Ulster Rugby vs Llanelli Scarlets

EPCR WELCOME

On the commercial front, EPCR’s tournaments have already established a solid foundation on which to build. The TV platform is providing even more exposure for the tournaments as well as increased revenues for the professional club game. All 10 Champions Cup games are now broadcast each weekend in the UK, France and Ireland by our partners, BT Sport, Sky Sports, beIN Sports and France Televisions, while Sky Italia are covering games in Italy. Fans outside of Europe also have the opportunity to enjoy the tournaments with IMG distributing the rights through a network of partners in established and emerging rugby markets. Our thanks to Heineken, a long-standing supporter of European club rugby, who are a founding partner of the new tournaments, and also to GILBERT, our official ball supplier, and to Canterbury who provide apparel for match officials. This season, as we celebrate 20 years of European club rugby, we hope fans from across Europe will engage with the EPCRugby.com digital platforms which include YouTube and Google+ as new tournament digital partners. Finally, I would like to wish this evening’s teams every success for these vital back-to-back fixtures and for the remainder of the season which will culminate in the London 2015 finals weekend next May. Jacques Pineau // EPCR Director General

Following an exciting opening to the inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup and the European Rugby Challenge Cup, the pool stages of both tournaments are set to gain further momentum with the key Round 3 and 4 back-to-back fixtures. On behalf of tournament organiser, EPCR, I am delighted to welcome you to this evening’s match and I would like to thank all clubs, coaches, players and supporters who have embraced the new competitions. Together, we can look forward with confidence to a bright future for European professional club rugby and I particularly want to acknowledge the commitment of fans across Europe - your continued support is greatly appreciated. The new Champions Cup and Challenge Cup tournaments are built on the rich heritage of 19 years of outstanding competition generated by the Heineken Cup and the old Challenge Cup. The enhanced and streamlined formats mean that the clubs in both tournaments qualify for the first time solely on merit from their respective domestic leagues - the Aviva Premiership, the Top 14 and the Guinness PRO12 - or through a play-off series. With 20 clubs competing in five pools, the Champions Cup is truly elite and the back-to- back fixtures promise to deliver a unique cutting edge to the pool stage, while the Challenge Cup, with 18 clubs qualifying directly from Europe’s three main leagues, is now more competitive than ever. The Challenge Cup will also provide opportunities for emerging clubs to compete alongside some of Europe’s best through a play-off series which will expand in the seasons ahead.