2016–17 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage

2016–17 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage
Season 2016–17 European Rugby Champions Cup
Date 14 October 2016 – 22 January 2017
Qualifiers
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The 2016–17 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage will be the first stage of the 22nd season of European club rugby union, and the third under the European Rugby Champions Cup format.

It will involve 20 teams competing, across 5 pools of 4 teams, for 8 quarter-final places – awarded to the 5 pool winners and the 3 top-ranked pool runners-up.

The pool stage will begin on the weekend of 14-16 October 2016, and will end following Round 6, on the weekend of 23–25 January 2016.

Seeding

The 20 competing teams are seeded and split into four tiers, each containing 5 teams.

For the purpose of creating the tiers, clubs are ranked based on their domestic league performances and on their qualification for the knockout phases of their championships, so a losing quarter-finalist in the Top 14 would be seeded below a losing semi-finalist, even if they finished above them in the regular season.[1]

Rank Top 14 Premiership Pro 12
1 France Racing 92 England Saracens Ireland Connacht
2 France Toulon England Exeter Chiefs Ireland Leinster
3 France Clermont England Wasps Scotland Glasgow Warriors
4 France Montpellier England Leicester Tigers Ireland Ulster
5 France Toulouse England Northampton Saints Wales Scarlets
6 France Castres England Sale Sharks Ireland Munster
7 France Bordeaux Bègles Italy Zebre

Based on these seedings, teams are placed into one of the four tiers, with the top seed clubs being put in Tier 1. The nature of the tier system means that a draw is needed to allocate two of the three second seed clubs to Tier 1. Exeter Chiefs and Leinster were drawn into Tier 1, meaning the remaining side - Toulon went into Tier 2. As a result of this draw, Montpellier also entered Tier 2, as the fourth seed from the league of the second seed placed in Tier 2. The other two fourth rankes sides fell into Tier 3.[2]

The tiers are shown below. Brackets show each team's seeding and their league (for example, 1 Top 14 indicates the team was seeded 1st from the Top 14).

Tier 1 England Saracens (1 AP) Ireland Connacht (1 Pro12) France Racing 92 (1 Top 14) England Exeter Chiefs (2 AP) Ireland Leinster (2 Pro12)
Tier 2 France Toulon (2 Top 14) England Wasps (3 AP) Scotland Glasgow Warriors (3 Pro12) France Clermont (3 Top 14) France Montpellier (4 Top 14)
Tier 3 England Leicester Tigers (4 AP) Ireland Ulster (4 Pro12) England Northampton Saints (5 AP) Wales Scarlets (5 Pro12) France Toulouse (5 Top 14)
Tier 4 England Sale Sharks (6 AP) Ireland Munster (6 Pro12) France Castres (6 Top 14) Italy Zebre (7 Pro12) France Bordeaux Bègles (7 Top 14)

Pool stage

The draw took place on 29 June 2016 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

During the pool stage, the teams will play the 3 other teams in their pool twice, both at home and away,[3] Based on the result of the match, teams receive competition points as follows:[4]

Following the pool stage, the five winners from each group progress to the quarter-finals, along with the three best pool runners-up from the competition (the three of the five runners-up with the highest number of competition points). To seed the quarter-finals, the five pool winners will be ranked 1st to 5th and the three best-placed runners-up ranked 6th to 8th, based on who got the most competition points. In the event of a tie between two or more teams from the same pool, the following criteria would be used as tie-breakers:[4]

  1. The club with the greater number of competition points from only matches involving tied teams.
  2. If equal, the club with the best aggregate points difference from those matches.
  3. If equal, the club that scored the most tries in those matches.

If this did not separate teams, and/or the tie related to teams that did not played each other (i.e., in different pools), the following tie breakers would be used:

  1. If equal, the club with the best aggregate points difference from the pool stage.
  2. The club that scored the most tries in the pool stage.
  3. If equal, the club with the fewest players suspended in the pool stage.
  4. If equal, the drawing of lots will determine a club's ranking.
Key to colours
     Winner of each pool, advance to quarter-finals.
     Three highest-scoring second-place teams advance to quarter-finals.
     Cannot advance to the quarter-finals.

