The final details of the 2022 Heinken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup competitions have been confirmed.
Next season’s Champions Cup is set to be made up of eight teams from the URC (United Rugby Championship) alongside eight from the each of the Gallagher Premiership and TOP 14.
Among the 24 for the first time will be the Stormers, Bulls and Sharks as the leading South African clubs enter the tournament.
Two pools of 12 will be formed with eight weekends of games. The eight highest-ranked clubs from each pool head to the knockouts with Dublin’s Aviva Stadium hosting the final on 20 May 2023.
A draw for the pool stages will be held on Tuesday 28 June in Dublin.
EPCR Challenge Cup
20 clubs will contest next seasn’s EPCR Challenge Cup, again with eight sides from the URC including South Africa’s Lions and Cheetahs, six from the TOP 14 and five from the Premiership.
Again, the Aviva Stadium will host the final on 19 May 2023.
2022/23 HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP QUALIFIER
- TOP 14: Castres Olympique, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Union Bordeaux-Bègles, Stade Toulousain, 5 Stade Rochelais, 6 Racing 92, 7 ASM Clermont Auvergne, 8 Lyon
- Gallagher Premiership: Leicester Tigers, Saracens, 3 Harlequins, 4 Northampton Saints, 5 Gloucester Rugby, 6 Sale Sharks, 7 Exeter Chiefs, 8 London Irish
- United Rugby Championship: Stormers, Bulls, 3 Leinster Rugby, 4 Ulster Rugby, 5 Sharks, 6 Munster Rugby, 7 Edinburgh Rugby, 8 Ospreys
2022/23 EPCR CHALLENGE CUP QUALIFIERS
- United Rugby Championship: 1 Glasgow Warriors, 2 Scarlets, 3 Connacht Rugby, 4 Lions, 5 Benetton Rugby, 6 Cardiff Rugby, 7 Dragons, 8 Zebre Parma
- TOP 14: 1 RC Toulon, 2 Section Paloise, 3 Stade Français Paris, 4 CA Brive, 5 Aviron Bayonnais, 6 USAP
- Gallagher Premiership: 1 Wasps, 2 Bristol Bears, 3 Worcester Warriors, 4 Newcastle Falcons, 5 Bath Rugby
- Invited: Cheetahs
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
