Battles lines drawn in Europe
The European Cup and Challenge Cup tournaments for the 2012/13 season will kick off on October 11, organisers announced on Wednesday.
The two competitions will feature 44 clubs from eight countries, with the European Cup Final to be staged for the first time at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on the weekend of May 17-19, 2013.
2012/13 European Cup and Challenge Cup dates:
Round 1: October 11-14, 2012
Round 2: October 18-21, 2012
Round 3: December 6-9, 2012
Round 4: December 13-16, 2012
Round 5: January 10-13, 2013
Round 6: January 17-20, 2013
Quarterfinals: April 4-7, 2013
Semifinals: April 26-28, 2013
Finals: May 17-19, 2013