2020 European Rugby Champions Cup final

The 2020 European Rugby Champions Cup Final was the final match in the 2019–20 European Rugby Champions Cup, and the twenty-fifth European club rugby final in general. The final was held between first-time finalists Exeter Chiefs, and two-time runners-up Racing 92. Originally due to take place at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille on 23 May, it was rescheduled to Ashton Gate in Bristol on 17 October due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 European Rugby Champions Cup Final
Event2019–20 European Rugby Champions Cup
Date17 October 2020
VenueAshton Gate Stadium, Bristol
RefereeNigel Owens (Wales)
2019
2021

Background

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Both Exeter and Racing entered into the 2020 final with significantly little championship pedigree compared to the finalists of the previous year's final, Saracens and Leinster, as neither team had yet won the tournament. Racing had appeared in two previous finals in 2016 and 2018, losing to Saracens and Leinster respectively, while Exeter hadn't previously reached the semi-finals. Exeter entered the final undefeated with a 31–31 away draw to Glasgow Warriors while Racing also had a 21–21 away draw with Munster but also with a 27–24 away loss to Saracens.[1]

Exeter and Racing had never met in European competitions prior to the 2020 final.[2]

Route to the final

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Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

  Exeter Chiefs Round   Racing 92
Opponent Result Pool stage Opponent Result
  La Rochelle 31–12 (A) Matchday 1   Saracens 30–10 (H)
  Glasgow Warriors 34–18 (H) Matchday 2   Munster 21–21 (A)
  Sale Sharks 22–20 (A) Matchday 3   Ospreys 40–19 (A)
  Sale Sharks 35–10 (H) Matchday 4   Ospreys 40–17 (H)
  Glasgow Warriors 31–31 (A) Matchday 5   Munster 39–22 (H)
  La Rochelle 33–14 (H) Matchday 6   Saracens 24–27 (A)
Pool 2 winner
Team P Pts
  Exeter Chiefs 6 27
  Glasgow Warriors 6 17
  La Rochelle 6 10
  Sale Sharks 6 7
Final standings Pool 4 winner
Team P Pts
  Racing 92 6 23
  Saracens 6 18
  Munster 6 16
  Ospreys 6 2
Opponent Result Knock-out stage Opponent Result
  Northampton Saints 38–15 (H) Quarter-finals   Clermont 36–27 (A)
  Toulouse 28–18 (H) Semi-finals   Saracens 19–15 (H)

Match

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Summary

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Drawn into pools 2 and 4 respectively, Exeter and Racing both finished at the top of their pool. Exeter finished on 27 points, winning five matches and drawing away to Glasgow Warriors.[3] Racing finished on 23 points, winning four matches, drawing away to Munster and suffering defeat away to Saracens in their final pool match.[4] Exeter qualified with a No. 2 seed for the knockout stage, while Racing captured the No. 5 seed. In the knockout stage, Exeter defeated No. 7 Northampton Saints (home) and No. 3 Toulouse (home), while Racing 92 defeated No. 4 Clermont (away) and No. 8 Saracens (home) en route to the final.[5]

In the match, Exeter raced out to a 14–0 lead with tries by Luke Cowan-Dickie and Sam Simmonds in the 8th and 16th minutes respectively, with Joe Simmonds successful on both conversions. Four minutes later, Racing got on the board via Simon Zebo, but the conversion was not successful. Racing's Juan Imhoff scored another try in the 32nd minute, with Finn Russell making the conversion. Exeter responded in the final minute of the half with a try scored by Harry Williams and a conversion by Joe Simmonds, making the halftime score 21–12 in favour of Exeter.[6]

