jérémy Sinzelle   69'
Coach:
  Gonzalo Quesada

Touch judges:
Dudley Phillips (IRFU)
Michael Black (IRFU)
Television match official:
Simon McDowell (IRFU)

Second leg edit

24 May 2014
14:45 CEST
Stade Français  6–20  Wasps
Pen: Plisson (2/3) 14', 28'Report[5]Try: Varndell 6' c
Thompson 60' c
Con: Goode (2/2) 7', 61'
Pen: Goode (2/5) 34', 75'
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)
FB 15   Hugo Bonneval   73'
RW 14   Julien Arias
OC 13   Waisea Nayacalevu
IC 12   Jonathan Danty
LW 11   Digby Ioane   29'
FH 10   Jules Plisson
SH 9   Jérôme Fillol   49'
N8 8   Sergio Parisse
OF 7   Scott LaValla   49'
BF 6   Antoine Burban   53' to 63'
RL 5   Pascal Papé (c)
LL 4   Alexandre Flanquart   27' to 37'   67'
TP 3   Davit Kubriashvili   43'
HK 2   Laurent Sempéré   71'   77'
LP 1   Heinke van der Merwe   62'
Replacements:
HK 16   Michael van Vuuren   74' to 80'   71'
PR 17   Sakaria Taulafo   62'
PR 18   Rabah Slimani   43'
LK 19   Anton van Zyl   67'
N8 20   David Lyons   49'   77'
FH 21   Morné Steyn   73'
SH 22   Julien Dupuy   49'
CE 23   Meyer Bosman   29'
Coach:
  Gonzalo Quesada
FB 15   Andrea Masi
RW 14   William Helu
OC 13   Elliot Daly
IC 12   Chris Bell (c)
LW 11   Tom Varndell
FH 10   Andy Goode   78'
SH 9   Joe Simpson   77'
N8 8   Guy Thompson   77'
OF 7   James Haskell   28' to 38'
BF 6   Ashley Johnson   73'
RL 5   Tom Palmer   70'
LL 4   Joe Launchbury
TP 3   Phil Swainston   78'
HK 2   Carlo Festuccia   73'
LP 1   Matt Mullan   75'
Replacements:
HK 16   Tom Lindsay   73'
PR 17   Simon McIntyre   75'
PR 18   Taione Vea   78'
LK 19   Kearnan Myall   70'
N8 20   Ed Jackson   73'
SH 21   Charlie Davies   77'
FH 22   Joe Carlisle   78'
CE 23   Charlie Hayter   77'
Coach:
  Dai Young

Touch judges:
Ian Davies (WRU)
Sean Brickell (WRU)
Television match official:
Derek Bevan (WRU)

Result edit

Wasps won the playoff 50 - 35 on aggregate and qualified for the 2014–15 European Rugby Champions Cup. Stade Français competed in the 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Anglo-french play-off dates announced". afp.com. Archived from the original on 30 April 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  2. ^ "Premiership Rugby". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Play-off details announced". premiershiprugby.com. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  4. ^ "London Wasps 30 Stade Francais 29". Premiership Rugby. 18 May 2014. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Stade Francais 6 London Wasps 20". Premiership Rugby. 24 May 2014. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2021.