As EPCR’s tournaments continue to gain momentum going into this season’s knockout stages, the organisers of the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup are also making significant progress off the pitch with 11 employees already contracted.

The new team, which will be based in EPCR’s historic Caves du Palais headquarters in Neuchatel, Switzerland, includes English, French, Irish, Swiss and Welsh nationals with a wide range of administrative experience in the Commercial, Communications, Events and Operations, Finance and Marketing fields.

EPCR is running the tournaments until the end of the current season with the support and expertise of ERC, and five staff members of the former organising body will be transferring to the new association.

“The tournaments have once again captured the hearts and minds of fans of European club rugby, but we need a strong team to run the operation behind the scenes,” said EPCR Director General, Jacques Pineau. “So, the fact that we now have 11 employees ready to take the tournaments forward – with additional staff still to be hired – is very good news for EPCR.”

Both the Champions Cup and Challenge  Cup have received extensive exposure this season through EPCR’s lucrative broadcast deals with BT Sport, Sky Sports beIN Sports, France Télévisions and Sky Italia.

The highly-successful Champions Cup has also reached new audiences via the global sale by IMG Media of EPCR's international TV rights to America, Canada, Asia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Latin America and Brazil among other territories.

EPCR also has partnerships with long-time European club rugby sponsor, Heineken, as well as official ball supplier, Gilbert, and official kit supplier, Canterbury. 

The Champions Cup and Challenge Cup quarter-finals on 3, 4 and 5 April next will provide another feast of top European club action with the London 2015 finals scheduled for 1 and 2 May.