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- Heineken Cup Fixtures
- Heineken Cup Results
| Fixture | Details |
|---|---|
| All times are local | |
| Heineken Cup | |
| Saturday , May 18 | |
| Clermont Auvergne 15 - 16 Toulon |  |
| Sunday , April 28 | |
| Saracens 12 - 24 Toulon | |
| Saturday , April 27 | |
| Clermont Auvergne 16 - 10 Munster | |
| Sunday , April 7 | |
| Harlequins 12 - 18 Munster | |
| Toulon 21 - 15 Leicester | |
| Saturday , April 6 | |
| Clermont Auvergne 36 - 14 Montpellier | |
| Saracens 27 - 16 Ulster | |
| More Heineken Cup results | |
- Heineken Cup Table
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saracens | 6 | 23 |
| 2 | Munster | 6 | 20 |
| 3 | Racing Metro Paris | 6 | 12 |
| 4 | Edinburgh | 6 | 0 |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leicester Tigers | 6 | 20 |
| 2 | Toulouse | 6 | 19 |
| 3 | Ospreys | 6 | 12 |
| 4 | Treviso | 6 | 5 |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harlequins | 6 | 28 |
| 2 | Biarritz | 6 | 15 |
| 3 | Connacht | 6 | 12 |
| 4 | Zebre | 6 | 1 |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ulster | 6 | 23 |
| 2 | Northampton | 6 | 15 |
| 3 | Castres | 6 | 14 |
| 4 | Glasgow Warriors | 6 | 6 |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clermont Auvergne | 6 | 28 |
| 2 | Leinster | 6 | 20 |
| 3 | Exeter | 6 | 9 |
| 4 | Scarlets | 6 | 2 |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toulon | 6 | 23 |
| 2 | Montpellier | 6 | 22 |
| 3 | Cardiff Blues | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | Sale Sharks | 6 | 4 |
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Comments
7ton says...
APV1
Good point about the Rugby championship and I did wonder at that name and do think it a bit inappropriate and believe it should have some reference to the 4 countries involved. However at least it does not include the name of an area which has other major rugby countries in it.
There already is a European cup and if England and France want to leave and have an Anglo French cup that is exactly what it would be and to call it a European cup would be very inappropriate and may well have legal implications.
I agree Zebre is an anomaly and it may well be good to have a far more competitive Rabo comp. but to be realistic there simply isn't enough players and clubs in this league to effectively do so.
Surely we want to increase the popularity of rugby in Italy and Scotland which could then lead to a more competitive Rabo. Excluding countries is not going to help at all but just make the stronger clubs stronger, confine the game more to elite areas and destroy the character of what is a great competition.
In regards quotas and ethnicity I may well be talking cross purposes to your point but there are still plenty of people who do still like to support their local team that does have local players in it.
By local players I mean those who have lived there or grew up or were born there and make no reference to whatever their ethnic or racial origin may happen to be.
Posted 00:33 31st August 2012
JDC1 says...
The Heineken Cup for me in its current format is the best rugby tournament on the planet bar none. While 24 teams compete, there are roughly 12 each season that could realistically win it. However, it¿s the underdogs that make it interesting (e.g. Connacht knocking Quin¿s out in Round 6, or Edinburgh making the semi-final, even Aironi beating Biarritz two seasons ago). Some of these teams will never win it, but they all have the ability to spoil it for someone else and make it unpredictable.
By simply taking the view that only the best teams should compete, then you may as well kick all of the Scottish, Welsh & Italian teams out altogether. I know it¿s a long way off, but I would rather see more countries involved rather than less. Change the format of the Amlin if necessary, but keep the Heineken just the way it is.
Posted 12:12 25th July 2012
rico says...
If RaboDirect wants to be taken seriously as a league and start having meaningful games week-in week-out then Qualification to HC must be part of it. Top6 from Eng, Fr and Rabo then some sort of round robin for last two places....make up to 20. If Italy/Scot/Wales/Ireland have no representation then tough luck and better luck next year - and use the year out to have a crack at winning the Amlin and get better and potentially qualify next year. Should'nt just have the right to be there - just to get a hiding week in week out... a la Zebre will no doubt be receiving this year.