Pool 1

Team
 P W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts
Ireland Munster 1 1 0 0 38 17 +21 5 2 1 0 5
Scotland Glasgow Warriors 2 1 0 1 59 51 +8 7 6 1 0 5
England Leicester Tigers 2 1 0 1 40 59 –19 3 7 0 0 4
France Racing 92 1 0 0 1 17 27 –10 2 2 0 0 0
14 October 2016
19:45
(1 BP) Glasgow Warriors Scotland 42–13 England Leicester Tigers
Try: Sarto (2) 24' c, 76' c
Brown 28' c
Pyrgos 33' m
Bennett 68' c
Con: Russell (4/5) 24', 28', 68', 76'
Pen: S. Hogg (1/2) 14'
Russell (2/2) 55', 67'
 Report Try: Thompstone 20' c
Con: O. Williams (1/1) 20'
Pen: O. Williams (2/2) 8', 37'
Scotstoun Stadium
Attendance: 7,351
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
22 October 2016
13:00
(1 BP) Munster Ireland 38–17 Scotland Glasgow Warriors
Try: Bleyendaal 4' c
Taute 14' c
Zebo 30' c
Penalty try 47' c
Scannell 75' c
Con: Bleyendaal (4/4) 4', 14', 30', 47'
Keatley (1/1) 75'
Pen: Bleyendaal (1/1) 7'
 Report Try: MacArthur 66' c
Bennett 70' c
Con: S. Hogg (2/2) 66', 70'
Pen: Russell (1/2) 10'
Thomond Park
Attendance: 25,600
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (FFR)
23 October 2016
17:30
Leicester Tigers England 27–17 France Racing 92
Try: O'Connor 2' m
F. Burns 68'
Con: F. Burns (1/1) 68'
Pen: O. Williams (2/2) 23', 39'
F. Burns (3/3) 63', 66', 78'
 Report Try: Carter 49' c
Imhoff 75' c
Con: Carter (2/2) 49', 75'
Pen: Carter (1/1) 9'
Welford Road
Attendance: 19,048
Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR)
10 December 2016
15:15
Munster Ireland v England Leicester Tigers
10 December 2016
16:15
Racing 92 France v Scotland Glasgow Warriors
16 December 2016
19:45
Glasgow Warriors Scotland v France Racing 92
17 December 2016
15:15
Leicester Tigers England v Ireland Munster
7 January 2017
15:45
Racing 92 France v Ireland Munster
13/14/15 January 2017
Glasgow Warriors Scotland v Ireland Munster
20/21/22 January 2017
Munster Ireland v France Racing 92

Pool 2

Team
 P W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts
Ireland Connacht 2 2 0 0 75 28 +47 11 3 1 0 9
England Wasps 2 1 1 0 102 34 +68 14 4 1 0 7
France Toulouse 2 0 1 1 41 43 –2 4 5 0 1 3
Italy Zebre 2 0 0 2 21 134 −113 3 20 0 0 0
15 October 2016
13:00
(1 BP) Wasps England 82–14 Italy Zebre
Try: Miller (2) 3', 26'
Cooper-Woolley 8' c
Simpson (2) 14' c, 63' c
Halai 28' c
Johnson 39' c
Daly 41' m
Launchbury 54' c
Bassett 58' c
Gaskell 69' c
Robson 72' c
Con: Cipriani (6/6) 3', 8', 14', 26', 28', 39'
Gopperth (5/5) 54', 58', 63', 69', 72'
 Report Try: Ruzza (2) 18' c, 35' c
Con: Padovani (2/2) 18', 35'
Ricoh Arena
Attendance: 10,701
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
15 October 2016
17:30
Connacht Ireland 23–21 France Toulouse (1 BP)
Try: Adeolokun 20' m
O'Halloran 58' m
Aki 66' c
Con: Ronaldson (1/1) 66'
Pen: Carty (2/3) 25', 29'
 Report Try: David 34' m
Doussain 37' c
Con: S. Bézy (1/2) 37'
Pen: S. Bézy (2/2) 7', 11'
Fritz (1/1) 13'
Galway Sportsgrounds
Attendance: 8,091
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
23 October 2016
16:15
Toulouse France 20–20 England Wasps
Try: Johnston 50' c
Fickou 68' c
Con: S. Bézy (2/2) 50', 68'
Pen: S. Bézy (2/2) 24', 31'
 Report Try: Bassett 62' c
Hughes 78' c
Con: Gopperth (2/2) 62', 78'
Pen: Gopperth (2/2) 18', 34'
Stade Ernest Wallon
Attendance: 14,206
Referee: George Clancy (IRFU)
23 October 2016
16:15
Zebre Italy 7–52 Ireland Connacht (1 BP)
Try: D'Apice 61' c
Con: Padovani (1/1) 61'
 Report Try: Ili (3) 10' c, 41' c, 79' c
Carty 13' c
Penalty try 52' c
Kelleher (2) 53' c, 74' m
Carey 55' m
Con: Ronaldson (6/8) 10', 13', 41', 52', 53', 79'
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
10 December 2016
20:45
Zebre Italy v France Toulouse
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)
11 December 2016
13:00
Wasps England v Ireland Connacht
Ricoh Arena
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (FFR)
17 December 2016
16:15
Toulouse France v Italy Zebre
Stadium Municipal
Referee: Ian Tempest (RFU)
17 December 2016
17:30
Connacht Ireland v England Wasps
13/14/15 January 2017
Connacht Ireland v Italy Zebre
13/14/15 January 2017
Wasps England v France Toulouse
20/21/22 January 2017
Toulouse France v Ireland Connacht
20/21/22 January 2017
Zebre Italy v England Wasps

