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Rugby Europe Super Cup ready for a new season

225 days ago

Ilia Spanderashvili on the charge for Black Lion.

Rugby Europe’s franchise competition is set to start in September, but not without some forced changes, mainly due to the absence of the Israeli franchise Tel Aviv Heat, runner-up in 2022 and 2023.

Rugby Europe’s official statement shed a bit of light about why the Israelis will not take part of the upcoming season, “The competition will take place this season without the two-time runners-up, the Tel Aviv Heat, due to various logistical elements.”.

From sources close to the process, the Heat will potentially return in 2025 pending new developments in the structure of the franchise.

Wallabies skipper Allan Alaalatoa insists his side won’t be distracted by external criticism

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Wallabies skipper Allan Alaalatoa insists his side won’t be distracted by external criticism

With no new franchise to fill the void, the 2024 Super Cup will consist of seven teams, divided into two pools: pool A with the Georgians and three-time winners Black Lion, the Portuguese Lusitanos and the Spanish Leon y Castilla Iberians. Pool B will consist of the Romanian Wolves, the Dutch Delta, the Belgians Brussels Devils and Czech Bohemia Warriors.

Unlike the previous three seasons, the 4th instalment of the Rugby Europe Super Cup will not have a Championship knockout stage, meaning the team with more points in pool A will be crowned as the champions. The three contestants will play in a double round-robin format.

Pool B will consist of a round-robin to then proceed for a one-game knockout stage to determine the final placings of each one of the contestants.

The Super Cup worked as a pathway for local talents to enjoy a higher international level of competition, preparing them up for the upcoming February-March Test Match window. Portugal’s and Georgia’s accomplishments in 2022 and 2023 were built on the back of the success of the Black Lion and Lusitanos campaign, as Tomás Appleton attested in a previous interview,

“It definitely helped us to achieve a higher level of playing quality in the national team. In the Super Cup we can play more as a team, build good attacking patterns, work on our defence, and choose the game plan that fits us better thanks to the Lusitanos and the Super Cup.”

David Gérard, Romania and Bucharest Wolves head coach, explains how the Super Cup can help the Oaks be ready for 2025 Men’s Rugby World Cup qualification, “The competition is important, but for us, the most crucial part is how it can help us to be ready for the 2025 [RWC] qualification. That’s why we chose to remain in Pool B so that we can work harder, cementing our game strategy. We need to learn how to work together and be in the best possible shape for the November tests. That’s our mentality for the new Super Cup season.”

The Super Cup kickoff is set for the 7th of September, with a regional derby between Portugal’s Lusitanos and Spain’s Castilla y León Iberians. The competition is set to be broadcast on Rugby Europe’s website with confirmation to be announced in late August.

A reminder that the three-time Super Cup winners, the Black Lion, are going to take part of the EPCR Challenge Cup until 2026, with rumours of a possible Spanish or Portuguese inclusion in the future.

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Comments on RugbyPass

Carmen Beechum 39 minutes ago

Brumbies on high alert: Len Ikitau’s stark warning over ex-boss

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Ardy 51 minutes ago

Can 'Tongan Thor' rediscover his strength before the Lions arrive?

MZ: He surprised me in the Reds game where he started a 8. I think he was replaced by Gleeson in the 2nd half and the Tahs gained nothing I could see. Not sure what we are going to do with him but, IF he continues over the next couple of years he will be hard to keep out of any side.

86 Go to comments

fl 57 minutes ago

Mick Cleary: 'England are back among the heavyweights.'

with the depth england have atm, I don’t think its especially true to say the summer will be a development tour! I reckon England will field a strong side, and look to build directly on the progress seen in the 6N.

Graham Simmons had a go selecting a full Lions squad in a recent article on here titled “2025 Lions' selection: An idiot's guide”

Excluding all the players he named, England could still field a matchday 23 of:

1 - Baxter

2 - Cowan-Dickie

3 - Heyes

4 - Coles

5 - Martin

6 - Cunningham-South

7 - Underhill

8 - T. Willis

9 - JVP

10 - M. Smith

11 - Sleightholme

12 - Dingwall

13 - Slade

14 - Roebuck

15 - Furbank

16 - Dan

17 - Rodd

18 - Opoku-Fordjour

19 - Clark

20 - Hill

21 - Pollock

22 - Randall

23 - Ojomoh

That’s a team that would be immediately ready to perform at the highest level, not one that needs a huge amount of time to develop. Add to that the wider squad could include Langdon, Obano, Davison, Owen, Tuima, Roots, Pepper, Quirke, C. Atkinson, Butt, Murley, Steward, Hendy.

