URC Play-Off Path & EPCR Qualification

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   There is a
huge amount at stake in this weekend’s final round of the United Rugby Championship with three home Quarter-finals and three regional Shields all up
for grabs. 

 Five games will have direct consequences on the locations of home Quarter-finals
 Any team from 2^nd to 6^th can earn a home Quarter-final
 The Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls can all still win the SA Shield
 Ospreys and Scarlets both in contention to win the Welsh Shield
 Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors will compete for the Italian x Scottish Shield and the 1872 Cup
 All four Shield winners are guaranteed a place in next season’s Heineken Champions Cup
 The Welsh Shield winner will finish in 9^th position meaning that only seven of the top eight will qualify for the Heineken Champions Cup

United Rugby Championship Play-Off Paths

Quarter-final 1 (QF1) – the Club ranked first in the Standing League Table will play at home against the Club ranked eighth in the Standing League Table.
Quarter-final 2 (QF2) – the Club ranked second in the Standing League Table will play at home against the Club ranked seventh in the Standing League Table.
Quarter-final 3 (QF3) – the Club ranked third in the Standing League Table will play at home against the Club ranked sixth in the Standing League Table.
Quarter-final 4 (QF4)– the Club ranked fourth in the Standing League Table will play at home against the Club ranked fifth in the Standing League Table.

The winners of the quarter-final Matches will proceed to the semi-finals. The semi-finals will be knock-out, each played over one Match and organised as follows:
Semi-final 1 (SF1) - the winner of QF1 versus the winner of QF4. The winner of QF1 will be the ‘home’ Club.
Semi-final 2 (SF2) - the winner of QF2 versus the winner of QF3. The winner of QF2 will be the ‘home’ Club.

Grand Final - the winner of SF1 versus the winner of SF2. The Semi-final winner possessing the highest ranking from the Standing League Table will be the ‘home’ Club for the URC Grand Final. This is subject to the highest-ranked Semi-final winner having access to a venue with a capacity of 18,000 and above.

How the United Rugby Championship ‘Shields’ work

Points in all 18 URC games contribute to Shield standings so victories against regional rivals have added importance when it comes to finishing top of the group and locking up a place in the Heineken Champions Cup. Shield opponents also face each team within their group home and away (6 games) while facing the remaining 12 URC teams just once (home or away).

Irish Shield: Connacht, Leinster, Munster, Ulster
South African Shield: Vodacom Bulls, Emirates Lions, Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers
Welsh Shield: Cardiff Rugby, Dragons, Ospreys, Scarlets
Italian & Scottish Shield: Benetton, Edinburgh, Glasgow Warriors, Zebre

Heineken Champions Cup Qualification

Qualification for the Champions Cup will be evenly split between rankings in the league table 
(4 teams) and regional Shields (4 teams)
Each of the four regional Shield winners will qualify automatically
Those four Shield winners will be removed from the final league table and the four remaining highest-ranked teams will also qualify
Seedings for Champions Cup will be based upon the league ranking of all eight teams

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
Transvaal Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 30-Mar-2016 Status: Offline Points: 40235	Post Options Post Reply Quote Transvaal Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: URC Play-Off Path & EPCR Qualification Posted: 20-May-2022 at 1:01pm
	There is a huge amount at stake in this weekend’s final round of the United Rugby Championship with three home Quarter-finals and three regional Shields all up for grabs. Five games will have direct consequences on the locations of home Quarter-finals Any team from 2^nd to 6^th can earn a home Quarter-final The Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls can all still win the SA Shield Ospreys and Scarlets both in contention to win the Welsh Shield Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors will compete for the Italian x Scottish Shield and the 1872 Cup All four Shield winners are guaranteed a place in next season’s Heineken Champions Cup The Welsh Shield winner will finish in 9^th position meaning that only seven of the top eight will qualify for the Heineken Champions Cup United Rugby Championship Play-Off Paths Quarter-final 1 (QF1) – the Club ranked first in the Standing League Table will play at home against the Club ranked eighth in the Standing League Table. Quarter-final 2 (QF2) – the Club ranked second in the Standing League Table will play at home against the Club ranked seventh in the Standing League Table. Quarter-final 3 (QF3) – the Club ranked third in the Standing League Table will play at home against the Club ranked sixth in the Standing League Table. Quarter-final 4 (QF4)– the Club ranked fourth in the Standing League Table will play at home against the Club ranked fifth in the Standing League Table. The winners of the quarter-final Matches will proceed to the semi-finals. The semi-finals will be knock-out, each played over one Match and organised as follows: Semi-final 1 (SF1) - the winner of QF1 versus the winner of QF4. The winner of QF1 will be the ‘home’ Club. Semi-final 2 (SF2) - the winner of QF2 versus the winner of QF3. The winner of QF2 will be the ‘home’ Club. Grand Final - the winner of SF1 versus the winner of SF2. The Semi-final winner possessing the highest ranking from the Standing League Table will be the ‘home’ Club for the URC Grand Final. This is subject to the highest-ranked Semi-final winner having access to a venue with a capacity of 18,000 and above. How the United Rugby Championship ‘Shields’ work Points in all 18 URC games contribute to Shield standings so victories against regional rivals have added importance when it comes to finishing top of the group and locking up a place in the Heineken Champions Cup. Shield opponents also face each team within their group home and away (6 games) while facing the remaining 12 URC teams just once (home or away). Irish Shield: Connacht, Leinster, Munster, Ulster South African Shield: Vodacom Bulls, Emirates Lions, Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers Welsh Shield: Cardiff Rugby, Dragons, Ospreys, Scarlets Italian & Scottish Shield: Benetton, Edinburgh, Glasgow Warriors, Zebre Heineken Champions Cup Qualification Qualification for the Champions Cup will be evenly split between rankings in the league table (4 teams) and regional Shields (4 teams) Each of the four regional Shield winners will qualify automatically Those four Shield winners will be removed from the final league table and the four remaining highest-ranked teams will also qualify Seedings for Champions Cup will be based upon the league ranking of all eight teams