Euro gears up for cup draw

The draws are happening in Neuchâtel, Switzerland on June 29.

Seven PRO12 clubs – champions Connacht, runners-up Leinster, Glasgow Warriors, Ulster, Scarlets, Munster and Zebre – qualified for the European Rugby Champions Cup and will discover their pool stage opponents at the draw.

The Challenge Cup pool draw, which includes Cardiff Blues, Ospreys, Edinburgh Rugby, Newport Gwent Dragons and Benetton Treviso, will take place first, starting at 13.00 with the Champions Cup draw following approximately 20 minutes later.

The European Champions Cup and the European Challenge Cup will both feature 20 teams which will be split in five pools each with four teams.

Each pool in both competitions will have at least one club from the PRO12, Premiership and the TOP14 and one club from each of the four tiers.

There will be no more than two clubs from the same league in a pool and no pool will contain two PRO12 clubs from the same country.

The first round of European rugby fixtures will take place in the second weekend of October followed by round two a week later.

Round three will take place the second weekend of on December, with round four the following week before the final group games in January 2017.

Both the Challenge Cup and the Champions Cup finals will be played at BT Murrayfield Stadium on Friday May 12 and Saturday 13 May respectively.

Martin Anayi, Managing Director of PRO12, said: "It is exciting to see where our PRO12 clubs are placed in these two prestigious European tournaments which are extremely important to all Northern Hemisphere clubs.

"Every club and their players will be determined to perform well in Europe as they are great fixtures for the club's supporters.

"A good run in a European competition can have a huge impact on the fortunes of a Guinness PRO12 club and there are always a few surprises along the way as well," he added.

Pro12rugby.com