ERC, the organisers of the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup, today (Wednesday, 23 April) announced the dates for next seasons' tournaments with the big European kick-off reverting to October following the later start this season for the Rugby World Cup year.
The Heineken Cup semi-finals at Twickenham Stadium and the Ricoh Arena are just a few days away with the Cardiff 2008 Heineken Cup final and climax of the 13th season of Europe's premier club rugby tournament being staged at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, 24 May (5.00pm).
And while the three biggest games of this season's tournament have still to be played, the 14th season of the Heineken Cup will kick-off on the second week of October - with the Pool stages again played over three weekend blocks of two Rounds of matches each.
ERC, the organisers of the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup, today (Wednesday, 23 April) announced the dates for next seasons' tournaments with the big European kick-off reverting to October following the later start this season for the Rugby World Cup year.
The second block of Pool matches will be played in early December following the autumn international matches and the final block in January.
There will be three week intervals between the quarter-finals in April and the semi-finals in May and between the semi-finals and finals on the weekend of 22 / 23 / 24 May, 2009.
The 2008 / 2009 Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup weekends:
2008
ROUND 1 - 10 / 11 / 12 October
ROUND 2 - 17 / 18 / 19 October
ROUND 3 - 5 / 6 / 7 December
ROUND 4 - 12 / 13 / 14 December
2009
ROUND 5 - 16 / 17 / 18 January
ROUND 6 - 23 / 24 / 25 January
QUARTER-FINALS - 10 / 11 / 12 April
SEMI-FINALS - 1 / 2 / 3 May
FINALS - 22 / 23 / 24 May
