Champions Cup
2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup pool stage fixture schedules announced

Stade Rochelais, who won a first Heineken Champions Cup in such dramatic fashion in May, will launch the defence of their title at Stade Marcel Deflandre against another former tournament winner, Northampton Saints, when the 2022/23 EPCR season kicks off on the weekend of 9/10/11 December.
The Anglo-French clash in Pool B will be one of a host of mouthwatering match-ups, which include the landmark participation of South African clubs, following today’s (Thursday, 21 July) announcement of the Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup fixture schedules.
URC winners, the Stormers, will have a first competitive outing on French soil when they take on ASM Clermont Auvergne in the Stade Marcel-Michelin cauldron, while the Pretoria-based Bulls and the Sharks from Durban will be at home against Lyon and Harlequins respectively in Round 1 on the weekend of 9/10/11 December.
Click HERE for the 2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup pool stage fixtures
Reigning Gallagher Premiership champions, Leicester Tigers, will open their campaign against the Ospreys at the Swansea.com Stadium, and last season’s TOP 14 winners, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, will also be on the road when they face London Irish, who are making a return to the top flight for the first time since 2012, at Brentford Community Stadium.
Two of the tournament’s heavyweights, Munster Rugby and Stade Toulousain, who met in a memorable quarter-final last season, will renew rivalries in Round 1 in early December at what is certain to be a packed-out Thomond Park.
At this stage, EPCR are only announcing the fixtures by round for the pool stages, with exact dates, kick-off times and TV coverage in both the Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup to be announced as soon as possible following the conclusion of negotiations with broadcasters for the new cycle across each market.
The 2020 winners, Bristol Bears, will be hoping for a repeat performance when they start their EPCR Challenge Cup Pool A campaign against USAP at Stade Aimé Giral on the weekend of 9/10/11 December, while last season’s defeated finalists, RC Toulon, travel to Zebre Parma in Round 1.
Click HERE for the 2022/23 EPCR Challenge Cup pool stage fixtures
The Lions from Johannesburg will make their debut in the tournament against Worcester Warriors at Sixways, while the Cheetahs, who will play their two ‘home’ matches in Pool B at Stadio Lanfranchi in Parma, go head-to-head with Section Paloise at Stade du Hameau in the south-west of France in Round 1.
HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP
24 elite clubs (nine tournament winners with 36 EPCR titles between them)
Two pools of 12
Four pool stage rounds
Eight highest-ranked clubs from each pool qualify for the knockout stage
Knockout stage: Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final
Ninth and 10th ranked clubs from each pool qualify for the EPCR Challenge Cup
Click HERE for the Heineken Champions Cup pools
EPCR CHALLENGE CUP
20 clubs (seven tournament winners with 14 EPCR titles between them)
Two pools of 10
Four pool stage rounds
Six highest-ranked clubs from each pool qualify for the knockout stage
Knockout stage: Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final
Click HERE for the EPCR Challenge Cup pools
2022/23 key dates
Round 1 – 9/10/11 December 2022
Round 2 – 16/17/18 December 2022
Round 3 – 13/14/15 January 2023
Round 4 – 20/21/22 January 2023
Round of 16 – 31 March – 1/2 April 2023
Quarter-finals – 7/8/9 April 2023
Semi-finals – 28/29/30 April 2023
EPCR Challenge Cup final – Friday 19 May 2023; Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Heineken Champions Cup final – Saturday 20 May 2023; Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Champions Cup
Munster Name Travelling Squad For Sharks Clash


A 28-man Munster travelling squad has been named ahead of Saturday’s Champions Cup round of 16 clash against the Sharks in Durban (12.30pm Irish time/1.30pm local).
Preparations for the game started on Monday, see today’s best training pics from Thomond Park here.
Players and management will fly out tonight and arrive in Durban tomorrow evening (Wednesday) ahead of the game.
16 forwards and 12 backs will make the trip with Munster’s 23-man matchday squad to be named at 12pm on Friday.
On the injury front, Niall Scannell (shoulder) has returned to full team training and has been selected in the travelling group.
Antoine Frisch is also included after recovering from a low-grade leg injury.
On the club front, there were seven Munster players in AIL Division 1A action at the weekend.
Daniel Hurley helped Cork Constitution to a 36-19 victory over a Shannon side that included Darragh McSweeney and Daniel Okeke.
Dan Goggin, Patrick Campbell and Shay McCarthy started for Young Munster in their win over UCD.
Tony Butler was in action for Garryowen as they were beaten by Terenure College.
Munster Travelling Squad
Forwards: Dave Kilcoyne, Josh Wycherley; Diarmuid Barron, Scott Buckley, Niall Scannell; Stephen Archer, Keynan Knox, Roman Salanoa; Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman, Fineen Wycherley; Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Donoghue, Peter O’Mahony.
Backs: Craig Casey, Conor Murray, Paddy Patterson; Joey Carbery, Jack Crowley, Ben Healy; Malakai Fekitoa, Antoine Frisch; Shane Daly, Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Simon Zebo.
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
Champions Cup
Leinster give update on Sexton injury


Leinster Head Coach Leo Cullen has issued an injury update ahead of Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup match against Ulster in Aviva Stadium.
Over 48,000 tickets have already been sold for the match. You can buy the last remaining tickets for the Round of 16 clash here.
Johnny Sexton will see a specialist on Tuesday and have a procedure on the groin injury picked up in Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations game against England which will likely keep him sidelined for the remainder of the Leinster Rugby season.
Garry Ringrose, Hugo Keenan and Caelan Doris will continue to follow the Graduated Return to Play Protocols this week.
Ed Byrne came through the game at the weekend with no issues after his return from a knee injury.
There are no further updates on:
Jamie Osborne (knee), Rónan Kelleher (shoulder), Joe McCarthy (ankle), Cormac Foley (hamstring), Martin Moloney (knee) and Charlie Ngatai (hamstring)
Images & Content from Leinster Rugby
Champions Cup
Munster confirm signing of Super Rugby centre & more contract news

Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm the signing of centre Alex Nankivell and contract extensions for tighthead prop Stephen Archer and loosehead prop Dave Kilcoyne.
Nankivell will join the province on a two-year contract at the start of the 2023/24 season, making the move from New Zealand where he plays with Super Rugby side Gallagher Chiefs.
The 26-year-old, originally from Christchurch, has been a regular in the Chiefs’ midfield since 2017, making 58 appearances to date.
An impressive 2019 campaign saw him earn selection for the Māori All Blacks against Fiji and he also lined out for the side against an Ireland XV last summer. In November 2022 he was selected for the All Blacks XV that played Ireland ‘A’ and the Barbarians.
Front row duo Stephen Archer and Dave Kilcoyne have both put pen to paper on one-year extensions.
Between them, Archer and Kilcoyne have made 468 appearances for the province.
Munster’s second most-capped player of all time, Archer has made 255 appearances for the province since making his debut in October 2009.
The 35-year-old, who has also earned two Ireland caps, is an ultra-reliable presence in the front row and is 13 appearances short of equalling Donncha O’Callaghan’s record 268 Munster appearances.
Kilcoyne is in a rich vein of form and earned his 50th Ireland cap at the weekend with 213 Munster appearances to his name.
The 34-year-old made his Munster debut against Connacht in December 2011 and has overcome a difficult time with injuries to make 13 appearances so far this season.
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
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