European Rugby Continental Shield

The European Rugby Continental Shield (formerly the European Rugby Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition) was a rugby union competition, organised by European Professional Club Rugby, Rugby Europe and the Federazione Italiana Rugby, for entry into the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

For the third-tier competition run from 2003 to 2005 and organised by European Rugby Cup, see European Shield.
European Rugby Continental Shield
SportRugby union
Inaugural season2014–15 (as Qualifying Competition)
2016–17 (as Continental Shield)
OrganisersEPCR
Rugby Europe
FIR
Number of teams10 (8 (pools) + 2 (play-off))
Country Italy
 Georgia
 Romania
 Russia
 Spain
 Portugal
 Germany
 Belgium
Holders Enisey-STM (2 titles) (2018–19)
WebsiteEuropean Rugby Continental Shield Website
Rugby Europe Website
Related competitionsEuropean Rugby Champions Cup
European Rugby Challenge Cup

The Qualifying Competition was first announced in April 2014, at the same time as the announcement of the creation of the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup competitions. The tournament featured teams from non-EPCR countries, such as Spain, Germany, Belgium, Romania, Georgia, Russia and Portugal, as well as select Italian Eccellenza clubs. In 2016–17, the qualification competition also became a European Rugby competition in its own right, the third tier European Rugby Continental Shield, with both successful play-off teams meeting in a final as a part of European Rugby Finals weekend.

All 2 editions of the Shield have been won by Russian club Enisey-STM.[1]

The competition is the first third-tier European tournament since the suspension of the Parker Pen Shield in 2005.[2]

The competition was discontinued after the 2018–19 edition.[3]

Format

Under the Heads of Agreement announced on 10 April 2014, there were two places available in the European Rugby Challenge Cup through the Qualifying Competition.[4]

For the 2014–15 season, given the time constraints in filling the competition, this was a reduced competition the form of 2 two-legged play-off matches, with the aggregate winners of each taking one of the two Rugby Europe spots in the draw, and it involved the 2 best teams from Italy's National Championship of Excellence, plus a Romanian and Georgian selection.[5]

An expanded format was announced on 22 December 2014,[6] the expanded format includes clubs from non-EPCR Unions Russia, Spain and Portugal alongside representatives from the Italian Eccellenza.

The 6 teams in the Qualifying Competition are split into 2 pools of 3 teams each. Each team will play the other teams in their pool once, before the two pool winners compete in a two-legged play-off against the teams currently competing in the Challenge Cup from the previous Qualifying Competition.

The winners, on aggregate, of these two play-offs will take up the Qualifying Competition places in the Challenge Cup.[6]

In 2017, the competition was rebranded as the European Rugby Continental Shield, and it was announced that the two qualifiers would play each other as part of the EPCR's finals weekend,[7] a practice which was discontinued for 2018–19.

Summary of results

Continental Shield Finals
Season Country Winners Score Runners-up Country Venue
2016–17  Russia Enisey-STM 36–8 Krasny Yar  Russia Murrayfield Complex, Edinburgh
2017–18  Russia Enisey-STM 24–20 Heidelberger RK  Germany Campos Deportivos de Fadura, Getxo, Biscay

Qualifying play-off results
Season Play-off 1 Play-off 2 Qualify for
Winners Score Runners-up Winners Score Runners-up
2013–14 Rovigo Delta 46–39 Tbilisi Caucasians București Wolves 28–26 Calvisano 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup
Season Play-off 1 Play-off 2 Qualify for
Challenge Cup Side Score Continental Shield Side Challenge Cup Side Score Continental Shield Side
2014–15 CSM Baia Mare 32–63 Enisey-STM Rovigo Delta 24–52 Calvisano 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup
2015–16 Enisey-STM 70–5 Rovigo Calvisano 40–64 Timișoara Saracens 2016–17 European Rugby Challenge Cup
2016–17 Enisey-STM 97–7 Mogliano Timișoara Saracens 35–39 Krasny Yar 2017–18 European Rugby Challenge Cup
Season Play-off from Challenge Cup Play-off from Continental Shield Qualify for
Challenge Side 1 Score Challenge Side 2 C. Shield Side 1 Score C. Shield Side 2
2017–18 Enisey-STM 74–48 Krasny Yar Heidelberger RK 47–41 Timișoara Saracens 2018–19 European Rugby Challenge Cup
2018–19 Enisey-STM 58–52 Timișoara Saracens Calvisano 57–43 Rovigo Delta 2019–20 European Rugby Challenge Cup
Key      Winners qualified to the European Rugby Challenge Cup      Winners continue in the European Rugby Challenge Cup      Winners advance to the European Rugby Challenge Cup      Runners-up advanced to the European Rugby Challenge Cup (winners ineligible)

