European Rugby Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition

The aim of the Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition is to widen the footprint of club rugby across Europe and to give both emerging and established clubs in different territories the opportunity to secure two valuable places in the 2016/17 Challenge Cup.

This season's competition features clubs who have qualified from the domestic leagues of Rugby Europe member unions, Romania, Spain, Portugal, Germany and Belgium, as well three representatives from the Italian Eccellenza.

The eight participating clubs have competed in two pools with each club in Pool A playing once against each club in Pool B.

The two pool winners have then gone through to a finals stage of the Qualifying Competition where they have played off against Rugby Calvisano and against a nominated representative of the Russian Rugby Union (Enisei Rugby Club), on a home and away basis.

Following the completion of the play-offs, Enisei Rugby Club (Russia) and Timisoara Saracens (Romania) have qualified for the 2016/17 Challenge Cup.

The Qualifying Competition is organised by Rugby Europe in conjunction with EPCR and the FIR.

Pool A

Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo (Italy)
Valladolid Rugby (Spain)
Fiamme Oro Rugby Roma (Italy)
Heidelberger Ruderklub (Germany)

Pool B

Timisoara Saracens (Romania)
Mogliano Rugby (Italy)
GD Direito (Portugal)
Royal Kituro (Belgium)

Pool fixtures

Saturday 14 November

Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo 29 - 19 GD Direito, Stadio Mario Battaglini (15.00)
Referee: Craig Evans (WRU)

Royal Kituro 6 - 24 Fiamme Oro Rugby Roma, Plaine Wahis, Brussels (14.00)
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)

Saturday 21 November

Valladolid Rugby 18 - 36 Timisoara Saracens, Campos de Pepe Rojo, Valladolid (16.00)
Referee: Elia Rizzo (Italy)

GD Direito 21 - 24 Heidelberger Ruderklub, Campo de Monsanto, Lisbon (15.00)
Referee: Iñigo Atorrasagasti (Spain)

Royal Kituro v Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo, Plaine Wahis (15.00) Postponed

Fiamme Oro Rugby Roma 19 - 0 Mogliano Rugby, Caserma Stefano Gelsomini (15.00)
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)

Saturday 12 December

Saturday 19 December

Saturday 9 January 2016

GD Direito 22 - 12 Valladolid Rugby, Campo de Monsanto (15.00)

Saturday 16 January 2016

Heidelberger Ruderklub 3 - 10 Timisoara Saracens, Heidelberger RK (14.00)

Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo 32 - 13 Mogliano Rugby, Stadio Mario Battaglini (15.00)

Saturday 23 January 2016
Royal Kituro 0 - 62 Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo, Plaine Wahis, Brussels (15.00)

Rankings and play-off fixtures

1 Enisei Rugby Club
2 Rugby Calvisano
3 Timisoara Saracens
4 Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo

Saturday 9 April
(Kick-offs local times)
At Stadio Mario Battaglini: Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo 0 Enisei Rugby Club 31
At Dan Paltinisanu Stadium: Timisoara Saracens 36 Rugby Calvisano 23

Saturday 23 April
At TRUD Stadium, Krasnodar: Enisei Rugby Club 39 Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo 5 (Aggregate score: 70-5)
At Peroni Stadium: Rugby Calvisano 17 Timisoara Saracens 28 (Aggregate score: 40-64)

Enisei Rugby Club and Timisoara Saracens qualify for the 2016/17 European Rugby Challenge Cup.