EPCR confirm South African teams to join Champions Cup

EPCR has confirmed the addition of South Africa's URC franchises to next season's Champions and Challenge Cup competitions.

The inclusion of the Sharks, Bulls, Stormers and Lions into next season's competitions had been expected, with the EPCR now rubber-stamping that decision.

It means the Sharks, Bulls and Stormers will all play in next season's Champions Cup, having finished in the top eight in this season's URC, while the Johannesburg-based Lions will be in the Challenge Cup, along with the Cheetahs of Bloemfontein, who have been drafted in additionally.

The full format and pool draw for next season's competitions are set to be confirmed in the next month, with the finals to be played in Dublin's Aviva Stadium on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 May next year.

Leinster, Ulster and Munster will all play in next season's Champions Cup, with La Rochelle the defending champions after their 24-21 win against Leinster in last Saturday's final, while Connacht will represent Ireland in the Challenge Cup, after their 11th place finish in the URC.

Commenting on inclusion of South Africa's five teams, EPCR Chairman Dominic McKay, said: "We are delighted to confirm that the South African clubs will be part of our expanded tournaments from the beginning of next season.

"The Stormers, Bulls, Sharks and Lions will all bring hugely exciting southern hemisphere rugby, well-known world-class players and broad new audiences into our tournaments, and we are pleased to welcome the Cheetahs into the EPCR Challenge Cup. The steps we have taken with our stakeholder leagues and with SARU ensure that we can further develop the tournaments as the pinnacle of global club rugby.

"This is a crucial step forward in bringing to life our vision of growing the