ShaneM wrote: At least we will have home advantage though! Great to see Connacht Rugby staying in SG for our home leg.

www.the42.ie/connacht-news-5664467-Jan2022/

Absolutely. Hate the idea of moving home games from the Sportsground.

Sol_ie wrote:

ConnachtCows wrote: Yeah, its an aggregate score. Similar to how the old 1/4 finals in the Parker Pen used to use.
Think of any sports that have two legged matches.

For example, if the results were as follows:
Connacht 49 - 3 Leinster
Leinster 3 - 20 Connacht

The final score would be Leinster 6 - 69 Connacht

Think of each game as a half of rugby

Brill, so run up a 50 point lead in the first leg and play a nice defensive game in the Aviva?! Got it.

Weird bloody system - part of me would prefer a one and done (although we do get a home game out of this format, I suppose)

From what I remember, this system is only in play, because teams are only getting to play 4 group games, rather than the normal 6.
Hopefully, next season if the Heineken Cup goes back to 5 groups of 4, the two legged last 16 will be gone.

It's basically a way to make up another game

At least we will have home advantage though! Great to see Connacht Rugby staying in SG for our home leg.

www.the42.ie/connacht-news-5664467-Jan2022/

ConnachtCows wrote: Yeah, its an aggregate score. Similar to how the old 1/4 finals in the Parker Pen used to use.
Think of any sports that have two legged matches.

For example, if the results were as follows:
Connacht 49 - 3 Leinster
Leinster 3 - 20 Connacht

The final score would be Leinster 6 - 69 Connacht

Think of each game as a half of rugby

Brill, so run up a 50 point lead in the first leg and play a nice defensive game in the Aviva?! Got it.

Weird bloody system - part of me would prefer a one and done (although we do get a home game out of this format, I suppose)

Mac65 wrote: CC. I'm playing Devils advocate here.

For example, work this one out. if the results were as follows:
Connacht 29 (4T) - 21 (3T) Leinster
Leinster 33 (4T)- 25 (3T) Connacht
Aggregate score 54 - 54
Tries 7 each
Would we have extra time, a penalty shoot out or what.

According to the above, if the scores are equal at the end of the second leg it goes to extra time, then it goes to tries scored, then free kick shoot out.

CC. I'm playing Devils advocate here.

For example, work this one out. if the results were as follows:
Connacht 29 (4T) - 21 (3T) Leinster
Leinster 33 (4T)- 25 (3T) Connacht
Aggregate score 54 - 54
Tries 7 each
Would we have extra time, a penalty shoot out or what.

Yeah, its an aggregate score. Similar to how the old 1/4 finals in the Parker Pen used to use.
Think of any sports that have two legged matches.

For example, if the results were as follows:
Connacht 49 - 3 Leinster
Leinster 3 - 20 Connacht

The final score would be Leinster 6 - 69 Connacht

Think of each game as a half of rugby

Right - I'm trying to find a straight answer on this BUT does anyone have any idea/link to how this next round of games are going to be decided. I presume that it's the usual points system (four points for a win, two for a draw, Try BP and losing BP?) and not some fancy en-aggregate system?

The EPCR have the tournament rules online ( www.epcrugby.com/champions-cup/format/rules/ ) but that specifically refers to Pool stages only and not the round of 16.

Edit:

Spotted this:

"NB In the event of drawn matches or equal aggregate scores at the end of normal time during the knockout stage, extra-time will be played with the exception of the first legs of the Round of 16 matches. If the scores remain tied at the end of extra time, the winner will be determined as follows:
(a) the club that has scored the most tries in the match or matches (including extra time) or
(b) if equal, by a place kick competition."

Which suggests that it's an aggregate score system? Which makes no sense to me?

Cardiff given 28-0 win v Toulouse.

Toulouse have named a match day 23.

And Cardiff would be propelled to eighth, with a decent chance of holding on to qualify (in the most bizarre circumstances). As long as Wasps don't get a LBP, Stade or Scarlets don't get five points and Castres don't beat Quins ...

Toulouse apparently have C19 cases and their game v Cardiff is not a given to go ahead. If they did forfeit, Connacht would probably be worst 6th in the pool.

If Clermont lose, they will most likely end up 7th or 8th seeds in their pool. While they haven't exactly been setting the world alight lately, they are just the type of side that would decide to pull it out of the bag in April and knock off Quins or Leicester over two legs. So it underlines the importance of getting as high up the table as possible - the team in third or even fourth could end up with a home QF if they get through ...

Racing92 should win (+5) so they will top Pool A with 19
Ulster should win at home (+4) = 18 to finish 2nd
La Rochelle need the bonus win in Glasgow to stay in 3rd on 16 points otherwise Leinster and Exeter will overtake them as I suspect both will get bonus wins (+5) = 15 and have big points difference.
If LaRochelle don't get the BP then Leinster finish 3rd. Exeter 4th and La Rochelle 5th
Looks like we all know what we are doing on Sat night at 20:00

And that game is Friday night, so should know well in advance where we stand. A win obviously would push Connacht further up. Could still run into Leinster though!

Mac65 wrote: They have to beat Quins with a bonus point and with a big point difference. We are +22 they are -11.

Happy days so! I hope!