2015–16 European Rugby Champions–Challenge Cup play-offs
The 2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup-Challenge Cup play-off was the second play-off for entry into the top level competition of European Club rugby union, the European Rugby Champions Cup.
Event | European Rugby Champions Cup Qualification Play-off |
---|---|
Date | 23 and 30 May 2015 |
Format
Following the two-team play-off in 2014–15, an expanded, four-team format was due to be used. However, on 24 September 2014, it was announced this would instead be a three-team play-off, with the highest placed non-qualifying team taking part.[1]
To accommodate the longer season in the French Top 14, the format was announced as follows:
- One team each would qualify from the Premiership and the Pro12, with each league being represented by the highest placed team not already qualified. These two teams would play in the first game, with home advantage in the match would be decided by a coin toss. In the event that the 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup winner was a Premiership club, and it had not automatically qualified for the Champions Cup, it would take the place allocated to a Premiership team.[2]
- The winner of the first game would host the 7th placed team in the French Top 14. The winner of that game would qualify for the Champions Cup.
Gloucester became the first team to qualify for the play-off, taking the place allocated to the Premiership, when they beat Edinburgh 19–13 in the Challenge Cup final on 1 May 2015. This result meant that the 7th place team in the 2014–15 Premiership will no longer take part in the play-off, and will compete in the Challenge Cup. Connacht qualified next, when the finished seventh in the 2014–15 Pro12 with 50 points, narrowly edging Edinburgh who had 48 points. Bordeaux Bègles qualified for the play-off on 23 May 2015.
Connacht played Gloucester away at Gloucester's Kingsholm Stadium on Sunday 24 May 2015,[3] with the venue having been decided earlier by a coin toss.[4]< It was decided that, in the event of a Gloucester win, the second play-off match would be played at Sixways Stadium in Worcester, to avoid a clash of fixtures with a Madness concert.
Teams
League | Team | Coach | Stadium |
---|---|---|---|
Premiership | Gloucester | Kingsholm Stadium | |
Pro12 | Connacht | Galway Sportsgrounds | |
Top 14 | Bordeaux Bègles | Stade André Moga |
Matches
Match 1
24 May 2015 15:30 GMT |
Gloucester |
40−32 (a.e.t.) |
|
---|---|---|
Try: Moriarty 1' c Sharples 26' m Meakes 80' c Dawidiuk 95' m May 98' c Con: Laidlaw (3/5) 1', 80', 98' Pen: Laidlaw (2/3) 19', 43' Hook (1/1) 92' |
Report[5] | Try: J. Cooney 8' c Carty 29' c Healy (2) 60' m, 92' c Con: Carty (3/4) 9', 30', 92' Pen: Carty (2/3) 7', 79' |
- Gloucester advance to play Bordeaux Bègles. Connacht will compete in the 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup.
Match 2
31 May 2015 17:00 GMT |
Gloucester |
22−23 | |
---|---|---|
Try: Purdy 15' c Con: Laidlaw (1/1) 16' Pen: Laidlaw (5/6) 2', 10', 24', 32', 70' |
Report[6] | Try: Talebula (2) 37' c, 56' c Con: Bernard (2/2) 39', 58' Pen: Bernard (2/2) 28', 35' Drop: Bernard (1/1) 80' |
|
|
- Bordeaux Bègles qualify for the 2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup. Gloucester will compete in the 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup.
References
- "European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR)". epcrugby.com. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR)". epcrugby.com. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "Connacht lose but make Champions Cup play-off". RTÉ. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
Connacht will now play Gloucester away at Kingsholm next Sunday, with the winner of that tie playing the French Top 14 seventh-placed side for a spot in next year's Champions Cup.
- Mike Brown (2 May 2015). "Gloucester's Champions Cup play-off home advantage to be settled by Twickenham coin toss". Gloucester Citizen. Archived from the original on 6 May 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
The coin toss will take place during coverage of the Champions Cup final between Clermont Auvergne and Toulon at Twickenham.
- "Champions Cup play-off: Gloucester 40-32 Connacht". 24 May 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via www.bbc.com.
- "European Rugby Champions Cup: Gloucester 22-23 Bordeaux-Begles". 31 May 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via www.bbc.com.