With BT Sport, SuperSport and beIN SPORTS broadcasting every match live in EPCR’s flagship tournament, the 2022/23 season which features the historic inclusion of the leading South African clubs is set to raise the bar even higher for professional club rugby following today’s (Friday, 7 October) announcement of the Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup pool stage fixture dates, kick-off times and TV coverage.

Click HERE for the 2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup pool stage fixtures

The Cell C Sharks will be the first of the South African clubs in action when Harlequins travel to Durban for a Pool A confrontation on Saturday, 10 December, and later the same day, ASM Clermont Auvergne will host the BKT United Rugby Championship winners, the DHL Stormers, at Stade Marcel-Michelin in Pool B, while the Vodacom Bulls will begin their inaugural campaign against the 2022 EPCR Challenge Cup winners, Lyon, at Loftus Versfeld in Pool A.

Another heavyweight clash is scheduled for Saturday, 10 December when three-time finalists, Racing 92, and four-time champions, Leinster Rugby, go head-to-head in Pool A on BT Sport and SuperSport at the 25,000-capacity Stade Océane in Le Havre.

Then on Sunday, 11 December, EPCR’s newest free-to-air TV partners in the UK and Ireland, ITV and RTE, will be the respective host broadcasters for the Round 1 showdowns between Saracens and Edinburgh Rugby at the StoneX Stadium, and between Munster Rugby and five-time winners, Stade Toulousain, at Thomond Park, with France Télévisions providing additional free-to-air coverage of the Munster v Stade Toulousain Pool B contest.

Viewers in Wales will be able to enjoy free-to-air transmission on S4C when the Ospreys take on last season’s Gallagher Premiership champions, Leicester Tigers, at the Swansea.com Stadium on Sunday, 11 December in a Pool B fixture which will also go out on BT Sport and SuperSport.

The journey to next May’s Heineken Champions Cup final in Dublin will kick-off on Friday, 9 December when London Irish, making a return to the top flight for the first time since 2012, are pitted against the TOP 14 holders, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, at the Gtech Community Stadium in Pool B.

The EPCR Challenge Cup also gets under way on Friday, 9 December with the 2020 winners, Bristol Bears, opening their Pool A campaign against USAP at Stade Aimé Giral, and with the 2017 winners, Stade Français Paris, taking on Benetton Rugby at Stade Jean-Bouin. Then the following day, Section Paloise host newcomers, the Toyota Cheetahs, at Stade du Hameau in the south-west of France live on SuperSport.

Click HERE for the 2022/23 EPCR Challenge Cup pool stage fixtures

Following the RFU’s decision to suspend Worcester Warriors from all competitions, EPCR is unable to include the club in the match schedule. Details of the affected Pool B matches involving Emirates Lions and Benetton Rugby are therefore yet to be confirmed.

EPCR wishes the Worcester Warriors players, staff and supporters well during what is a deeply distressing period for the club, and the tournament organiser remains in regular contact with Premiership Rugby and the RFU.

HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP
24 elite clubs (nine tournament winners with 36 EPCR titles between them)
Two pools of 12
Four pool stage rounds
Eight highest-ranked clubs from each pool qualify for the knockout stage
Ninth and 10th ranked clubs from each pool qualify for the EPCR Challenge Cup
Knockout stage: Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final

Click HERE for the Heineken Champions Cup pools

EPCR CHALLENGE CUP
Six tournament winners with 14 EPCR titles between them among competing clubs
Two pools, A and B
Four pool stage rounds
Six highest-ranked clubs from each pool qualify for the knockout stage
Knockout stage: Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final

Click HERE for the EPCR Challenge Cup pools

2022/23 key dates
Round 1 – 9/10/11 December 2022
Round 2 – 16/17/18 December 2022
Round 3 – 13/14/15 January 2023
Round 4 – 20/21/22 January 2023
Round of 16 – 31 March - 1/2 April 2023
Quarter-finals – 7/8/9 April 2023
Semi-finals – 28/29/30 April 2023
EPCR Challenge Cup final – Friday 19 May 2023; Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Heineken Champions Cup final – Saturday 20 May 2023; Aviva Stadium, Dublin