New identity for EPCR tournament as Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition is renamed

EPCR have announced that a new identity has been created for the Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition which will now be known as the European Rugby Continental Shield.

Established in 2015 by EPCR the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) and Rugby Europe, the aim of the Continental Shield is to widen the footprint of club rugby across Europe and to give both emerging and established clubs in different territories the opportunity to secure participation in the Challenge Cup.

The line-up for the play-off stage of the Shield has been confirmed with Enisei-STM and Krasny Yar of Russia, as well as Romania's Timisoara Saracens and Mogliano Rugby from Italy, set to battle it out for those two coveted places in next season's Challenge Cup.

Krasny Yar and Mogliano have reached the play-offs as the two winners from the Continental Shield pool stage, while Enisei and Timisoara have qualified based on their performances in the Challenge Cup.
 
In the first series of play-off matches tomorrow, Mogliano will play Enisei and Krasny Yar will take on Timisoara.

The decisive games which will reveal the two qualifiers for the 2017/18 Challenge Cup are scheduled for Saturday, 22 April. Both clubs will then go forward to the Continental Shield final in Edinburgh.