2021 Pro 14 Rainbow Cup

In 2021 there were major disruptions to the Pro 14 competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of these was the inability of the South African teams to travel and compete in Europe. This led to an abbreviated competition that finished in March 2021.

It was announced that the Rainbow Cup would follow in April, involving the European Pro 14 teams and the 4 ex-Super teams from South Africa - Sharks, Lions, Stormers and Bulls.

Initially the format was to be 2 groups of 8 teams but the format was changed to a league table with the top 2 teams after pool play meeting in the final. This was largely due to logistical issues related to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The first 3 rounds would be local derbies with no travel to or from South Africa. 

Due to several issues surrounding travel restrictions as a result of the pandemic, it was announced in April 2021 that the Rainbow Cup would adopt a dual tournament format and there would no longer be any cross hemisphere fixtures.


The 2021 Pro 14 Rainbow Cup will trial 3 law variations, all currently used in the Super Rugby competitions in New Zealand and Australia. These are:

  • Replacement for a red carded player after 20 minutes. 
  • A captain's challenge, allowing the team captain a referral to check on any of 3 scenarios:
  • a decision in the final five minutes of a match
  • an offence in the build up to a try
  • an act of foul play
  • Goal-line dropouts if the ball is held-up over the line, knocked on in goal or when a defending team grounds the ball in-goal after a kick through.

   

Rainbow Cup
Team Played Won Lost Drawn For Against BP Points
  Benetton Rugby 5 4 1 125 78 2 22
  Munster 5 4 1 170 75 4 20
  Glasgow Warriors 5 4 1 121 117 3 19
  Leinster 5 3 2 124 87 3 15
  Cardiff Blues 5 3 2 124 123 3 15
  Connacht 5 3 2 109 133 2 14
  Scarlets 5 1 2 2 110 115 3 13
  Ospreys 5 2 2 1 103 88 3 11
  Edinburgh Rugby 5 1 3 1 126 140 4 10
  Ulster 5 1 3 1 85 116 4 8
  Dragons 5 1 4 117 156 3 7
  Zebre Rugby Club 5 5 88 174 3 3

Scarlets were awarded the 4 points for a match cancelled after Ulster players tested positive for COVID-19. The score was recorded as a 0-0 draw.

The Stormers were awarded the 4 points for a match cancelled after Lions players tested positive for COVID-19. The score was recorded as a 0-0 draw.

Benetton Rugby were awarded the 4 points for a match cancelled after Ospreys players tested positive for COVID-19. The score was recorded as a 0-0 draw.


2021 Pro 14 Rainbow Cup fixtures and results

April 23  

    

April 24   

   

   

April 25

   

May 1

   

   

May 7

   

   

May 8 

   

  

  

May 9

   

May 14

   

May 15

   

  

  

  

May 16

    

May 21

May 22

   

May 28

May 29

    

     

   

June 4

   

     

June 5

    

   

   

June 11

    

      

June 12

June 13

   

     

Final

June 19

Ulster

Edinburgh Rugby 

Benetton Rugby

Ospreys

Leinster

Dragons

    

Stormers

Bulls

  

Zebre Rugby Club

Munster

Glasgow Warriors

Connacht

Scarlets

Sharks

Stormers

Cardiff Blues

    

Munster

Leinster

Scarlets

Benetton Rugby

Edinburgh Rugby

Lions

Bulls

Dragons

   

Sharks

Lions

  

Munster

Ulster

Benetton Rugby

Dragons

      

Bulls

Connacht

Glasgow Warriors

Lions

Edinburgh Rugby

Cardiff Blues

   

Zebre Rugby Club

Leinster

Stormers (4 pts)

Sharks

Ospreys

Scarlets

   

   

Benetton Rugby

v

v

v

v

v

v

 

v

v

 

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

  

v

v

v  

v

v

v

v

v

  

v

v

  

v

v

v

v

  

v

v

v

v

v

v

   

v

v

v

v

v

v

  

  

v

Connacht

Zebre Rugby Club 

Glasgow Warriors

Cardiff Blues

Munster

Scarlets

   

Sharks

Lions

   

Benetton Rugby

Ulster

Edinburgh Rugby

Leinster

Ospreys

Lions

Bulls

Dragons

  

Connacht

Ulster

Cardiff Blues

Zebre Rugby Club

Glasgow Warriors

Stormers

Sharks

Ospreys

   

Stormers

Bulls

   

Cardiff Blues

Scarlets (4 pts)

Connacht

Glasgow Warriors

   

Stormers

Ospreys

Leinster

Sharks

Ulster

Zebre Rugby Club

   

Munster

Dragons

Lions

Bulls

Benetton Rugby 

Edinburgh Rugby

  

  

Bulls

Belfast

Edinburgh

Treviso

Swansea

Dublin

Newport

 

Cape Town

Pretoria

 

Parma

Limerick

Glasgow

Galway

Llanelli

Durban

Cape Town

Cardiff


Limerick

Dublin

Llanelli

Treviso

Edinburgh

Johannesburg

Pretoria

Newport

   

Durban

Johannesburg


Limerick

Belfast

Treviso

Cardiff

    

Pretoria

Galway

Glasgow

Johannesburg

Edinburgh

Cardiff

   

Parma

Dublin

Cape Town

Durban

Bridgend

Llanelli

  

   

Treviso

24

24

46

36

3

52

  

30

24

  

20

38

29

21

22

34

16

17

  

20

21

28

34

24

37

43

26

  

22

34

  

31

0

20

16

  

31

26

15

21

31

37

  

11

 38

0

 22

0

28

  

  

35

26

18

19

14

27

32

   

33

9

  

25

10

19

50

6

26

20

16

  

24

17

29

27

31

39

9

42

  

25

33

  

27

0

12

27

  

27

19

12

33

34

12

  

54

 7

0

 34

0

28

  

  

8

   

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