Tournaments

2014

The reduced format for the inaugural Qualifying Competition included two Italian Clubs, a Romanian and a Georgian side. Sides were paired up and competed in two matches, home and away. The winners, on aggregate, of these two games received one of the two places in the 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

Pool 1 Pool 2
Rovigo Delta București Wolves
Tbilisi Caucasians Calvisano

Rugby Europe 1 Play-off
20 September 2014
16:00 CEST
Rovigo Delta 22–18 Tbilisi Caucasians
Stadio Mario Battaglini
Referee: Lloyd Linton (SRU)
27 September 2014
17:00 GET
Tbilisi Caucasians 21–24 Rovigo Delta
Vake Stadium, aka Meskhi
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)

Rugby Europe 2 Play-off
20 September 2014
21:00 EEST
București Wolves 18–13 Calvisano
Stadium Arcul de Triumf
Referee: Gary Conway (IRFU)
27 September 2014
19:30 CEST
Calvisano 13–10 București Wolves
Peroni Stadium
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (FFR)

2015

The expanded competition for entry into the 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup features six teams, in two pools of three. Russia is represented in European competition for the first time.[8] Matches are scheduled for the same weekends as the 2014–15 Challenge Cup, beginning with the 5th Round of the Challenge Cup.

Pool 1 Pool 2
Calvisano Enisey-STM
Viadana Centro Desportivo Universitário de Lisboa
El Salvador Mogliano

Pool 1
Advances to Qualifying Play-offs
P W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts
Calvisano 22009615+811322010
Viadana 21013941–265105
El Salvador 20021998–79315000

Qualifying Play-off

18 April 2015
Rovigo Delta 17 – 17 Calvisano

2 May 2015
Calvisano 35 – 7 Rovigo Delta

Pool 2
Advances to Qualifying Play-offs
P W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts
Enisey-STM 22004715+3252109
Mogliano 21016019+4164116
Centro Desportivo Universitário de Lisboa 20021773–56310000

Qualifying Play-off

18 April 2015
CSM Baia Mare 20 – 30 Enisey-STM

2 May 2015
Enisey-STM 33 – 12 CSM Baia Mare

2015–16

The Qualifying Competition was once again expanded, this time featuring 8 teams in two pools of four. Each team will play the teams in the other pool once. Belgium and Germany are represented in pan-European Rugby competition for the first time, through Royal Kituro and Heidelberger RK respectively.

Advances to Qualifying Play-offs
Pool A P W D L PF PA Diff TB LB Pts
Rovigo430113677593015
Heidelberger RK430110971382115
Fiamme Oro43017451230012
Valladolid RAC42021146846109
Pool B P W D L PF PA Diff TB LB Pts
Timișoara Saracens440012648783019
GD Direito41037282–10026
Mogliano400449105–56112
Royal Kituro400420198–178000

Fixtures

Qualifying Play-offs
9 April 2016
Rovigo 0 – 31 Enisey-STM
Stadio Mario Battaglini
9 April 2016
Timișoara Saracens 36 – 23 Calvisano
Dan Paltinisanu Stadium
23 April 2016
Enisey-STM 39 – 5 Rovigo
Trud Stadium, Krasnodar
23 April 2016
Calvisano 17 – 28 Timișoara Saracens
Peroni Stadium

2016–17

The format of the Qualifying Competition remains similar to the previous season. As before, two places in the next year's Challenge Cup will be available for teams in the Qualifying Competition.

This season's competition features clubs from the domestic leagues of non-EPCR unions Russia, Spain, Germany and Belgium, as well as four representatives from the Italian Eccellenza.

The eight participating clubs will compete in two pools with each club in Pool A playing once against each club in Pool B.

The two pool winners will then play off against Timișoara Saracens of Romania and Russia's Enisei-STM on a home and away basis to decide which two clubs will qualify for the 2017–18 Challenge Cup.

