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

2017–18 European Rugby Champions–Challenge Cup play-offs
Event European Rugby Champions Cup Qualification Play-off
Date 19–28 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

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 will comprise 3 matches, contested by one team from the Premiership, one from the Top 14, and two from the Pro14.

The two Pro12 teams will each play 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 will then contest a play-off final, with the winner of this match competing in the 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup. The three losing teams will all compete in the 2017–18 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

Teams

Four teams will compete in the play-off, having qualified as either the highest team from each league that hasn't already qualified for the Champions Cup, or as the winner of the 2016–17 European Rugby Challenge Cup.[3]

The following teams have 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

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

Semi-finals

19 May 2017
18:00 CEST
Stade Français France 46–21 Wales 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'
 Report Try: 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)
FB15France Jérémy Sinzelle
RW14Fiji Waisea Nayacalevu 61'
OC13France Jonathan Danty
IC12South Africa Meyer Bosman
LW11France Sekou Macalou
FH10South Africa Morné Steyn
SH9France Julien Dupuy 63'
N88Italy Sergio Parisse (c)
OF7France Matthieu Ugena 34'
BF6France Antoine Burban
RL5France Paul Gabrillagues 72'
LL4South Africa Willem Alberts 66'
TP3Australia Paul Alo-Emile 25'
HK2France Rémi Bonfils 67'
LP1South Africa Heinke van der Merwe 50'
Replacements:
HK16France Laurent Panis 67'
PR17France Rabah Slimani 50'
PR18Georgia (country) Giorgi Melikidze 25'
LK19France Mathieu De Giovanni 34'
FL20France Raphaël Lakafia 66'
SH21France Clément Daguin 63'
FH22France Jules Plisson 61'
FL23South Africa Jono Ross 72'
Coach:
Argentina Gonzalo Quesada
FB15Wales Matthew Morgan
RW14Wales Alex Cuthbert
OC13Samoa Rey Lee-Lo 7'
IC12New Zealand Willis Halaholo 66'
LW11Wales Rhun Williams 4'
FH10Wales Gareth Anscombe
SH9Wales Lloyd Williams
N88New Zealand Nick Williams
OF7Wales Ellis Jenkins (c)
BF6Wales Josh Navidi
RL5Wales Macauley Cook
LL4New Zealand Jarrad Hoeata
TP3Tonga Taufaʻao Filise 61'
HK2Wales Matthew Rees 61'
LP1Wales Rhys Gill 57'
Replacements:
HK16Wales Kirby Myhill 61' 72'
PR17Wales Corey Domachowski 57'
PR18Georgia (country) Anton Peikrishvili 61'
LK19Wales Seb Davies 72'
FL20Wales Sion Bennett 66'
SH21Wales Tomos Williams 52'
FH22Wales Steven Shingler 7' 52'
CE23Wales Garyn Smith 4'
Coach:
Wales Danny Wilson
20 May 2017
16:00 BST
Northampton Saints England 21–15 Ireland Connacht
Try: Mallinder 1' c
Groom 56' m
Con: Mallinder (1/2) 2'
Pen: Mallinder (3/3) 15', 23', 70'
 Report Try: Adeolokun 4' c
Heffernan 61' m
Con: Ronaldson (1/2) 4'
Pen: Ronaldson (1/1) 28'
FB15Samoa Ahsee Tuala 78'
RW14England Ben Foden
OC13Tonga Nafi Tuitavake
IC12England Luther Burrell 23'
LW11Wales George North
FH10England Harry Mallinder
SH9South Africa Nic Groom 67'
N88France Louis Picamoles
OF7England Teimana Harrison 58'
BF6England Jamie Gibson 78' to 80'
RL5England Christian Day 64'
LL4England Courtney Lawes
TP3England Kieran Brookes 62'
HK2England Dylan Hartley (c) 59'
LP1England Alex Waller 62'
Replacements:
HK16England Mike Haywood 78'
PR17Fiji Campese Ma'afu 62'
PR18England Gareth Denman 62'
LK19Fiji Api Ratuniyarawa 64'
FL20England Tom Wood 58'
SH21England Lee Dickson 67'
FH22England Sam Olver
CE23Scotland Rory Hutchinson 23'
Coach:
England Jim Mallinder
FB15Ireland Tiernan O'Halloran
RW14Ireland Niyi Adeolokun
OC13South Africa Danie Poolman
IC12Ireland Craig Ronaldson
LW11Ireland Cian Kelleher 3'
FH10Ireland Jack Carty
SH9Ireland Kieran Marmion 66'
N88Ireland John Muldoon (c)
OF7New Zealand Jake Heenan 56'
BF6Ireland Seán O'Brien
RL5England James Cannon 51'
LL4Ireland Quinn Roux
TP3Ireland Finlay Bealham 68'
HK2Ireland Dave Heffernan
LP1Ireland Denis Buckley
Replacements:
HK16Ireland Shane Delahunt
PR17Ireland JP Cooney
PR18Ireland Conor Carey 68'
LK19Ireland Ultan Dillane 51'
FL20Fiji Naulia Dawai 56'
SH21Ireland Caolin Blade
SH22Ireland John Cooney 66'
WG23Ireland Matt Healy 3'
Coach:
Samoa Pat Lam

