New format for Champions Cup rugby 2020-21

The new Heineken Champions Cup season kicks off with an expanded 24 teams from England’s Aviva Premiership, France’s Top 14 and the Pro14 – contested by Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy – competing in an adapted tournament, enforced by the Covid-19 pandemic


POOL STAGE: Dec 11-Jan 24

Tier 1 v Tier 4		Tier 2 v Tier 3

Each team plays four matches – two home and two away – against teams in paired tier, not in same domestic league


POOL 1
Bordeaux 	Top 14 
Leinster 	Pro14 
Wasps 		Prem. 
Bath 		Prem. 
Edinburgh 	Pro14
Toulon		Top 14 
La Rochelle	Top 14 
Sale Sharks 	Prem.
Scarlets 	Pro14 
Dragons 	Pro14 
Montpellier 	Top 14 
Northampton 	Prem.

POOL 2
Exeter		Prem. 
Lyon		Top 14
Ulster 		Pro14 
Bristol 	Prem. 
Munster 	Pro14 
Racing 92 	Top 14 
Clermont 	Top 14 
Connacht 	Pro14 
Harlequins 	Prem. 
Glasgow 	Pro14 
Gloucester 	Prem. 
Toulouse 	Top 14

Top four in each pool advance to knock-out stage


QUARTER-FINALS
1st leg: Apr 2-4, 2nd leg: Apr 9-11
1 A1 - B4 
2 B2 - A3 
3 A2 - B3 4 
B1 - A4

SEMI-FINALS
Single-leg match Apr 30-May 2
1 W1 - W2 
2 W3 - W4

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP FINAL
May 22, 2021: Stade Vélodrome, Marseille


Joe Simmonds 
Exeter Chiefs 
Youngest player to captain team to glory in European Cup final


Source: EPCR 
Picture: Getty Images
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