Long-read on player payments down English rugby union’s pyramid. A fascinating, often murky subject.

💬 Swirling gossip
💷 £300 per game at level 8
🤝 A £6k transfer fee at level 5
🛏️ ~£10k in cash under a bed
🤠 “More than the Wild West” telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/20…

Tyler, the Creator

10 - Stade Toulousain’s Jack Willis beat 10 defenders v Exeter, the most by a forward in a Investec Champions Cup knockout stage game since Opta have recorded this data; Willis’ 4 line breaks were also the most by a forward in a knockout game since Dan Leavy v Saracens in 2018 (4). Star.

All 4 home teams scored 40 points or more in Champions Cup QF stage for the first time. Last season was 3/4. (13/104 before that)

theguardian.com/sport/2024/apr…

6th season with multiple Prem teams in the Champions Cup semi-finals

3 - 2007, 2016
2 - 2001, 2008, 2020

Highest scoring Champions Cup knockout games:

109 - Leicester v Glasgow QF play-off 1997
85 - Stade Francais v Pontypridd QF 1998, Sharks v Munster Rd16 2023
83 - Saracens v Glasgow QF 2019, UBB v Quins QF 2024

There have been 5 Champions Cup matches with a losing team scoring 40 points or more

2/5 were UBB this year

After 58 mins, Quins have the 3rd highest score by an away team in a Champions Cup QF

Leinster 41 at Toulouse 2006
Racing 36 at Clermont 2020
Quins 35 at UBB 2024

28 - joint most points scored in 1st half of a Champions Cup QF (Stade F home v Pontypridd 1998)

ABSOLUTELY SENSATIONAL 🤯

Incredible try from Will Porter with a CHIP keeping Harlequins 🃏 in the lead 👀🏉

#BORvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup

Sowakula Shaker

Quins avg = 22076
Quins median = 14777
Quins v Gloucester at Twickenham = 76813
Quins avg at Stoop = 12954

Saracens avg = 16361
Saracens median = 9100
Saracens v Quins at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium =61214
Saracens avg at StoneX = 8885