Pool 3

Team
 P W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts
England Saracens 2 2 0 0 75 49 +26 8 4 1 0 9
France Toulon 2 1 0 1 38 36 +2 4 4 0 0 4
Wales Scarlets 2 1 0 1 54 55 –1 5 6 0 0 4
England Sale Sharks 2 0 0 2 16 43 –27 2 5 0 0 0
15 October 2016
16:15
Toulon France 23–31 England Saracens
Try: Chilachava 55' c
Habana 63' c
Con: Halfpenny (2/2) 55', 63'
Pen: Halfpenny (3/3) 6', 29', 44'
 Report Try: Maitland 9' m
Wigglesworth 14' c
Wyles 38' c
Con: Farrell (2/3) 14', 38'
Pen: Farrell (4/4) 3', 20', 46', 79'
Stade Mayol
Attendance: 14,103
Referee: John Lacey (IRFU)
15 October 2016
19:45
Scarlets Wales 28–11 England Sale Sharks
Try: G. Davies 12' c
Van der Merwe (2) 31' m, 56' c
Con: Patchell (2/3) 12', 57'
Pen: Patchell (3/4) 8', 14', 20'
 Report Try: Briggs 24' m
Pen: Mugford (2/2) 3', 38'
Parc y Scarlets
Attendance: 6,521
Referee: Romain Poite (FFR)
21 October 2016
19:45
Sale Sharks England 5–15 France Toulon
Try: Odogwu 32' m
 Report Try: Ollivon 9' c
Halfpenny 12' m
Con: Halfpenny (1/2) 9'
Pen: Halfpenny (1/3) 6'
AJ Bell Stadium
Attendance: 9,402
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
22 October 2016
17:30
(1 BP) Saracens England 44–26 Wales Scarlets
Try: M. Vunipola 11' c
Tompkins 26' c
Bosch 47' c
Wyles 54' c
Rhodes 75' c
Con: Farrell (5/5) 11', 26', 47', 54', 75'
Pen: Farrell (3/3) 23', 36', 55'
 Report Try: A. Shingler 60' c
J. Davies 73' c
Con: Patchell (2/2) 60', 73'
Pen: Patchell (4/4) 7', 14', 31', 41'
Allianz Park
Attendance: 9,084
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (FFR)
10 December 2016
17:30
Saracens England v England Sale Sharks
11 December 2016
16:15
Toulon France v Wales Scarlets
18 December 2016
13:00
Scarlets Wales v France Toulon
Parc y Scarlets
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
18 December 2016
17:30
Sale Sharks England v England Saracens
AJ Bell Stadium
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
13/14/15 January 2017
Toulon France v England Sale Sharks
13/14/15 January 2017
Scarlets Wales v England Saracens
20/21/22 January 2017
Sale Sharks England v Wales Scarlets
20/21/22 January 2017
Saracens England v France Toulon

Pool 4

Team
 P W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts
Ireland Leinster 2 1 0 1 49 37 +12 6 5 1 1 6
France Castres 2 1 0 1 56 40 +16 7 6 1 0 5
France Montpellier 2 1 0 1 36 32 +4 4 2 0 1 5
England Northampton Saints 2 1 0 1 23 55 –32 2 6 0 0 4
15 October 2016
15:15
(1 BP) Leinster Ireland 33–15 France Castres
Try: Cronin (2) 9' m, 26' c
McGrath 33' c
Nacewa 48' c
Penalty try 66' c
Con: Nacewa (4/5) 26', 33', 48', 66'
 Report Try: Penalty try 41' c
Jelonch 69' m
Con: Urdapilleta (1/2) 41'
Pen: Urdapilleta (1/1) 30'
RDS Arena
Attendance: 13,890
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
15 October 2016
17:30
Northampton Saints England 16–14 France Montpellier (1 BP)
Try: Clark 3' c
Con: Myler (1/1) 3'
Pen: Myler (3/3) 18', 49', 80'
 Report Try: F. Steyn 35' m
Pen: Botica (1/1) 30'
F. Steyn (2/2) 58', 65'
Franklin's Gardens
Attendance: 14,099
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)
22 October 2016
16:15
(1 BP) Castres France 41–7 England Northampton Saints
Try: D. Smith (2) 30' c, 43' c
Tichit 40' c
Bias 74' c
Dupont 77' c
Con: Urdapilleta (3/3) 30', 40', 43'
Dumora (2/2) 74', 77'
Pen: Urdapilleta (2/2) 10', 14'
 Report Try: J. Wilson 72'
Con: Myler (1/1) 72'
Stade Pierre-Antoine
Attendance: 8,405
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)
23 October 2016
14:00
Montpellier France 22–16 Ireland Leinster (1 BP)
Try: Martin 29' c
Nadolo (2) 35' c, 59' m
Con: F. Steyn (2/3) 29', 35'
Pen: F. Steyn (1/1) 47'
 Report Try: Nacewa 80' c
Con: Nacewa (1/1) 80'
Pen: Nacewa (3/3) 26', 52', 63'
Altrad Stadium
Attendance: 10,679
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
11 December 2016
14:00
Montpellier France v France Castres
17 December 2016
19:45
Leinster Ireland v England Northampton Saints
18 December 2016
14:00
Castres France v France Montpellier
13/14/15 January 2017
Leinster Ireland v France Montpellier
20/21/22 January 2017
Castres France v Ireland Leinster

