The road to Bilbao - Challenge Cup 2017/18

I thought the key phrase is "not already qualified"....

Simplifying it to Edinburgh v Connacht in Edinburgh one week (Pro 12 playoff) and Bilbao the next weekend, the first game decides 7th and 8th Pro12 seed in the Champions Cup, while the second game is for silverware.

Of course since seeds 7 and 8 both go into the same pot for the draw, that first game is completely meaningless as you point out..

4 out of 4 for the Irish provinces, with 3 away wins.
To be noticed

The only thing we can say after this week is :
if we finish 2nd, we won't be the worst one and escape from in form Edinburgh away from home (best 1st).
That's good news, Newcastle, Cardiff or Sale are easier. My opinion.

But let's play for a home QF of course. If we have it and win it, we'd be 1 one game from paradise.
A final, even losing, may well be enough for ChampionsCup next year.

When all the group games are over.
Is the draw open or does it go by top seeds?

Tall Paul
When the pool games are finished the 5 pool winners and the best 3 second place teams are seeded 1 - 8.
For the past few years the QF draw has been;
1 v 8, 2 v 7, 3 v 6 & 4 v 5.
I think there are some conditions that two teams from the same pool can't be paired together in the QF's (maybe someone else can clarify that)

Seeded, group winners 1-5, best runners up 6-8.

I know I shouldn't and its not very "rugby" to do it - BUT after tonight's massacre in the Super Duper Champions Cup it is English Clubs played 6, Lost 6.
Rule change coming!

We are in all reality 'done' in the Pro 14. Everyone knows it. We need 100% focus on a MASSIVE run in the Challenge Cup & it is all I want now...& a final, bloody hell, to dream , to dream , dare to dream......

Wasrednowgreen wrote: We are in all reality 'done' in the Pro 14. Everyone knows it. We need 100% focus on a MASSIVE run in the Challenge Cup & it is all I want now...& a final, bloody hell, to dream , to dream , dare to dream......

We’re one point behind automatic European qualification? You can’t throw 11 more games out the window for a knock out competition . That won’t attract bums on seats, sponsors, revenue and new players which doesn’t help Connacht Rugby in the long term.

Apologies, you may very well be correct. However to suggest that chasing down a semi-final / final place would be any less commercial for sponsors or detrimental to Connacht's profile isn't too logical. Never suggested 'abandoning' the chase for the PRO 14 , just think sometimes you've got to allocate resources where you can maximise results & , in my opinion with our squad / budget, that looks increasingly more & more like Europe.

Guys
Just be aware that even if we top our pool in the Challenge Cup and go on to win our QF match (which should be at home) there is no guarantee that we will get a home SF.

We are currently half way through the pool stages and in 2nd spot behind Edinburgh for the seeding but also on same points as Pau and Falcons.

We could end up playing an away SF in France or England and the Final is in Spain.

Challenge Cup silverware would be absolutely great but also remember that 3rd place in our conference gives us Champions Cup qualifications for next year The Cheetahs (currently in 3rd) don't count and we are only 1 point behind Cardiff so both options are still in play in my book

Edinburgh are on 15
Connacht, Newcastle, Pau all on 14
Pool 2 only 2 points seperate the top 3 Cardiff, Toulouse, Sharks.

Next round of games will be very interesting.
A lot of teams playing for Top seed.
Also there are a lot of teams playing for best 2nd place with Worcester leading the chase on 11 points.

If both us and Worcester get max points next weekend, it might put us in prime tv time.
Winner takes all, home QF. Loser to take best 2nd spot (I'm assuming the French teams have given up)

Looking forward to this weekend games

Fourdogs wrote: Guys
Just be aware that even if we top our pool in the Challenge Cup and go on to win our QF match (which should be at home) there is no guarantee that we will get a home SF.

We are currently half way through the pool stages and in 2nd spot behind Edinburgh for the seeding but also on same points as Pau and Falcons.

We could end up playing an away SF in France or England and the Final is in Spain.

Challenge Cup silverware would be absolutely great but also remember that 3rd place in our conference gives us Champions Cup qualifications for next year The Cheetahs (currently in 3rd) don't count and we are only 1 point behind Cardiff so both options are still in play in my book

You're apparently right but I don't think your conclusion is :

1) we lost crucial 4 or 5 points in Parma
2) Cardiff have an easier run-in for 1 simple reason : home-and-away interpros. Dragons and Ospreys are there for the taking, when we'll struggle vs Munster and Leinster
3) I don't think we can finish 4th, but even if we do, it will be an away play-off in Embra (we all know what happens away from home...)
4) Edinburgh are in form and motivated by huge recruitement for next season
5) Even if we finish 2nd in CC, I'd prefer going to Cardiff, Newcastle or Sale (not Pau I have to admit it would be terribly hard there)
6) we have a decent chance to top the pool (home QF), even a BP in Worcester MIGHT be enough

If we finish 4th behind Cheetahs, we qualify for the Championa Cup automatically. We'd likely have to stay in 5th to have a playoff away to Edinburgh, unless Cheetahs suddenly go to pot altogether.

salmson wrote: If we finish 4th behind Cheetahs, we qualify for the Championa Cup automatically. We'd likely have to stay in 5th to have a playoff away to Edinburgh, unless Cheetahs suddenly go to pot altogether.

Yaeh my bad.
The conclusion is the same : we won't finish 4th, and we won't win in Myreside.
Challenge Cup should be played 110% and that's what Keane did with his selection in Brive.

Of course we won't throw away interpros. But if we have to make 1 or 2 rotations in RDS and Thomond before Worcester, I think we should