Euro comps' intriguing new layer of jeopardy
SPOTLIGHT: Europe’s premier products, the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, get underway this weekend with an intriguing additional layer.
The long-awaited return of the competitions brings thrilling fixtures, including teams from South Africa, France, Italy, England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland.
Round One of the Champions Cup kicked off on Friday with an exhilarating showdown as the reigning champions, Union Bordeaux Bègles, began their title defence with a 36-all draw with Gloucester.
Saturday brings more thrilling action as Sale Sharks step onto the field to face Glasgow Warriors, while Stade Français Paris journeys to South Africa to battle the formidable Bulls.
In a highly anticipated match, Clermont Auvergne will look to energise their home crowd at the Stade Marcel-Michelin against four-time champions Leinster.
Simultaneously, the Stormers will take on the visiting Bristol Bears, and three-time champions Saracens will make their way to Connacht for what promises to be a fierce encounter.
However, some interesting and exciting changes have added to the jeopardy factor of both the top-tier Champions Cup and secondary Challenge Cup.
European Professional Club Rugby, the organisation that runs both competitions, changed the attacking bonus point system and Round of 16 qualification rules.
Previously, an attacking bonus point was awarded to any team that scored four or more tries in a match (win, draw, or loss).
The new rule (adopted from the French Top 14) results in an attacking bonus point only being awarded to a team that scores at least three more tries than their opponent.
The losing bonus point is still awarded for losing a match by seven points or fewer.
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Stormers captain Ruhan Nel admitted that teams can no longer afford to ‘switch off’ when they have the bonus point in the bag with a substantial lead.
“Defensively you have to be sharper [switched on] for 80 minutes,” Nel said in the build-up to his team’s face-off with the Bears in Cape Town.
“In the URC you score four tries, and you have your bonus point.
“You can win [by any margin] and have five points.
“Now, defensively, you have to be way more accurate. Not only do you have to preserve your lead, but ensure they don’t score any tries.”
For a team like the Stormers, who enjoy defence, it is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does require another level of focus.
“To protect that three-tries lead will be challenging, but something we are looking forward to,” Nel added.
The Round of 16 qualification has also undergone a significant change.
Under the previous format, the top four teams from each of the four pools automatically qualified for the Round of 16.
However, from this season, only the top three teams in each of the four pools automatically qualify.
The remaining four wildcard spots go to the teams with the highest number of match points across all pools that finished outside the top three (regardless of their pool).
The tiebreaker is most wins, then points difference when separating teams tied on match points.
In the Challenge Cup, the top three teams in each of the three pools automatically qualify, plus the next three highest-ranked teams across all pools, joined by the four teams dropping down from the Champions Cup pool stage.
@JanDKrugby
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