Pool 5

Team
 P W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts
France Clermont 2 2 0 0 84 41 +43 11 6 2 0 10
France Bordeaux Bègles 2 1 0 1 61 62 –1 8 7 1 0 5
Ireland Ulster 2 1 0 1 32 46 –14 2 3 0 0 4
England Exeter Chiefs 2 0 0 2 26 54 –28 1 6 0 1 1
16 October 2016
14:00
Bordeaux Bègles France 28–13 Ireland Ulster
Try: Taofifenua 74' m
Penalty try 77' c
Connor 79' c
Con: Beauxis (2/3) 77', 79'
Pen: Madigan (2/2) 3', 45'
Beauxis (1/1) 54'
 Report Try: Trimble 21' c
Con: Jackson (1/1) 21'
Pen: Jackson (2/2) 39', 57'
Stade Chaban-Delmas
Attendance: 21,132
Referee: JP Doyle (RFU)
16 October 2016
17:30
Exeter Chiefs England 8–35 France Clermont (1 BP)
Try: S. Hill 79' m
Pen: Steenson (1/1) 7'
 Report Try: Bardy 24' c
Nakaitaci 28' c
Fofana (2) 39' c, 69' c
Abendanon 43' c
Con: Parra (4/4) 24', 28', 39', 43'
Fernandez (1/1) 69'
Sandy Park
Attendance: 9,879
Referee: George Clancy (IRFU)
22 October 2016
16:15
(1 BP) Clermont France 49–33 France Bordeaux Bègles (1 BP)
Try: Nakaitaci 31' c
Lapandry 42' m
Fofana 48' c
Vahaamahina 63' c
Strettle 69' c
Timani 77' c
Con: Parra (4/5) 31', 48', 63', 69'
Fernandez (1/1) 77'
Pen: Parra (3/3) 8', 20', 25'
 Report Try: Buttin (2) 4' c, 67' m
Spence 22' c
Talebula 72' c
Doubrere 80' c
Con: Madigan (2/2) 4', 22'
Beauxis (2/3) 72', 80'
Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin
Attendance: 17,965
Referee: Greg Garner (RFU)
22 October 2016
19:45
Ulster Ireland 19–18 England Exeter Chiefs (1 BP)
Try: Reidy 31' c
Con: Jackson (1/1) 31'
Pen: Jackson (3/3) 5', 49', 71'
Drop: Jackson (1/1) 78'
 Report Pen: Steenson (5/5) 7', 29', 51', 67', 74'
Drop: Steenson (1/2) 77'
Kingspan Stadium
Attendance: 16,843
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (FFR)
10 December 2016
13:00
Ulster Ireland v France Clermont
11 December 2016
17:30
Exeter Chiefs England v France Bordeaux Bègles
13/14/15 January 2017
Exeter Chiefs England v Ireland Ulster
20/21/22 January 2017
Ulster Ireland v France Bordeaux Bègles

Notes

  1. ↑ Due to the death of Munster head coach Anthony Foley, the match was postponed as a mark of respect.[5]

References

  1. ↑ http://archive.ercrugby.com/news/28791.php ERCRugby.com. Accessed 8 June 2014
  2. ↑ European Rugby Pool Draws for 2015/16 season - EPCRugby.com
  3. ↑ EPCRugby.com - European heavyweights to clash following 2015/16 Pool Draws
  4. 1 2
  5. ↑ "Anthony Foley: Munster rugby coach dies suddenly in Paris". BBC Sport. BBC. 16 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
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