2014–15 European Rugby Champions Cup

International sports competition 2014–15 European Rugby Champions Cup EnglandFranceIreland rugby unionItalyScotlandWales Round-robin and Knockout 17 October 2014 – 2 May 2015 20 67 {{#expr: + 9879 + 9902 + 12618 + 17558 + 19943 + 14391 + 6746 + 14500 + 9180 + 7625 + 26000 + 17591 + 9387 + 6739 + 16931 + 8235 + 13360 + 11089 + 13362 + 3711 + 7053 + 25600 + 7204 + 14800 + 15946 + 22114 + 5000 + 16670 + 3786 + 7164 + 7561 + 17723 + 38500 + 6507 + 15045 + 7230 + 13282 + 6894 + 13344 + 16258 + 9999 + 6108 + 18018 + 14132 + 18913 + 13781 + 6056 + 16061 + 7308 + 5817 + 17865 + 17787 + 23493 + 6800 + 9267 + 15659 + 13349 + 10467 + 13362 + 2780 + 43958 + 17730 + 12113 + 15228 + 41500 + 35116 + 56622 | tries = {{#expr: + 5 + 6 + 1 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 6 + 5 + 3 + 6 + 1 + 4 + 1 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 4 + 1 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 6 + 2 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 8 + 2 + 5 + 4 + 2 + 10 + 3 + 2 + 6 + 0 + 11 + 4 + 4 + 2 + 8 + 2 + 9 + 12 + 4 + 6 + 2 + 10 + 10 + 2 + 4 + 10 + 2 + 5 + 4 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 2 + 5 + 1 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 4 }} | top point scorer = Ian Madigan (Leinster)(113 points) | top try scorer = George North (Northampton Saints)(7 tries) | venue = Twickenham Stadium, London | attendance2 = | champions = FRA Toulon | count = 3 | runner-up = FRA Clermont | website = http://www.epcrugby.com | previous year = 2013–14 | previous tournament = 2013–14 Heineken Cup | next year = 2015–16 | next tournament = 2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup }} The 2014–15 European Rugby Champions Cup was the first season of the European Rugby Champions Cup (20th overall), the annual rugby union club competition for teams from the top six nations in European rugby, and the 20th season of professional European rugby union in total. It replaced the Heineken Cup as Europe's top-tier competition for rugby clubs.http://www.rfu.com/news/2014/march/news-articles/260314_europe_statement Future of European Rugby resolved Rugby Football Union 10 April 2014 12 April 2014 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20140525041159/http://www.rfu.com/news/2014/march/news-articles/260314_europe_statement 25 May 2014 The competition got underway on the weekend of 17 October 2014 with the first round of the pool stage, and ended with the final on 2 May 2015 at Twickenham Stadium, London, England.http://www.epcrugby.com/eng/news/28830.php?__utma=254329564.1512931565.1402341121.1403211740.1403296144.16&__utmb=254329564.3.10.1403296144&__utmc=254329564&__utmx=-&__utmz=254329564.1403296144.16.6.utmcsr=t.co%7cutmccn=%28referral%29%7cutmcmd=referral%7cutmcct=/mCsEgmuUXy&__utmv=-&__utmk=101943746 EPCRugby.com – 10 things you may not know about EPCR epcrugby.com 14 September 2017September 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes Inaugural EPCR finals set for London https://web.archive.org/web/20140813054919/http://www.epcrugby.com/eng/news/28894.php 2014-08-13 Toulon were the champions having beaten Clermont 24–18 in a repeat of the 2013 Heineken Cup Final. Toulon retained their title for the second consecutive year, the first team to win three European titles in a row. Teams 20 clubs, from the three major European domestic leagues, will compete in the Champions Cup: England: 7 clubs The top 6 clubs in the Aviva Premiership. (6 clubs) There was a seventh club from England, after Wasps won the 7th Place play-off for entry into the European Rugby Champions Cup. (1 club) France: 6 clubs, based on performance in the Top 14. Ireland, Italy, Scotland & Wales: 7 clubs, based on performance in the Pro12. The best placed club from each nation (4 clubs) The 3 highest ranked clubs not qualified