European Challenge Cup Action Set to Kick-off European Weekends

Two European Challenge Cup games will be broadcast live in each Round with Tana Umaga's Toulon - who have signed international back row forwards Jerry Collins (New Zealand) and Johann van Niekerk (South Africa) - and 2000 Heineken Cup winners Northampton Saints kicking-off the new season on Thursday, 9 October, with their Pool 2 contest screened on FR4 and Sky Sports.

And on the Friday night Montpellier, who now includ former All Blacks scrum half Justin Marshall, who has joined Montpellier from the Ospreys, will play in the other televised Pool 2 game when the French club take on Bristol Rugby live on Eurosport France with the TV cameras at Brive and Northampton Saints in Round 2.

The fixtures, dates, kick-off times and television coverage were released today Monday, 28 July by ERC, the tournament organizers.

Due to venue and potential weather restrictions in Romania - and following consultation with the clubs involved - Bucuresti Oaks will play their three home fixtures at the earliest possible dates to avoid the challenge of a Romania winter.


THE POOLS

POOL 1: London Irish, Connacht Rugby, Dax, Rugby Rovigo
POOL 2: Northampton Saints, Bristol Rugby, Montpellier, Toulon
POOL 3: Bourgoin, Worcester Warriors, Petrarca Rugby, Bucuresti Oaks
POOL 4: Newcastle Falcons, Brive, Overmach Rugby Parma, Cetransa El Salvador
POOL 5: Saracens, Viadana, Bayonne, Stade Montois


THE FIXTURES
(All kick-offs LOCAL times)

ROUND 1

THURSDAY 9 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 2 Toulon v Northampton Saints 20.45 FR4 / Sky Sports

FRIDAY 10 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 1 Dax v Connacht Rugby 19.00
Pool 2 Montpellier v Bristol Rugby 19.00 Eurosport France/ Sky Sports
Pool 5 Bayonne v Viadana 19.30

SATURDAY 11 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 1 London Irish v Rugby Rovigo 15.00
Pool 3 Petrarca Rugby v Worcester Warriors 15.00
Pool 4 Newcastle Falcons v El Salvador 18.30

SUNDAY 12 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 3 Bucuresti Oaks v Bourgoin 16.30
Pool 4 Overmach Parma v Brive 14.30
Pool 5 Saracens v Stade Montois 15.00

ROUND 2

THURSDAY 16 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 4 Brive v Newcastle Falcons 20.45 Eurosport France / Sky Sports

FRIDAY 17 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 1 Connacht Rugby v London Irish TBC
Pool 2 Bristol Rugby v Toulon 19.45
Pool 3 Bourgoin v Petrarca Rugby 20.30
Pool 5 Stade Montois v Bayonne 19.00

SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 1 Rugby Rovigo v Dax 15.00
Pool 2 Northampton Saints v Montpellier 19.45 Sky Sports/ France 4
Pool 5 Viadana v Saracens 19.00

SUNDAY 19 OCTOBER, 2008
Pool 3 Bucuresti Oaks v Worcester Warriors 16.30
Pool 4 El Salvador v Overmach Parma 12.30

ROUND 3

THURSDAY 6 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 2 Montpellier v Toulon 20.45 FR4

FRIDAY 5 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 1 Dax v London Irish 19.00
Pool 3 Bourgoin v Worcester Warriors 20.30
Pool 4 Brive v El Salvador 19.30

SATURDAY 6 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 1 Rugby Rovigo v Connacht Rugby 15.00
Pool 2 Northampton Saints v Bristol Rugby 15.00
Pool 4 Overmach Parma v Newcastle Falcons 14.30
Pool 5 Stade Montois v Viadana 15.30
Pool 5 Bayonne v Saracens 20.45 Eurosport France / Sky Sports

SUNDAY 7 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 3 Bucuresti Oaks v Petrarca Rugby 16.30

ROUND 4

THURSDAY 11 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 1 London Irish v Dax 19.45 Sky Sports/ France 4

FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 1 Connacht Rugby v Rugby Rovigo 18.30

SATURDAY 13 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 2 Toulon v Montpellier 20.45 Eurosport France
Pool 3 Petrarca Rugby v Bucuresti Oaks 15.00
Pool 3 Worcester Warriors v Bourgoin 15.00
Pool 5 Viadana v Stade Montois 19.00

SUNDAY 14 DECEMBER, 2008
Pool 2 Bristol Rugby v Northampton Saints 15.00
Pool 4 Newcastle Falcons v Overmach Parma 15.00
Pool 4 El Salvador v Brive 12.30
Pool 5 Saracens v Bayonne 15.00

ROUND 5
16 / 17 / 18 JANUARY, 2009
Pool 1 Dax v Rugby Rovigo
Pool 1 London Irish v Connacht Rugby
Pool 2 Montpellier v Northampton Saints
Pool 2 Toulon v Bristol Rugby
Pool 3 Petrarca Rugby v Bourgoin
Pool 3 Worcester Warriors v Bucuresti Oaks
Pool 4 Newcastle Falcons v Brive
Pool 4 Overmach Parma v El Salvador
Pool 5 Bayonne v Stade Montois
Pool 5 Saracens v Viadana

ROUND 6
23 / 24 / 25 JANUARY, 2009
Pool 1 Rugby Rovigo v London Irish
Pool 1 Connacht Rugby v Dax
Pool 2 Northampton Saints v Toulon
Pool 2 Bristol Rugby v Montpellier
Pool 3 Bourgoin v Bucuresti Oaks
Pool 3 Worcester Warriors v Petrarca Rugby
Pool 4 Brive v Overmach Parma
Pool 4 El Salvador v Newcastle Falcons
Pool 5 Stade Montois v Saracens
Pool 5 Viadana v Bayonne


QUARTER-FINALS - 10 / 11 / 12 APRIL, 2009

SEMI-FINALS - 1 / 2 / 3 MAY, 2009

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP FINAL 22 / 23 / 24 MAY, 2009