URC 2023/24

FOr some reason it didnt copy point 2 and the 3.1 and 3.2 terms fully, here they are:

2.Subject to paragraph 3, below, the eight Clubs that qualify to
participate in the 2024/25 EPCR Investec Champions Cup will be made up
of the eight highest placed Clubs in the final Standing League Table (ie
after the League Stage has concluded) after having removed from the
Standing League Table all Clubs.

3.1 if applicable, the Club that has won the 2023/24 EPCR Investec
Champions Cup, but has not qualified to participate in the 2024/25 EPCR
Investec Champions Cup via paragraph 2, above;

3.2 if applicable, the Club that has won the 2023/24 EPCR Challenge
Cup, but has not qualified to participate in the 2024/24 EPCR Investec
Champions Cup via paragraph 2, above;

They’ve updated that text and removed the stipulation that the URC winner automatically gets a Champions’ Cup spot.

Within that text they refer to the URC winner and the 2021/22 season so perhaps it’s just poorly updated.

Definitely heard commentary that Ospreys could gain Champions’ Cup qualification if they win the URC.

That the winner gains qualification was clearly stated in previous editions. Also it stated that the runner-up did not gain qualification so the new text contradicts that by saying the runner -up will be second seed.

The rules should be clearer but I doubt they would deny Ospreys a spot if they won the URC.

See the typo on the season below, makes me doubt the accuracy of the text, very amateurish.

UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

(4.) The winner of the United Rugby Championship for 2021/22 will therefore be the Team that wins the URC Final.

https://www.unitedrugby.com/about/competition-rules

Yea, until they pull the thumb out and align seasons properly, it will always be a mess. Ideally it would go domestic leagues, then CC, then internationals. Never happen unfortunately

https://tournamentguides.epcrugby.com/information/qualification/

The link above states final finishing positions, assume this is after the playoffs.

I don't see how it's better and intensity for bigger games with drops for some games like current set up works ok

Hey wouldn't and we would still have players managed for national set ups etc consisting all teams are union owned etc

Having the set up as it is now allows more rotation which is a good thing and still has best players play plenty as well.

She'll be up against brown.

You obviously are talking about leinster here but that's purely a scheduling thing. If the leinster trip down south was at an earlier stage they'd more likely send a stronger team down but leinster have sent weaker squads down to sa solely because they can afford to as its been end of year and they're already qualified

Wholesale changes will happen no matter what structure is in place as unions and international coaching teams want their players for tests which pay the bills

Last year saw similar compromises come the playoffs. I'd rather a schedule that didn't force any such compromise on teams. The Irish derbies are another example of marque fixtures that regularly get denuded for the sake of other interests.

The thing that could be done about it fairly simple, align the season into a logical progression that doesn't demand selection compromises. The SH does it, there's no international competition during Super Rugby. Obviously the French will never acquiesce to moving the top 14, and the 6Ns is similar, to the detriment of the game overall imo

I wouldn't be as negative about the prospect of losing interest because of moving tournaments. The CC and 6Ns are blue chip events, folks will tune to engage with them regardless of the time of year. They'd like benefit from the better weather of a later start to boot.

Instead of worrying about competing with other sports, they could have confidence in their own product. The URC would be a better league if the teams were consistently at a higher standard, which in turn would attract more viewership and money. Rugby is far too conservative and slow to try and leverage new markets. The world league garbage a perfect example of that.

Sure might as well do nothing I guess. Wait for the inevitable axe to fall

Yes, of course they won't. They won't do anything to build the game, which is entirely the problem