Champions Cup: Toulouse and Toulon condemned to the feat in Ireland

2021-03-09T13:43:47.112Z

Stade Toulousain and RCT will challenge the Irish from Munster and Leinster in the round of 16 of the European Cup. Big piece also for Clermont who will go to the Wasps. 

A new formula because of the health crisis.

Due to the spread of Covid-19 and the appearance of the British variant, the French government had not authorized the French teams engaged in the European Cup to travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The EPCR, organizer of the continental competitions, then decided to cancel the last two days of the group stage (normally scheduled for January 15 and 22) and to set up a new formula for the prestigious Champions Cup.

It is therefore time for the elongated finals, with the establishment of the round of 16, while the final competition normally begins in the quarterfinals.

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The eight best-ranked clubs in each of the two pools, at the time of suspension from competition, were automatically qualified.

The Top 14 therefore has seven representatives: Racing 92, Bordeaux-Bègles, Lyon, Stade Toulousain, La Rochelle, Clermont and Toulon.

Racing 92 and UBB, who had played and won their two group matches, benefit from home ground (the weekend of April 2, 3 and 4).

Other formations which will have the chance to evolve at home: the English of Wasps and the Irish provinces of Leinster and Munster.

At this unprecedented stage of the competition, teams from the same country cannot meet, but could be opposed from the quarter-finals.

Lyon will rub shoulders with the European champion

The Ile-de-France and Girondins have the advantage of receiving Edinburgh and Bristol respectively.

Note that UBB was beaten last season in the Challenge Cup semi-finals by the Radradra Bears.

The other five French teams will have to move to secure a place in the European top 8.

And they were not spoiled in the draw.

The Stade Toulousain, quadruple European champion, will have to go to Thomond Park to challenge Munster.

Clermont is the only French team in the history of the European Cup to have succeeded in winning in Limerick.

Huge piece also for RC Toulon, who will travel to Dublin to face Jonathan Sexton's Leinster.

These two French teams are doomed to the feat ... Clermont, unhappy triple finalist of the European Cup, will also have to manage a more than perilous trip, to Coventry, against the Wasps, one of the best teams in the Premiership.

Potentially four quarters at home for the French

At the same time, La Rochelle will also have to travel to England on the lawn of Gloucester, the two teams had recently crossed in the Challenge Cup.

Lyon, which is struggling to confirm its good results in the Top 14 on the continental scene, will come up against Exeter, the reigning European champion.

Just that ... To win in the Chiefs would also be a real achievement.

This unprecedented edition of the Champions Cup has definitely not smiled on French clubs ... It would take several feats of strength for France to be worthily represented in the quarter-finals.

In case of success against Exeter, Lyon would receive in the quarterfinals the winner of Leinster-Toulon.

Clermont could also host his quarter at the Michelin stadium and challenge the winner of the Munster-Toulouse shock.

Ground advantage also in quarter for La Rochelle against the Scarlets or Sale.

Bordeaux-Bègles, finally, could challenge Racing 92 in Chaban-Delmas, if it defeats Edinburgh.

Program of the round of 16 of the Champions Cup:

Munster (Irl) -Toulouse

Gloucester (Ang) -La Rochelle

Wasps (Ang) -Clermont

Exeter-Lyon

Leinster (Irl) -Toulon

Bordeaux-Bègles-Bristol (Ang)

Racing 92-Edinburgh (Eco)