Changes to European qualification are confirmed by URC

The rules for the BKT United Rugby Championship have changed.

The BKT United Rugby Championship has declared that the qualification process for Europe will alter.

The remaining teams will now participate in the EPCR Challenge Cup while the top eight teams in the league table automatically qualify for the Investec Champions Cup.

Martin Anayi, the CEO of the URC, has issued a statement outlining the organization’s decision to resume full meritocracy.

“Returning to straight meritocracy as a qualification method for the Investec Champions Cup will further up the dial on the competitiveness of our league,” he declared.

In our league, there has always been a contentious issue among our stakeholders about the relative meritocracy and representation of players.

However, when it comes to creating the most competitive arena for our teams, meritocracy is a proven method for achieving this.

“We implemented full meritocracy over representation in the PRO12 in 2017, which increased competition across the league.

Anayi went on to say: “When launching BKT URC against the backdrop of the pandemic it was prudent to choose the representative qualification route and now after the review, our stakeholders have opted to return to meritocracy.”