2023 Rugby Europe Super Cup Explained

2023 Rugby Europe Super Cup
Countries: Belgium
Czech Republic
Georgia
Israel
Netherlands
Portugal
Romania
Spain
Date:4 November – 22 December 2023
Teams:8
Matches:20
Attendance:6664
Tries:153
Champions: Black Lion
Count:3
Runner-Up: Tel Aviv Heat
Previous Tournament:2022 Rugby Europe Super Cup
Previous Year:2022
Next Tournament:2024 Rugby Europe Super Cup
Next Year:2024

The 2023 Rugby Europe Super Cup was the third edition of the Rugby Europe Super Cup, an annual rugby union competition for professional clubs and franchises outside the three major leagues of European rugby. This edition of the Rugby Europe Super Cup featured one new addition to the competition, the Bohemia Rugby Warriors from the Czech Republic, who in turn replaced RC Batumi of Georgia, the team that participated in the previous edition of the tournament. For the first time, eight separate nations were represented in the competition.[1]

The Black Lion Tbilisi from Georgia, as winners of the 2022 edition are also competing by invitation in the second tier European Challenge Cup, the first time the winner of the Super Cup has been integrated into the professional EPCR competition.

Teams

NationStadiumHead coachCaptain
Home stadiumCapacityLocation
Black LionAvchala Stadium2,500Tbilisi Levan MaisashviliMerab Sharikadze
Markéta Stadium10,000Prague Antonín Brabec
and Jan Oswald
Patrik Prucha
Stade Communal de Soignies1,000Soignies Sébastien GunsRobin Vermeersch
Castilla y León IberiansEstadio Pepe Rojo5,000Valladolid Miguel VelascoMario Pichardie
DeltaNRCA Stadium10,000Amsterdam Gareth GilbertVikas Meijer
LusitanosEstádio Nacional500Lisbon Sébastien BertrankTomás Appleton
Romanian WolvesArena Zimbrilor2,300Baia Mare Eugen ApjokNicolaas Immelman
Tsirio Stadium

  • National Rugby Center*
13,331
3,000
Limassol Kevin MusikanthPrince ǃGaoseb

Group stage

The format was mildly rejigged from previous seasons with a 'major' and 'minor' group, rather than two geographical pools, although the distribution was roughly north (Group B) and south (Group A).

The 'major' group, Group A contained the four highest seeds, three of whom qualify for the semi finals. The 'minor' group, Group B, contained the teams ranked 5th to 8th, and the winner of that group became the fourth semi finalist. The aim was to ensure relative competitiveness across the competition.

Tel Aviv Heat played both of its home fixtures outside Israel due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

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    Advances to the Grand Finals Semi-Finals
    Advances to the Ranking Finals Semi-Finals

Group A

Pos.TeamGamesPointsTriesTable
points
PlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDiffForAgainstDiff
1 Black Lion33009046+44136+72014
2 Tel Aviv Heat32019672+24148+62111
3 Castilla y León Iberians31025790-33813-5004
4 Lusitanos30033671-35311-8011
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win – 4 points
Draw – 2 points At least 3 more tries than opponent – 1 point Loss within 7 points – 1 point

Round 3

Group B

Pos.TeamGamesPointsTriesTable
points
PlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDiffForAgainstDiff
1 Romanian Wolves330016717+150253+223015
2 Brussels Devils32018982+7149+52010
3 Delta31029172+191112-1105
4 Bohemia Rugby Warriors300317193-176228-26000
Points were awarded to the teams as follows:
Win – 4 points
Draw – 2 points At least 3 more tries than opponent – 1 point Loss within 7 points – 1 point

Round 3

Ranking Finals

5th place final

Grand Finals

Cup Final

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rugby Europe has confirmed the details of the third season of the Rugby Europe Super Cup, its club competition for the emerging rugby unions in Europe.. 6 July 2023.