2010–11 Heineken Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
 France
 Ireland
 Italy
 Scotland
 Wales
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and Knockout
Date8 October 2010 – 21 May 2011
Tournament statistics
Teams24
Matches played79
Attendance1,139,427 (14,423 per match)
Top point scorer(s)Ireland Johnny Sexton (Leinster)
(138 points)
Top try scorer(s)England Paul Diggin (Northampton)
(6 tries)
Final
VenueMillennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance72,456
ChampionsIreland Leinster (2nd title)
Runners-upEngland Northampton

The 2010–11 Heineken Cup was the 16th season of the Heineken Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top six nations in European rugby. It started with three matches on 8 October 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011 with the final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium[1] where Leinster beat Northampton Saints 33 – 22.[2][3]

Teams

The default allocation of teams is as follows:

  • England: 6 teams, based on performance in the Aviva Premiership and Anglo-Welsh Cup
  • France: 6 teams, based on regular-season finish in the Top 14
  • Ireland and Wales: 3 teams each, based on regular-season finish in the Celtic League
  • Italy and Scotland: 2 teams each, based on participation in the Celtic League

The remaining two places are filled by the winners of the previous year's Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup. If the cup winners are already qualified through their domestic league, an additional team from their country will claim a Heineken Cup place (assuming another team is available). The only exception is when teams from England or France win both cups, which did not happen in 2009–10.

Because 2010 Heineken Cup winners Toulouse were already qualified for this season's Heineken Cup by virtue of their fourth-place regular-season finish in the 2009–10 Top 14, the extra place for France went to seventh-placed Biarritz (who were also Toulouse's defeated opponent in the Heineken Cup Final). Because Amlin Challenge Cup winners Cardiff Blues were already qualified for the Heineken Cup by finishing second among the four Welsh teams in the 2009–10 Celtic League, the extra Welsh place went to the lowest-placed Welsh team in the league, Scarlets.

England France Wales Ireland Italy Scotland

Seeding

The seeding system was the same as in the 2009–10 tournament. The 24 competing teams are ranked based on past Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup performance, with each pool receiving one team from each quartile, or Tier.[4] The requirement to have only one team per country in each pool, however, still applies (with the exception of the inclusion of the seventh French team).[5]

The brackets show each team's European Rugby Club Ranking at the end of the 2009–10 season. Aironi inherited the ranking of Viadana, the principal shareholders in the new Celtic League team.

Tier 1 Ireland Munster (1) France Toulouse (2) Ireland Leinster (3) England Leicester Tigers (4) France Biarritz (5) Wales Cardiff Blues (6)
Tier 2 England London Wasps (7) France Clermont (9) Wales Ospreys (10) England Northampton Saints (11) England Bath (12) Wales Scarlets (13)
Tier 3 France Perpignan (15) England London Irish (16) England Saracens (17) Ireland Ulster (19) Scotland Glasgow Warriors (21) Scotland Edinburgh (23)
Tier 4 Wales Newport Gwent Dragons (24) Italy Benetton Treviso (28) France Castres (29) France Toulon (30) Italy Aironi (34) France Racing Métro (40)

Pool stage

The draw for the pool stage took place on 8 June 2010.

Under rules of the competition organiser, European Rugby Cup, tiebreakers within each pool are as follows.[6]

  • Competition points earned in head-to-head matches
  • Total tries scored in head-to-head matches
  • Point differential in head-to-head matches

ERC has four additional tiebreakers, used if tied teams are in different pools, or if the above steps cannot break a tie between teams in the same pool:

  • Tries scored in all pool matches
  • Point differential in all pool matches
  • Best disciplinary record (fewest players receiving red or yellow cards in all pool matches)
  • Coin toss
Key to colours
     Winner of each pool, and best two pool runners-up, advance to quarter-finals. Seed # in parentheses
     Third- through fifth- highest-scoring second-place teams parachute into the knockout stage
of the European Challenge Cup. Seed # in brackets

Pool 1

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
England Northampton Saints (1) 6600167+915587+681025
Wales Cardiff Blues 630368−2107113−60214
France Castres 62041012−2105115−100311
Scotland Edinburgh 61051015−598150−52048

Pool 2

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
Ireland Leinster (2) 6501219+12179104+753124
France Clermont [6] 6402149+511494+202119
France Racing Métro 6204917−8104151−47019
England Saracens 6105918−9107155−48026

Pool 3

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
France Toulon (6) 640213130143134+91017
Ireland Munster [7] 6303179+8143122+212216
Wales Ospreys 6303711−4117113+40214
England London Irish 6204913−4107141−34019

Pool 4

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
France Biarritz (4) 6402169+714085+554222
Ireland Ulster (8) 6501158+714593+522022
England Bath 6204208+12147108+392414
Italy Aironi 6105430−2665211−146004

Pool 5

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
France Perpignan (3) 6411239+14196112+844022
England Leicester Tigers (7) 64112510+15215118+973122
Wales Scarlets 63031624−8149191−423015
Italy Benetton Treviso 60061132−21109248−139011

Pool 6

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
France Toulouse (5) 6501156+1015585+701122
England London Wasps [5] 6402156+8145106+592119
Scotland Glasgow Warriors 63031015−5116141−250012
Wales Newport Gwent Dragons 6006518−1377161−84022

Seeding and runners-up

  • Bare numbers indicate Heineken Cup quarterfinal seeding.
  • Numbers with "C" indicate Challenge Cup quarterfinal seeding.
Seed Pool Winners Pts TF +/−
1 England Northampton Saints 2516+68
2 Ireland Leinster 2421+75
3 France Perpignan 2223+84
4 France Biarritz 2216+55
5 France Toulouse 2215+70
6 France Toulon 1711+21
Seed Pool Runners-up Pts TF +/−
7 England Leicester Tigers 2225+97
8 Ireland Ulster 2215+52
5C England London Wasps 1915+39
6C France Clermont 1914+20
7C Ireland Munster 1617+21
Wales Cardiff Blues 146−6

Knockout stage

The semi-final draw for both the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup was conducted on 23 January at the press box of Adams Park in High Wycombe shortly after the London Wasps–Toulouse match.

