Posted on Wednesday, 26 Nov 2025
|
| Georgia’s Nika Amashukeli returns to EPCR duty where he left off - after refereeing the 2025 Investec Champions Cup Final, he will take charge of the opening match of the 2025/26 season on Friday, 5 December, when Aviron Bayonnais host the DHL Stormers at Stade Jean-Dauger. Kicking off simultaneously, Sale Sharks welcome Glasgow Warriors to the CorpAcq Stadium, with Pierre Brousset of France appointed as referee. On Saturday, 6 December, six hotly anticipated Investec Champions Cup fixtures headline the schedule. Scotland’s Hollie Davidson - who officiated last season’s EPCR Challenge Cup Final and last weekend became the first woman to referee an All Blacks Test - will oversee the day’s opening clash between Saracens and ASM Clermont Auvergne at StoneX Stadium. Later that day, Karl Dickson (England) will be in the middle as reigning champions Union Bordeaux Bègles begin their bid for a second star in South Africa against the Vodacom Bulls. France’s Jeremy Rozier will referee the Saturday night meeting between 2025 EPCR Challenge Cup winners Bath Rugby and Munster Rugby at The Recreation Ground. Sunday’s Investec Champions Cup action begins at Stade du Hameau, where last season’s runners-up Northampton Saints travel to face Section Paloise, with Italia’s Andrea Piardi appointed as referee. The EPCR Challenge Cup also kicks off on Friday, 5 December, with Ulster Rugby hosting Racing 92 at Affidea Stadium under the officiating of Ben Breakspear of Wales. On Saturday, Ben Connor (Wales) will make his EPCR referee debut, overseeing US Montauban’s return to EPCR competition for the first time in 15 years as they open their campaign away to Zebre Parma. Morne Ferreira of South Africa has been appointed referee for the showdown between 2025 EPCR Challenge Cup runners-up Lyon Olympique Universitaire and Newcastle Red Bulls at Matmut Stadium de Gerland. Ferreira will then make his Investec Champions Cup refereeing debut in Round 2 in charge of the Union Bordeaux Bègles v Scarlets match on Saturday 13 December. EPCR Chairman Dominic McKay said: “I would like to thank all our match officials for their professionalism and commitment to delivering the very best matches. I would also like to thank Tony Spreadbury and the wider selector’s team for the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to put in place a line-up of match officials of world-class quality.” With just over one week until the first matches of the EPCR season kick off, the world's best clubs are prepared for battle, as they take the first steps on the road to the Finals Weekend at Bilbao’s iconic San Mamés Stadium, on 22 and 23 May 2026. Full information is available HERE. ClickHERE for the full list of Investec Champions Cup fixtures. Click HERE for the full list of EPCR Challenge Cup fixtures. Click HERE for full details of Where to Watch every match live. |
| NOTES TO EDITORS About EPCR European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) is the organiser of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup. EPCR’s mission is to create outstanding rugby experiences for all key stakeholders, including leagues, clubs, players, match officials, unions, fans, broadcast and commercial partners, communities and the media. The Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup feature clubs from the Gallagher Premiership, TOP 14 and United Rugby Championship. 42 clubs from three leagues and eight unions compete each season to win club rugby's most elite titles. Broadcast to over 100 territories around the world, last season EPCR's tournaments welcomed 1.5 million fans into stadia and achieved a broadcast audience of over 70 million viewers. The EPCR Finals Weekend is a destination rugby weekend held in a different city every year. On 22 and 23 May 2026, the vibrant Basque city of Bilbao will welcome the EPCR Challenge Cup Final and Investec Champions Cup Final to the stunning San Mamés Stadium Established in 2014 with headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, EPCR has the following members: Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR), Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR), Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR), Premier Rugby Ltd (PRL), PRO Rugby Championship DAC (URC), Rugby Football Union (RFU), Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) and Welsh Rugby Union (WRU). The Board of EPCR has the following members: Dominic McKay (Chairman), Jacques Raynaud (EPCR CEO), Martin Anayi (URC), Emmanuel Eschalier (LNR), Simon Massie-Taylor (PRL), Mark McCafferty (independent director), Arnaud Nourry (independent director), Jérémie Lecha (FFR) and Kevin Potts (IRFU). EPCR’s revenues are distributed on the basis of an equal three-way division to Premiership Rugby clubs, URC clubs and LNR clubs. EPCR’s tournaments are run according to World Rugby’s Laws of the Game, and to World Rugby Regulations. LinkedIn page: www.linkedin.com/company/epcrugby EPCR contact: communications@epcrugby.com |
Pool 3 |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | Team | P | W | PTS | ||
| 1 |  Toyota Cheetahs |
0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2 |  Cardiff Rugby |
0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 3 |  Stade Francais Paris |
0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 4 |  Exeter Chiefs |
0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 5 |  Racing 92 |
0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 6 |  Ulster Rugby |
0 | 0 | 0 | ||