Play-off final

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 England 23–22 France Stade Français
Try: Foden 45' c
Tuala 71' c
Con: Mallinder (2/2) 45', 73'
Pen: Mallinder (3/5) 19', 29', 38'
 Report Try: 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)
FB15Samoa Ahsee Tuala 75'
RW14England Ben Foden
OC13Tonga Nafi Tuitavake 53'
IC12England Luther Burrell
LW11Wales George North
FH10England Harry Mallinder
SH9South Africa Nic Groom 66'
N88France Louis Picamoles 53'
OF7England Tom Wood (c)Red card 63'
BF6England Teimana Harrison
RL5England Christian Day 60'
LL4England Courtney Lawes
TP3England Kieran Brookes 60'
HK2England Dylan Hartley 66'
LP1England Alex Waller 66'
Replacements:
HK16England Mike Haywood 66'
PR17Fiji Campese Ma'afu 66'
PR18England Gareth Denman 60'
LK19Fiji Api Ratuniyarawa 60'
FL20England Jamie Gibson 53'
SH21England Lee Dickson 66'
FH22England Sam Olver 75'
CE23Scotland Rory Hutchinson 62' to 72' 53'
Coach:
England Jim Mallinder
FB15France Djibril Camara 65'
RW14Fiji Waisea Nayacalevu
OC13France Geoffrey Doumayrou
IC12France Jonathan Danty 22'
LW11France Jérémy Sinzelle
FH10France Jules Plisson
SH9Australia Will Genia 76'
N88South Africa Jono Ross
OF7France Raphaël Lakafia
BF6France Antoine Burban 44'
RL5France Paul Gabrillagues (c) 60'
LL4South Africa Willem Alberts
TP3Australia Paul Alo-Emile
HK2France Rémi Bonfils 42' to 52' 74'
LP1Georgia (country) Zurab Zhvania 51'
Replacements:
HK16South Africa Craig Burden 44' 53'
PR17France Rabah Slimani 51'
PR18Georgia (country) Giorgi Melikidze 74'
LK19France Mathieu De Giovanni 60'
N820Italy Sergio Parisse 53'
SH21France Clément Daguin 76'
FH22South Africa Morné Steyn 65'
CE23South Africa Meyer Bosman 22'
Coach:
Argentina Gonzalo Quesada

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Revised play-off format agreed for 2015/16 Champions Cup". epcrugby.com.
  2. 1 2 3 "Champions Cup play-offs". epcrugby.com.
  3. ↑ "Champions Cup qualification 2017/18 and play-offs". epcrugby.com.
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