Cardiff Rugby have been drawn in a mouthwatering Investec Champions Cup pool featuring Bath, Northampton Saints, Montpellier, Stade Francais, and the Bulls. The Welsh club, Wales' sole representative in next season's top-tier European competition, will play two home games and two away fixtures, with exact dates to be confirmed.
Champions Cup Pool Details
Corniel van Zyl's side will begin their campaign on the weekend of October 16-18, followed by rounds on December 11-13, January 8-10, and January 15-17. The top three teams from each of the four pools automatically advance to the round of 16, with the next four best-performing teams across the competition filling the remaining spots.
Cardiff are expected to draw bumper crowds to the Arms Park, particularly with English champions Northampton Saints and Bath in their pool. The inclusion of Montpellier and Stade Francais adds further intrigue to a competitive group.
Challenge Cup Draw for Welsh Regions
In the Challenge Cup, the Scarlets have been placed in a pool alongside Wayne Pivac's Benetton, Newcastle Red Bulls, Hollywoodbets Sharks, Lyon, and Castres. The Ospreys are in Pool three with Edinburgh, Black Lion, Harlequins, Toulon, and Vannes. Meanwhile, Filo Tiatia's Dragons have been drawn against the Cheetahs, Ulster, Perpignan, Bayonne, and Zebre Parma.
Last season, the Dragons were Wales' standout performers in the Challenge Cup, defeating Stade Francais in Paris during the round of 16 before narrowly losing to Montpellier in the semi-finals. All four Welsh regions will be aiming to progress deep into the competition.