That would be a pretty solid group of players - almost all 36 of whom are already test level. And even then we’re not including Oghre, Iyogun, Fasogbon, Ewels, Mercer, Dombrandt, Fisilau, Barbeary, Spencer, S. Atkinson, Beard, Elliott, Carpenter etc.,

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lK 1 hour ago

Fijian Drua secure star flyhalf Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula on new deal

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lK 1 hour ago

Clayton McMillan's frank 'from the sublime to pretty ordinary' Chiefs assessment

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lK 1 hour ago

Crusaders restore order, put Blues to the sword at Eden Park

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JW 1 hour ago

Highlanders vs Reds: Timoci can do it all, Reds still need McWallabies back

Another good game. Tough luck Highlanders, having that try award against you were they played it into an offside man, and playing the whole game with a tiring prop was rough. Some luck there and a few other moments like when Arscot gave a hospital pass to Gilbert when he had the line open a mile wide infront of him were the difference in that game.

Still a lot of improving to be done to reach the big boys at the top though, but these two could get their this season.

1 Go to comments

lK 1 hour ago

Blues vs Crusaders takes: Blues season on it's last legs, Penney proved right

👍🏼

1 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 1 hour ago

Can 'Tongan Thor' rediscover his strength before the Lions arrive?

Good point, Ardy…..”we can’t hold onto all of our backrow stocks”. So means both Talataina and Gleeson are getting the chance to play top class rugby.

Talataina was not on my radar, so thanks for mentioning him. I see he is 1.96m and 112 kgs at 21 yo. Will have a good look back at the Reds game , as he is listed as having played 40 mins there. Not sure if he played last night v Brumbies.

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Bradley Tyler 1 hour ago

Brumbies on high alert: Len Ikitau’s stark warning over ex-boss

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Scarlets play-off hopes hit by home defeat to Stormers

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BA 2 hours ago

'I’m no Andy Farrell am I? But I’d pick him'

They will take 3 10s? u start Russell and Marcus on bench I reckon if Russet goes down who then?Ford yea nah take Finn or either the Irish boys

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JW 2 hours ago

Plummer relegated for fellow All Black, Sotutu returns for Blues

He was anything but a standout at the WC. One of the most high profile/talked about players for sure though, so happy to see him doing some things well in these last two games.

11 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

Plummer relegated for fellow All Black, Sotutu returns for Blues

Yeah man, as I’ve tried pointing out related to their form last year, it was actually from the unheralded journeymen in the tight five that were the difference, not how well their stars played. So you’re far more likely for it to be just a one season thing. Front row especially (only the one fit and rearing to go hooker each game doesn’t help).

In saying that Vern has veered so far from last years strategy it’s not funny. I don’t think I can remember one pick and go from last night. It’s not playing to Sotutu’s linking/passing game strengths but I thought he again brought a fierceness that wasn’t there last year, I’m really interested to see what he could do in an All Black team.

Also, I’m pretty sure it was ineed a mistake to not put Plummer to 12. Perhaps they are saying good bye to him early and putting all their eggs in the Taele basket?

11 Go to comments

Icefarrow 2 hours ago

Heartbreak for Leinster as last-gasp Bulls kick ends perfect record

Leinster’s second try shouldn’t have even stood. Doesn’t matter what The Bulls did, as they would’ve won either way.

2 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

Super Rugby Pacific's rebirth can finally restore the missing All Blacks edge

The English play a lot more minutes that the French, they probably thought 3 tests were too much so had the first test against Japan instead.

19 Go to comments

BC 2 hours ago

Scotland's senior players 'have gone to a different level' in quest for top-three finish

I think Ireland will be their crunch match, I doubt whether they will beat France away.