2017–18 European Rugby Champions–Challenge Cup play-offs

2017–18 European Rugby Champions–Challenge Cup play-offs
EventEuropean Rugby Champions Cup Qualification Play-off
Date19–28 May 2017

The 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup-Challenge Cup play-off was the third play-off for entry into the top-level competition of European Club rugby union, the European Rugby Champions Cup.

Format

Following a break to ease fixture congestion caused by the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the three-team play-off held in 2015–16 was expanded, and a four-team format was announced.[1][2]

The play-off comprised 3 matches, contested by one team from the Premiership, one from the Top 14, and two from the Pro14.

The two Pro12 teams each played one of the Premiership or Top 14 sides in a single-leg semi-final, held at the home ground of the non-Pro12 side. The winners of these matches then contested a play-off final, with the winner of this match competing in the 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup. The three losing teams all competed in the 2017–18 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

Teams

Four teams competed in the play-off, having qualified as either the highest team from each league that did not already qualify for the Champions Cup, or as the winner of the 2016–17 European Rugby Challenge Cup.[3]

The following teams had qualified for the play-off:

League Team Coach Stadium
Aviva Premiership Northampton Saints Jim Mallinder Franklin's Gardens
Guinness Pro12 Cardiff Blues Danny Wilson Cardiff Arms Park
Connacht Pat Lam Galway Sportsgrounds
Top 14 Stade Français Gonzalo Quesada Stade Jean-Bouin

Matches

A draw was held on 15 March 2017 to determine the two semi-final matches.[2]

Semi-finals

19 May 2017
18:00 CEST
Stade Français 46–21 Cardiff Blues
Try: Nayacalevu 32' c
Melikidze 43' c
De Giovanni 51' c
Macalou (2) 60' m, 68' c
Panis 71' m
Daguin 76' m
Con: Steyn (4/6) 33', 44', 52', 69'
Plisson (0/1)
Pen: Steyn (1/1) 10'		ReportTry: Cook (2) 21' c, 63' c
N. Williams 24' c
Con: Anscombe (3/3) 22', 25', 64'
Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris
Attendance: 4,767
Referee: Greg Garner (RFU)
FB 15 Jérémy Sinzelle
RW 14 Waisea Nayacalevu  61'
OC 13 Jonathan Danty
IC 12 Meyer Bosman
LW 11 Sekou Macalou
FH 10 Morné Steyn
SH 9 Julien Dupuy  63'
N8 8 Sergio Parisse (c)
OF 7 Matthieu Ugena  34'
BF 6 Antoine Burban
RL 5 Paul Gabrillagues  72'
LL 4 Willem Alberts  66'
TP 3 Paul Alo-Emile  25'
HK 2 Rémi Bonfils  67'
LP 1 Heinke van der Merwe  50'
Replacements:
HK 16 Laurent Panis  67'
PR 17 Rabah Slimani  50'
PR 18 Giorgi Melikidze  25'
LK 19 Mathieu De Giovanni  34'
FL 20 Raphaël Lakafia  66'
SH 21 Clément Daguin  63'
FH 22 Jules Plisson  61'
FL 23 Jono Ross  72'
Coach:
Gonzalo Quesada
FB 15 Matthew Morgan
RW 14 Alex Cuthbert
OC 13 Rey Lee-Lo  7'
IC 12 Willis Halaholo  66'
LW 11 Rhun Williams  4'
FH 10 Gareth Anscombe
SH 9 Lloyd Williams
N8 8 Nick Williams
OF 7 Ellis Jenkins (c)
BF 6 Josh Navidi
RL 5 Macauley Cook
LL 4 Jarrad Hoeata
TP 3 Taufaʻao Filise  61'
HK 2 Matthew Rees  61'
LP 1 Rhys Gill  57'
Replacements:
HK 16 Kirby Myhill  61'  72'
PR 17 Corey Domachowski  57'
PR 18 Anton Peikrishvili  61'
LK 19 Seb Davies  72'
FL 20 Sion Bennett  66'
SH 21 Tomos Williams  52'
FH 22 Steven Shingler  7'  52'
CE 23 Garyn Smith  4'
Coach:
Danny Wilson
20 May 2017
16:00 BST
Northampton Saints 21–15 Connacht
Try: Mallinder 1' c
Groom 56' m
Con: Mallinder (1/2) 2'
Pen: Mallinder (3/3) 15', 23', 70'		ReportTry: Adeolokun 4' c
Heffernan 61' m
Con: Ronaldson (1/2) 4'
Pen: Ronaldson (1/1) 28'
Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
FB 15 Ahsee Tuala  78'
RW 14 Ben Foden
OC 13 Nafi Tuitavake
IC 12 Luther Burrell  23'
LW 11 George North
FH 10 Harry Mallinder
SH 9 Nic Groom  67'
N8 8 Louis Picamoles
OF 7 Teimana Harrison  58'
BF 6 Jamie Gibson 78' to 80'
RL 5 Christian Day  64'
LL 4 Courtney Lawes
TP 3 Kieran Brookes  62'
HK 2 Dylan Hartley (c)  59'
LP 1 Alex Waller  62'
Replacements:
HK 16 Mike Haywood  78'
PR 17 Campese Ma'afu  62'
PR 18 Gareth Denman  62'
LK 19 Api Ratuniyarawa  64'
FL 20 Tom Wood  58'
SH 21 Lee Dickson  67'
FH 22 Sam Olver
CE 23 Rory Hutchinson  23'
Coach:
Jim Mallinder
FB 15 Tiernan O'Halloran
RW 14 Niyi Adeolokun
OC 13 Danie Poolman
IC 12 Craig Ronaldson
LW 11 Cian Kelleher  3'
FH 10 Jack Carty
SH 9 Kieran Marmion  66'
N8 8 John Muldoon (c)
OF 7 Jake Heenan  56'
BF 6 Seán O'Brien
RL 5 James Cannon  51'
LL 4 Quinn Roux
TP 3 Finlay Bealham  68'
HK 2 Dave Heffernan
LP 1 Denis Buckley
Replacements:
HK 16 Shane Delahunt
PR 17 JP Cooney
PR 18 Conor Carey  68'
LK 19 Ultan Dillane  51'
FL 20 Naulia Dawai  56'
SH 21 Caolin Blade
SH 22 John Cooney  66'
WG 23 Matt Healy  3'
Coach:
Pat Lam