thereafter (3 clubs) The following clubs qualified for the competition: Aviva Premiership Top 14 Pro 12 England England France France Ireland rugby union Ireland Italy Italy Scotland Scotland Wales Wales Saracens Northampton Saints Leicester Tigers Harlequins Bath Sale Sharks Wasps (7th Place play-off) Toulon Montpellier Clermont Racing Métro Toulouse Castres Olympique Leinster Munster Ulster Benetton Treviso Glasgow Warriors Ospreys Scarlets 20th Team play-off 2014–15 European Rugby Champions–Challenge Cup play-offs The following teams took part in the play-off for the final place in the Champions Cup, having finished 7th in their respective leagues. Aviva Premiership Top 14 ENG England FRA FranceWaspsStade Français This play-off took place over two legs, on the weekends of 17/18 May and 24/25 May, with a draw being used to determine home advantage for each leg.http://www.afp.com/en/node/2338991 Rugby Union – Anglo-French play-off dates announced, AFP 29/5/2014 afp.com 14 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20140430050339/http://www.afp.com/en/node/2338991 2014-04-30 dead The draw took place on 6 May 2014, in Heathrow. Following the draw, the fixtures were announced as follows:http://www.premiershiprugby.com/news/31547.php#.U2jd_ldnBbw European Rugby Champions Cup play-off draw, Premiership Rugby premiershiprugby.com 14 September 2017 18 May 2014 15:00 BST Wasps ENG 30–29 FRA Stade Français Adams Park John Lacey (IRFU) 24 May 2014 14:45 CEST Stade Français FRA 6–20 ENG Wasps Stade Jean-Bouin Nigel Owens (WRU) Wasps won the play-off 50–35 on aggregate and qualified for the Champions Cup. Team details Below is the list of coaches, captain and stadiums with their method of qualification for each team. Note: Placing shown in brackets, denotes standing at the end of the regular season for their respective leagues, with their end of season positioning shown through CH for Champions, RU for Runner-up, SF for losing Semi-finalist and QF for losing Quarter-finalist. Team Coach /Director of Rugby Captain Stadium Capacity Method of Qualification ENG Bath ENG Mike Ford ENG Stuart Hooper Recreation Ground 14,000 Aviva Premiership top 6 (5th) ITA Benetton Treviso ITA Umberto Casellato ITA Antonio Pavanello Stadio Comunale di Monigo 6,700 Top Pro12 Italian team (11th) FRA Castres Olympique FRA Serge Milhas FRA Rémi Talès Stade Pierre-Antoine 11,500 Top 14 top 6 (6th) (RU) FRA Clermont FRA Franck Azéma FRA Damien Chouly Stade Marcel-Michelin 18,000 Top 14 top 6 (3rd) (QF) SCO Glasgow Warriors SCO Gregor Townsend SCO Alastair Kellock Scotstoun Stadium 9,708 Top Pro12 Scottish team (2nd) (RU) ENG Harlequins IRE rugby union Conor O'Shea ENG Joe Marler The Stoop 14,816 Aviva Premiership top 6 (4th) (SF) ENG Leicester Tigers ENG Richard Cockerill ENG Ed Slater Welford Road 24,000 Aviva Premiership top 6 (3rd) (SF) IRE rugby union Leinster AUS Matt O'Connor IRE rugby union Jamie Heaslip RDS ArenaAviva Stadium 18,50051,700 Top Pro12 Irish team (1st) (CH) FRA Montpellier RSA Jake White(For FRA Fabien Galthié)Fabien Galthié began the tournament as Montpellier head coach, but was removed from his post on 30 December 2014, and replaced by Jake White.http://www.planetrugby.co.uk/story/0,25883,3551_9625452,00.html Montpellier unveil White as new boss 16 March 2015 30 December 2014 Montpellier unveil White as new boss Planet Rugby Planet Rugby dead https://web.archive.org/web/20150105081553/http://www.planetrugby.co.uk/story/0%2C25883%2C3551_9625452%2C00.html 5 January 2015 FRA Fulgence Ouedraogo Altrad Stadium 14,700 Top 14 top 6 (2nd) (SF) IRE rugby union Munster IRE rugby union Anthony Foley IRE rugby union Peter O'Mahony Thomond Park 25,600 Pro12 top 7 (3rd) (SF) ENG Northampton Saints ENG Jim Mallinder ENG Dylan Hartley Franklin's Gardens 13,600 Aviva Premiership top 6 (2nd) (CH) WAL Ospreys WAL Steve Tandy WAL