Zebre Rugby, here are the Challenge Cup opponents

Zebre’s opponents unveiled

The rounds and pairings of the EPCR Challenge Cup, the European cup kicking off in the first weekend of December, have been finalized.

The Zebre, in their eighth year of participation in the competition, have been placed in Group A of the tournament in the company of three other United Rugby Championship teams (Glasgow Warriors, Connacht and Cardiff Rugby), three rivals from France’s top TOP14 league (Toulon, Brive and Perpignan) and as many clubs from the English Premiership (Bristol Bears, Newcastle Falcons and Bath).

Two groups of 10 teams; each formation has been assigned to one of three different tiers (“tier”) based on their respective standings at the end of the 2021/22 season.

Sisi and his teammates, ranked in “tier 3,” will take on two first-tier opponents: these are England’s Bristol Bears and Sergio Parisse’s Toulon for a total of four matches in the group stage, two at home at Parma’s Stadio Lanfranchi and two away.

At the end of January, at the end of the preliminary phase, the highest scoring clubs in each group will qualify for the Challenge Cup round of 16 along with the four relegated teams from the Champions Cup.