Challenge Cup fixtures confirmed
Connacht first up for Quins
NEC Harlequins – double winners of the European Challenge Cup title – will kick-off their bid for a tournament treble with a challenging Pool Four trip to Galway to take on Connacht on the opening weekend.
The fixtures for the pool stages of the competition have been announced, with the opening round being played on the weekend of October 20-22.
Round One will see 1998 Heineken Cup winners Bath also on the road as they take on French club Montpellier in Pool Four.
Clermont Auvergne, who won the European Challenge Cup in 1999, and 1997 Heineken Cup champions Brive both travel to face domestic opposition in tournament debutants Albi and Montauban respectively.
Tournament newcomers Newport Gwent Dragons host Bayonne in Pool One, Saracens face a visit by Glasgow Warriors in Pool Two, Newcastle host Petrarca Padova in Pool Three and Bristol host Romanian representatives Bucuresti in Pool One.
2006/7 EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP – POOLS
POOL 1: Dragons (Wales), Bayonne (France), Bristol (England), Bucuresti (Romania)
POOL 2: Glasgow Warriors (Scotland), Narbonne (France), Saracens (England), GRAN Parma (Italy)
POOL 3: Newcastle Falcons (England), Brive (France), Petrarca Padova (Italy), Montauban (France)
POOL 4: Connacht (Ireland), Montpellier (France), Bath (England), NEC Harlequins (England)
POOL 5: Clermont Auvergne (France), Worcester Warriors (England), Viadana (Italy), Albi (France)
2006/7 EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP – FIXTURES
(kick-off times and specific dates tbc)
THE FIXTURES
ROUND 1 – 20/21/22 October
Pool 1: Bucuresti v Bristol Rugby
Pool 1: Newport Gwent Dragons v Bayonne
Pool 2: SKG Gran Parma v Narbonne
Pool 2: Saracens v Glasgow Warriors
Pool 3: Newcastle Falcons v Petrarca Padova
Pool 3: Montauban v Brive
Pool 4: Montpellier v Bath Rugby
Pool 4: Connacht Rugby v NEC Harlequins
Pool 5: Albi v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Pool 5: Worcester Warriors v Arix Viadana
ROUND 2 – 27/28/29 October
Pool 1: Bristol Rugby v Newport Gwent Dragons
Pool 1: Bayonne v Bucuresti
Pool 2: Narbonne v Saracens
Pool 2: Glasgow Warriors v SKG Gran Parma
Pool 3: Petrarca Padova v Montauban
Pool 3: Brive v Newcastle Falcons
Pool 4: Bath Rugby v Connacht Rugby
Pool 4: NEC Harlequins v Montpellier
Pool 5: ASM Clermont Auvergne v Worcester Warriors
Pool 5: Arix Viadana v Albi
ROUND 3 – 8/9/10 December
Pool 1: Newport Gwent Dragons v Bucuresti
Pool 1: Bayonne v Bristol Rugby
Pool 2: Saracens v SKG Gran Parma
Pool 2: Glasgow Warriors v Narbonne
Pool 3: Montauban v Newcastle Falcons
Pool 3: Brive v Petrarca Padova
Pool 4: Connacht Rugby v Montpellier
Pool 4: NEC Harlequins v Bath Rugby
Pool 5: Worcester Warriors v Albi
Pool 5: Arix Viadana v ASM Clermont Auvergne
ROUND 4 – 15/16/17 December
Pool 1: Bucuresti v Newport Gwent Dragons
Pool 1: Bristol Rugby v Bayonne
Pool 2: SKG Gran Parma v Saracens
Pool 2: Narbonne v Glasgow Warriors
Pool 3: Newcastle Falcons v Montauban
Pool 3: Petrarca Padova v Brive
Pool 4: Montpellier v Connacht Rugby
Pool 4: Bath Rugby v NEC Harlequins
Pool 5: Albi v Worcester Warriors
Pool 5: ASM Clermont Auvergne v Arix Viadana
ROUND 5 – 12/13/14 January, 2007
Pool 1: Newport Gwent Dragons v Bristol Rugby
Pool 1: Bucuresti v Bayonne
Pool 2: SKG Gran Parma v Glasgow Warriors
Pool 2: Saracens v Narbonne
Pool 3: Montauban v Petracra Padova
Pool 3: Newcastle Falcons v Brive
Pool 4: Connacht Rugby v Bath Rugby
Pool 4: Montpellier v NEC Harlequins
Pool 5: Worcester Warriors v ASM Clermont Auvergne
Pool 5: Albi v Arix Viadana
ROUND 6 – 19/20/21 January
Pool 1: Bristol Rugby v Bucuresti
Pool 1: Bayonne v Newport Gwent Dragons
Pool 2: Glasgow Warriors v Saracens
Pool 2: Narbonne v SKG Gran Parma
Pool 3: Petrarca Padova v Newcastle Falcons
Pool 3: Brive v Montauban
Pool 4: Bath Rugby v Montpellier
Pool 4: NEC Harlequins v Connacht Rugby
Pool 5: ASM Clermont Auvergne v Albi
Pool 5: Arix Viadana v Worcester Warriors
QUARTER-FINALS – 30/31 March and 1 April
SEMI-FINALS – 20/21/22 April
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP FINAL – 18/19/20 May
