Champions Cup needs a revamp but a simple one - Andy Goode
I’ve said before that the Champions Cup needs a revamp but the last thing it needs is gimmicks or more games, the organisers have to keep it simple.
The word is that a decision on a new format for the competition will be made relatively quickly and hopefully that means that the straightforward option of reducing the number of teams from 20 to 16 will be the chosen one.
There were 24 teams in the old Heineken Cup and that was cut to 20 when it became the Champions Cup in 2014, creating an even more competitive tournament, but there are still too many dead rubbers as early as Round 3.
Gloucester even went to Montpellier in Round 2 with a weakened team, having lost at home in Round 1. If there were four pools with four teams in each and clubs knew they simply had to finish in the top two to qualify, interest would be maintained for much longer.
That has to be the way to go as the other alternative being mooted whereby there would be six pools with three teams in each (one from the Premiership, one from the PRO14 and one from the Top 14) makes things more complicated.
Then there would be two best runners-up going through instead of three, so that would be more difficult for fans to follow. And, although a shorter pool stage may mean it evens itself out, I just can’t get on board with home and away legs in the quarter and semi-finals.
I played in a two-legged final in the Championship and it was weird. It’s not right when you can lose and then rely on something else next week, or even play for a narrow defeat away from home. It just felt ridiculous.
Potentially introducing it in the Champions Cup smacks of trying to increase revenues at the expense of fans and players and I think it would actually decrease the quality and excitement of the knockout stages.
Knockout rugby is special, knowing how to play it well is an art and that has to be kept to one-off games for me.
I know there will be comparisons to the Champions League in football but it is a very different sport. Apart from the demands on the body, the lower scoring nature of football lends itself better to two-legged ties.
One thing that absolutely has to be ensured is that, whatever changes are made to the format of the competition, there are no games added to the calendar. There are already too many and player welfare must come before everything else.
Moving to four pools of four in the initial stage would help to solve the problems of teams losing interest too early but there is also an issue of not enough fans going to watch the knockout games and the calendar would have to be changed to deal with that.
There are 11 weeks between the end of the pool stages and the quarter-finals, due to the Six Nations, and then four weeks until the semi-finals. An extra week has been added to that gap since last year but it’s tough to sell out those games at big, neutral stadiums with such a short lead time.
The main problem, though, is making sure more teams feel like they have something to play for in Rounds 5 and 6. French clubs have lost interest early on for a long time if things weren’t going their way and English clubs are doing the same this season.
A major reason for that is that the Premiership is so competitive, there are so many games in the calendar and teams like Gloucester, Northampton, Harlequins and Sale just aren’t far enough along in their evolution to be able to compete on both fronts.
However, if they knew that they simply had to finish in the top two in their pool to reach a quarter-final, that may feel like a more achievable target and it would certainly mean that more pools would go down to the wire.
Let’s hope EPCR have heard of the problem-solving principle known as Occam’s razor. The simplest solution is most likely the right one.
Comments on RugbyPass
Looked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
31 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
31 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
1 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
31 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
31 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
31 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
31 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
31 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
31 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
31 Go to commentsSurprising how standing down or benching a player can do wonders for their motivation. Several players this week in that category.
2 Go to commentsHaha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
4 Go to commentshit on Lynagh was defo late and card-worthy. The other 2 are bang on OK. Hurts you at Test level if youre timing is off and the nostrils are flared. Jerry C knew when to lean in on one, Finau just needs to keep his discipline and head straight.
7 Go to commentsSlade was exceptional against Gloucester. Not only was he doing the classic Slade stuff of running amazing lines and timing passes to perfection to put his wingers into space, he was kicking goals, flying off the line smashing people and crashing into rucks like a flanker… his hair even looked on point. 😍
1 Go to commentsThat’s really sad, hope everyone involved is ok. At least he had pants on.
4 Go to comments