Mid-season it was announced the competition would become the European Rugby Continental Shield and the two qualifiers will play a final match as part of EPCR's 2017 Edinburgh Finals weekend.[7]

Advances to Qualifying Play-offs
Pool A P W D L PF PA Diff TB LB Pts
Krasny Yar4400172611114020
Petrarca4400149451043019
Calvisano430113492423015
Dendermondse RC400450167–117000
Pool B P W D L PF PA Diff TB LB Pts
Mogliano420212912674012
El Salvador410384105–21116
Rovigo41037295–23116
Heidelberger RK410380181–101105

Fixtures

Qualifying Play-offs

EPCR will determine about one open question: If it was like the past years, according to the rating, Krasny Yar Krasnoyarsk would meet with the Romanian Timișoara. But Krasny Yar received a letter that EPCR will hold a meeting on the final round of qualifying Challenge Cup, which will be determined the opponents.[11] On February 14, at the office of RK "Yenisei-STM" received a letter signed by the coordinator of the qualifying competitions EPCR Vincent Prebande. Mr. Prebande reports that, like last year, the second stage of Qualifying teams will play in accordance with the principle of sport. The two-legged confrontation "Yenisei-STM" will meet the Italian club "Mogliano" and "Krasny Yar" - with the Romanian club "Timișoara Saracens".[12]

1 April 2017
Mogliano 0 – 46 Enisey-STM
Stadio Maurizio Quaggia
1 April 2017
Krasny Yar 12 – 17 Timișoara Saracens
Rustavi Arena, Georgia
22 April 2017
Enisey-STM 51 – 7 Mogliano
Slava Stadium, Moscow
22 April 2017
Timișoara Saracens 18 – 27 Krasny Yar

Continental Shield Final
13 May 2017
Enisey-STM 36 – 8 Krasny Yar

2017–18
Main article: 2017–18 European Rugby Continental Shield

The format of the Qualifying Competition remains similar to the previous season. As before, two places in the next year's Challenge Cup will be available for teams in the Continental Shield. Clubs from six countries will compete in the 2017–18 Continental Shield.

Four representatives from the Italian Eccellenza – Pataro Rugby Calvisano, Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo, Rugby Petrarca and Rugby Viadana – will be joined by Romania's Timișoara Saracens, RC Batumi from Georgia, Heidelberger RK of Germany and Portugal's Centro Desportivo Universitario de Lisboa (CDUL Rugby) competing in two pools of four.

Following the pool stage matches, the winners of Pool A will play the runners-up in Pool B, and the winners of Pool B will play the runners-up in Pool A on a home and away basis.

The two clubs which advance will then play each other home and away with the winners securing a place in the Continental Shield final in Bilbao next May and also qualifying for the 2018–19 Challenge Cup.

The other Continental Shield finalist will be decided by a home and away play-off between Russia's Enisei-STM and Krasny Yar who have both received a bye into the knockout stage of the competition due to their participation in this season's Challenge Cup and to their success in last season's Continental Shield.

The winners of the Enisei-STM v Krasny Yar play-offs will go through to the Continental Shield final in Bilbao and will also qualify for the 2018–19 Challenge Cup.

The aim of the Continental Shield is to widen the footprint of club rugby across Europe and to give both emerging and established clubs in different territories the opportunity to qualify for the Challenge Cup.

Advances to Pool Play-offs
Pool A P W D L PF PA Diff TB LB Pts
Timișoara Saracens 430110668+381114
Heidelberger RK 43019674+221013
Rovigo42028986+32111
Viadana410366128–62116
Pool B P W D L PF PA Diff TB LB Pts
Calvisano 420210752+552212
Batumi420210795+122212
Petrarca42029968+311211
CDUL410343142–99004

Fixtures

Pool Play-offs
13 January 2018
15:00
Batumi 6 – 11 Timișoara Saracens
Rugby Arena, Batumi
13 January 2018
15:00
Heidelberger RK 34 – 29 Calvisano
Sportzentrum Süd, Heidelberg
20 January 2018
14:00
Timișoara Saracens 21 – 12 Batumi
20 January 2018
15:00
Calvisano 13 – 17 Heidelberger RK

Qualifying Play-offs
31 March 2018
15:00
Enisey-STM 47 – 22 Krasny Yar
31 March 2018
14:00
Timișoara Saracens 26 – 20 Heidelberger RK
21 April 2018
15:00
Krasny Yar 26 – 27 Enisey-STM
Krasny Yar Stadium, Krasnoyarsk
21 April 2018
15:00
Heidelberger RK 27 – 15 Timișoara Saracens
Sportzentrum Süd, Heidelberg

Despite Heidelberger RK defeating Timișoara Saracens with the aggregate score of 47-41 and going into the Challenge Cup for the first time, Heidelberger RK have been disqualified from the Challenge Cup so Timișoara Saracens will replace them.