All times are local times.

Quarter-finals

9 April 2011
16:30
Perpignan France29–25France Toulon
Try: Planté 51' c
Freshwater 73' c
Con: Porical (2/2)
Pen: Porical (5/8) 30', 37', 42', 62', 68'
ReportTry: Smith 39' m
van Niekerk 53' c
Cibray 80'+1' c
Con: Wilkinson (2/3)
Pen: Wilkinson (2/2) 3', 35'
Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

9 April 2011
18:00
Leinster Ireland17–10England Leicester Tigers
Try: Nacewa 48' m
Pen: Sexton (4/4) 3', 15' 36', 73'
ReportTry: Hawkins 76' c
Con: Flood (1/1)
Pen: Flood (1/2) 5'
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Attendance: 49,762
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

10 April 2011
14:00
Northampton Saints England23–13Ireland Ulster
Try: Tongaʻuiha 2' c
Dickson 55' c
Con: Myler (2/2) 3', 56'
Pen: Myler (3/5) 40', 48', 65'
ReportTry: Trimble 32' c
Con: Humphreys (1/1) 33'
Pen: Humphreys (2/2) 7', 14'
Stadium:mk, Milton Keynes[7]
Attendance: 21,309
Referee: Romain Poite (France)

10 April 2011
17:30
Biarritz France20 – 27 (a.e.t)France Toulouse
Try: Bolakoro 78' m
Pen: Yachvili (5/6) 41', 46', 57', 67', 97'
ReportTry: Heymans 16' c
Médard 26' c
Nyanga 99' c
Con: Skrela (2/2)
Bézy (1/1)
Pen: Skrela (2/2) 36', 83'
Estadio Anoeta, San Sebastián, Spain
Attendance: 32,051
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Semi-finals

30 April 2011
15:30 (UTC)
Leinster Ireland32–23France Toulouse
Try: Heaslip 30' c
O'Driscoll 59' c
Con: Sexton (2/2)
Pen: Sexton (6/6) 10', 14', 40'+1', 47', 54', 80'
ReportTry: Fritz 4' c
Picamoles 43' c
Con: Skrela (2/2)
Pen: Skrela (1/2) 37'
Bézy (1/1) 75'
Drop: Skrela (1/1) 11'
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Attendance: 50,073
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)

1 May 2011
15:00 (UTC)
Northampton Saints England23–7France Perpignan
Try: Foden 14' c
Clarke 30' c
Con: Myler (2/2)
Pen: Myler (3/5) 24', 37', 49'
ReportTry: Guirado 39' c
Con: Porical (1/1)
Drop: Laharrague (0/1)
Stadium:mk, Milton Keynes
Attendance: 18,231
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

Final

21 May 2011
17:00
Northampton Saints England22–33Ireland Leinster
Try: Dowson 7' c
Foden 30' c
Hartley 39' m
Con: Myler (2/3)
Pen: Myler (1/1) 20'
ReportTry: Sexton (2) 43' c, 52' c
Hines 64' c
Con: Sexton (3/3)
Pen: Sexton (4/5) 13', 35', 56', 60'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 72,456
Referee: Romain Poite (France)

Individual statistics

Top points scorers

Final Standings (correct as of 21 May 2011)

PosPlayerTeamPoints
1Ireland Johnny SextonIreland Leinster138
2England Stephen MylerEngland Northampton Saints101
3France David SkrelaFrance Toulouse94
4France Jérôme PoricalFrance Perpignan86
5France Dimitri YachviliFrance Biarritz80
6Ireland Ian HumphreysIreland Ulster72
7Scotland Ruaridh JacksonScotland Glasgow Warriors71
8England Dave WalderEngland London Wasps70
England Jonny WilkinsonFrance Toulon70
10England Toby FloodEngland Leicester Tigers67

[8]

Top try scorers

Final Standings (Correct as of 21 May 2011)

PosPlayerTeamTries
1England Paul DigginEngland Northampton Saints6
2England Matt BanahanEngland Bath5
Italy Tommaso BenvenutiItaly Benetton Treviso5
England Tom BiggsEngland Bath5
France Thierry DusautoirFrance Toulouse5
United States Takudzwa NgwenyaFrance Biarritz5
Ireland Johnny SextonIreland Leinster5
8England Ben FodenEngland Northampton Saints4
Ireland Seán O'BrienIreland Leinster4
Ireland Andrew TrimbleIreland Ulster4
Samoa Alesana TuilagiEngland Leicester Tigers4
England Tom VarndellEngland London Wasps4

[9]

See also

2010–11 Amlin Challenge Cup

References

  1. BBC Sport
  2. "Shock turns to awe as Leinster join immortals". Irish Independent. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  3. McNally, Frank. "Lions of Leinster perform miracle with belated roar". The Irish Times.
  4. "ERC European Rankings (May 2009)". European Rugby Cup. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  5. "ERC Draw Regulations (May 2009)". European Rugby Cup. Archived from the original on June 20, 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  6. "Key Tournament Rules". European Rugby Cup. Archived from the original on 8 October 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  7. Northampton forced to move Ulster tie to Milton Keynes – BBC Sport
  8. "Points". itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  9. "Tries". itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
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