As beforehand introduced, the pool attracts for the 2024/25 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Problem Cup tournaments can be staged in Cardiff on Tuesday 2 July.
Each attracts can be streamed reside on epcrugby.com and the occasion, which can be co-presented by Sarra Elgan and Vincent Pochulu, will begin at 11.00 (UK-Irish time) / 12.00 (South African-Italian time) / 14.00 (Georgian time) with the draw for the EPCR Problem Cup swimming pools, and the Investec Champions Cup draw will comply with at roughly 11.20 / 12.20 / 14.20.
The 24 Investec Champions Cup golf equipment which have certified on benefit from the TOP 14, Gallagher Premiership and United Rugby Championship (URC) will as soon as once more compete in 4 swimming pools of six – Pool 1, Pool 2, Pool 3 and Pool 4. (See qualifiers under)
The important thing ideas of the Investec Champions Cup draw are as follows:
- Every pool of six will comprise two golf equipment from every of the leagues.
- Golf equipment from the identical URC Protect can not be in the identical pool. Subsequently, the Irish qualifiers – Munster Rugby, Leinster Rugby and Ulster Rugby – will every be drawn or allotted into separate swimming pools, and equally, the Vodacom Bulls, DHL Stormers and Hollywoodbets Sharks from South Africa can’t be in the identical pool.
- There can be no matches between golf equipment from the identical league, so with a purpose to create the pool stage fixtures, every membership will play 4 matches towards 4 completely different golf equipment who’re not from the identical league both residence or away.
For the needs of the draw, the golf equipment can be divided into two tiers, Tier 1 and Tier 2. The 4 golf equipment in Tier 1 can be: Stade Toulousain (2024 Investec Champions Cup winners), Northampton Saints (2024 Gallagher Premiership winners), in addition to the 2024 URC and TOP 14 winners. If Stade Toulousain win the TOP 14 title, then the Investec Champions Cup ultimate runners-up, Leinster Rugby, can be included in Tier 1.
To start out the method, the 4 Tier 1 golf equipment can be drawn with the primary membership out of the drum going into Pool 1, the second membership out of the drum going into Pool 2, the third membership out of the drum going into Pool 3 and the fourth membership out of the drum going into Pool 4.
Adhering to the important thing ideas, the remaining 20 golf equipment in Tier 2 will then be drawn or allotted into the swimming pools. If a membership can’t be drawn right into a pool in accordance with the important thing ideas, then the membership can be allotted to the following accessible pool. The method will then re-start on the pool into which the preliminary membership couldn’t be drawn.
The 2024/25 EPCR Problem Cup will as soon as once more have 18 golf equipment – eight from the URC, six from the TOP 14, two from the Gallagher Premiership and two invited golf equipment, Black Lion from Georgia and the Toyota Cheetahs from South Africa – competing in three swimming pools of six, Pool 1, Pool 2 and Pool 3. (See all golf equipment under)
The next are the important thing ideas integral to the EPCR Problem Cup draw:
- Every pool of six will comprise two TOP 14 golf equipment.
- Because the draw will embody 4 Welsh golf equipment – Ospreys, Cardiff Rugby, Scarlets and Dragons RFC – one pool could have two Welsh representatives.
- Edinburgh Rugby and Zebre Parma, who’re from the identical URC Protect, can not be in the identical pool. For the needs of the draw, they are going to be grouped with the Welsh golf equipment.
- A most of three URC golf equipment could be included in the identical pool.
- For the needs of the draw, the 2 Premiership qualifiers, Gloucester Rugby and the Newcastle Falcons, in addition to Connacht Rugby from Eire, can not be in the identical pool.
- The Emirates Lions, in addition to the 2 invited golf equipment, Black Lion and the Toyota Cheetahs, can not be in the identical pool.
- Solely two of the next golf equipment could be included in the identical pool: Ospreys, Emirates Lions, Edinburgh Rugby and Scarlets.
- Golf equipment will play 4 completely different opponents residence or away throughout the pool stage and a restricted variety of same-league fixtures can be unavoidable.
To start out the method, all 18 membership balls can be positioned within the drum, and any three balls can be drawn individually with the primary membership out of the drum going into Pool 1, the second membership out of the drum going into Pool 2 and the third membership out of the drum going into Pool 3.
The draw will then proceed on an ‘open’ foundation with the following membership out of the drum going into Pool 1, the next membership out of the drum going into Pool 2, and so forth in ascending numerical order till all membership balls are drawn or allotted supplied that the important thing ideas are adhered to.
If a membership can’t be drawn right into a pool in accordance with the important thing ideas, then the membership can be allotted to the following accessible pool. The method will then re-start on the pool into which the preliminary membership couldn’t be drawn.
The 2024/25 fixture schedules for each tournaments with dates, venues, kick-off occasions and TV protection can be introduced as quickly as attainable. Fixtures can be decided utilizing an algorithm which can take into accounts league calendar restrictions, particular person membership calendar restrictions, broadcast necessities and the pool attracts.
*2024/25 INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUP QUALIFIERS
TOP 14: Stade Toulousain, Stade Français Paris, Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Stade Rochelais, RC Toulon, Racing 92, Castres Olympique, ASM Clermont Auvergne
Gallagher Premiership: Northampton Saints, Bathtub Rugby, Sale Sharks, Saracens, Bristol Bears, Harlequins, Exeter Chiefs, Leicester Tigers
United Rugby Championship: Vodacom Bulls, Glasgow Warriors, Munster Rugby, Leinster Rugby, DHL Stormers, Ulster Rugby, Benetton Rugby, Hollywoodbets Sharks
*The 4 Tier 1 golf equipment can be confirmed upfront of the pool draw.
2024/25 EPCR CHALLENGE CUP QUALIFIERS
United Rugby Championship: Ospreys, Emirates Lions, Edinburgh Rugby, Connacht Rugby, Cardiff Rugby, Scarlets, Dragons RFC, Zebre Parma
TOP 14: Part Paloise, USAP, Lyon Olympique Universitaire, Aviron Bayonnais, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, RC Vannes
Gallagher Premiership: Gloucester Rugby, Newcastle Falcons Invited: Black Lion, Toyota Cheetahs
2024/25 weekends
Spherical 1 – 6/7/8 December
Spherical 2 – 13/14/15 December
Spherical 3 – 10/11/12 January 2025
Spherical 4 – 17/18/19 January 2025
Spherical of 16 – 4/5/6 April 2025
Quarter-finals – 11/12/13 April 2025
Semi-finals – 2/3/4 Might 2025
2025 EPCR Problem Cup ultimate – Principality Stadium, Cardiff; Friday 23 Might
2025 Investec Champions Cup ultimate – Principality Stadium, Cardiff; Saturday 24 Might
