The 2016–17 Rugby Europe International Championships is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The 2016–17 season is the first of its new format and structure, where all Levels play on a one-year cycle, replacing the old format of a two-year cycle, where the teams played each other both home and away.
For all teams competing, except the Development league, this year's edition of the Rugby Europe International Championships doubles as the 2019 Rugby World Cup qualifiers for the European region, where the winner of the Championship, excluding Georgia, automatically qualifies to the tournament as Europe 1. All other teams remains in contention, playing in their respective leagues, but also playing in World Cup play-offs, for the right to play in the Europe/Oceania play-off against Oceania 3.
Countries
Pre-tournament World Rugby rankings (from November 28 for Championship, from August 29 for all other levels) in parentheses
Championship (26) (12) (24) (16) (19) (22)
Conference 1 North (33) (51) (46) (59) (58) South (62) (54) (NA) (63) (49)
Development (96) (NA) (NA)
Trophy (32) (34) (37) (30) (31) (27)
Conference 2 North (88) (NA) (97) (82) (90) South (87) (74) (79) (67) (NA)
Notes
Due to financial instability, Turkey has cancelled all matches for the 2016–17 season and is no longer part of World Cup Qualifying.
2017 Rugby Europe Championship
ChampionsAdvances Promotion/Relegation play-off
Pos.TeamGamesPointsTablepointsPlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDiff1 540112278+44210192 540113644+92210193 53029154+37100134 5203107117−1010095 5203121201−8000086 500570153−830202Points were awarded to the teams as follows:Win – 4 points : Draw – 2 points : Loss within 7 points – 1 point : Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points: At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 pointCompleting a Grand Slam – 1 point (will not be counted towards World Cup Qualification)As the tournament for 2017 had been completed and issues of relegation had been decided in that year, the points deduction should not be applied to the 2017 Rugby Europe tournament (para 51).Appeal committee decision
Matches
2016–17 Rugby Europe Trophy
Champions and advances to Promotion/ Relegation play-offRelegated Pos.TeamGamesPointsTablepointsPlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDiff1 550017937+142401252 530215994+65210153 5302140122+18100134 530273730000125 5104100162−6211066 500552215−1630000Points were awarded to the teams as follows:Win – 4 points : Draw – 2 points : Loss within 7 points – 1 point : Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points: At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 pointCompleting a Grand Slam – 1 point (will not be counted towards World Cup Qualification)
Matches
2016–17 Rugby Europe Conference
Conference 1
Conference 1 North Champions and advances toPromotion play-offRelegated Pos.TeamGamesPointsTablepointsPlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDiff1440015826+13230120243019345+4820014342025698−4201094410354124−7011065400439107−680101Points were awarded to the teams as follows:Win – 4 points : Draw – 2 points : Loss within 7 points – 1 point : Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points: At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 pointCompleting a Grand Slam – 1 point (will not be counted towards World Cup Qualification) Matches
Conference 1 South Champions and advances toPromotion play-offRelegated Pos.TeamGamesPointsTablepointsPlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDiff1431014749+983001724301135100+35200143421110679+27110124410362181−11900045400472113−410202Points were awarded to the teams as follows:Win – 4 points : Draw – 2 points : Loss within 7 points – 1 point : Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points: At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 pointCompleting a Grand Slam – 1 point (will not be counted towards World Cup Qualification) Matches
Conference 2
Conference 2 North Champions and Promoted Pos.TeamGamesPointsTablepointsPlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDiff1440015730+127301202430116142+119300153420298109−1110094410392144−5210055400439222−1830000Points were awarded to the teams as follows:Win – 4 points : Draw – 2 points : Loss within 7 points – 1 point : Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points: At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 pointCompleting a Grand Slam – 1 point (will not be counted towards World Cup Qualification) Matches
Conference 2 South Champions and PromotedRelegated Pos.TeamGamesPointsTablepointsPlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDiff143019054+3601013243017951+28000123420211448+66110104420277107−301009540040100−1000000Points were awarded to the teams as follows:Win – 4 points : Draw – 2 points : Loss within 7 points – 1 point : Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points: At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 pointCompleting a Grand Slam – 1 point (will not be counted towards World Cup Qualification) Matches
2017 Rugby Europe Development
Champions and Promoted Pos.TeamGamesPointsTablepointsPlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDiff121015242+100105221016251+111005321014162+20004Points were awarded to the teams as follows:Win – 4 points : Draw – 2 points : Loss within 7 points – 1 point : Loss greater than 7 points – 0 points: At least 3 more tries than opponent- 1 pointCompleting a Grand Slam – 1 point (will not be counted towards World Cup Qualification) Matches
Play-offs
Championship-Trophy Promotion play-off
Conference 1 promotion to Trophy play-off
See also 2019 Rugby World Cup – Europe qualification
References