@jameslivinginhope "Perhaps the Amlin should be a true second tier set-up with Wales, Scotland, Italy and other developing nations competing for maybe a qualification to the upper tier"
Get real - developing nations - 3 times Grand Slams Champs in last 8 years, when was your (presume u are English from attitude high up there on your throne) last slam/trophy/decent game of rugby?
Posted 10:21 25th July 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
I'm english but i'm 100% in agreement with the Celtic nations. All I can say is if PRL want to see their clubs dumps into the 2nd divison and new elite regions vcome in over the top of them then just boycott the Eurocup and watch public opinion turn against them. and you know what. As an england rugby fan I can;t think of a better result! so go on PRL sign your own death warrant, PLEASE!!!!
Posted 11:15 18th July 2012
melkdave says...
@TO ALL
Let me start by saying if a club can manage its players so they are fresh ect for the HC i have no problem with that at all.The fact its alot easier for the Pro12 clubs is their good fortune My problem is the HC is supposed to be the pinnacle of club rugby,in europe ,and in its present format it isnt.There are to many clubs who quite frankly just dont belong in the competion.If the HC is ever going to be what was envisaged then qualification has to be earned ,its as simply as that.The so called irish dominace atm is totally irevelent imo as both Leinster and Munster have good enough squads to do well in both the HC and Pro12.The fact that other Pro12 teams havent the squads to compete with them is their own fault.The english and french clubs do for the most part have the squads ,but are handicapped by having to battle week in and week out for qualification for the playoffs or next years HC or against relegation in what are regaded as exciting leagues ,with rising attendances .Meanwhile the Pro12 is slowly dying in Wales and Scotland as fans stay away in their droves ,because quite frankly the games are meaningless ,just what are fans supposed to get excited about in the Pro12 is the qusetion.No wonder they are supporting their local clubs in Wales ,rather than their regions .The local clubs have something for them to get excited about and local rivaleries All the Pro 12 is atm is a higher leval training system for the national teams ,and has been shown by the recent tests in the SH fails in preparing players for international match intensity,as league games have none for the most part
Posted 13:32 17th July 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
@porridge_time and a couple of others. The editorial on PR (http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3822_7807778,00.html) seems to suggest that the ERC revamp is supported by the Pro12 and opposed by the Anglo French.
The suggestion is that only the top 6 from the Pro12 qualify for the Heini. If you hypothetically base this format on last year's Pro 12, you will lose Cardiff, Edinburgh and both Italian sides.
That means that Scotland will only have one entry, Wales two and nothing for the Italians. That isn't 2 from each country.
As I said before, the Anglo-French position and the Celtic position seem to be at the opposite end of where you'd expect them to be so the assumption must be that there is an intention to redistribute the wealth generated which must be where the problem lies.
The problem for the Celts is that an Anglo-French (and possibly Italian) only competition could probably take Sky with it and I'm not sure where that would leave a Celtic competition. Scotland have already outlined some pretty ambitious objectives and I am sure that the potential loss of the HC could be a setback to them.
Posted 09:07 11th July 2012
porridge_time says...
melkdave says...
Think you have actually got it wrong there. Basically the English and the French clubs want to have their cake and eat it.
Its a European Cup with each country putting up two teams... changing the format just because the Celtic teams choose to manage their players better is not a good enough excuse.
We have seen this behaviour all the time from the English/French and not just in sport its a case of the bigger countries trying to bully the smaller ones.
Posted 00:33 11th July 2012
lawynd says...
@Quin_dub - thanks for an interesting post and not just jumping on the bandwagon; some definite food for thought in there. My immediate reaction is, if the Pro12 has replaced the HEC for development of Celtic and Italian players, is that not all the more reason to change the HEC model into a more Champion's League style affair? I also agree with melkdave's point about poor attendances for Pro12 games - more competition means more excitement, surely? It wouldn't entirely fix the problem with Welsh rugby (people still prefer to support their home-town clubs over their regions), but it'd be a start.