Alun Wyn Jones Liberty Stadium 20,532 Top Pro12 Welsh Team (5th) FRA Racing Métro FRA Laurent Labit FRA Dimitri Szarzewski Stade Yves-du-Manoir 14,000 Top 14 top 6 (5th) (SF) ENG Sale Sharks SCO Bryan Redpath NZL Daniel Braid AJ Bell Stadium 12,000 Aviva Premiership top 6 (6th) ENG Saracens IRE rugby union Mark McCall RSA Alistair Hargreaves Allianz Park 10,000 Aviva Premiership top 6 (1st) (RU) WAL Scarlets NZL Wayne Pivac WAL Ken Owens Parc y Scarlets 14,870 Pro12 top 7 (6th) FRA Toulon FRA Bernard Laporte NZL Carl Hayman Stade Mayol 15,400 Top 14 top 6 (1st) (CH) FRA Toulouse FRA Guy Novès FRA Thierry Dusautoir Stade Ernest-Wallon 19,500 Top 14 top 6 (4th) (SF) IRE rugby union Ulster IRE rugby union Neil Doak IRE rugby union Rory Best Kingspan Stadium 18,196 Pro12 top 7 (4th) (SF) ENG Wasps WAL Dai Young ENG James Haskell Adams ParkRicoh Arenaa Wasps moved their home ground to Ricoh Arena in Coventry,https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/29534483 Wasps in Coventry: Ricoh move to be completed by December BBC Sport 8 October 2014 9 October 2014 and played their first match there on 21 December.https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/29631938 Wasps confirm opening Ricoh Arena fixture BBC Sport 15 October 2014 15 October 2014 10,51632,609 7th Place play-off winner a Seeding The 20 competing teams were seeded and split into four tiers; seeding was based on performance in their respective domestic leagues. For the purpose of creating the tiers, Aviva Premiership clubs were ranked only according to their finishing positions in the League table, and not based on performance in the knockout phase of the season, while Top 14 and Pro12 clubs were ranked based on their League performances and on their qualification for the knockout phases of their championships, so a losing quarter-finalist in the Top 14 would be seeded below a losing semi-finalist, even if they finished above them in the regular season.http://archive.ercrugby.com/news/28791.php https://web.archive.org/web/20140813001413/http://archive.ercrugby.com/news/28791.php 2014-08-13 ERCRugby.com. Accessed 8 June 2014 RankTop 14PremiershipPro 12 1 FRA Toulon ENG Saracens IRE rugby union Leinster Rugby 2 FRA Castres Olympique ENG Northampton Saints SCO Glasgow Warriors 3 FRA Montpellier ENG Leicester Tigers IRE rugby union Munster 4 FRA Racing Métro ENG Harlequins Ireland rugby union Ulster 5 FRA Clermont ENG Bath WAL Ospreys 6 FRA Toulouse ENG Sale Sharks WAL Scarlets 7 ENG Wasps ITA Benetton Treviso Teams were taken from a league and put into a tier; a draw was used to allocate two second seeds to Tier 1, the remaining team went into Tier 2. This allocation then determined which fourth seeded team entered Tier 2, while the others entered Tier 3. As with the previous European competition, the Heineken Cup, teams from the same country were kept apart where possible. However, as 7 teams qualified from England, 2 pools would by necessity contain two English teams and as 6 French teams qualified, there would be one pool with two French teams. Sale Sharks and Wasps would be drawn into pools which contained one other Aviva Premiership club, and Toulouse would be drawn into a pool which contained one other Top 14 club. The brackets show each team's seeding and their league (for example, 1 Top 14 indicates the team was seeded 1st from the Top 14). Tier 1 IRE rugby union Leinster (1 Pro12) ENG Saracens (1 AP) FRA Toulon (1 Top 14)ENG Northampton Saints (2 AP) SCO Glasgow Warriors (2 Pro12) Tier 2 FRA Castres Olympique (2 Top 14) IRE rugby union Munster (3 Pro12) ENG Leicester Tigers (3 AP) FRA Montpellier (3 Top 14) FRA Racing Métro (4 Top14) Tier 3 ENG Harlequins (4 AP) IRE rugby union Ulster (4 Pro12) WAL Ospreys (5 Pro12) ENG Bath (5 AP) FRA Clermont (5 Top 14) Tier 4 WAL Scarlets (6 Pro12) ENG Sale Sharks (6 AP) FRA