An extra dose of 'uncertainty' is behind the changes to the REC
Georgia may have once again entered the Rugby Europe Championship as short favourites to take out an unprecedented 12th title in 13 seasons of action, but there is one major hurdle they will have to overcome in 2023 that could freshen up the competition: knockout fixtures.
Year after year, Los Leos have racked up the wins and taken home the crown at the end of the tournament – only Romania in 2017 have been able to upset the established order of proceedings. The last five Championships have all fallen the way of Georgia, however, a tier-two side who have now scored two wins over tier-one opposition in the space of 12 months, besting Italy in Batumi in July and then overcoming Wales at the Principality Stadium in November.
But while Georgia have rightfully started their campaign as title favourites and brushed aside Germany over the weekend to reinforce that tag, their nearest competitors will be licking their lips knowing that their odds of taking home the crown have increased significantly thanks to the revamped structure.
The tournament has expanded this year to include eight teams – Georgia, Romania, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and Germany – and in order to fit the competition into five rounds of action, a new format has been devised which sees the teams split across two groups for the opening three weekends. After the pool stages are completed, the top four sides will enter two rounds of sudden death action vying for the overall title, while the bottom four nations will engage in their own knockout fixtures. The action will culminate on March 19, with the top four sides playing in Spain and the bottom four heading to the Netherlands.
The new format means one bad game from Georgia – or perhaps one great game from one of their primary competitors – could see a new title-holder confirmed next month. According to Rugby Europe chief executive officer Florent Marty, that will make for a great competition.
“When you have the same winner for all the editions except one in the last decade or so, it’s not necessarily benefiting the uncertainty around the competition,” Marty says.
“Quite frankly, Georgia may still win – and of course we wish them the best of luck – but they will have to reach the final first and then will have to win the final.
“And if you look at some of the global-stage competitions, starting with the World Cup, it’s a very similar format. You have a round-robin phase and then you have a knockout phase where everything is at stake. If you over underperform one day, you are out. And if you overperform one day, you can cause a big upset. That’s what we like about the new format.”
The decision to expand the competition was not one taken lightly, with discussions kicking off back in 2019. Consideration was given towards creating a marketable, exciting tournament, but also to growing the game in Europe.
“We did a number of different workshops with the unions themselves to discuss different formats and different options,” says Marty.
“The decision to expand was absolutely unanimous because it’s obviously providing an opportunity for more teams to engage at that higher level.
“For the format itself, there gas been various considerations, but there was a large consensus to actually introduce that knockout stage because it provides that uncertainty. It also provides an opportunity to stage larger and more appealing events; you’re going to have fans be able to attend a double leader in two different locations.”
According to Marty, the intention is to produce a festival-like atmosphere in Amsterdam and Badajoz, the destinations for the two final events, and create two new must-see experiences on the rugby calendar for fans in Europe.
“We want to start building something and grow it over the years,” he says. “We know it takes time, so we’re not going to have U2 performing at the finals in year one, for example. But the idea is, year by year, improve the quality of the foreign experience so it will become a must-attend for the fans.
“At the end of the day, everything we do is for the fans, so they need to get a lot of pleasure out of coming to those events, watch two great rugby games and also enjoy what’s around them, from the in-stadium experience to everything that is built around.”
While the new format – with pre-selected locations for the finals – could mean that some teams might play just one home game throughout the tournament, the distribution of matches will even out over a two-year cycle, with Marty confirming that next year’s competition will feature the same two pools as 2023’s iteration, but with home and away games reversed.
“Over a two-year period of time, (the new structure) has no effect on the number of home games,” he says. “The one uncertainty, obviously, is linked to a sporting aspect, which is you have to win the right to host a semi-final, which is an additional carrot from the round-robin phase.
“And then for the location of the finals, we plan to rotate, so it’s not like it will be necessarily the same union hosting it for a number of years.”
The lowest-ranked side on aggregate over the two-year period will also automatically swap places with the top-ranked team from the Rugby Europe Trophy, with no promotion or relegation taking place at the end of the current tournament.
The ultimate goal of the competition, of course, remains bolstering the growing strength of rugby in Europe and recent results – including Georgia’s wins over tier-one opposition, suggest that goal is well and truly being met.
“Other than the traditional competitions, the Six Nations and Rugby Championship, we are the most represented competition at the World Cup,” Marty says. “We have three teams playing at the World Cup and I guess that’s the testimony to the value of the Rugby Europe Championship. Spain are clearly deserving as well, they were at the level of the other teams.
“So we can be proud about the level of the Rugby Europe Championship and at some point, and this is clearly something we also would encourage – we would hope that the World Cup would expand at some point so that there are more teams playing at the World Cup, and clearly what we want is to build team more teams to be ready to play at that level.”
The second and third rounds of this year’s Rugby Europe Championship will take place over the following two weeks, before all teams get a two-week rest. The knockout stages of the competition will kick off in early March.
Comments on RugbyPass
Is Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
15 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
15 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
15 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
2 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
15 Go to commentsthe success of the premiership can be summarized by : only 10 teams. It makes a huge difference with the overcrowded top 14 (let us not talk about Leinster and URC…)
1 Go to commentsGood for him. The ABs were fooling around again with converted fullbacks that had a penetration of a marshmallow. Laumape or as Aki has shown for Ireland, go forward is important in the centres. If it had been DMac - Aki- Aumua - Ioane- Telea- Jordan in France the final result would have been different.