@liam2me - again, this has nothing to do with who is winning the tournament. Don't let facts get in the way of your little rant, however. As to adopting the structure of the Pro12 or, as I suspect you're getting at, Irish rugby, it'll never happen. Your provinces were already in existence as geopolitical boundaries long before rugby arrived in Ireland, so are a handy way to divide up the teams, and don't alienate the fans of established clubs. England are already divided by counties to a certain extent; Leicester recruit primarily from Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, for example. To reduce those 12 clubs (possibly more, as it would require the inclusion of most of the Championship clubs too) to several regions would kill the game - no Cornish Pirates fan is going to be enamoured with supporting the same team as an Exeter Chiefs fan, or even a Bristol or Bath fan. Worcester and Gloucester in the same team, with Moseley? Rotherham, Doncaster, Leeds, Sale and Newcastle? It isn't viable from a logistical point of view or appealing to fans.
Posted 09:30 10th July 2012
porridge_time says...
TVaddict says...
This smells like the time when the RFU tried to sell the rights of the old Five Nations or when England felt that they had no competition in European and wanted to join up with Joh O'Neal and his comp excluding NZ because they did not have an 80 seater stadium.
Posted 09:21 10th July 2012
leinsterblue says...
if you look at the make up of the HC on a country-by-country basis, then the English and French clubs still dominate...you cannot compare HC participation by leagues as the Rabo is made up of different countries...agree, that this argument seems to be dominated by cash, but also think that there is a certain amount of jealousy thrown in here - French and English rugby do not dominate rugby like they used and like they think they ought to...looking at a breakdown of winners of the HC, there have been 6 winners from Ireland since inception, 5 from England and 5 from France...like it or not, based on the winners of the HC, the dominant league in European rugby is the Rabo/Celtic/Magners league...
I would not like to see the French and English clubs drop out as some really intense rivalries have developed over the seasons and I do look forward to them... however, what I would like to see is a more even spread of countries represented in the HC...8 teams qualify out of the Rabo for the HC - and depending on who the top 8 are determines the break down between countries - Ireland got an extra spot this year as we had 2 teams in the final...the big danger is that the HC will become elitist to the detriment of other countries who are trying to develop their rugby
Posted 09:19 10th July 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
sorry, couldn't resist a little troll there but this isn't about which league is better its about money.
Posted 09:17 10th July 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
@swifto and there were 5 in the quarters
what's your point? One could argue that Cardiff and Edinburgh's presence (whilst deserved this season) is a blip as neither of them have achieved much before - need to see more success before you can call them up with the rest.
BUT, take Irish success out of the equation and what does the Celtic input look like then?
Personally I think that, if you want a top flight European competition, just drop the Welsh and the Scots who's regions underperform year after year and take a S15 style competition forward.
Perhaps the Amlin should be a true second tier set-up with Wales, Scotland, Italy and other developing nations competing for maybe a qualification to the upper tier (subject to ground qualification of course). ;-)
Posted 09:16 10th July 2012
qkram79 says...
@Melkdave: Do you really think that changing the format of the qualification process would stop Munster Leinster and Ulster (sometimes) from being at the business end of the H Cup? These 3 teams are regularly contesting to win the league. Neither relegation or a different H cup qualification would change anything. People are saying that they don't have to make any effort in the league ... If that's true than why are the Irish teams in the final every year?
Posted 08:56 10th July 2012
porridge_time says...
APV1...
It's got nothing to do with promotion or religation... its the fact that the bigger French and English clubs no longer dominate the comp.
Ideally there would be a professional league in each and every rugby playing European country where the top two sides qualify... but sadly the reality is that three small nations combined to make a competitive league. What has now transpired that the Irish clubs have enjoyed some dominance and the likes of Edinburgh and Glasgow are growing in stature which is making it harder for the English and French teams. So the upshot is they want to change the rules.
Posted 06:49 10th July 2012
melkdave says...
