TEAMS WILL BE allowed to name an unlimited amount of ‘non-European players’ in their matchday squads when rugby’s Champions Cup and Challenge Cup resume next month.
Under normal circumstances, teams are usually limited to a maximum of two non-European players in their squad of 23 — with the current rules counting any UK citizen as a European player.
But the EPCR confirmed today that this rule will be waived for the conclusion of the 2019/2020 tournaments “on an exceptional basis”.
The remaining quarter-finalists will also be allowed to field any new signings after tournament organisers relaxed the rule which prohibits any player from representing different clubs in the same competition in the same season.
The usual 41-player cap on squad sizes has also been removed with teams allowed to register an unlimited amount of players ahead of the 1 September deadline, while squads must include at least 12 front-row players.
The quarter-finals of the Champions Cup resume on 19 September when Leinster take on Saracens in the Aviva Stadium before Clermont host Racing 92 in the Stade Marcel-Michelin.
Ulster travel to Toulouse for the lunchtime kick-off on Sunday 20 September before Exeter Chiefs and Northampton Saints close the weekend.
The four Challenge Cup quarter-finals will also take place across the same weekend from 18-20 September.
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