Play-off final

The draw for the semi-finals was also used to decide that the winner of the second semi-final would have home advantage in the play-off final.[2]

26 May 2017
19:45 BST
Northampton Saints 23–22 Stade Français
Try: Foden 45' c
Tuala 71' c
Con: Mallinder (2/2) 45', 73'
Pen: Mallinder (3/5) 19', 29', 38'		ReportTry: Nayacalevu 3' c
Sinzelle 22' m
Camara 34' c
Con: Plisson (2/3) 4', 35'
Pen: Plisson (1/1) 10'
Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
Attendance: 10,273
Referee: John Lacey (IRFU)
FB 15 Ahsee Tuala  75'
RW 14 Ben Foden
OC 13 Nafi Tuitavake  53'
IC 12 Luther Burrell
LW 11 George North
FH 10 Harry Mallinder
SH 9 Nic Groom  66'
N8 8 Louis Picamoles  53'
OF 7 Tom Wood (c)  63'
BF 6 Teimana Harrison
RL 5 Christian Day  60'
LL 4 Courtney Lawes
TP 3 Kieran Brookes  60'
HK 2 Dylan Hartley  66'
LP 1 Alex Waller  66'
Replacements:
HK 16 Mike Haywood  66'
PR 17 Campese Ma'afu  66'
PR 18 Gareth Denman  60'
LK 19 Api Ratuniyarawa  60'
FL 20 Jamie Gibson  53'
SH 21 Lee Dickson  66'
FH 22 Sam Olver  75'
CE 23 Rory Hutchinson 62' to 72'  53'
Coach:
Jim Mallinder
FB 15 Djibril Camara  65'
RW 14 Waisea Nayacalevu
OC 13 Geoffrey Doumayrou
IC 12 Jonathan Danty  22'
LW 11 Jérémy Sinzelle
FH 10 Jules Plisson
SH 9 Will Genia  76'
N8 8 Jono Ross
OF 7 Raphaël Lakafia
BF 6 Antoine Burban  44'
RL 5 Paul Gabrillagues (c)  60'
LL 4 Willem Alberts
TP 3 Paul Alo-Emile
HK 2 Rémi Bonfils 42' to 52'  74'
LP 1 Zurab Zhvania  51'
Replacements:
HK 16 Craig Burden  44'  53'
PR 17 Rabah Slimani  51'
PR 18 Giorgi Melikidze  74'
LK 19 Mathieu De Giovanni  60'
N8 20 Sergio Parisse  53'
SH 21 Clément Daguin  76'
FH 22 Morné Steyn  65'
CE 23 Meyer Bosman  22'
Coach:
Gonzalo Quesada

See also

References

  1. ^ "Revised play-off format agreed for 2015/16 Champions Cup". epcrugby.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Champions Cup play-offs". epcrugby.com.
  3. ^ "Champions Cup qualification 2017/18 and play-offs". epcrugby.com.
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