With the Ospreys now confirmed for the 2018/19 European Rugby Challenge Cup, we take a look at the line-up for the competition ahead of the pool draw on Wednesday 20th June.
20 clubs will participate in the Challenge Cup, across five pools of four teams.
There are 18 clubs from the Aviva Premiership, Guinness PRO14 and Top14, as follows:
AVIVA PREMIERSHIP - Sale Sharks, Harlequins, Northampton Saints, Worcester Warriors, Bristol Bears
GUINNESS PRO14 - Ospreys, Benetton Rugby, Connacht, Zebre, Dragons
TOP 14 - La Rochelle, Pau, Clermont Auvergne, Bordeaux-Bègles, Agen, Stade Francais, Perpignan, Grenoble
In addition, two qualifiers from the European Rugby Continental Shield will participate:
Enisey-STM (Russia) and Heidelberger RK (Germany).
Tickets for the 2019 European finals weekend in Newcastle are now on public sale. The famed 52,000-capacity St James' Park will be the centrepiece of Europe's festival of world-class club rugby on 10/11 May 2019, with Kingston Park staging the Continental Shield final.
To purchase your tickets click here.
EPCR can also confirm its key dates for the 2018/19 season with the Champions Cup, Challenge Cup and Continental Shield kicking off with two rounds in October, followed by Rounds 3 and 4 in December, and as is customary, the pool stages will reach their conclusion in the new year with Rounds 5 and 6 in January 2019.
The quarter-final matches will be played at the end of March 2019 with the semi-finals scheduled for 19/20/21 April in advance of the showpiece weekend in Newcastle.
Meanwhile, the Pool Draws for next season's Champions Cup and Challenge Cup will take place at the IOC Olympic Museum in Lausanne on Wednesday, 20 June with the exact fixture dates set to be announced in August.
Pool Draws for 2018/19 season
Wednesday, 20 June - IOC Olympic Museum, Lausanne
EPCR weekends for 2018/19 season
Round 1: 12/13/14 October
Round 2: 19/20/21 October
Round 3: 7/8/9 December
Round 4: 14/15/16 December
Round 5: 11/12/13 January 2019
Round 6: 18/19/20 January 2019
Quarter-finals: 29/30/31 March 2019
Semi-finals: 19/20/21 April 2019
Newcastle 2019 Finals
Challenge Cup final: Friday 10 May, St James' Park
Continental Shield final: TBC, Kingston Park
Champions Cup final: Saturday 11 May, St James' Park
EPCR Chief Executive, Vincent Gaillard, said: "Taking the finals weekend to new and exciting venues has been a huge hit with our fans, and the city-centre experience of Newcastle provides another destination weekend that will be a perfect backdrop for some more top-class rugby. After the overwhelming success of the matches in Bilbao, we're looking forward once again to welcoming fans of our sport from all over the world."
Newcastle 2019 Event Director, Mick Hogan, said: "We're very excited to be hosting the 2019 finals and with the city's excellent reputation from the success of hosting Rugby World Cup and Aviva Premiership matches at the stadium, we're looking forward to an incredible weekend next May.
"Everyone involved in organising Newcastle 2019 cannot wait to host supporters from across the continent and we hope they are looking forward to joining us for the games."
Ticket prices - Champions Cup final
Premium: £120 (Under 16s: £120)
Category 1: £90 (Under 16s: £90)
Category 2: £75 (Under 16s: £75)
Category 3: £60 (Under 16s: £25)
Category 4: £45 (Under 16s: £25)
Category 5: £35 (Under 16s: £15)
Category 6: £20 (Under 16s: £10)
Tickets prices - Challenge Cup final
Category 1: £45 (Under 16s: £45)
Category 2: £30 (Under 16s: £15)
Category 3: £20 (Under 16s: £10)
Category 4: £15 (Under 16s: £5)