The DHL Stormers will face defending champions La Rochelle and Premiership finalists Sale Sharks after being drawn in a tough pool for the 2023-24 Champions Cup.
The official pool draw for the 2023-24 Champions Cup and second-tier Challenge Cup was held at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Wednesday afternoon.
The Stormers were handed arguably the toughest assignment of all the South African teams.
Along with La Rochelle and Sale Sharks, the Stormers were also joined by Leicester Tigers, Stade Francais and Leinster in Pool 4 of the Champions Cup.
This means that the Stormers will face La Rochelle, Sale Sharks, Leicester Tigers and Stade Francais either home or away.
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La Rochelle are the defending champions, Sale were losing finalists in the English Premiership where Leicester finished third overall, and Stade Francais finished fourth in the French Top 14.
The Vodacom Bulls, meanwhile, were drawn in Pool 1 with Premiership champions Saracens, Top 14 semi-finalists Bordeaux, quarter-finalists Lyon, as well as English outfit Bristol Bears and Irish side Connacht.
As for the Challenge Cup, the Sharks were placed in Pool 1 with newly-promoted Top 14 side Oyonnax as well as French outfit Pau, Welsh side Dragons, Zebre from Italy and the first invitational side (to be revealed).
The Lions were drawn in Pool 2 with 2021-22 French champions Montpellier, English side Newcastle Falcons, Top 14 strugglers Perpignan, Italy’s Benetton and Wales’ Ospreys.
It remains to be seen whether the Cheetahs will be included as the invitational contenders.
CHAMPIONS CUP
CHALLENGE CUP
Photo: EJ Langner