Champions Cup 2023

So seems it's likely Leinster v Ulster, Saracens v Munster, Exeter v Montpellier, Sharks v Ospreys, Toulouse v Gloucester, Rochelle v Bulls, Stormers v Edinburgh and Leicester v Harlequins.

I'd say you are right, but its a hard outcome for Ospreys. Horrible away draw after three great results

And similarly, qualifying with 4 maximum points victories and a points difference of 150 isn't a sign of a great tournament format.

Disagree on a few points here.

One problem with this format is that there are 24 teams with 16 teams progressing. It should be four groups of four with eight progressing. 24 to 16 teams is weak and is clearly a creation trying to please as many as possible (we all know this, hardly a surprise). There are more teams in this competition (24) than there are not in this competition (19 if you include Wasps and Bath) which is not good - a premier competition should at least seem exclusive or a challenge to qualify for. You can can have a crap season and qualify for the competition. You can then have a crap pool stage and qualify for the knockouts. There should be maybe 12 automatic qualifiers for the competition with play-offs for the other 4 spots in a 16 team competition.

Secondly, the pool games are down to four from six. In the old format game six was commonly a dead rubber but you still had at least four if not five games that were competitive (generally speaking). But now we've four games where some teams are choosing games of their choice as a dead rubber before they've qualified/been eliminated; not a sign of a good format. If you can plan to win two out of four games, it's not a tournament that's really putting it up to you.

I agree that the last format had flaws but the fact that teams can qualify by coming 8th in a 12 (now 10) team league, win one game from four and get through to the knockout stage of Europe's "premier rugby competition" is not a look of a great format.

Worth noting that five teams won one match, only one has qualified, so on balance, one win isn't really enough to get you through.

Four of those five also had a draw. The fifth (Connacht) got two LBPs from two of their defeats.

Don't think it's outrageous that teams with those records got through tbh.

Three further teams with one win did not get through so again, one win generally isn't enough.

Or... A 16 team competition with four groups of four. You've six pool games so one fluke result or Covid outbreak only affects 1 of your 6 games.

The logic of a fluke result or Covid outbreak is irrelevant, that can happen in the QF or SF. Now it's just more likely to happen when you're playing a team that have no business being in the knockouts.

But 16 doesn't divide by 3. And that's one of the huge issues coming up with a format.

Can you give details cause it sounds rubbish idea from that tiny amount of detail

Four best placed teams in each league qualify for the tournament.

Places 5-6 qualify and two of the three best 7th places (on an average qualification metric) play in a qualifier game. That leaves four play off qualifiers. 16 teams.

Hardly mind blowing and it weeds out some of the rubbish.

Teams want two home European matches, this format is a money spinner, like it or not.

The teams that put out rotated teams haven’t done well, and will either not make the knockouts or will face multiple rounds playing away so won’t benefit.

He wants the ref to tell them in advance that if the ball is out then the ball is out? How about he does his job and coaches his team instead.