Toyota Cheetahs return to 2023/24 Challenge Cup

Currie Cup champions the Toyota Cheetahs and Georgia’s Black Lion, who played in the Currie Cup First Division last year, will compete in the 2023/24 EPCR Challenge Cup after accepting invitations to compete in the competition from the organisers.

While it will be the second successive season for the Toyota Cheetahs in the Challenge Cup, where they reached the knock-out stages last season before losing to eventual winners RC Toulon, the Black Lion will make history by becoming the first Georgian club to play in one of EPCR’s main professional tournaments.

The Toyota Cheetahs will be based in Amsterdam in the Netherlands for their home matches against European opponents, and will face Oyonnax Rugby, Section Paloise, the Cell C Sharks and Zebre Parma in Pool 1. Their pool stage match against the Cell C Sharks will be played in either Bloemfontein or Durban depending on the outcome of the current fixture scheduling process.

Black Lion go into Pool 3 where they will take on two former tournament winners in Gloucester Rugby and ASM Clermont Auvergne, as well as Castres Olympique and Scarlets with their two home matches staged in Tbilisi.

Toyota Cheetahs CEO, Ross van Reenen, said: “We are pleased to have been invited to compete again in the EPCR Challenge Cup and after qualifying for the knockout stage last season, we believe we have the capacity to perform to a higher level in 2023/24. We are looking forward to making a big impression in Pool 1 of the tournament.”

EPCR Chairman, Dominic McKay, said: “The inclusion of Black Lion and the return of the Toyota Cheetahs reflect a continuing commitment to widen the scope of our tournaments and to showcase new, exciting talent for fans worldwide. The Toyota Cheetahs have already enhanced the EPCR Challenge Cup with their performance last season, and we are confident that the Georgians’ passion and physicality will further raise the intensity of the tournament.”

The two clubs were offered invitations to participate following a detailed and competitive tender process during which EPCR received interest from across Europe and beyond. EPCR will continue to engage with Rugby Europe to discuss future plans.

Full details of the fixture schedules for the 2023/24 EPCR Challenge Cup and Champions Cup will be announced as soon as possible, with the tournaments set to kick off with the first round of pool stage matches on the weekend of 8/9/10 December.

EPCR Challenge Cup Toyota Cheetahs Black Lion

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