Cardiff could well be heading for a daunting trip to star-studded Saracens in the last 16 of the European Challenge Cup next weekend. It all depends on the results in the final group matches in the competition, with Biarritz and Worcester other potential destinations for Dai Young’s men, who host the Scarlets in the URC today.
They are one of six teams dropping down from the Champions Cup to the knock-out stages of the second-tier Challenge Cup. All they know at the moment is they will be away from home, but they don’t yet know their opponents or on what day the game will be played next weekend.
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The way the highly complicated formula works is Cardiff are ranked number one among the sides moving down from the Champions Cup having accumulated the most points among those six teams following January’s walkover win versus Covid-hit Toulouse. That then sees them playing away to the eighth-seeded side from the Challenge Cup group programme or, to be precise, the second-best third-placed team.
Saracens have finished third in Pool C having thumped Brive 55-5 out in France on Friday night, with England hooker Jamie George among their eight try scorers and Owen Farrell landing seven shots at goal. Whether they will play hosts to Cardiff hinges on the outcome of today’s remaining Challenge Cup group matches.
In Pool A, Newcastle are odds on to finish second as they are at home to winless Zebre. Who finishes third in that section hinges on the evening kick-off between Biarritz and Toulon at the Parc des Sports Aguiléra (8pm).
If Biarritz win, they will be the top third-placed side and that will mean Cardiff travelling to Saracens in the last 16. Should Toulon triumph, but their French opponents claim a losing bonus point, then Young’s side will be heading to the Basque country to take on Biarritz. If Biarritz lose and finish up empty handed, Cardiff will be away to Worcester, who would then be the second-placed third side.
As for the form guide, Biarritz are bottom of the French Top 14, with just five wins from their 22 league matches. But Toulon are already guaranteed top spot in their Challenge Cup pool, so there’s nothing tangible hanging on tonight’s game for them. As such, you could see Biarritz coming out on top, which in turn would mean Cardiff heading to the StoneX Stadium in Hendon to take on stellar Saracens.