Ive argued for sometime now ,that automatic HC qualifuication ,is slowly killimg the game in Scotland and Wales.Yes fans turn up for the HC games ,but are staying away in droves for the bread and butter league games.Why because they just dont matter ,theres nothing in the Pro12 for fans to really get excited for.No relegation battles ,no qualification battles ,and only the actual championship to shout for ,and most teams just dont care about that ,as they get more from the HC in terms of revenue and prestige.Then theres the question of is the HC in its present form the pinnacle of european rugby its supposed to be ??.The english and french clubs have to battle for every point week in week out ,while conversly the pro12 teams can rest players ,and just concentrate on the HC games.Thats hardly fair by any criteria. and alot of pro12 clubs dont desrve to be there full stop.All the english and french clubs are looking for is a fair playing field ,and that HC qualification should be earned.Conversly that by itself would make the Pro12 relevant ,and actually give fans something to get excited about,and maybe reverse the trend of fans staying away from league games.The welsh and scottish clubs are in trouble revenue wise,and more fans attending the league games means more revenue .But i suppose it will take the closure of one or two pro12 clubs ,for the celtic unions to really see the sense in changing the qualification criteria for the HC.Because without the big english and french clubs fans wont go to watch what would be just annother pro12 match at premium prices,and as for tv well if its a prolonged boycott ,they wont be interested either
Posted 01:16 10th July 2012
yelloj321 says...
I for one hope the English and French get their way. No doubt Leinster will continue to lift the Heineken Cup and they'll have to go searching for more excuses. It's pathetic. What's their argument? That they have to play more demanding competitive rugby in their league? What a load of tosh. Anyone who's laid eyes on the Aviva Premiership will have seen what a terrible standard it is compared to the Rabo. Talk about sore losers.
Posted 01:11 10th July 2012
mull02 says...
WheelsSaintsFan,
the 2nd rate pro 12 teams went to the gardens this year and gave ye a lesson. oh a least we forget last year when you were beaten out the gate in the millenium.
In this years HC total 48000 fans between Munster and you, scarlets and you 23000 fans, castres and you 16760 fans. by all means continue with you anglo french affair. it not all about tv money stadiums need to filled. all the saints fans I had the good fortune to meet home and away over the last few years have been nothing but respectful, as the saying goes there is always one.
As far as relgation goes and the number of games played, If your not good enough your not good enough. It takes the threat of legal action for you guys to relgate someone anyway. Compare the number of gmaes our guys play to yours and there is very little difference. The premiership is a good competiiton just to negative. Comments on my national team really, we played one good game and we need to replace our coach end of story we were beaten just like England, Wales and France. In other words if you have constructive arguement bring if forward, you can always remeber the glory days for HC 2000 is it, changelle cup in 09 second tier oh sorry the much loved lv cup.
Posted 00:33 10th July 2012
liam2me says...
How long ago was it that the arrogant English clubs were threatening breaking away from the HEC due to lack of competition? Oh how times have changed. The English spout all this rubbish about why the Celtic teams are dominant and it's unfair, well instead of throwing your toys out of the pram like spoilt brats, change your structures to match the obviously more successful one instead of trying to lower the standards of the HEC by removing the better teams. It's pathetic. This is the Heineken EUROPEAN Cup, not the English & French also rans + their choice of CL teams.
Posted 23:43 09th July 2012
liam2me says...
How long ago was it that the arrogant English clubs were threatening breaking away from the HEC due to lack of competition? Oh how times have changed. The English spout all this rubbish about why the Celtic teams are dominant and it's unfair, well instead of throwing your toys out of the pram like spoilt brats, change your structures to match the obviously more successful one instead of trying to lower the standards of the HEC by removing the better teams. It's pathetic. This is the Heineken EUROPEAN Cup, not the English & French also rans + their choice of CL teams.
Posted 23:42 09th July 2012
coolhandsmike says...
@wheelsaintsfan - the manner of your myopic idiocy and apparent bigotry towards Irish provincial sides and the Irish national team is nothing short of astounding. Anyone who knows what they are talking about knows there is a disconnect between the national and provincial sides in Ireland - however what possible relevance does that have to this article/discussion. Your narrow minded bitterness would be better served on a soccer site, unless of course you have anything worthwhile to contribute.
Posted 22:10 09th July 2012