Did Covid ruin European club rugby?

[dullonien]

Way to take a very successful product and completely f**k it up inside what? 10 years?

I've a suggestion.

Delete the years 2014-2023 and lets just pretend the 2024 competition follows straight on from 2013 eh?

Mad, isn't it? Used to be the most competative rugby comp of all (inc. RWC). Each pool used to be its own mini knock-out comp with one loss almost a disaster. The only real issues used to be how poor the Italian sides were (guaranteed 5 pointers for most, home and away), which is no longer the case, and how disinterested the French sides were if they lost the opening game, or if they were struggling in the Top14, which can still be an issue.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

6 teams from each league, challenge Cup winner and last year's winner (or next off the boat in their league). Old 4 team pool format.

Bottom seeds in the comp this year would be Munster, Sale, Clermont, Lyon and Gloucester/Racing/Sharks...

Seems good enough quality for me and a high target but achievable for Welsh/Italian/Scottish teams.

16 works too, don't see the commercial guys going for it, as does 24 but you have to give a token spot to.the Welsh and Italians that way really and the English and French won't go back on their red herring for ending the ERC.

Tigs one could work too (32 teams though dude...) but you'd have to seed it and the early rounds would be a bit meh. Maybe have quarters and semis as the two leg games.

 

[Amiga500]

Here me out 38 teams
Round 38 2 leg
Round 16 2 leg
Round 8 2 leg
Quarter finals
Semi finals
Final

Sunak is right... kids need to keep doing maths until they're 18

 

[higgik]

6 teams from each league, challenge Cup winner and last year's winner (or next off the boat in their league). Old 4 team pool format.

Bottom seeds in the comp this year would be Munster, Sale, Clermont, Lyon and Gloucester/Racing/Sharks...

Seems good enough quality for me and a high target but achievable for Welsh/Italian/Scottish teams.

16 works too, don't see the commercial guys going for it, as does 24 but you have to give a token spot to.the Welsh and Italians that way really and the English and French won't go back on their red herring for ending the ERC.

Tigs one could work too (32 teams though dude...) but you'd have to seed it and the early rounds would be a bit meh. Maybe have quarters and semis as the two leg games.

20 team comp played at end of season.

4 groups of 5 play home or away. Over 5 weeks
1/4 finals, then a week break to gave a final 4 at a neutral venue over 2 weekends.
All done in a 9 week period.
By blocking it at end means teams like Leinster cannot rest players during weeks of domestic matches.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Sunak is right... kids need to keep doing maths until they're 18

Nah 38 teams and bin off the 6 worse winners in terms of point difference….. honest that is what I meant I swear

 

[Which Tyler]

4 groups of 5 play home or away. Over 5 weeks

Anything involving fallow weekends is a bad idea

 

[higgik]

Anything involving fallow weekends is a bad idea

Why, it works in the NFL.
say
Wk 1 2 v 5 and 3 v 4 seed
Wk 2 5 v 1 and 4 v 2
Wk 3 1 v 4 and 2 v 3
Wk 4 3 v 1 and 5 v 4
Wk 5 1 v 2 and 3 v 5

 

[die_mole]

the 38 to 32 qualifying round can be played behind closed doors to protect the children.