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Today

14:05

The most confusing Champions Cup pool draw ever has taken place... and new champions Exeter have it all to do

By Online Editors

28 Oct 2020

(Photo by Harold Cunningham/EPCR)

Newly crowned European champions Exeter Chiefs won’t get anything easy when they begin their Champions Cup title defence in December as they have been drawn against Toulouse and Glasgow in the revamped 2020/21 format.

Rob Baxter’s side lifted the Champions Cup trophy for the first time after a dramatic 25th anniversary final earlier this month against Racing, but Exeter have a long road ahead if they are to reach next May’s decider in Marseille.

Under the new one-season format featuring two pools of twelve clubs, a structure that will generally confuse the rugby public, reigning Guinness PRO14 champions Leinster Rugby will have Montpellier and Northampton as their opponents in Pool A, while European runners-up Racing are in Pool B where they will be up against Connacht and Harlequins.

The Breakdown looks ahead to Bledisloe III

Wasps, who were edged out by the Chiefs in the Gallagher Premiership final, will meet Dragons and Montpellier in Pool A, and PRO14 finalists Ulster take on Gloucester and Toulouse in Pool B.

Munster will renew their European rivalry with Clermont and Harlequins in Pool B, while Bristol Bears boss Pat Lam will make a return to Galway when the Challenge Cup winners face off against Connacht and Clermont, also in Pool B.

Your 2020/21 #HeinekenChampionsCup Pools ?
Reigning champs @ExeterChiefs and semi-finalists @StadeToulousain are drawn together ??
While there'll be a re-run of the 2011 Final between @leinsterrugby and @SaintsRugby again..
Reaction?
More info ? https://t.co/B9Ly77tVcZ pic.twitter.com/GT6InxpeFf
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) October 28, 2020

For the purposes of the draw, the 24 clubs which qualified from the Premiership, the PRO14 and the TOP 14 were classified into four tiers based on their performances in the knockout phases of their respective leagues, and/or on their qualifying positions in their respective league tables.

Each tier contained six clubs with tier 1 made up of the number one and number two ranked clubs from each league, and tier 2, the number three and number four ranked clubs from each league, and so on. Starting with tier 1, the clubs were either drawn or allocated into either Pool A or Pool B so that each pool contained twelve clubs with no clubs in the same tier from the same league in the same pool.

The tier 1 and tier 4 clubs which were drawn in the same pool, but which were not from the same league, will play one another home and away over four rounds. The same principle applied to the tier 2 and tier 3 clubs which were drawn in the same pool, but which were not from the same league.

The exact dates of the Heineken Champions Cup pool stage fixtures and the Challenge Cup preliminary stage fixtures – including venues, kick-off times and TV coverage – will be announced as soon as possible following consultation with clubs and EPCR’s partner broadcasters.

The four highest-ranked clubs from each Heineken Champions Cup pool will qualify for the quarter-finals which will be played over two legs, and the clubs ranked from number five to number eight in each pool will qualify for the round of 16 of the Challenge Cup.

2020/21 HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP

POOL A (with opponents in brackets)
Bordeaux (Dragons, Northampton)
Leinster (Montpellier, Northampton)
Wasps (Dragons, Montpellier)
Bath (La Rochelle, Scarlets)
Edinburgh (La Rochelle, Sale)
Toulon (Sale, Scarlets)
La Rochelle (Bath, Edinburgh)
Sale (Edinburgh, Toulon)
Scarlets (Bath, Toulon)
Dragons (Bordeaux, Wasps)
Montpellier (Leinster, Wasps)
Northampton (Bordeaux, Leinster)

POOL B (with opponents in brackets)
Exeter (Glasgow, Toulouse)
Lyon (Glasgow, Gloucester)
Ulster (Gloucester, Toulouse)
Bristol (Clermont, Connacht)
Munster (Clermont, Harlequins)
Racing (Connacht, Harlequins)
Clermont (Bristol, Munster)
Connacht (Bristol, Racing)
Harlequins (Munster, Racing)
Glasgow (Exeter, Lyon)
Gloucester (Lyon, Ulster)
Toulouse (Exeter, Ulster)

2020/21 season weekends
Round 1 – 11/12/13 December 2020
Round 2 – 18/19/20 December 2020
Round 3 – 15/16/17 January 2021
Round 4 – 22/23/24 January 2021
Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals, 1st leg – 2/3/4 April 2021
Challenge Cup Round of 16 – 2/3/4 April 2021
Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals, 2nd leg – 9/10/11 April 2021
Challenge Cup quarter-finals – 9/10/11 April 2021
Semi-finals – 30 April – 1/2 May 2021

2021 finals – Stade Velodrome, Marseille
Challenge Cup final – Friday 21 May
Heineken Champions Cup final – Saturday 22 May

EPISODE 4 of RUGBYPASS OFFLOAD #RPOffload
Citing commissioners??
Team socials ?
Away Trips and WAGS ?
iTunes – https://t.co/fgTx9iWHse
Acast – https://t.co/SR5K7kkH5B pic.twitter.com/Plmodrg3Z1
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 28, 2020

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Comments on RugbyPass

Cantab 5 days ago

Teenager Braxton Sorensen-McGee reflects on dream Black Ferns debut

Although NZ won comfortably enough they weren’t always convincing and a better opposition may well have found them out. If our gun 7s players can translate their skills to the 15s game the team would have the ability to beat anyone. Need to be given the chance though.

