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EPCR statement: Reprieve for Bristol after London Irish suspension
By Liam Heagney
Pat Lam’s Bristol have been handed a Heineken Champions Cup reprieve as the Bears have been awarded the place in the 2023/24 tournament left vacant following the RFU suspension of London Irish.
The Exiles were suspended on Tuesday from all competitions next season due to their inability to guarantee funding and owner Mick Crossan placed the club in administration the next day.
Led by director of rugby Declan Kidney, Irish had finished in fifth place last month when the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership concluded, qualifying them for what would have been a second successive season in EPCR’s premier cup competition.
However, with the RFU pulling the plug on their participation, their place has now gone to ninth-place Bristol. They lost out on Champions Cup qualification on the final day of the regular season on points difference to Bath, who recorded a massive win against an understrength Saracens XV.
A statement read: “Following the RFU’s decision to suspend London Irish from all competitions, EPCR can clarify that regrettably, the club will not compete in the 2023/24 Champions Cup.
“As Bristol Bears are the highest-ranked club in the Gallagher Premiership league table at the conclusion of the regular season which did not qualify for the 2023/24 Champions Cup, they will now replace London Irish in next season’s tournament.
“The formats for the 2023/24 Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup will be announced shortly, as will details of the pool draws for both tournaments.”
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Latest Comments
Agreed. As a Saffa I have much respect for the ABs. I also have to say given any option I would ONLY prefer to lose to ABs. To lose to England is probably the most embarrassing think to happen to either of us.
There was a time when both of us lost to England and we both hated it. Thankfully those days are behind us. Kudos to you guys, kudos to ABs. But dear old BS seems to hate us Boks. No idea why.
Go to commentsI got the sense that holding him to it was kickback from SB and the rfu smarting at being jilted quite so soon, so unexpectedly and so publicly.
Seem to remember that they spoke to Gustard before appointing Joe and you really have to think he would have come in at a higher level?
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