Cardiff Rugby director of rugby Dai Young will be reunited with an old teammate when his side take on CA Brive in next season’s EPCR Challenge Cup pool stage.

The United Rugby Championship (URC) side have been drawn against the TOP 14 outfit, as well as Gallagher Premiership club Newcastle Falcons, in Pool A.

Although Young has never had first-hand experience of Brive, he recalled that Cardiff have faced the French side in Europe before – most notably when they were defeated 26-13 in the 1997 Heineken Cup semi-finals.

He also noted that he would be linking up again with Brive head coach Jeremy Davidson, a former Ulster Rugby, London Irish and Castres Olympique lock, with whom he played for the British & Irish Lions that same year.

“Brive are a team I have never played or coached against,” Young told Cardiff’s website. “The club played them when I was here, but I wasn’t involved.

“On a personal level, it will be a nice one, as I am good friends with Jeremy Davidson and we recently spent two days in each other’s company at a 1997 Lions reunion. It was good to catch up and talk a bit about coaching as well.

“Traditionally, they are a big club and there’s some history with Cardiff. They won the last game of the season away from home to stay in the TOP 14 and I know they are looking to strengthen.

“They typically have a big pack, are physical and have some big ball-carriers.”

On Gallagher Premiership side Falcons, Young added: “I have always enjoyed Newcastle. They have a decent crowd, a good atmosphere and club.

“It is always a difficult place to go and they are a difficult team to beat, but we can have a bit of confidence that if we play to our best, we can win.

“They play a good style and have changed their set-up with Dave Walder taking the reins from Dean Richards.”