The 2022/23 season was a year to forget for the Bulls. (Photo by Charles Lombard/Gallow Images)
- The 2023/24 UEFA Champions League and Challenge Cup matches are confirmed.
- The Bulls and Stormers open their Champions Cup accounts against the best English clubs.
- The Sharks, Lions and Leopards will fly the South African flag in the Second Division Challenge Cup.
The 2023/24 Pool Stage and Challenge Cup matches have been confirmed on Thursday.
In its new formats, the 2023/24 EPCR season will be played over eight weekends with four rounds of matches in the pool stage starting in December, followed by a knockout stage consisting of round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and culminating in the London Finals. At Tottenham Hotspur on May 24 and 25, 2024.
From a South African standpoint, the Bulls will open their account in the European Champions Cup against English heavyweights Saracens at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday 9 December.
The Stormers will miss English club Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on Sunday 10 December.
The Bulls will also face Lyon at Gerland Stadium (Saturday, December 16), Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate (Saturday, January 13) and Bordeaux Beagles (Loftus Versfeld, January 20).
The Stormers will face La Rochelle at Cape Town Stadium (Saturday, December 16), the Seal Sharks at Cape Town Stadium (Saturday, January 13) and Stade Français at Stade Jean Boigne (Saturday, January 20).
Champions Cup 2023/24 pools:
Group 1: Muslims, Union of Purdue Beagles, bullsBristol Bears Connect Rugby Lyon
Group 2: Stade Toulousain, Cardiff Rugby, Bath Rugby, Racing 92, Harlequins, Ulster Rugby
Group 3: Munster Rugby, Aveyron Bayonne, Glasgow Warriors, Exeter Chiefs, RC Toulon, Northampton Saints
Group 4: Stade Rochelais, Stade Francais Paris, Leicester Tigers, stormsLeinster Rugby, Sale Sharks
In the Challenge Cup of the second division, the Sharks team opened its account against the French club Pau at Kings Park on Saturday, December 9, while the Panthers were absent against the Italian team Zipre Parma on the same day.
The Lions will play their first match away from home against French club Perpignan on Sunday 10 December.