Continental Shield Final
12 May 2018
12:00
Enisey-STM 24 – 20 Heidelberger RK

2018–19
Main article: 2018–19 European Rugby Continental Shield

Clubs from Italy, Georgia and Belgium competed in the 2018/19 Continental Shield with a place in the Challenge Cup up for grabs.

Four sides from the Italian Eccellenza – Argos Rugby Petrarca, Pataro Calvisano, Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo Delta and GS Fiamme Oro Rugby – were joined by Georgia's RC Locomotive Tbilisi and Belgian representatives, Belgium Rugby Barbarians XV, competing in two pools of three.

Locomotive Tbilisi, Calvisano and Fiamme Oro from Rome were drawn in Pool A while Pool B was made up of Petrarca, Belgium Rugby Barbarians XV and Rovigo. Clubs in the same pool played one another on a home and away basis and the two pool winners played off over two legs to decide which club qualified for the 2019/20 Challenge Cup.

A further place in the 2019/20 Challenge Cup was decided by a home and away play-off between Russia's Enisei-STM and Timișoara Saracens of Romania who are both competing in this season's Challenge Cup.

The aim of the Continental Shield is to widen the footprint of club rugby across Europe and to give both emerging and established clubs in different territories the opportunity to qualify for the Challenge Cup.

The Continental Shield, which was won for the second time by Enisei-STM in Bilbao in 2017–18, is organised by EPCR in conjunction with Rugby Europe and the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR).

Pool A Pool B
Calvisano Petrarca
Fiamme Oro Rovigo Delta
RC Locomotive Tbilisi Belgium Rugby Barbarians XV
Advances to Pool Play-offs
Pool A P W D L PF PA Diff TB LB Pts
Calvisano43019856+422115
RC Locomotive Tbilisi430110262+402014
Fiamme Oro400462144-82011
Pool B P W D L PF PA Diff TB LB Pts
Rovigo Delta431021873+1452016
Petrarca421112187+343114
Belgium Barbarians XV400445224-179000

Fixtures

Qualifying Play-offs
30 March 2019
14:00 (CET)
Timișoara Saracens 20–18 Enisey-STM
Dan Paltinisanu Stadium, Timișoara
30 March 2019
15:00 (CET)
Calvisano 29–13 Rovigo Delta
Pata Stadium, Calvisano
20 April 2019
10:00 (CEST)
Enisey-STM 40–32 Timișoara Saracens
Avangard Stadium, Krasnoyarsk
20 April 2019
15:00 (CEST)
Rovigo Delta 30–28 Calvisano
Stadio Mario Battaglini, Rovigo

See also

References
  1. https://www.epcrugby.com/challenge-cup/history/european-shield/
  2. European Shield at Rugbyarchive.net
  3. https://www.revista22.es/2019/10/la-lnr-propone-a-la-fer-gestionar-la-division-de-honor/
  4. http://www.epcrugby.com/news/28828.php New Tournament Formats Agreed, EPCRugby.com, 10 April 2014
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-08-27. Retrieved 2014-08-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition Expanded
  7. "New identity for the Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition". epcrugby.com.
  8. http://www.epcrugby.com/news/29908.php
  9. "Match Appointments for November 2015". Welsh Rugby Union. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  10. "COUPE D'EUROPE: KITURO v ROVIGO MATCH ANNULE" (in French). En raison du passage au niveau d'alerte 4 et en accord avec EPCR, FBRB et les autorités communales le match de ce samedi est annulé. Retrieved 23 November 2015.CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. "Игорь Николайчук: "EPCR на заседании определит нашего соперника"" (in Russian). EPCR will determined the opponents. Retrieved 21 December 2016.CS1 maint: others (link)
  12. "СПОРТИВНЫЙ ПРИНЦИП ВОСТОРЖЕСТВОВАЛ" (in Russian). Sports principle prevail. Retrieved 14 February 2017.CS1 maint: others (link)
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