European Rugby Challenge Cup

So a 7th or 8th position would see us through to a play off semi-final as it were and then a fixture at home v 7th placed French team - last season that was Stade Francais. Interesting - if a wee bit convoluted

Ha, you're not wrong there Pinky - the way it's been going the criteria will be reliant on a gibbous moon and Punxsutawney Pat making an appearance on Groundhog Day....

Droptheclaw wrote: Ha, you're not wrong there Pinky - the way it's been going the criteria will be reliant on a gibbous moon and Punxsutawney Pat making an appearance on Groundhog Day....

I thought they were simplifying the criteria to nett worth of millionaire billionaire owner for next year?

7-3 to La Rochelle v Bayonne after 15 minutes.

18-6 to La Rochelle with 20 left.

25-6 7 minutes left. La Rochelle have 3 tries on the board now.

F-T No BP for either side, very good result

Nice win for Zebre away to Brive also.

Delighted for Zebre

Scarlets beat the Tigers! Don't know if it will make a difference but at least it gives Ulster a slim chance of getting out of the group now. Still all to do.

connachtexile wrote: Scarlets beat the Tigers! Don't know if it will make a difference but at least it gives Ulster a slim chance of getting out of the group now. Still all to do.

I find it almost impossible to see a way back for Ulster now. After the Glasgow game a couple of weeks back there was high hopes for them in Europe but they didn't deliver at Leicester. Leicester are still Leicester but if Ulster were hoping to progress it was one they needed to win really.

Scarlets winning here keeps them involved in the competition and makes the double header difficult. Even if Ulster were to get 9 points from those 2 games its impossible to see them winning in Toulon. With no dropdown to the challenge cup, winning the league is the only thing Ulster can hope to achieve this season.

What's the story with the very limited live airing of challenge cup compared to last season, if not mistaken, sky practically showed all/most games.....

This along with the winner not getting a direct place in champions cup....and the champions cup group 2nd placers not coming down to the challenge for the quarter finals alas last year which added glamour to it in a way....

Will the challenge cup be there in 2years? Or at the very least financially viable?

N17 wrote: What's the story with the very limited live airing of challenge cup compared to last season, if not mistaken, sky practically showed all/most games.....

This along with the winner not getting a direct place in champions cup....and the champions cup group 2nd placers not coming down to the challenge for the quarter finals alas last year which added glamour to it in a way....

Will the challenge cup be there in 2years? Or at the very least financially viable?

I think that's a very good point. I really believe they have shot themselves in the foot by not offering a place in the European Cup for the winners or at the very least a place in a play off for the winners. It would be a big incentive for most sides in the competition who would be struggling to get their via the league.

Even with the games that are being televised, Gloucester - Brive and London Welsh - Bordeaux-Begles were one sided games.

Is it going to move to a European Super League style competition, where there is the big 20 and two fingers to the rest of us? Also this new governing body promised a shield competition for the other countries when they came in which hasn't come to fruition as far as I know.

Its disappointing as I always believed the Challenge Cup is a good springboard competition. The teams dropping down can be a good or bad thing, I believe when it gets to the knock out stages the competition hots up but really most of the French teams don't give a toss or best case scenario they do at home but not away and I don't blame them. They have a 26 game league season and it's a tough road to avoid relegation which for every reason has to be their primary concern, why put any effort into winning this competition which offers you very little in return?