The 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup-Challenge Cup play-off was the third play-off for entry into the top-level competition of European Club rugby union, the European Rugby Champions Cup.
Format Following a break to ease fixture congestion caused by the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the three-team play-off held in 2015–16 was expanded, and a four-team format was announced.
The play-off comprised 3 matches, contested by one team from the Premiership, one from the Top 14, and two from the Pro14.
The two Pro12 teams each played one of the Premiership or Top 14 sides in a single-leg semi-final, held at the home ground of the non-Pro12 side. The winners of these matches then contested a play-off final, with the winner of this match competing in the 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup. The three losing teams all competed in the 2017–18 European Rugby Challenge Cup.
Teams
Four teams competed in the play-off, having qualified as either the highest team from each league that did not already qualify for the Champions Cup, or as the winner of the 2016–17 European Rugby Challenge Cup.
The following teams had qualified for the play-off:
League Team Coach Stadium Aviva Premiership Northampton Saints Jim Mallinder Franklin's GardensGuinness Pro12 Cardiff Blues Danny Wilson Cardiff Arms Park Connacht Pat Lam Galway Sportsgrounds Top 14 Stade Français Gonzalo Quesada Stade Jean-Bouin
Matches A draw was held on 15 March 2017 to determine the two semi-final matches.
Semi-finals
FB 15 Jérémy SinzelleRW 14 Waisea Nayacalevu OC 13 Jonathan DantyIC 12 Meyer BosmanLW 11 Sekou MacalouFH 10 Morné SteynSH 9 Julien Dupuy N8 8 Sergio Parisse (c)OF 7 Matthieu Ugena BF 6 Antoine BurbanRL 5 Paul Gabrillagues LL 4 Willem Alberts TP 3 Paul Alo-Emile HK 2 Rémi Bonfils LP 1 Heinke van der Merwe Replacements:HK 16 Laurent Panis PR 17 Rabah Slimani PR 18 Giorgi Melikidze LK 19 Mathieu De Giovanni FL 20 Raphaël Lakafia SH 21 Clément Daguin FH 22 Jules Plisson FL 23 Jono Ross Coach: Gonzalo Quesada FB 15 Matthew MorganRW 14 Alex CuthbertOC 13 Rey Lee-Lo IC 12 Willis Halaholo LW 11 Rhun Williams FH 10 Gareth AnscombeSH 9 Lloyd WilliamsN8 8 Nick WilliamsOF 7 Ellis Jenkins (c)BF 6 Josh NavidiRL 5 Macauley CookLL 4 Jarrad HoeataTP 3 Taufaʻao Filise HK 2 Matthew Rees LP 1 Rhys Gill Replacements:HK 16 Kirby Myhill PR 17 Corey Domachowski PR 18 Anton Peikrishvili LK 19 Seb Davies FL 20 Sion Bennett SH 21 Tomos Williams FH 22 Steven Shingler CE 23 Garyn Smith Coach: Danny Wilson Cardiff Blues were demoted to the 2017–18 European Rugby Challenge Cup
FB 15 Ahsee Tuala RW 14 Ben FodenOC 13 Nafi TuitavakeIC 12 Luther Burrell LW 11 George NorthFH 10 Harry MallinderSH 9 Nic Groom N8 8 Louis PicamolesOF 7 Teimana Harrison BF 6 Jamie Gibson RL 5 Christian Day LL 4 Courtney LawesTP 3 Kieran Brookes HK 2 Dylan Hartley (c) LP 1 Alex Waller Replacements:HK 16 Mike Haywood PR 17 Campese Ma'afu PR 18 Gareth Denman LK 19 Api Ratuniyarawa FL 20 Tom Wood SH 21 Lee Dickson FH 22 Sam OlverCE 23 Rory Hutchinson Coach: Jim Mallinder FB 15 Tiernan O'HalloranRW 14 Niyi AdeolokunOC 13 Danie PoolmanIC 12 Craig RonaldsonLW 11 Cian Kelleher FH 10 Jack CartySH 9 Kieran Marmion N8 8 John Muldoon (c)OF 7 Jake Heenan BF 6 Seán O'BrienRL 5 James Cannon LL 4 Quinn RouxTP 3 Finlay Bealham HK 2 Dave HeffernanLP 1 Denis BuckleyReplacements:HK 16 Shane DelahuntPR 17 JP CooneyPR 18 Conor Carey LK 19 Ultan Dillane FL 20 Naulia Dawai SH 21 Caolin BladeSH 22 John Cooney WG 23 Matt Healy Coach: Pat Lam Connacht drop to the 2017–18 European Rugby Challenge Cup
Play-off final The draw for the semi-finals was also used to decide that the winner of the second semi-final would have home advantage in the play-off final.
FB 15 Ahsee Tuala RW 14 Ben FodenOC 13 Nafi Tuitavake IC 12 Luther BurrellLW 11 George NorthFH 10 Harry MallinderSH 9 Nic Groom N8 8 Louis Picamoles OF 7 Tom Wood (c) BF 6 Teimana HarrisonRL 5 Christian Day LL 4 Courtney LawesTP 3 Kieran Brookes HK 2 Dylan Hartley LP 1 Alex Waller Replacements:HK 16 Mike Haywood PR 17 Campese Ma'afu PR 18 Gareth Denman LK 19 Api Ratuniyarawa FL 20 Jamie Gibson SH 21 Lee Dickson FH 22 Sam Olver CE 23 Rory Hutchinson Coach: Jim Mallinder FB 15 Djibril Camara RW 14 Waisea NayacalevuOC 13 Geoffrey DoumayrouIC 12 Jonathan Danty LW 11 Jérémy SinzelleFH 10 Jules PlissonSH 9 Will Genia N8 8 Jono RossOF 7 Raphaël LakafiaBF 6 Antoine Burban RL 5 Paul Gabrillagues (c) LL 4 Willem AlbertsTP 3 Paul Alo-EmileHK 2 Rémi Bonfils LP 1 Zurab Zhvania Replacements:HK 16 Craig Burden PR 17 Rabah Slimani PR 18 Giorgi Melikidze LK 19 Mathieu De Giovanni N8 20 Sergio Parisse SH 21 Clément Daguin FH 22 Morné Steyn CE 23 Meyer Bosman Coach: Gonzalo Quesada Northampton Saints qualified for the 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup. Stade Français played in the 2017–18 European Rugby Challenge Cup.
See also 2017–18 European Rugby Champions Cup 2017–18 European Rugby Challenge Cup
References