complicated draw for Clermont and Lyon, with shocks against South African teams, La Rochelle is doing well

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It was the big question, Tuesday, June 28, in Dublin (Ireland): who was going to inherit the South African teams, newcomers to the European Cup this season? Beyond the etymological incongruity posed by the definitions of Europe and South Africa, some players or coaches wonder about a loss of identity of the competition and the physical fatigue caused by these trips.

But the reality on the ground is there and the best teams in the northern hemisphere will be able to calibrate themselves against the South African behemoths. Carried out at the Aviva Stadium, venue for the Challenge Cup and Champions Cup finals, on May 19 and 20, 2023, the draw was carried out with the assistance of Benjamin Kayser. The former French international did not have a soft hand with the French teams.

Clermont is perhaps the worst off on paper. ASM will have to face the always formidable Leicester Tigers, but also and above all the Cape Stormers, a priori the strongest of the South African teams involved.

Finalists of the United Rugby Championship against the Stormers, the Bulls of Pretoria will challenge the LOU, very recent winners of the Challenge Cup. The Lyonnais will not have this only obstacle to overcome since they will also have to rub shoulders with the Saracens. The triple winners (in 2016, 2017 and 2019) of the Champions Cup have returned from purgatory after a big money scandal.

The last French team to test the newcomers from South Africa, Union Bègles-Bordeaux find themselves in the same hat as the Durban Sharks. They will also face England’s Gloucester.

Holders of the title after their feat against Leinster in the Champions Cup final in Marseille, Stade Rochelais was somewhat spared, with a first double confrontation against the Irish of Ulster and the English of Northampton Saints. With Exeter and Edinburgh as rivals, the Olympic Castres will have to be serious against the 2020 European champion and the Scots in constant progress. The same goes for Racing 92, against Harlequins but especially Leinster.

Montpellier, freshly champion of France, will have to do battle with the London Irish and the Welsh Ospreys. Stade Toulousain, if it avoids trips to the southern tip of the African continent, will not have the easy part against Sale and Munster.

These formations are divided into two groups of 12, of which the eight best will be qualified for the round of 16. Each team plays four games against two opponents from another league.

In the Challenge Cup, the format has been changed, with now 20 teams (instead of 15) divided into two pools of 10. The six best from each pool will advance to the round of 16 with four “drafted” from the Champions Cup. One of the great curiosities will be the opposition between the French Stadium and the Johannesburg Lions. The Parisians will also face Treviso. In this same Pool B, the Pau Section will face the Newport Dragons and the other South African team in the competition, the Bloemfontein Cheetahs.

RC Toulon, unfortunate finalists this season against Lyon, will play against Bath and Parma, while Perpignan will face Glasgow and Bristol. Finally, CA Brive was placed against Connacht and Cardiff.


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