I say meaningful because each of those finals had a purpose with the four teams competing for something tangible.
Although the Challenge Cup can be a bit of a waste of time until it reaches the final stages, simply because many teams choose to rest players and blood youngsters in the early rounds making results perhaps doubtful, but it’s still a fun competition.
However, when the clubs reach the final stages and there is a place in the elite Champions Cup next season to play for (depending on your club’s league position) winning the Cup could be the only way to qualify, making the final a must-win game.
The Champions Cup final is the ultimate club competition in Europe and includes teams from the two best club leagues in the world. Sadly for the Premiership, they were unable to make the final this season with La Rochelle and Toulouse making it an all-French finish.
With a crowd of up to 10,000 at Twickenham for each match and no travel from France without quarantine, it was Friday’s Challenge Cup that set up the weekend for Premiership fans by almost making it feel and sound like a Leicester home game with the Twickenham PA system roaring them on.
Leicester are currently sixth in the Premiership table, inside the qualifying positions for next season’s extended Champions Cup, while Montpellier are sitting at tenth in the Top 14 outside next season’s qualifying zone.
Denne historien er fra May 23, 2021-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 23, 2021-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
