Scarlets are in the European Champions Cup, while Cardiff, Dragons and Ospreys will play in the second tier Challenge Cup [Huw Evans Picture Agency]Chris Kirwan - BBC Sport WalesThu, December 4, 2025 at 5:33 AM UTC·5 min readWhile Steve Tandy reflects on a first autumn campaign as Wales boss that ended with a hammering by South Africa, his shell-shocked players must quickly remember club calls for the opening round of European action.
Scarlets kick off their Champions Cup campaign against Bristol Bears in Llanelli on Saturday night, while Cardiff, Dragons and Ospreys are all in the second tier Challenge Cup, going up against Stade Francais, Perpignan and Connacht respectively.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe quartet head into the fixtures in high spirits after a spirited round in the United Rugby Championship (URC) when most feared the worst due to the absence of Test contingents.
Coaches must assess which Wales players are ready to be flung straight back into club duty in the hunt for knockout rugby.
BBC Sport Wales looks at what lies ahead for the four teams in Europe.
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Scarlets carrying the flag
Head coach Dwayne Peel played for Scarlets in European Cup semi-finals in 2002 and 2007 [Huw Evans Picture Agency]Scarlets made a late charge into the 2024-25 URC play-offs and that earned Champions Cup qualification.
Time will tell whether that is a reward after a draw that pits them against serious heavyweights, although they start the campaign buoyed by an excellent 23-0 win against Glasgow in the URC.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGames in Llanelli against Louis Rees-Zammit's Bristol and Pau are must-win given that they face trips to last season's champions Bordeaux-Begles and runners-up Northampton.
The Champions Cup splits 24 teams into four groups of six, with the top four from each pool qualifying for the knockout stages, while those in fifth drop into the Challenge Cup.
Scarlets will hope that home form could help earn a place in the round of 16, or at least enough points for the consolation of the knockout stages of the second-tier tournament.
Scarlets group fixtures
Bristol (home) - Saturday, 6 December (20:00 GMT)
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBordeaux-Begles (away) - Saturday, 13 December (17:30 GMT)
Pau (home) - Saturday, 10 January (20:00 GMT)
Northampton (away) - Sunday, 18 January (15:15 GMT)
Rogers gives Scarlets Champions Cup fitness boost
Fighting on two fronts
Cardiff missed out on the 2024-25 URC play-offs by a point [Huw Evans Picture Agency]Cardiff won the Challenge Cup in 2010 and 2018 but a tough fixture list and their start to the URC presents them with a dilemma.
The Blue and Blacks enjoyed a terrific bonus-point win at Zebre last weekend and are second in the league. Five wins from six has given them a real shot at the play-offs after missing out by a point last season.
The European draw pits them against four established sides and home advantage will be key to their progress.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDoes coach Corniel Van Zyl opt to keep some players fresh for three festive derbies against Scarlets, Dragons and Ospreys?
The 18 Challenge Cup clubs are split into three pools of six, with the top four in each going through to the last 16.
If Cardiff are still in the mix then a final-round trip to Exeter could be a cracker.
Cardiff group fixtures
Stade Francais (away) - Saturday, 6 December (13:00 GMT)
Ulster (home) - Saturday, 13 December (20:00 GMT)
Racing 92 (home) - Saturday, 10 January (15:15 GMT)
Exeter (away) - Sunday, 18 January (13:00 GMT)
Chance to change the record
Dragons forward Ryan Woodman captained Wales Under-20s in 2023 and 2024 [Huw Evans Picture Agency]Dragons have endured another frustrating start to the URC after failing to take chances to win against both Sharks and Ospreys in Newport.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTheir last success was a year ago in the Challenge Cup at Newcastle, who travel to Rodney Parade in round four.
French fixtures will set the tone for the campaign in the coming weeks with an opening game at Perpignan presenting an opportunity.
They narrowly escaped relegation in a play-off last season and are currently bottom of the Top 14 with 11 defeats from 11 fixtures.
Round two is a home fixture against Lyon, before a tricky trip to Benetton in January and a finale against rebuilding Red Bulls.
The pressure will be on head coach Filo Tiatia to qualify for knockout rugby after group-stage exits in the last two seasons.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Challenge Cup also presents a chance to change the narrative ahead of festive URC games against Connacht (home), Cardiff (away) and Scarlets (home).
Dragons group fixtures
Perpignan (away) - Sunday, 7 December (13:00 GMT)
Lyon (home) - Sunday, 14 December (15:15 GMT)
Benetton (away) - Saturday, 10 January (17:30 GMT)
Newcastle (home) - Friday, 16 January (20:00 GMT)
Ospreys chase more knockout success
Ospreys' Dan Edwards started at fly-half in all four of Wales' autumn internationals [Huw Evans Picture Agency]Last season felt like a missed opportunity for Ospreys after they beat Scarlets in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup but were then edged out by Lyon in Swansea.
This year Mark Jones' side will go up against familiar URC foes in Connacht and Zebre, hosting the Irish province and travelling to Italy.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThey face French opposition in rounds two and four with an away game at Montauban, who are one from bottom of the Top 14 and more concerned with relegation, and then a home finale against Montpellier.
Ospreys have made a slow start to the URC, so Europe provides a chance to make a statement amid uncertainty over their future due to the Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) plans for the west.
Jones has had to reintegrate 11 players that were missing because of Wales' Test against the Springboks into a squad that fought impressively in a 19-17 defeat to Edinburgh.
Hooker Dewi Lake and fly-half Dan Edwards are back in club colours after starting all four November internationals.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGetting off to a strong start will be key to hopes of not only making the knockout stages - when they will hope talisman flanker Jac Morgan is fit again - but earning a home tie at the Brewery Field.
Ospreys group fixtures
Connacht (home) - Sunday, 7 December (15:15 GMT)
Montauban (away) - Saturday, 13 December (15:15 GMT)
Zebre (away) - Sunday, 11 January (13:00 GMT)
Montpellier (home) - Saturday, 17 January (20:00 GMT)
