Heineken Champions Cup Draw 2022/23

By Mark Stevens
28/6/22

Exeter Chiefs has been drawn against Castres Olympique and the Bulls in Pool A of the 2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup.

Following today’s draw at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Rob Baxter’s side now know their opposition for the four pool fixtures, which will take place home and away, during the months of December 2022 and January 2023.

Having been pitted in Tier Four, the Chiefs will now battle it out alongside 11 other teams in Pool A for the top eight spots in order to progress to the Round of 16 stage of the Heineken Champions Cup, with the final being hosted at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin on May, 20 2023.

In a landmark decision, EPCR have welcomed four United Rugby Championship sides based in South Africa, plus Toyota Free State Cheetahs, into their competitions. Stormers, Bulls and Cell C Sharks will premier in the Heineken Champions Cup, with Lions and Cheetahs making their first European berth in the Challenge Cup.

In what will be the first encounter between the sides, the Chiefs will prepare to take on United Rugby Championship runners-up the Bulls in what will be a landmark occasion for both clubs. The Bulls narrowly missed out on the title earlier this month, going down 18-13 to the Stormers, who face London Irish and Montpellier in Pool B.

Castres, meanwhile, are no strangers to the Chiefs in Europe, the two sides having met back in the 2018/19 season.

The French outfit, who were defeated in the final of the Top 14 this month by Montpellier, narrowly defeated the Chiefs on home soil 29-25, but were well beaten in the return leg at Sandy Park, 34-12.

EPCR will begin to prepare the fixture schedule, with an announcement of exact dates, venues, kick-off times and TV coverage to follow as soon as practicable.

HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP ROUNDS & DATES

Round 1 – 9/10/11 December 2022

Round 2 – 16/17/18 December 2022

Round 3 – 13/14/15 January 2023

Round 4 – 20/21/22 January 2023

Round of 16 – 31 March/ 1/2 April 2023

Quarter-Finals – 7/8/9 April 2023

Semi-Finals – 28/29/30 April 2023

Heineken Champions Cup Final – Saturday 20 May 2023 at Aviva Stadium, Dublin