Newcastle Falcons will open their 2016/17 European Rugby Challenge Cup campaign away to Ospreys on Friday October 14th, as tournament organiser EPCR confirm the first four rounds of pool matches.
Kicking off at 19:05 at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, it is followed a week later by the first home match in the pool, as Grenoble head to Kingston Park on Sunday 23rd October for a 15:00 kick off.
The traditional December back to back matches will see Lyon provide the opposition on consecutive weekends, with a trip to the Mamut Stadium in France on Friday 9th December for a 19:30 kick off followed by the return leg at Kingston Park.
This 15:00 kick off will be played on Sunday 18th December, providing a final opportunity to enjoy an afternoon of rugby before Christmas.
While exact dates and times for the matches in rounds five and six of the pool stages will be confirmed in mid December, the Falcons will be away to Grenoble on the weekend of 12/13/14/15 of January, before completing the pool at home to the Ospreys over the weekend of 19/20/21/22 January.
Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards said: We always enjoy the European Challenge Cup and the exposure it offers our players.
“Playing in France is never easy and we will have two testing fixtures at Lyon and Grenoble, the latter of which I spent some time just over a decade ago. It is a great part of the world and our supporters will enjoy that trip, and in Ospreys and Lyon we also know we will face quality opposition.”