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Champions/Challenge Cup 2022/23 Draws

Toulon will be up against Zebre and Bath in the Challenge Cup... should be fun
 
Come on London Irish in pool B... come on...
 
Don't know why I'm watching this. Such a stupid, confusing and unexciting system.
It's bizarre. I feel bad for the person on the right constantly pulling one of two letters, the second pull also being completely redundant.

Got London Irish, will definitely be going to that game here in London
 
Tough for the tier 4 teams in pool B though, playing the champions of each of the leagues you don't play in yourself. Relatively tough ask.
 
Racing and Gloucester for us. Would be very confident of three wins, hopefully 4. It'll be a struggle to get a top seeding all the way to the semis with Sarries playing Lyon and Edinburgh though.

Might take a jump over to the La Defence.
 
So no Tier2 involvement in the Challenge cup despite Portugal, Spain, Romania, Georgia, Russia and Israel all now having pro club sides. GTF!
Yeah but we've got the some random South African side that aren't even in a club comp in instead!!11!!!!111!!11!!
 
So no Tier2 involvement in the Challenge cup despite Portugal, Spain, Romania, Georgia, Russia and Israel all now having pro club sides. GTF!

That the teams exist is a good thing, but they're not really at the same level of Challenge Cup right now. We saw the Black Lions lose in the Semi Finals of the second tier Currie Cup, with what we believe was the same full strength squad (as we discussed in the tier 2 rugby chat). Similarly it's not there in terms of the support. Looking at the attendance the semi-finals of RESC got 600 and 933 attendees each.

Throwing them into Champions/Challenge Cup at this stage is just going to result in lobsided results. With more than just the inaugral season and potentially some investment and greater development in the nations it can grow, but it is way too early to be throwing those teams into this tournament. I am glad to see these teams are playing in other tournaments as well though, as mentioned with the Currie Cup, but it really does show where their current skill level is.
 
That the teams exist is a good thing, but they're not really at the same level of Challenge Cup right now. We saw the Black Lions lose in the Semi Finals of the second tier Currie Cup, with what we believe was the same full strength squad (as we discussed in the tier 2 rugby chat). Similarly it's not there in terms of the support. Looking at the attendance the semi-finals of RESC got 600 and 933 attendees each.

Throwing them into Champions/Challenge Cup at this stage is just going to result in lobsided results. With more than just the inaugral season and potentially some investment and greater development in the nations it can grow, but it is way too early to be throwing those teams into this tournament. I am glad to see these teams are playing in other tournaments as well though, as mentioned with the Currie Cup, but it really does show where their current skill level is.
They've always been in the Challenge cup, though
They're just using the disruption to the Comp because of COVID to cut them out and replace with more South African sides
 
They've always been in the Challenge cup, though
They're just using the disruption to the Comp because of COVID to cut them out and replace with more South African sides
also doesn't help that the only league that produced somewhat competitive sides is on the no-no list right now
 
They've always been in the Challenge cup, though
They're just using the disruption to the Comp because of COVID to cut them out and replace with more South African sides

Ah I see now, I was not aware of the Continental Shield previously, but going back in time on Wikipedia I see it now. Seems the Continental Shield was run by EPCR, whereas RESC is organised by Rugby Europe. Was there any clash that occured here or was that tournament just mothballed completely during Covid?
 
Ah I see now, I was not aware of the Continental Shield previously, but going back in time on Wikipedia I see it now. Seems the Continental Shield was run by EPCR, whereas RESC is organised by Rugby Europe. Was there any clash that occured here or was that tournament just mothballed completely during Covid?
There was talk of a replacement being organised by EPCR but then COVID hit and it got binned off,
Think their excuse atm is there's no one they could include for the final spot so they've invited Cheetahs instead,
Really can't see them going back to actually trying to grow the game/include the lower leagues if they've got a ready made invitee in Cheetahs, who will also help with TV deals
 
There was talk of a replacement being organised by EPCR but then COVID hit and it got binned off,
Think their excuse atm is there's no one they could include for the final spot so they've invited Cheetahs instead,
Really can't see them going back to actually trying to grow the game/include the lower leagues if they've got a ready made invitee in Cheetahs, who will also help with TV deals
The EPC also essentially ended German professional rugby, they've no interest in European rugby whatsoever.
 
Sharks drawn with Beagles and Harlequins. I know Harlequins will be a class side but how good is Beagles, will they be pushovers? Havent even heard of them before.
Up against our former players in Esterhuizen and Lewies. Tapui up against his former team

Also, English teams welcome to Durban in the peak of the South African Summer in December, where sitting in shade is unbearable. It s going to be a new experience even for the Sharks to play matches then, never before been done as far as I am aware...
 
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