5 years ago 
Connacht will compete in pool 5 of next season’s European Challenge Cup alongside Brive, Worcester Warriors and Oyonnax after today’s draw in Switzerland.
Six tough encounters await Connacht as they renew acquaintances with Brive and Worcester and face Oyonnax for the first time.
The four previous meetings with Brive saw Connacht pick up one win while they have beaten Worcester Warriors twice at the Sportsground and lost on both visits to Sixways.
Brive finished eighth in the Top14 last season and were knocked out at the quarter-final stage of the Challenge Cup while Oyonnax captured the Pro D2 title.
Worcester battled their way to an 11th place finish in the Premiership and were beaten twice by Brive in the pool stages of last year’s competition.
The five pool winners and three best-placed runners-up qualify for the quarter-finals.
Guarantee your entry to all home pool games by signing up for a 2017/18 Season Ticket here.
2017/18 Challenge Cup pools
Pool 1: Newcastle Falcons, Newport Gwent Dragons, Bordeaux-Bègles, Enisei-STM
Pool 2: Cardiff Blues, Sale Sharks, Lyon, Toulouse
Pool 3: Gloucester Rugby, Pau, Zebre Rugby, Agen
Pool 4: Stade Français Paris, Edinburgh Rugby, London Irish, Krasny Yar
Pool 5: Brive, Connacht Rugby, Worcester Warriors, Oyonnax
Fixture dates (full details to be confirmed at a later date)
Round 1: 12/13/14/15 October 2017
Round 2: 19/20/21/22 October 2017
Round 3: 7/8/9/10 December 2017
Round 4: 14/15/16/17 December 2017
Round 5: 11/12/13/14 January 2018
Round 6: 18/19/20/21 January 2018
Quarter-finals: 29/30/31 March / 1 April 2018
Semi-finals: 20/21/22 April 2018
Challenge Cup final: Friday 11 May 2018 (San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao)
