URC: Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby set to hit by Champions Cup qualification changes as TV slots discussed

The United Rugby Championship is likely to change its qualification criteria for the Champions Cup after next season, according to its chief executive, Martin Anayi.

At present the winners of the four regional “Shields” – the Irish, Scottish/Italian, South African and Welsh – are guaranteed a place in Europe’s premier competition, along with the four other teams who finish in the highest places. This season there is a strong possibility that the highest Welsh club – currently Scarlets – will finish outside the top eight. And if they do, the eighth-placed team in the league will be denied a Champions Cup place and have to compete in the Challenge Cup instead.

Either Glasgow or Edinburgh could well fall foul of that arrangement this season, given their present precarious placings of sixth and seventh respectively. If something similar happens at the end of the 2022-23 campaign, Anayi believes there will be an agreement to adopt a purely merit-based system instead.

“We all entered into [the current system] knowing that you might get these discrepancies from a sporting integrity point of view,” he said. “Which is why we put a two-year review in. We said after two years if we get into this situation twice, it’s highly likely – although it needs to be unanimous – that we would then revert to a straight top eight going through regardless of where you’re from.”

With two rounds of the regular season to go, viewing figures for the URC have already surpassed last season’s, thanks in part to expanded free-to-air broadcasting of matches. But Anayi acknowledged that expansion had come at a price, with clubs and supporters in Scotland and Wales being unhappy with some kick-off times, in particular those on Saturday nights.

“Because