Investec Champions Cup needs two-legged quarter-finals. Here’s why
It occurred to me, while watching predominantly dominant performances from home teams in the round of 16 last weekend, that the Investec Champions Cup needs two-legged quarter-finals.
It was a little depressing to watch a depleted Leicester Tigers side who had won just one match in the group phase get smashed by defending champions Bordeaux Begles. They, and the Bulls – who also only won one match in the group stages – shouldn’t have been there.
Instead we could have had four Champions Cup quarter-finals, each with two legs. Using the same seeding from the conclusion of the 2025-26 pool phases, that would have meant two-legged quarter-finals between: Bordeaux and Toulouse; Glasgow Warriors and RC Toulon; Leinster and Harlequins; and Bath and Northampton.
Three of those quarter-finals are already happening this weekend, proving the pointlessness of last week’s round of 16.
In this dream world, the lower ranked Champions Cup side would host the first leg with the aim of keeping it close before the return leg a week later. Then the favourite would try to overturn a deficit, or win by a record margin, in front of their home fans who are still invested.
It would also have other benefits, the main one being teams having 10 weeks to sell their quarter final rather than, as it is now, a week. The other would be that every one of the eight teams gets a home game, helping teams to bank funds before the semi-finals – where a revenue share system is introduced competition-wide.
Champions Cup dreamland
Take this weekend’s all-Top 14 Champions Cup tie between Bordeaux and Toulouse. Seeing that match in Toulouse last weekend before a return at the Stade Chaban-Delmas would be epic, especially with competition rules stipulating that 25 per cent of the stadium capacity after hospitality and corporate guarantee for the away side.
Likewise, English champions Bath having to overturn a deficit or hold onto an advantage at the Rec a week after going to Franklin’s Gardens? Super stuff.
The contrast in conditions between Glasgow’s Scotstoun and RC Toulon’s coastal venue, and the Dublin-London derby between Leinster and Harlequins. It just speaks to me more than the Champions Cup round of 16.
And if qualification is the issue, reduce the group numbers from four pools of six to eight pools of three with one team from each of the three major leagues; you’d play each opponent home and away to maintain the group stage at four matchweeks; and only top of each group goes through.
No need to rejig the system to within an inch of its life, just minor adjustments.
This competition is still one of the best across the rugby diaspora, and it is very nearly perfect. It wouldn’t take much.
Former England Sevens captain Ollie Phillips is the founder of Optimist Performance. Follow Ollie @OlliePhillips11