The Cheetahs, along with Georgia’s Black Lion, were invited to compete in the Challenge Cup for a fifth successive season. As has become customary, the Free Staters will once again play their designated “home” fixtures in Europe, with Amsterdam in the Netherlands expected to serve as their base.

Wednesday’s draw saw the Cheetahs become the first team selected and placed into Pool 1. Black Lion were initially drawn into the same pool, but competition regulations prevented the two invited teams from competing in the same group, resulting in the Georgians being moved to Pool 3.

Ulster have once again landed in the same pool as the Cheetahs, although there is no guarantee the two sides will meet once the fixtures are confirmed. Each team plays four of the five other sides in their pool, with two matches at “home” and two away.

There will be a sense of unfinished business if the Cheetahs do end up facing the Northern Irish province. Earlier this year, their scheduled match in the Netherlands was abandoned because of severe weather. Despite efforts to find an alternative venue, the fixture could not be played and Ulster were awarded the points, a decision that ultimately ended the Cheetahs’ hopes of reaching the knockout stages.

Joining the Cheetahs in Pool 1 are French clubs Perpignan and Bayonne, Welsh side Dragons RFC and Italy’s Zebre.

In 2023 the Cheetahs beat the Springbok-laden Sharks in the EPCR Challenge Cup - Morgan Piek

Zebre have become familiar opposition for the Cheetahs over the past four Challenge Cup campaigns, while the Free Staters famously fought back to earn a thrilling 20-20 draw against Perpignan in Amsterdam during the 2024 tournament.

Although the Cheetahs regularly crossed paths with Dragons during their days in the Guinness PRO14, this will mark the first time the two teams meet in the Challenge Cup. The Bloemfontein side faced Cardiff in last season’s competition and have also previously come up against the Scarlets.

Bayonne, meanwhile, present a fresh challenge, with the two clubs set to meet competitively for the first time. While several current Cheetahs players have enjoyed spells in French rugby, the teams themselves have never faced one another.

South Africa’s other representative, the Sharks, were drawn in Pool 2 alongside Newcastle Red Bulls of England, French clubs Lyon and Castres, Wales’ Scarlets and Italy’s Benetton.

The opening round of the competition will take place from 16 to 18 October, followed by the second round from 11 to 13 December.

The tournament resumes in the new year with Round 3 from 8 to 10 January before the final pool matches are played from 15 to 17 January, when the race for the knockout stages reaches its climax.

Pool 1 - Cheetahs, Ulster, Perpignan, Dragons, Bayonne, Zebre
Pool 2 - Benetton, Lyon, Newcastle Red Bulls, Sharks, Castres, Scarlets
Pool 3 - Ospreys, Edinburgh, Black Lion, Harlequins, Toulon, Vannes

Morgan Piek OFM Sport