EPCR confirmed the dates, venues, kick-off times and TV coverage of the Challenge Cup Round of 16 fixtures on Wednesday.
The road to the 2025 Cardiff Finals at the Principality Stadium on 23 May will begin to take shape as the knockout stage kicks off in early April. The remaining clubs vying for silverware – including the Hollywoodbets Sharks, Vodacom Bulls, Bath Rugby, and Racing 92, all of whom have qualified from the Investec Champions Cup – collectively boast 11 EPCR titles, with seven of the teams having previously won the tournament.
Edinburgh and the Emirates Lions will get the weekend’s action underway on Friday 4 April at Hive Stadium in the Scottish capital. Edinburgh booked their place in the knockouts by finishing top of a tightly contested Pool 3, while the Emirates Lions placed fourth in Pool 2, with an equal number of wins and losses.
The last encounter between the two sides was in the Vodacom URC in October, when the Emirates Lions triumphed 55-21, and Edinburgh will be eager to set the record straight on home soil.
Super Saturday will get underway as Aviron Bayonnais host the Vodacom Bulls at Stade Jean-Dauger. The home team finished second in their Pool, winning three of their four matches, while the South African team qualified from the Investec Champions Cup. Now, the men from Pretoria will be eager to secure their return to the competition next season by going all the way in the EPCR Challenge Cup.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks, winners of the Challenge Cup last season, head to Lyon Olympique Universitaire’s home ground, the Matmut Stadium de Gerland. The South Africans will no doubt be looking to replicate last season’s success, spurred on by their relegation from the Investec Champions Cup. However, they can expect a tough fight from the home team, who qualified second in their Pool and will be looking to reclaim the EPCR Challenge Cup title they won in 2022.
EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 fixtures (pool stage rankings in brackets / all kick-offs local times)
Friday 4 April
20h00: Edinburgh (3) v Emirates Lions (14), Hive Stadium
21h00: Section Paloise (7) v Bath (10), Stade du Hameau
Saturday 5 April
13h30: Aviron Bayonnais (6) v Vodacom Bulls (11), Stade Jean-Dauger
18h30: Montpellier Hérault (2) v Gloucester (15), GGL Stadium
20h00: Connacht (1) v Cardiff (16), Dexcom Stadium
21h00: USAP (8) v Racing 92 (9), Stade Aimé Giral
Sunday 6 April
17h30: Ospreys (4) v Scarlets (13), Swansea.com Stadium
18h30: Lyon Olympique Universitaire (5) v Hollywoodbets Sharks (12), Matmut Stadium de Gerland
