The 2020–21 European Rugby Challenge Cup preliminary stage is the first stage of the competition in what is the seventh season of the European Rugby Challenge Cup. The competition involves fourteen teams competing in a single league – with teams playing three opponents from another domestic competition home and away. The preliminary stage began on 11 December 2020 and was due to be completed on 23 January 2021.
The top eight ranked teams in the league will advance to the last 16 with the teams ranked fifth to eight in both pools of the Champions Cup.
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.[1]
The preliminary stage was suspended after two rounds on 11 January 2021.[2]
Tiebreakers edit
In the event of a tie between two or more teams, the following tie-breakers are used, as directed by EPCR:
- Where teams have played each other
- The club with the greater number of competition points from only matches involving tied teams.
- If equal, the club with the best aggregate points difference from those matches.
- If equal, the club that scored the most tries in those matches.
- Where teams remain tied and/or have not played each other in the competition (i.e. are from different pools)
- The club with the best aggregate points difference from the pool stage.
- If equal, the club that scored the most tries in the pool stage.
- If equal, the club with the fewest players suspended in the pool stage.
- If equal, the drawing of lots will determine a club's ranking.
Table edit
| Top 8, advance to round of 16 | |
| Eliminated from tournament |
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 London Irish
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 25 | +35 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
 Ospreys
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 77 | 44 | +33 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Cardiff Blues
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 20 | +41 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Leicester Tigers
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 37 | +30 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
 Zebre
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 41 | +2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
 Agen
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 34 | +2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Benetton
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 48 | −4 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Newcastle Falcons
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 50 | −4 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Pau
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 46 | −5 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Bayonne
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 45 | 53 | −8 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Worcester Warriors
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 49 | 62 | −13 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Brive
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 33 | 57 | −24 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Castres
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 32 | 65 | −33 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stade Français
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 72 | −52 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Matches edit
Round 1 edit
| 11 December 2020 18:30 |
| Stade Français | 20–44 | Benetton (1 BP) |
| Try: Francoz 12' m Panis 68' c Lapegue 75' m Con: Hall (1/2) 69' Pen: Coville (1/1) 7' | Report | Try: Halafihi 9' m Duvenage 14' m Sarto 21' c Hayward 24' m Allan 54' c Ruzza 72' m Sgarbi 80'+3 c Con: Allan (3/7) 22', 55', 80'+4 Pen: Allan (1/1) 19' |
| Stade Jean-Bouin Referee: Ben Blain (Scotland) |
| 11 December 2020 19:45 |
| (1 BP) Leicester Tigers | 39–17 | Brive |
| Try: T. Youngs 33' m B. Youngs 65' m Brink 78' c Nadolo 79' c Con: Ford (2/3) 78', 80'+1 Pen: Díaz Bonilla (3/3) 3', 24', 38' | Report | Try: Douglas 70' m Pen: Hervé (3/3) 9', 18', 54' |
| Mattioli Woods Welford Road Attendance: 0[a] Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) |
| 11 December 2020 20:00 |
| Newcastle Falcons | 20–33 | Cardiff Blues |
| Try: Wacokecoke 18' c Stuart 36' c Con: Hodgson (2/2) 21', 37' Pen: Hodgson (2/2) 13', 75' | Report | Try: Amos 17' c To. Williams 49' c Penalty try 77' Con: Evans (2/2) 18', 50' Pen: Evans (4/4) 10', 21', 45', 57' |