Toulouse (6 Top 14) ENG Wasps (Play-off) ITA Benetton Treviso (7 Pro12) Pool stage 2014–15 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage The draw took place on 10 June 2014, at the Stade de la Maladière in Neuchâtel.https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/heineken-cup/rugby-s-european-champions-cup-draw-to-place-on-june-10th-1.1815477 Irish Times – Rugby's European Champions Cup draw to place on June 10th. Accessed 31/5/14 irishtimes.com 14 September 2017 http://thescore.thejournal.ie/rugby-champions-cup-leinster-munster-ulster-1509166-Jun2014/ Munster and Ulster handed daunting pools in first-ever Rugby Champions Cup 10 June 2014 The Score 10 June 2014 Fixtures were announced on Thursday 14 August 2014 at 2 pm. Teams played each other twice, both at home and away, in the group stage, that began on the weekend of 17/18/19 October 2014, and continued through to 23/24/25 January 2015, before the pool winners and three best runners-up progressed to the quarter-finals.EPCRugby.com – 2014/15 EPCR Pool Draws https://web.archive.org/web/20140725014940/http://www.epcrugby.com/eng/news/28816.php 2014-07-25 Teams were awarded competition points, based on match result. Teams receive 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw, 1 attacking bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match and 1 defensive bonus point for losing a match by seven points or fewer.http://www.epcrugby.com/europeanrugbychampionscup/rules.php Champions Cup Rules www.epcrugby.com 14 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20150420202015/http://www.epcrugby.com/europeanrugbychampionscup/rules.php 2015-04-20 dead In the event of a tie between two or more teams, the following tie-breakers were used, as directed by EPCR: Where teams have played each other The club with the greater number of competition points from only matches involving tied teams. If equal, the club that scored the most tries in those matches. If equal, the club with the best aggregate points difference from those matches. Where teams remain tied and/or have not played each other in the competition (i.e. are from different pools) The club with the best aggregate points difference from the pool stage. If equal, the club that scored the most tries in the pool stage. If equal, the club with the fewest players suspended in the pool stage. If equal, the drawing of lots will determine a club's ranking. + Key to colours    Winner of each pool, advance to quarter-finals.    Three highest-ranked second-place teams advance to quarter-finals. Pool 1 Pool 2 Pool 3 Pool 4 Pool 5 Seeding and runners-up SeedPool WinnersPtsTF+/−1 FRA Racing Métro 24 20 +992 FRA Toulon 22 19 +923 FRA Clermont 22 14 +604 IRE rugby union Leinster 20 13 +475 ENG Bath 19 15 +38SeedPool Runners–upPtsTF+/−6 ENG Northampton Saints 19 25 +967 ENG Wasps 18 18 +508 ENG Saracens 17 12 +249 FRA Toulouse 17 11 +210 ENG Leicester 13 15 -18 Knock-out stage The eight qualifiers were seeded according to performance in the pool stage, and competed in the quarter-finals, which were held on the weekend of 3–5 April 2015. The four top seeds hosted the quarter-finals against the lower seeds, in a 1v8, 2v7, 3v6 and 4v5 format. The semi-finals were played on the weekend of 18–19 April 2015. The winners of the semi-finals will contest the final, at Twickenham Stadium, on 2 May 2015. Bracket Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final 3 FRA Clermont 37 6 ENG Northampton Saints 5 1 FRA Racing Métro 11 8 ENG Saracens 12 2 FRA Toulon 32 7 ENG Wasps 18 4 IRE rugby union Leinster 18 5 ENG Bath 15 FRA Clermont 13 ENG Saracens 9 FRA Toulon (a.e.t.) 25 IRE rugby union Leinster 20 FRA Clermont 18 FRA Toulon 24 Quarter-finals 4 April 2015 15:15 Leinster Ireland rugby union 18–15 Reporthttp://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30604.php European Rugby