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.
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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.
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England show who's No.1
ENGLAND women’s head coach John Mitchell says his side will take valuable lessons from the 24-12 win over world champions New Zealand as they build towards their WXV1 title defence.
Skivington: We're going to roll dice and go for it
THE Cherry and Whites are the enigmas of the Premiership.
Looking to go one step beyond this time around
NE small step is what it will take for Bath to go one better than last season and secure the Premiership for the first time, but it would be one of the biggest taken by the club in the professional era.
Four-try England make it 17 wins on the spin
ENGLAND women opened the Allianz Stadium era at HQ with a victory over New Zealand to make it 17 wins on the bounce before their WXV title defence.
Time for Borthwick to prove his worth
HONEYMOON periods are not set in stone and in my estimation Steve Borthwick’s ends this summer. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still in good shape.
Barrington ready to power up the Mob
RICHARD Barrington has signed up to the Ampthill “Mob” reassured that he’ll still have a target on his back most weeks.
Skivington keen to build identity
GLOUCESTER won their first trophy for nine years last season and reached the Challenge Cup final, but when George Skivington went on holiday the day after the campaign ended the words in his head were never again.
Roebuck targets England success
WINNING a maiden England Test cap to top the best season of his career will not be enough for Sale winger Tom Roebuck.
Booth: Tough telling players I was leaving
TOBY Booth admits telling his Ospreys players that he would be leaving at the end of the season was one of the hardest things he has had to do in his career.
Stephens' debut try sees off old rivals
DORKING had to dig deep in another tight game between two old rivals, with the lead changing hands twice and result in doubt right up to the final whistle.