Date set for Glasgow Warriors to face Montpellier in Challenge Cup

Glasgow Warriors will take on Montpellier in the Challenge Cup round-of-16, with Danny Wilson’s squad travelling to GGL Stadium on Friday 2 April at 8pm.

The two sides will go head-to-head for a place in the quarter-finals, having been pitted together at the draw in Lausanne.

Led by former France Head Coach Phillippe Saint-Andre, the French outfit currently lie 11^th in the Top14, six points above the relegation play-off spot having played a game more than 13th-placed Bayonne.

However, Les Cistes are still able to boast a star-studded squad, including World Cup-winning fly-half Handre Pollard, France number eight Louis Picamoles and former French captain Guilhem Guirado.

Glasgow have the edge in the historical meetings between the two teams, having emerged victorious on five of the eight occasions the pair have come up against each other in European competition.

Indeed, the two teams have previous in the Challenge Cup, with the first two meetings between the sides having come in the 2003/04 edition of the competition.

Tries from Sean Lamont, Donnie Macfadyen and Sam Pinder saw the Warriors earn a 30-11 win in France, before Lamont’s brace and scores from Andy Henderson and Gordon Bulloch secured a 38-13 triumph at Hughenden.

The most recent clash with Montpellier came in the 2017/18 season, with the French side doing the double over the Warriors in the Heineken Champions Cup group stages.

It will be a first foray into the Challenge Cup since the 2006/07 season for the Warriors, having reached the quarter-finals on their previous entry into the competition.

Should they overcome Montpellier, Glasgow will be rewarded with a home quarter-final against the winner of the round-of-16 tie between Benetton and Agen on the weekend of 9/10/11 April.

It would be the first European knockout tie staged at Scotstoun, with each of the club’s previous three European quarter-finals having been away ties.

Reacting to the draw, Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Danny Wilson, said: “We’re looking forward to restarting our European campaign and taking on Montpellier at GGL Stadium.

“Montpellier have a strong star-studded squad an it will be a really exciting challenge away from home.

“Having only played one game in the Heineken Champions Cup this season we look forward to the opportunity of playing another European fixture and all that it brings.”

Challenge Cup fixtures

Friday 2 April
Zebre Rugby Club v Bath Rugby – Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi (3pm / 4pm)
Sky Italia / BT Sport
London Irish v Cardiff Blues – Brentford Community Stadium (5.30pm)
BT Sport
Montpellier v Glasgow Warriors – GGL Stadium (8pm / 9pm)
FR 4 / beIN SPORTS / BT Sport

Saturday 3 April
Benetton Rugby v Agen – Stadio Comunale di Monigo (3pm / 4pm)
Sky Italia / beIN SPORTS / BT Sport
Ospreys v Newcastle Falcons – Liberty Stadium (3pm)
S4C / BT Sport
Dragons v Northampton Saints – Rodney Parade (5.30pm)
S4C / BT Sport
Leicester Tigers v Connacht Rugby – Mattioli Woods Welford Road (8pm)
BT Sport

Sunday 4 April
Harlequins v Ulster Rugby – The Twickenham Stoop (8pm)
BT Sport

Quarter-finals
(Weekend of 9/10/11 April – first-named winners at home)
Winner Montpellier/Glasgow Warriors v Winner Benetton/Agen
Winner Dragons/Northampton Saints v Winner Harlequins/Ulster
Winner Zebre/Bath v Winner London Irish/Cardiff Blues
Winner Leicester Tigers/Connacht v Winner Ospreys/Newcastle Falcons