Ahead of Clermont vs Saracens and Toulon vs Leinster in the Champions Cup semi-finals this weekend, check out some of the more poignant stats:
4: Clermont forwards coach Jono Gibbes is gunning for his fourth title, having won the Heineken Cup in the same role at Leinster in 2009, 2011 and 2012. It would align him with the most successful European coach, Guy Noves.
5: only five players have won the tournament with two separate clubs, and two of them – Eoin Reddan (Wasps 2007, Leinster 2011/2012) + Freddie Michalak (Toulouse 2003/2005, Toulon 2013) – are playing this weekend. The others are Philippe Carbonneau (Toulouse 1996, Brive 1997), Cedric Heymans (Brive 1997, Toulouse 2003/2005/2010) and Federico Mendez (Bath 1998, Northampton 2000).
7: there have been seven semi-finals between French and English clubs, with the English ahead at the moment with four wins to three.
12: there have been 12 semi-finals between French and Irish clubs, with the French ahead at the moment with seven wins to five.
14: only 14 of the 38 semi-finals have been won by the ‘away’ club – and three of those victories came after extra-time, try count and a penalty shoot-out. Only twice, in 2008 and 2009, have both designated ‘away’ clubs been victorious.
17: Leinster centre Gordon D’Arcy is in his 17th season of European rugby, and is chasing a record-equalling fourth winners medal.
18: players from 18 different nations have won the tournament. Clermont’s Julien Bardy (Portugal) or Saracens’ Jacques Burger (Namibia) could swell that number to 19.
24: the Stade Geoffrey-Guichard in St Etienne will become the 24th stadium to host a European semi-final, and the 10th in France.
24: Jonny Wilkinson holds the record for an individual points haul in the tournament semi-finals, when he scored all of Toulon’s points in their 24-12 win over Saracens in 2013.
69: Munster’s 37-32 win over Wasps in 2004 is still the highest-scoring (69) semi-final in the tournament’s history.
716: Nick Abendanon has made 716 metres with ball in hand this tournament, more than any other player. In fact his nearest rival, Saracens’ Alex Goode, is way off, with 471.
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
5 replies on “Weird and wonderful: the Champions Cup semi-finals in stats”
Even if MOC wasn’t a shite coach we would need a French style revolt to stand a chance against these “FRENCH” world select mercenaries.
I used to look forward to this tournament in it’s old guise but I feel myself losing interest. Well done to the organisers – glad you are on the side of the fans and not in the pockets of paymasters!!! What happens when the fans exact their pound of flesh and don’t turn up at the grounds anymore? Which will happen if things are a foregone conclusion. Money is talking but I for one am not going to be listening. I’m going fishing or to Amsterdam – could’t give a damn anymore.
DDD
Leinster by ……..sorry I got distracted.
I tend to agree with with you regarding the light loss of interest. But I do not think this has anything to do with the change in the name or the relatively minor changes to the format.
It is primarily down to the money in French rugby meaning that there is little chance of seeing anything but france based Semi finals and wins. I was very excited at the start, but as you see the french juggernaughts get going and crushing all hope…
Actually Mike you could argue that it’s the “relatively minor” nature of the changes to the format which ARE the problem. With the Top14, Premiership and Pro12 all having different approaches to the salary cap issue it makes sense that the league with the bar set the highest is going to perform the best. So until we make relatively major changes to create a more level playing field (which I can’t see happening) we are going to continue to see the same teams reach the latter stages.
I think the point Mike is making is that the changes in format haven’t actually affected the latter end of the tournament all that much.
The salary cap difference was already there, irrespective of the changes that happened last year.
It’s a difficult one. I’m in favour of the Premiership Salary cap, I think it serves a strong purpose. Equally I struggle to see who is going to stop the French money flowing? The LNR won’t, so what can actually be done?
I see that only Toulon and Brive were the only top 14 teams in profit last season. Surly this is unsustainable – if Toulon for some reason were knocked out of the tournament early on I presume they would be in debt too. This is like starbucks!!! – Toulon – the starbucks pf Rugby.
DDD