The EPCR has announced the full fixtures schedule for the pool stages of the 2024/25 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup. Next season will mark the 30th year of the elite international club competitions.
The Investec Champions Cup will get underway on Friday, 6 December, as two-time winners Stade Rochelais kick off their campaign against 1998’s victors Bath Rugby at The Rec, with a 20.00 kick-off (local time) under Friday night lights.
Leinster Rugby open their bid for a fifth star at Bristol Bears on Sunday, 8 December, at 17.30 (local time) and will then host ASM Clermont Auvergne before reigniting their rivalry with Stade Rochelais at Stade Marcel Deflandre. Their final pool stage match will see them welcoming Bath Rugby to Dublin.
Munster Rugby will host Stade Francais in Thomond Park on Saturday 7th, December at 17:30 and Saracens at the same venue on Saturday 11th, January 2025. In between, they will travel to Casteres Olympique for a Friday night game on 13th December and to Northampton Saints on Saturday 18th January.
Investec Champions Cup winners Stade Toulousain will host 1999 champions Ulster Rugby as their bid for a seventh title gets underway on Sunday, 8 December, at 16.15 (local time). Ulster will then host Union Bordeaux=Begles on Saturday, 14th December, at 15:15, travel to face Leicester Tigers on Saturday, 11th January, at 20:00, and host Exeter Chiefs under Friday night lights at Kingspan Stadium on Friday, 17th January.
After Ulster, six-time winners Stade Toulousain will then travel to Exeter Chiefs for Round 2 before heading to Durban for the club’s first trip to South Africa in the Investec Champions Cup to face the Hollywoodbets Sharks. They complete the pool stage by hosting two-time winners Leicester Tigers at Stade Ernest Wallon.
Gallagher Premiership champions, also Champions Cup winners in 2000, Northampton Saints welcome Castres Olympique in the French side’s return to the Investec Champions Cup in their Round 1 opening match on Saturday, 7 December at Cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Garden kick-off at 15.15 (local time).
Meanwhile, United Rugby Championship winners Glasgow Warriors will host Sale Sharks at Scotstoun on Saturday, 7 December (20.00 kick-off local time) in Round 1 before travelling to take on triple champions RC Toulon at Stade Félix Mayol. For Rounds 3 and 4 in January, the URC champions will host Racing 92 and then head to Harlequins and the Twickenham Stoop.
In the EPCR Challenge Cup, Kingsholm Stadium hosts the first match of the season as Gloucester Rugby welcomes Edinburgh Rugby on Friday, 6 December (20.00 kick-off local time).
Connacht Rugby will host Zebre Parma on Saturday, December 7th, at 20:00 in Dexcom Stadium and Lyon Olympique Universitaire at the same time on Saturday, January 11th.
Their away games will be against USAP on Sunday, 15th December, at 13:00 and Cardiff in the Cardiff Arms Park on Friday night, 17th January.
“We are delighted to confirm the full fixture schedule for the 2024/25 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, and I’d like to extend my thanks to the clubs, leagues and broadcast partners for their collaboration,” said EPCR Chairman Dominic McKay said:
“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 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup Finals at the Principality 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.”
The fixture schedules were determined using an algorithm that considered the new, improved tournament formats, the outcome of the pool draws, league calendar restrictions, individual club calendar restrictions, and broadcast requirements.
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