4 Go to comments

James 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

And how do you see the Wallabies loosehead / Lion’s tighthead battle Nick?

37 Go to comments

dw 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Also interested in your thoughts on A Bell. Haven't noticed many scrum issues recently. He also seems to play 60 or so mins every game. A bit of a fan (even though he’s a tah..) but wondered if the Lions would target his scrummaging

37 Go to comments

dw 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

True. And you look at how the European coaches have got so much out of skelton and how much the local fans love him…and then some Oz fans will still say “he played poorly for the tahs I'm 2015!”

37 Go to comments

dw 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Thanks Nick but your headline has just jinxed us and reminded me of that night in 2013!

I love any analysis of the scrums such as the above. Cheers.

Allalatoa seems to be in good form and Nongorr appears to be able to hold his own? I think they will pick Tupou regardless of form. After Friday night I am concerned he could be sent off in the first five mins of the test though! He got too pumped up and hit a player high and was carded

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 5 days ago

'Most complacent selection decision you will ever see': Barrett benching slammed as Leinster knocked out

I watched the mainstream NZ pundits eg Mils Muliaina and they DID back NZ to win almost to a man.

Ireland will talk their team up as anyone would with the caveats we are playing the ABs and match was de facto 50:50, That is not the same as dismissing the opposition. EG After the quarter John Kirwan said he was sorry France didn’t win versus SA becuase a ‘France-NZ final would be perfect. (The semis had not even been played yet, England and Argentina completely dismissed! He didn’t even realize his own arrogance) NZ are not even aware of the arrogance they exude. Has no Kiwi politely asked the national team to take down the ‘Superstars and Humble Heroes’ boasting on the AB site? Its cringeworthy stuff. Do NZ really see themselves like this?

Note all this BS about Irish arrogance started just after NZs defeat in the 2022 series. Not a coincidence.

Also: this is Irish national TV. We will talk our team up as everyone does. We care too much about judgemental and thin skinned Kiwis getting offended.

91 Go to comments

JM 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Aussie rugby fans are obsessed with players they hate, for whatever reason.

Michael Hooper is another one, and the hatred only increased whenever he won John Eales medals or the two times he was nominated world player of the year.

I reckon it is because our forwards are technically and mentally weak they put it all on one player who they think should make way for the messiah.

Same for the general team performance and the hate put on players like White, Lolesio, and Foley who should be pulling rabbits out of the hat every play.

I reckon, if we had of had 5 players with Hooper’s desire and drive spread across the team (and especiallythe forwards), we wouldn’t have woken up in the bottom of the ditch.

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 5 days ago

'What he’s given to this club is nothing short of incredible'

He shouldn’t have been picked. Not physically able for the most intense matches notably in Twickenham last year. Giving him the captaincy was also a very short sighted decision then after RWC 2023. Ireland have a tendency to be a little too loyal, which can mean the team ages and the rebuild is bigger than should be.

Plenty of lads out there to fill that squad.

4 Go to comments

OJohn 5 days ago

Geoff Parling returns to Leicester as head coach

Hooray

0 Go to comments

Carlos 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

He was also a YC magnet.

37 Go to comments

Carlos 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Windsor-Faulkner-Price. 😊

37 Go to comments

Solenn Bonnet 5 days ago

Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

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0 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Ah, the Pooler front row ! Most legendary in the history of the , I would think. Max Boyce helped…”Here we. here we, here we go, with the Pontypool front row.”

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Would not go as far as whole house in our family, but for me, yes, W1. Loved playing in the scrum, love watching now😀

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Yes, I see that article here on RP, Nick. That is good news that Schmidt is going to look at the o’seas players.

Yes, I would think you are right that LAR will qualify. On the same points as MP, but surely they are too good not to win this crunch game….could be tEnse for ROG in the stands though.

37 Go to comments

BC 5 days ago

Who would make it into a Women's British and Irish Lions starting XV?

I would pick Oifa Wafer at 6, put Aldcroft in the second row with Ward. I think Wafer is one of the few non-England players mentioned that would contend for a Red Rose shirt, the others being King and possibly Neve Jones. Conversely there are two English players mentioned, Sing and Venner, that probably won’t even make the Red Rose WC squad, let alone a Lions Tour. Still a lot can change in two years, watch out for Millie David.

1 Go to comments

Otagoman II 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Great article NB, thanks. I would like to know what is the reasoning why so many things are penalties in the scrum. Is it to do with safety or something else?

37 Go to comments

NB 5 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

👍