4 Go to commentsDan Carter a apporté son professionnalisme, des méthodes de travail, un esprit qui manquaient à l’USAP. Son influence, même une fois blessé a été énorme. Et pour citer une anecdote, certains soirs il venait de lui-même à l’entraînement des jeunes pour dispenser ses conseils. On ne peut pas compter ce qu’il a apporté au club en heures de jeu sur le terrain. Est-ce que le club en a eu pour son argent ? Avec la publicité sur son nom et le titre, je suppose que oui.
1 Go to commentsThe SA sides are suffering from a bum rap here. There isn’t a side anywhere in the world that would do things differently in their shoes. They’ve been set up to fail in the EPCR comps by vested interests, with last minute intercontinental travel requirements that costs an arm and a leg to book in advance just on the possibility they might be required. And the total nonsense that denies any chance of home venues is entirely biased and absolutely unsporting. Either EPCR, the Top14 & the Gallagher Premiership get it sorted on a fair and equitable sporting basis for ALL participants or expect the ridicule to continue. Right now, these comps are a joke!
15 Go to commentsSA sides should do the right thing and leave the champions cup, they are lowering the standard with completely one sided games, not up to the right level. The greatest club tournament in the world is being banjaxed by the weak SA sides.
15 Go to commentsCouldnt agree more. SA sides need to show more committment and really have a go at the Champions Cup. Its quite possibly the most prestigious title in Europe and SA sides need to respect that prestige and serve up their best. EPCR needs to do more to ensure that sides from South Africa and sides travelling to and from SA have a better chance in this competition. The Bulls were put in a really difficult position of having to travel there and back in one week. One could argue that this is what the SA sides signed up for and that La Rochelle didnt complain or send out weakened sides despite having to travel to SA and back and play on successive weekends but surely the situation is also unfair on La Rochelle as well and so EPCR needs to think about successive gameweeks and the travel effect of the competition
15 Go to commentsI hadn’t watched much Canes this season but sat through a replay of that Chiefs game with no distractions. That pack is beastly. I really like the look of Iose. He loves the tough stuff. The first Quins clip may be the best I have even seen for a TH driving his opposite into oblivion. i need to take your word for the contribution of Walker, but Collier there with a straight back pushing up from under was a lovely thing to see. Have you fallen in love with Baxter also, Nick? I think Stuart Barnes may have written his column about him recently, naked. He positively frothed.
14 Go to commentsSmart guy. I wish he was running the RFU or something!
2 Go to commentsWhy Barrett, when Leinster already have at least 4 top centres.?
15 Go to commentsGood write up, Brett. Rebels are an interesting one for sure. 88 points scored in the last two games, but against two teams that are unlikely to be in the top 4 at seasons end. However the other side of the coin, against the Hurricanes, the team to beat atm, they conceded 54 points, and add in another 53 points to the then high flying Reds, and things don’t look so good. The acid tests will be against the Blues and the Chiefs. I do hope they do contest the finals this year, if only to confound those working on their demise. Les Kiss has made a big difference to the Qld. Reds, and they could so easily have now been sitting unbeaten at the top of the table. But they have now lost some games in a most disappointing fashion, and now step up against the Highlanders this weekend seriously depleted, four absolute key players down, two to suspension, two injured. Of the other Australian sides, the Brumbies look unlikely to fold to anyone any time soon, while the Waratahs and Force both disappoint. But still and all, winning games against the NZ sides is very welcome, and one would hope for more to come. Who will come out on top ? A North Island side for sure should contest the final, but I would hope an Australian side might just get there this year. Brumbies most likely, Qld. Reds could be formidable with a full team back on the field.
12 Go to commentsThe stat that illustrates some progress compared to recent years is that Aussie sides have won 5 of 12 games against Kiwi sides. The Tahs have lost 2 tight games against Kiwi sides, while the Reds and Tahs have contrasting experiences in games against Kiwi sides decided by that farcical thing called golden point.
12 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes pack has stepped up in a huge way this year. Their improvement at scrum time has been a big contributor to their success. Aumua looks like he is playing with a lot of confidence and put in a really good display at both set piece and in general play on Saturday. Him and Numia are putting in a good case for higher honours, A dominate combination with Lomax will help their case. And their loose forward depth is class. Iose has benefited from regular game time and Lakai has shown his versatility and promise. Thanks Nick. Hope all is well.
14 Go to commentsSamoa have enough former internationals who want to flick a switch for a country most have probably hardly set foot in. If you’re that passionate about Samoa, go live and play rugby there to qualify instead of just waltzing into the side and kicking a player actually from Samoa out of the squad. All these ex internationals hasn’t really made them that much more competitive because most look like they're going through the motions.
2 Go to commentsKini Naholo at 14 brings to memory Waisake.
1 Go to commentsGrace, much like Luke Jacobson, has never looked like the same player since his run of injuries. He also looked much better as a 6 than an 8. He still looks like he doesn't completely understand the position.
2 Go to comments