| Kingston Park Attendance: 0[a] Referee: Ludovic Cayre (France) |
| 12 December 2020 14:00 |
| Zebre | 25–25 | Bayonne |
| Try: Laloifi 1' m Rizzi 31' c Nocera 67' c Con: Rizzi (2/3) 32', 68' Pen: Rizzi (2/3) 27', 40'+2 | Report | Try: Ruru 16' c Baget 44' m Delonca 62' c Con: Ordas (2/3) 17', 63' Pen: Ordas (2/2) 9', 20' |
| Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi Referee: Adam Jones (Wales) |
| 12 December 2020 15:00 |
| Agen | 8–34 | London Irish (1 BP) |
| Try: Railevu 50' m Pen: Reid (1/1) 16' | Report | Try: Tuisue (2) 11' m, 28' c Mafi 35' c Hassell-Collins 44' m Cokanasiga 80' c Con: Brophy-Clews (2/3) 29', 36' Atkins (1/1) 80'+1 Pen: Atkins (1/1) 58' |
| Stade Armandie Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland) |
| 12 December 2020 21:00 |
| Pau | 24–20 | Worcester Warriors (1 BP) |
| Try: Corato 17' c Barrett 40'+3 c Erbani 79' c Con: Marques (2/2) 17', 40'+3 Le Bail (1/1) 80'+1 Pen: Marques (1/1) 52' | Report | Try: Simpson 22' c Penalty try 12' Con: Shillcock (1/1) 23' Pen: Shillcock (2/3) 56', 62' |
| Stade du Hameau Referee: Andrea Piardi (ITA) |
| 12 December 2020 20:00 |
| (1 BP) Ospreys | 39–15 | Castres |
| Try: Venter 22' m Parry (2) 29' c, 39' c D. Evans 67' c Morgan 80'+1 c Con: Myler (4/5) 30', 40'+1, 68', 80'+2 Pen: Myler (2/2) 6', 14' | Report | Try: Kormath 54' c Amans 71' m Con: Fortunel (1/1) 56' Pen: Fortunel (1/1) 17' |
| Liberty Stadium Referee: Tom Foley (England) |
Round 2 edit
| 18 December 2020 18:30 |
| Castres | 17–26 | Newcastle Falcons |
| Try: Bouzerand (2) 26' m, 29' m Botitu 78' c Con: Bourgier (1/1) 79' | Report | Try: Stuart 56' m Arscott 67' m Basham 76' c Con: Connon (1/3) 77' Pen: Connon (3/4) 16', 39', 40'+2 |
| Stade Pierre-Fabre Referee: Craig Evans (Wales) |
| 18 December 2020 21:00 |
| (1 BP) Brive | 16–18 | Zebre |
| Try: Galletier 5' c Con: Abzhandadze (1/1) 6' Pen: Abzhandadze (3/3) 17', 52', 66' | Report | Try: Violi 14' c Bruno 33' m Con: Canna (1/2) 14' Pen: Canna (2/3) 69', 80' |
| Stade Amédée-Domenech Referee: Adam Leal (England) |
| 19 December 2020 14:00 |
| Benetton | Cancelled[b] 0–28 | Agen (1 BP) |
| Stadio Comunale di Monigo Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland) |
| 19 December 2020 20:00 |
| (1 BP) Worcester Warriors | 29–39 | Ospreys (1 BP) |
| Try: Lawrence 17' c Nanai 28' m Searle 52' c Hill 57' c Con: Shillcock (3/4) 18', 53', 58' Pen: Shillcock (1/2) 49' | Report | Try: Penalty try 34' Parry 39' m Morris 68' c North 74' c Con: Myler (2/3) 68', 75' Pen: Myler (4/4) 4', 13', 78', 80' |
| Sixways Attendance: 2,000[c] Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) |
| 19 December 2020 21:00 |
| Bayonne | 20–28 | Leicester Tigers |
| Try: Zabalza 40'+2 c Gorcioaia 69' c Con: Germain (2/2) 40'+3, 69' Pen: Germain (2/2) 8', 10' | Report | Try: Reffell 10' c Kelly 28' c Murimurivalu 60' m Con: Henry (2/3) 11', 30' Pen: Henry (3/3) 24', 43', 45' |
| Stade Jean Dauger Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland) |
| 20 December 2020 15:00 |
| (1 BP) London Irish | 26–17 | Pau |
| Try: Stokes (2) 11' c, 36' c Cokanasiga 40' c Parton 50' m Con: Jackson (3/4) 12', 37', 40'+1 | Report | Try: Septar 21' c Debaes 80' c Con: Le Bail (1/1) 22' Marques (1/1) 80' Pen: Le Bail (1/2) 42' |
| Brentford Community Stadium Attendance: 0[a] Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy) |
| 20 December 2020 17:30 |
| (1 BP) Cardiff Blues | Cancelled 28–0 | Stade Français |
| Rodney Parade Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (England) |
Following round 2 the competition was temporarily suspended.[2] It was later confirmed that the postponed matches would not take place.[3]
References edit
- ^ "Champions Cup Rules". epcrugby.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
- ^ a b "EPCR tournaments temporarily suspended". European Professional Club Rugby. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
- ^ "Postponed matches will not be rearranged". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
Notes edit
- ^ a b c Match played behind closed doors due to local restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ^ Cancelled due to positive COVID-19 test on the Benetton team.
- ^ Spectators numbers limited to 2,000 due to local restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.