Champions Cup and Challenge Cup fixtures announced
NEWS: The fixtures of the EPCR 2024/5 season of the Champions and Challenge Cup competitions has been announced by the EPCR.
This upcoming season will mark the 30th anniversary of the elite international club competitions.
The Champions Cup opener will take place on Friday, December 6 when former two-time champions La Rochelle will tackle Bath at The Rec – with kick-off scheduled for 20.00 local time.
Defending Champions Toulouse will kick their season off when they welcome Ulster in their quest for a seventh title on Sunday, December 8 at 16.15 (local time) while EPCR Challenge Cup winners the Sharks start their Champions Cup entry against 2020 winners Exeter Chiefs in Durban on Saturday, December 7 at 15.00 local time.
Toulouse will be on the road in Round Two when they face Exeter Chiefs before heading to South Africa for the first time where they will clash against the Sharks in Durban.
They will finish their pool stage with a home match against Leicester Tigers at Stade Ernest Wallon.
Premiership champions Northampton Saints will host Castres who makes a return to the Champions Cup in their Round one opening clash on Saturday, December 7 at Franklin’s Garden with kick-off scheduled for 15.15 local time.
Meanwhile, URC Champions Glasgow Warriors will host Sale Sharks at Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday, December 7 (20.00 kick-off local time) in Round One.
They will then be on the road to face Toulon at Stade Félix Mayol. Glasgow will come up against Racing 92 before hitting the road to take on Harlequins at Twickenham Stoop.
Leinster opens their season on Sunday, December 8 against Bristol Bears away from home (17.30 kick-off local time) after which they will host ASM Clermont before squaring off against rivals La Rochelle at the Stade Marcel Deflandre.
They will conclude their pool stage when they welcome Bath to Dublin.
Click below for the full fixture list
In the Challenge Cup, the opening clash will take place at Kingsholm Stadium when Gloucester welcomes Edinburgh on Friday, December 6 (20.00 kick-off local time) before taking the trip to face last season’s PRO D2 winners RC Vannes in Round Two.
Gloucester will then welcome Scarlets before finishing their pool stage action away from home against Bayonne.
RC Vannes will make their EPCR debut in Tbilisi when they come up against Invitational side Black Lion on Saturday, 7 December at 17.00 local time in Round One.
The Cheetahs – who were invited again will welcome USAP in Round One on Sunday, December 8 (14.00 local time) and in Round Three Zebre on Sunday, January 12 at 14.00 local time to the NRCA Stadium in Amsterdam which will serve as their home base for the duration of the Challenge Cup.
The Cheetahs will also come up against Cardiff at Cardiff Arms Park in Round two on Saturday, December 14, and Lyon at the Matmut Stadium de Gerland in Round four on Saturday, January 18.
Click below for the full fixture list
EPCR Chairman Dominic McKay said: “We are delighted to confirm the full fixture schedule for the 2024/25 Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, and I’d like to extend my thanks to the clubs, leagues and broadcast partners for their collaboration.”
“This will be the 30th season of this great competition which will see us celebrating incredible memories and witnessing the special moments these world-class fixtures continue to deliver.”
“Following the Pool Draws last week, the Road to Cardiff is very much underway and we look forward to seeing who will progress through the season to the Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup Finals at the Millennium Stadium in May next year.”
“We will build on an exceptional season last year, including record growth on TV, digital platforms, and in stadia, with scintillating fixtures lined up for the pool stages.”
EPCR CEO Jacques Raynaud added: “With input from the clubs, leagues, and our broadcast partners, and following the EPCR Pool Draws just 10 days ago, we have again finalised the schedule in a short turnaround time.”
“Fans will no doubt be hugely excited to begin planning their EPCR weekends well in advance, for both home games and away weekends in Europe and South Africa.”
“We can expect world-class sporting action from these 42 elite clubs, and we very much look forward to the action getting underway on Friday, December 6.”
The fixture schedules were determined by using an algorithm that took into consideration the new, improved tournament formats, the outcome of the pool draws, league calendar restrictions, individual club calendar restrictions, and broadcast requirements.
CHAMPIONS CUP BREAKDOWN:
· 24 elite clubs, 11 previous tournament winners, 26 Champions Cup titles
· Four pools of six
· Four pool stage rounds, four knockout stage rounds
· Four highest-ranked clubs from each pool qualify for the knockout stage
· Fifth-ranked club in each pool qualifies for the EPCR Challenge Cup
Click below for all the Champions Cup Pools:
CHALLENGE CUP BREAKDOWN:
· 18 clubs in three pools of six
· RC Vannes makes EPCR debut
· Four pool stage rounds, four knockout stage rounds
· Four highest-ranked clubs in each pool qualify for the knockout stage
Click below for all the Challenge Cup Pools:
2024/25 weekends
Round one – 6/7/8 December 2024
Round two – 13/14/15 December 2024
Round three – 10/11/12 January 2025
Round four – 17/18/19 January 2025
Round of 16 – 4/5/6 April 2025
Quarterfinals – 11/12/13 April 2025
Semifinals – 2/3/4 May 2025
Challenge Cup Final – Friday, May 23, 2025, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Champions Cup Final – Saturday, May 24 2025, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
