“Beware of the team that comes in through the back door because that is generally the hungriest,” says Jake White as his Vodacom Bulls EPCR Challenge Cup round of 16 clash against French Top 14 outfit Aviron Bayonnais has been confirmed for Saturday, 05 April.

The South African outfit qualified for the 2024/25 Challenge Cup campaign after finishing 5th on their Pool in the Investec Champions Cup, thanks to a comprehensive 48-8 victory over Stade Français Paris. The French side finished second in their pool, two points behind Vodacom Bulls’ fellow Vodacom United Rugby Championship competitors, Edinburgh, who finished top of the table with 16 points.

The Tshwane outfit will travel up North to the Basque Country region of southwest France to tackle Bayonne at 13h30 at the Stade Jean-Dauger.

The winner between the two sides will then travel to either Edinburgh or Johannesburg on the following weekend for the quarterfinals.

White, the Vodacom Bulls director of rugby, said planning and strategising will be important considering that there is a two-week VURC tour post the two ICC weekends as the club charges for silverware.

“Priority was for us to first qualify for the knockouts of the competition, and now that we have that, we must meticulously plan and manage players for what will possibly become a four-week tour,”

“The EPCR Challenge Cup is all or nothing for us right now, and it presents us with a great opportunity to add another trophy to our club honours. Yes, it may not be ideal that we dropped out of the Champions Cup, but we are here now and have four games to prepare for to win the trophy at the end,”

“We want to stay alive in the Challenge Cup because we want to win as many trophies as we can. We have lots to play for; there are sixteen teams left, and anything is possible!” concludes an upbeat Vodacom Bulls mentor.

EPCR Challenge Cup draw (weekend of April 4-6)

R16 3: Edinburgh Rugby (3) v Emirates Lions (14) – Fri 04 April, 20h00

R16 7: Section Paloise (7) v Bath Rugby (10) – Fri 04 April, 21h00

R16 6: Aviron Bayonnais (6) v Vodacom Bulls (11) – Sat 05 April, 13h30

R16 2: Montpellier Hérault Rugby (2) v Gloucester Rugby (15) – Sat 05 April, 18h30

R16 1: Connacht Rugby (1) v Cardiff Rugby (16) – Sat 05 April, 20h00

R16 8: USAP (8) v Racing 92 (9) – Sat 05 April, 21h00

R16 4: Ospreys (4) v Scarlets (13) – Sun 06 April, 17h30

R16 5: Lyon Olympique Universitaire (5) v Hollywoodbets Sharks (12) – Sun 06 April, 18h30
NB The clubs ranked numbers 1 to 8 will have home venue advantage.

Quarter-finals – April 11-13
QF 1: winner R16 1 v winner R16 8
QF 2: winner R16 2 v winner R16 7
QF 3: winner R16 3 v winner R16 6
QF 4: winner R16 4 v winner R16 5
NB The highest-ranked clubs from the pool stage will have home venue advantage.

Semi-finals – May 2-4
SF 1: winner QF 1 v winner QF 4
SF 2: winner QF 2 v winner QF 3
NB The highest-ranked clubs from the pool stage will have home venue advantage.

2025 EPCR Challenge Cup final – Friday, 23 May; Principality Stadium, Cardiff (20.00 local time)

EPCR CHALLENGE CUP rules can be read here