Sports Fuat

Candidates for European titles know their programme. Almost a month after the draw for the Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup, the EPCR has lifted the veil on the schedule for the group stage of the two competitions. Scheduled for December 9, 10 and 11, the first of four qualifying days will see La Rochelle launch the defense of their title in front of their home crowd at Stade Marcel-Deflandre against Northampton Saints. Winner of the Challenge Cup this season, Lyon will be the first French team to travel to South Africa as part of the most prestigious European competition. Xavier Garbajosa’s players will travel to Pretoria to face the Bulls there. Clermont, for its part, will receive the Stormers. Another highlight of this first day, Toulouse will go to Thomond Park to challenge Munster in a rematch of the last quarter-final. Racing 92 will start their campaign at home against Leinster when Castres host Exeter Chiefs. Bordeaux-Bègles will have to cross the English Channel to face Gloucester then will also have to go to South Africa at the beginning of January to face the Sharks, just like Clermont in order to challenge the Stormers. Reigning champion of France, Montpellier will start its journey on the lawn of the London Irish.

CHAMPIONS CUP – GROUP STAGE / CALENDAR
Day 1 – December 9, 10 and 11, 2022
Racing 92 – Leinster, Bulls – Lyon, La Rochelle-Northampton Saints, Clermont – Stormers, Castres – Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester – Bordeaux-Bègles, London Irish – Montpellier

2nd day – 16, 17 and 18 December 2022
Montpellier – Ospreys, Toulouse – Sale Sharks, Lyon – Saracens, Bordeaux-Bègles – Sharks, Harlequins – Racing 92, Leicester Tigers – Clermont, Edinburgh – Castres, Ulster – La Rochelle

3rd day – 13, 14 and 15 January 2023
Sharks – Bordeaux-Bègles, Castres – Edinburgh, Clermont – Leicester Tigers, La Rochelle – Ulster, Racing 92 – Harlequins, Ospreys – Montpellier, Saracens – Lyon, Sale Sharks – Toulouse

4th day – 20, 21 and 22 January 2023
Stormers – Clermont, Montpellier – London Irish, Lyon – Bulls, Toulouse – Munster, Bordeaux-Bègles – Gloucester, Exeter Chiefs – Castres, Northampton Saints – La Rochelle, Leinster – Racing 92

Stade Français Paris will go to South Africa, not Pau

As for the Challenge Cup calendar, we will have to wait until the second day, ie December 16, 17 and 18, to see a French club make the trip to South Africa. In this case, it will be Stade Français Paris, which will go to Johannesburg to face the Lions on the lawn of Ellis Park. Pau, for his part, will face the Cheetahs… in Italy. Indeed, on its website, the EPCR announces that the South African formation will play its two home matches at the Sergio-Lanfranchi Stadium in Parma. As for the opening of the competition, the Parisians will start at home against Benetton Trévise when the Pau host the Cheetahs. Brive, for his part, will go to Arms Park to face Cardiff. Toulon, for its part, will have to go to Parma to face the Zebre there. Perpignan, maintained in the Top 14 during the Access Match, will begin its campaign at Aimé-Giral against the Bristol Bears. Back in the elite and on a European scale, Bayonne will have a lot to do with the Scarlets.

CHALLENGE CUP – GROUP STAGE / CALENDAR
Day 1 – December 9, 10 and 11, 2022
Stade Français Paris – Benetton Treviso, Zebre Parme – Toulon, Pau – Cheetahs, Perpignan – Bristol Bears, Scarlets – Bayonne, Cardiff – Brive

2nd day – 16, 17 and 18 December 2022
Lions – Stade Français Paris, Brive – Connacht, Toulon – Bath, Bayonne – Wasps, Dragons – Pau, Glasgow Warriors – Perpignan

3rd day – 13, 14 and 15 January 2023
Stade Français Paris – Lions, Pau – Dragons, Perpignan – Glasgow Warriors, Connacht – Brive, Wasps – Bayonne, Bath – Toulon

4th day – 20, 21 and 22 January 2023
Toulon – Zebre Parma, Cheetahs – Pau, Benetton Treviso – Stade Français Paris, Brive – Cardiff, Bayonne – Scarlets, Briston – Perpignan