Clubs from four different countries will contest the first play-off round of the European Rugby Continental Shield next Saturday. The ties will be played on a home-and-away basis with the return fixtures scheduled for Saturday, 20 January, and the winners will be decided on the aggregate scores over the two legs.

Pool A winners, Timisoara Saracens, will meet Pool B runners-up, RC Batumi of Georgia, in the first of their two matches at the Rugby Arena, while Pataro Rugby Calvisano of Italy who won Pool B, will travel to take on Pool A runners-up, Heidelberger RK of Germany, at Sportzentrum Sud.
 
The two winners will then contest a second play-off round over two legs in April to determine which club will qualify for the Continental Shield final in Bilbao on 12 May and in the process, secure a coveted place in the 2018/19 Challenge Cup.
 
In recognition of their qualification for the current Challenge Cup campaign via last season’s Continental Shield, Russian clubs, Enisei-STM and Krasny Yar, will also compete against one another over two legs in the second play-off round in April to determine the second Continental Shield finalist. In addition, the qualifier for the final will book a place in the 2018/19 Challenge Cup.
 
The aim of the Continental Shield is to widen the footprint of club rugby across Europe and to give both emerging and established clubs in different territories the opportunity to qualify for the Challenge Cup.

The competition, which was won by Enisei-STM in Edinburgh last season, is organised by EPCR in conjunction with Rugby Europe and the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR).
 
Play-offs – Round 1

Saturday, 13 January
RC Batumi v Timisoara Saracens, Rugby Arena, Batumi (15.00)
Heidelberger RK v Pataro Rugby Calvisano, Sportzentrum Süd, Heidelberg (15.00)

Saturday, 20 January
Timisoara Saracens v RC Batumi, Cluj Arena, Cluj, Romania (14.00)
Pataro Rugby Calvisano v Heidelberger RK, Pata Stadium, Calvisano (15.00)

Play-offs – Round 2

First leg: 31 March / 1 April
Krasny Yar RC v Enisei STM (order to be decided by EPCR)
RC Batumi or Timisoara Saracens v Heidelberger RK or Pataro Rugby Calvisano (order to be decided by EPCR)

Second leg: Saturday, 14 April
Krasny Yar RC v Enisei STM (order to be designated by EPCR)

Second leg: 21/22 April
RC Batumi or Timisoara Saracens v Heidelberger RK or Pataro Rugby Calvisano (order to be decided by EPCR)

For more information on the Continental Shield, click here