Gloucester given a lift as top eight set to get Champions Cup spots

ORGANISERS of the European Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, EPCR, have confirmed the make-up of the 2021/22 competitions.

In a statement confirming the 2020/21 finals will be held at Twickenham Stadium next month, the tournament organisers also confirmed plans are at an advanced stage for the 2021/22 season with confirmation that 24 clubs - including eight representatives from each of the Gallagher Premiership, TOP 14 and Guinness PRO14 - will once again contest the Heineken Champions Cup.

Further details regarding the formats and key dates for EPCR’S tournaments will be communicated as soon as practicable.

The fact the top eight in the Gallagher Premiership will qualify for Europe’s top tier competition for the second successive season, rather than the traditional six, comes as a huge boost to Gloucester Rugby who currently sit 10th in the table.

The Cherry and Whites are currently 11 points off the top six, but just eight points below eighth-place Leicester Tigers with five rounds of the regular season remaining.

Gloucester face Northampton Saints, Bristol Bears, London Irish, Bath Rugby and Worcester Warriors in their remaining games.

Cherry and Whites head coach George Skivington said: “I think we can still qualify, we will have to win a lot of our games but we can do it.

“Of course we want to be in the Heineken Champions Cup, we saw the excitement there his season with the Ulster game and we were close with La Rochelle. You have only got to be in those tournaments to have a chance.

“Obviously we would like to be in the Champions Cup but that will just take care of itself if we focus on ourselves and push our players to develop while getting the best out of our senior players and if we manage to climb the table into a Champions Cup spot then that is brilliant.”

In another slice of good news, fans will return to Kingsholm Stadium for the club’s final two home games of the season (London Irish, May 28 and Bath, June 5).