The road to Bilbao - Challenge Cup 2017/18

I'm gonna guess that the 3 best runners up are coming from Pool 1, 3 and 4 - and just the winners of Pool 2 and 5 will qualify
Out pool is winnable though

If we finish as 5th seeds means an away quarter final but a guaranteed home semi final
If we finish as 4th seeds means a home quarter final but a guaranteed away semi final

The clubs ranked 1 to 4 will have home advantage for the quarter-finals as follows:

Club 1 v Club 8 (QF1)
Club 4 v Club 5 (QF2)
Club 3 v Club 6 (QF3)
Club 2 v Club 7 (QF4)

NB The format for the semi-final matches in the Challenge Cup recognises performances by clubs during the pool stages as well as the achievement of a winning a quarter-final match away from home.

The winner of QF1 will play the winner of QF2 in one semi-final, and the winner of QF3 will play the winner of QF4 in the other semi-final as follows:

Semi-final 1: winner QF1 v winner QF2
Semi-final 2: winner QF3 v winner QF4

The semi-final matches will be played at home venues, and the following clubs will have home venue advantage in their respective semi-final matches:

(a) For Semi-final 1

If the clubs ranked 1 and 4 win their QFs, the club ranked 1 will have home venue advantage

If the clubs ranked 1 and 5 win their QFs, the club ranked 5 will have home home venue advantage

If the clubs ranked 8 and 4 win their QFs, the club ranked 8 will have home venue advantage

If the clubs ranked 8 and 5 win their QFs, the club ranked 5 will have home venue advantage

(b) For Semi-final 2

If the clubs ranked 3 and 2 win their QFs, the club ranked 2 will have home venue advantage

If the clubs ranked 3 and 7 win their QFs, the club ranked 7 will have home venue advantage

If the clubs ranked 6 and 2 win their QFs, the club ranked 6 will have home venue advantage

If the clubs ranked 6 and 7 win their QFs, the club ranked 6 will have home venue advantage

Do we know when these fixtures will be announced?

Weekends for rounds 1 to 6 are:
12-15 October
19-22 October
7-10 December
14-17 December
11-14 January
18-21 January

The fixtures for last season were announced on August 19.

Holyhead to Worcester is only 3 and half hours by car so might look at a road trip for this one.

Not the most glamorous draw but I just want to see us progress and that pool is very winnable. Would be great to get a home knock out game at the Sportsground again.

Brive had one or two bad years but generally give this competition a decent go. We owe them one for the game we gifted to them in France in January 2016.

You'd imagine Worcester and Oyonnax will be too worried with their domestic situation to get too pushed about it.

Considering we were 2nd seed that's a more than acceptable draw. Cardiff got little reward for being top seed.

pinky wrote: Bookies threw up a few odds and interestingly Connacht are just about in the top 8, longer odds than Newcastle or Edinburgh, but shorter than any of the teams in the group, so the market reckons they'll top the pool, but have no chance in the knockouts (or something like that) ...

(they also have Oyonnax joint last in the reckoning for the Top14, which is no surprise, but Brive are just about above them - making them serious relegation candidates by that reckoning, which I wasn't really expecting)

If KK hits the ground running and gets the team playing the way he wants.
If we remain injury free I would not fear any team in this competition.
Connacht might be worth a small bet.

I will not get to go to both French games away.

Would the brive match be the pick of the 2 to go 2?