Cheetahs accept invitation to play in 2023/24 Challenge Cup | The Citizen

In a massive boost for the Currie Cup champions, the Cheetahs, they will again play in the Europe-based Challenge Cup competition after accepting an invitation from the organisers.

The other invited team to join the second tier cup competition between some of the best teams in European and South African club and provincial rugby, are Black Lion from Georgia.

Black Lion will make history as the first Georgian club to play in one of the old established Europe-based rugby competitions.

The Cheetahs, impressive in the Currie Cup this year, reached the knockout rounds of the Challenge Cup last term. They were finally eliminated by eventual champions, Toulon.

Opponents in Pool 1

The Cheetahs will face Oyonnax Rugby, Section Paloise, the Sharks and Zebre Parma in Pool 1 with Amsterdam in the Netherlands as their agreed “home” base when pitted against European opponents.

Their pool stage match against the 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.

Cheetahs Chief Executive, 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.”

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