Five South African club sides will join expanded versions of the Champions and Challenge Cups next season, it has been confirmed, in a move that changes the face of European rugby.
The four United Rugby Championship sides - Stormers, Bulls, Sharks and Lions - had been expected to appear in the competitions next season. But the new development is that the Cheetahs, who were cast aside when the Guinness PRO14 became the United Rugby Championship in 2021, have been invited to join.
After completing a full season in the URC, the Stormers, Bulls and Sharks all qualified for a place in the top-tier Champions Cup. The only Welsh team in that competition will be the Ospreys after they finished as the top team from Wales in the URC.
The Lions qualified for the Challenge Cup and the Cheetahs have been invited to join that competition, where Cardiff, Dragons and Scarlets will feature.
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EPCR say that the format and pools for next season's competitions will be published in the coming weeks.
SARU Chief Executive, Jurie Roux, said: “Our five franchise teams will now play in two new territories against opponents we’ve never played before. We’ve already experienced the intensity of the URC, and now we’ll also face the top clubs from England and France. We would like to thank all stakeholders who have been involved in the negotiation process – the Board and staff of EPCR, the URC, Premiership Rugby and the Ligue Nationale de Rugby.
“A big word of thanks also to the Cheetahs for their patience. I’m sure they can’t wait to face international opposition again, and we’re very grateful to have them included in the EPCR Challenge Cup.
“Ever since we’ve made the decision to align with the northern hemisphere, our aim was to play in the EPCR competitions. As we’ve seen during the inaugural season of the URC, the rugby is of the highest standard and our top players definitely benefited from this move."
