Bristol Bears will replace London Irish in the Heineken Champions Cup next season, tournament organsisers have confirmed.
The Exiles finished fifth in the Gallagher Premiership last season to claim a place in the premier European competition, with the Gallagher Premiership getting eight spots in the baggy 24-team competition. Pat Lam's Bristol side were set to miss out on the Champions Cup for the second straight year having finished ninth in the table on a dramatic final day that saw Bath clinch the final spot with a last-minute try to deliver a 61-29 win against a second string Saracens which gave them a superior points difference and was set to see the Bears play in the less glamourous Challenge Cup.
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However this week London Irish were suspended from all competitions by the Rugby Football Union after failing to prove they had the finances to complete the 2023/24 season with an American takeover never materialising and current owner Mick Crossan making it clear he is no longer willing to financially back the club with debts already reported to be in the region of £30m. On Wednesday the club filed for administration.
A statement released by EPCR today clarifies the situation. It reads:
'Following the RFU’s decision to suspend London Irish from all competitions, EPCR can clarify that regrettably, the club will not compete in the 2023/24 Champions Cup.
'As Bristol Bears are the highest-ranked club in the Gallagher Premiership league table at the conclusion of the regular season which did not qualify for the 2023/24 Champions Cup, they will now replace London Irish in next season’s tournament.
'The formats for the 2023/24 Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup will be announced shortly, as will details of the pool draws for both tournaments.'
While not officially confirmed, it is understood that next season the plans are to move to a format of four pools of six teams, two from the Premiership, two from the French Top and two from the United Rugby Championship.
Each team will play four pool matches, home and away against teams from outside their domestic competition with the top four from each pool advancing to a single last-16 knockout round, followed by the traditional quarter-finals, semi-final and final.
As a result of Bristol qualifying as the lowest-placed Premiership side the Bears look set to play two of the biggest clubs in Europe in the pool stages which will come as a useful windfall for the club who would have been budgeting on getting smaller crowds for the expected Challenge Cup games. Both home fixtures in the pool stages are covered in the club's 2023/24 season ticket with sales approaching the 9,000 mark already.
Racing 92, Toulouse, Bordeaux Begles and Lyon - where a certain Semi Radradra will be playing his rugby next season - finished as the top four French sides with the Top 14 semi-finals taking place this weekend.
Munster beat the Stormers 19-14 in the final of the United Rugby Championship.
The eight Gallagher Premiership sides in the 2023/24 Heineken Champions Cup draw are:
- Saracens
- Sale Sharks
- Leicester Tigers
- Northampton Saints
- Harlequins
- Exeter Chiefs
- Bath Rugby
- Bristol Bears
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