CONNACHT JACKPOT IN CHAMPS CUP

Province big winners as PRO14 announce restart

CONNACHT should make next season’s Champions Cup after the Guinness PRO14 confirmed standings after 13 rounds of the 2019/20 campaign will determine European qualification.

Currently seventh in the rankings and with the Champions Cup likely to be increased to 24 teams next term, Andy Friend’s westerners are well placed to remain in Europe’s premier club competition with eight sides qualifying from the PRO14.

League officials have confirmed the competition will resume on August 22 with two weeks of i n-country derbies.

The top four sidess will then enter the semi-finals on September 5, with the final to be played on September 12 with the venue to be confirmed – but the Aviva Stadium is in line to host it.

With all cancelled fixtures declared 0-0 draws and with just 10 points available from the last two fixtures, unbeaten Leinster are certain to top Conference A. The Blues are expected to face Munster at the Aviva Stadium on the opening day, with Connacht taking on Ulster at the Lansdowne Road venue on the 23rd.

Those finishing in the top two places in Conference A and B will contest the semi-finals.

Edinburgh and Munster, at the top of Conference B, will most likely fight it out to avoid Leo Cullen’s unbeaten Blues in the play-off semi-finals – pencilled in for September 5. Edinburgh are in pole position to avoid

Leinster.

Ulster are poised to join already qualified

Leinster as the top two from Conference A.

Nevertheless, South

African Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux expressed caution with the ability of the competition’s two South African sides to compete still in doubt.

Cheetahs, along with Welsh outfit Scarlets, have an outside chance of making the semi-finals.

Roux said: “The Covid-19 pandemic is still rife in our country and the health and safety of South Africans remains the most important priority.

“We’ll only be able to play in local derbies, but nothing can happen before we can travel internally.”

Tournament director David Jordan, inset, said: “Safety has been, and will continue to be, the highest priority as we look to activate our plans to restart the season.

“We are very fortunate to be in a position where everyone involved is confident we can conclude the season on the field of play.

“The work and diligence of our leading medical personnel at our unions, our clubs, World Rugby and key stakeholders to get us to this point has been immense.

“Operating across five territories often brings different complexities to the Guinness PRO14 but our unions have worked hard to bring proposals to their governments so we may put plans into action.”

PROPOSED GAME ROUNDS

Weeknd August22/33: Leinster v Munster, Aviva Stadium; Ulster v Connacht, Aviva Stadium;

Weekend August 29/30: Munster v Connacht, Aviva Stadium; Leinster v Ulster, Aviva Stadium;

Saturday, September 5 Saturday, September 12