Champions Cup (EPCR) epcrugby.com 14 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20150516165139/http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30604.php 2015-05-16 dead ENG Bath Madigan (6/6) 13', 24', 27', 34', 38', 52' Ford 20' mHooper 46' c Ford (1/2) 47' Ford (1/2) 73' Aviva Stadium 43,958 Jérôme Garcès (FFR) 4 April 2015 18:45 Clermont FRA 37–5 Reporthttp://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30608.php European Rugby Champions Cup (EPCR) epcrugby.com 14 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20151005193219/http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30608.php 2015-10-05 dead ENG Northampton Saints Nakaitaci (2) 12' c, 30' cFofana 37' cAbendanon 54' c James (4/4) 13', 32', 38', 55' James (3/3) 4', 25', 46' Waller 66' m Stade Marcel-Michelin 17,730 John Lacey (IRFU) 5 April 2015 13:45 Racing Métro FRA 11–12 Reporthttp://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30624.php European Rugby Champions Cup (EPCR) epcrugby.com 14 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20151005200042/http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30624.php 2015-10-05 dead ENG Saracens Machenaud 26' m Machenaud (2/2) 60', 70' Hodgson (2/4) 5', 40'Goode (1/1) 47'Bosch (1/1) 80+1' Stade Yves-du-Manoir 12,113 Nigel Owens (WRU) 5 April 2015 16:15 Toulon FRA 32–18 Reporthttp://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30631.php European Rugby Champions Cup (EPCR) epcrugby.com 14 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20151005203916/http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30631.php 2015-10-05 dead ENG Wasps Bastareaud 7' cWilliams 76' c Michalak (2/2) 7', 77' Michalak (6/6) 16', 22', 27', 35', 38', 68' Helu (2) 53' c, 72' m Goode (1/2) 54' Lozowski (2/2) 12', 25' Stade Mayol 15,228 George Clancy (IRFU) Semi-finals 18 April 2015 16:15 Clermont FRA 13–9 Reporthttp://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30752.php European Rugby Champions Cup (EPCR) epcrugby.com 14 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170917221629/http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30752.php 17 September 2017 dead dmy-all ENG Saracens Fofana 43'c James (1/1) 44' James (2/2) 25', 72' Hodgson (1/1) 36'Farrell (1/1) 65' Hodgson (1/1) 14' Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne 41,500 George Clancy (IRFU) 19 April 2015 16:15 Toulon FRA 25–20(A.E.T.) Reporthttp://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30774.php European Rugby Champions Cup (EPCR) epcrugby.com 14 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20151005205751/http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30774.php 5 October 2015 dead dmy-all IRE rugby union Leinster Habana 90' c Halfpenny (1/1) 91' Halfpenny (6/7) 5', 29', 55', 67', 83', 89' O'Brien 94' m Madigan (5/6) 8', 16', 20', 69', 85' Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 35,116 Wayne Barnes (RFU) Final 2015 European Rugby Champions Cup Final 2 May 2015 17:00 BST (UTC+01) Clermont FRA 18–24 Reporthttp://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30897.php European Rugby Champions Cup (EPCR) epcrugby.com 14 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924012944/http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30897.php 2015-09-24 dead FRA Toulon Fofana 24' mAbendanon 62' c Lopez (1/2) 62' Lopez (2/2) 7', 12' Bastareaud 40' cMitchell 69' m Halfpenny (1/2) 40+2' Halfpenny (4/5) 16', 28', 32', 51' Twickenham Stadium, London 56,622 Nigel Owens (WRU) See also 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup Notes References Champions Cup European Rugby Champions Cup European Rugby Champions Cup European Rugby Champions Cup European Rugby Champions Cup European Rugby Champions Cup European Rugby Champions Cup European Rugby Champions Cup Category:European Rugby Champions Cup seasons