mens
challenge-cup
Toyota Cheetahs will make Ospreys’ St Helen’s their European home this season after reaching an agreement to host their EPCR Challenge Cup pool equipment in swansea.
The South African side, coached by Springboks great Francois Steyn, will face the Dragons at home on December 13 before returning to take Top 14 outfit Perpignan January 17.
Both matches will be part of a doubleheader weekend in St Helena. The Ospreys host Harlequins 24 hours before the Cheetahs meet the Dragons, Doc Valves visit Swansea the day before the Cheetahs face Perpignan.
The arrangement is the latest step in a growing relationship between the two clubs, which has already included player development opportunities. The sides will also explore the possibility of training together while the Cheetahs are in Wales.
Ospreys chief executive Richard Lancaster said the move showed what having your own venue could offer, while Cheetahs chief operating officer MJ Smith said the aim was to make St Helen’s a “home away from home”.
“The Ospreys are grateful to the WRU for allowing them to play these matches at St Helena,” Lancaster said. “We are really excited to welcome the Toyota Cheetahs to these two EPCR Challenge Cup matches.
“For us, it also shows the opportunities that St Helen’s can create. Having our own venue gives us the ability to bring additional high quality rugby and events to Swansea.”
Smith added: “We aim to make St Helen’s a home away from home for the Toyota Cheetahs and, most importantly, our overseas supporters.
“We have built some wonderful relationships within European rugby, particularly with Rugby Nederland and Zebras Parma in Italy. We now have a wonderful opportunity to work with the Ospreys in Swansea and we are very excited.”
Cheetahs director of rugby Steyn said: “It’s great that our friends in rugby, the Ospreys, have given us such a warm welcome. St Helen’s has a proud history and we look forward to playing there, experiencing the newly refurbished stadium and making it our home in Europe.”