The second half began quickly, as Racing's Simon Zebo found the try zone in three minutes and Exeter's Henry Slade did the same two minutes later. In the 50th minute, Camille Chat narrowed Exeter's lead to one score with a try, and Maxime Machenaud's subsequent conversion narrowed the score to 28–24. Machenaud made it a one-point contest in the 65th minute by scoring Racing's only penalty of the game. The next 15 minutes were the longest scoring drought of the match, as it remained 28–27 until the game's final moments. During this time however, tensions arose when Exeter's Tomas Francis was sin binned by referee Nigel Owens for a deliberate knock-on within their own 22, however a penalty of their own for not releasing permanently put them out of danger. Joe Simmonds's stoppage time penalty goal then all but ensured an Exeter victory, by the score of 31–27.[6]

With the victory, Exeter Chiefs won their first European Champions Cup title, while Racing 92 fell in their third final in the last five years.[7]

Details

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17 October 2020
16:45 BST (UTC+01:00)
Exeter Chiefs  31–27  Racing 92
Try: Cowan-Dickie 8' c
S. Simmonds 16' c
Williams 40'+1 c
Slade 45' c
Con: J. Simmonds (4/4) 9', 17', 40'+1, 46'
Pen: J. Simmonds (1/1) 80'+1
ReportTry: Zebo (2) 20' m, 43' m
Imhoff 32' c
Chat 50' c
Con: Russell (1/2) 32'
Machenaud (1/2) 51'
Pen: Machenaud (1/1) 65'
Ashton Gate, Bristol
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)
 
 
 
 
 
Exeter
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Racing 92
FB 15   Stuart Hogg
RW 14   Jack Nowell   67' to 69'
OC 13   Henry Slade
IC 12   Ian Whitten   59'   67'  69'
LW 11   Tom O'Flaherty
FH 10   Joe Simmonds (c)
SH 9   Jack Maunder   65'
N8 8   Sam Simmonds
OF 7   Jacques Vermeulen   56'
BF 6   Dave Ewers
RL 5   Jonny Hill
LL 4   Jonny Gray   59'
TP 3   Harry Williams   56'
HK 2   Luke Cowan-Dickie   56'
LP 1   Alec Hepburn   56'
Substitutions:
HK 16   Jack Yeandle   56'
PR 17   Ben Moon   56'
PR 18   Tomas Francis   56'   71' to end'
LK 19   Sam Skinner   59'
FL 20   Jannes Kirsten   56'
SH 21   Sam Hidalgo-Clyne   65'
FH 22   Gareth Steenson
CE 23   Ollie Devoto   59'
Coach:
  Rob Baxter
FB 15   Simon Zebo   65'
RW 14   Louis Dupichot
OC 13   Virimi Vakatawa
IC 12   Henry Chavancy (c)
LW 11   Juan Imhoff
FH 10   Finn Russell
SH 9   Teddy Iribaren   40'
N8 8   Antonie Claassen   76'
OF 7   Fabien Sanconnie
BF 6   Wenceslas Lauret
RL 5   Dominic Bird
LL 4   Bernard Le Roux   67'
TP 3   Georges-Henri Colombe   51'
HK 2   Camille Chat   51'
LP 1   Eddy Ben Arous   76'
Substitutions:
HK 16   Teddy Baubigny   51'
PR 17   Hassane Kolingar   76'
PR 18   Ali Oz   51'
LK 19   Donnacha Ryan   67'
FL 20   Boris Palu   76'
SH 21   Maxime Machenaud   40'
FH 22   Olivier Klemenczak
CE 23   Kurtley Beale   65'
Coach:
  Laurent Travers

Touch judges:
Mike Adamson (SRU)
Craig Evans (WRU)
Television Match Official:
Ian Davies (WRU)

References

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  1. ^ "Exeter boss Baxter 'all over the place' after Champions Cup triumph". sg.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Exeter Chiefs and Racing 92 go in search of first Heineken Champions Cup crown". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Heineken Champions Cup | Pool Tables". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Saracens reach Champions Cup quarters with win over Racing 92". ESPN.com. 19 January 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Imhoff strikes late as Racing end Saracens dreams of Champions Cup glory". ESPN.com. 26 September 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Exeter Chiefs edge past Racing 92 in thriller to become European champions". ESPN.com. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Exeter becomes European club rugby champion for 1st time". San Diego Union-Tribune. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.