# European Rugby Continental Shield

The European Rugby Continental Shield (formerly the European Rugby Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition) was a rugby union competition, organised by European Professional Club Rugby, Rugby Europe and the Federazione Italiana Rugby, for entry into the European Rugby Challenge Cup.
The Qualifying Competition was first announced in April 2014, at the same time as the announcement of the creation of the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup competitions. The tournament featured teams from non-EPCR countries, such as Spain, Germany, Belgium, Romania, Georgia, Russia and Portugal, as well as select Italian Eccellenza clubs. In 2016–17, the qualification competition also became a European Rugby competition in its own right, the third tier European Rugby Continental Shield, with both successful play-off teams meeting in a final as a part of European Rugby Finals weekend.
Both editions of the Shield final were won by Russian club Enisey-STM.
The competition is the first third-tier European tournament since the suspension of the Parker Pen Shield in 2005.
The competition was discontinued after the 2018–19 edition.

## Format

Under the Heads of Agreement announced on 10 April 2014, there were two places available in the European Rugby Challenge Cup through the Qualifying Competition.
For the 2014–15 season, given the time constraints in filling the competition, this was a reduced competition the form of 2 two-legged play-off matches, with the aggregate winners of each taking one of the two Rugby Europe spots in the draw, and it involved the 2 best teams from Italy's National Championship of Excellence, plus a Romanian and Georgian selection.
An expanded format was announced on 22 December 2014, the expanded format includes clubs from non-EPCR Unions Russia, Spain and Portugal alongside representatives from the Italian Eccellenza.
The 6 teams in the Qualifying Competition are split into 2 pools of 3 teams each. Each team will play the other teams in their pool once, before the two pool winners compete in a two-legged play-off against the teams currently competing in the Challenge Cup from the previous Qualifying Competition.
The winners, on aggregate, of these two play-offs will take up the Qualifying Competition places in the Challenge Cup.
In 2017, the competition was rebranded as the European Rugby Continental Shield, and it was announced that the two qualifiers would play each other as part of the EPCR's finals weekend, a practice which was discontinued for 2018–19.

## Summary of results
### Continental Shield Finals

| Season | Country | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Country | Venue |
| 2016–17 | Russia | Enisey-STM | 36–8 | Krasny Yar | Russia | Murrayfield Complex, Edinburgh |
| 2017–18 | Russia | Enisey-STM | 24–20 | Heidelberger RK | Germany | Campos Deportivos de Fadura, Getxo, Biscay |

### Qualifying play-off results

| Season | Play-off 1 | Play-off 1 | Play-off 1 | Play-off 2 | Play-off 2 | Play-off 2 | Qualify for |
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Qualify for |
| 2013–14 | Rovigo Delta | 46–39 | Tbilisi Caucasians | București Wolves | 28–26 | Calvisano | 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup |
| Season | Play-off 1 | Play-off 1 | Play-off 1 | Play-off 2 | Play-off 2 | Play-off 2 | Qualify for |
| Season | Challenge Cup Side | Score | Continental Shield Side | Challenge Cup Side | Score | Continental Shield Side | Qualify for |
| 2014–15 | CSM Baia Mare | 32–63 | Enisey-STM | Rovigo Delta | 24–52 | Calvisano | 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup |
| 2015–16 | Enisey-STM | 70–5 | Rovigo | Calvisano | 40–64 | Timișoara Saracens | 2016–17 European Rugby Challenge Cup |
| 2016–17 | Enisey-STM | 97–7 | Mogliano | Timișoara Saracens | 35–39 | Krasny Yar | 2017–18 European Rugby Challenge Cup |
| Season | Play-off from Challenge Cup | Play-off from Challenge Cup | Play-off from Challenge Cup | Play-off from Continental Shield | Play-off from Continental Shield | Play-off from Continental Shield | Qualify for |
| Season | Challenge Side 1 | Score | Challenge Side 2 | C. Shield Side 1 | Score | C. Shield Side 2 | Qualify for |
| 2017–18 | Enisey-STM | 74–48 | Krasny Yar | Heidelberger RK | 47–41 | Timișoara Saracens | 2018–19 European Rugby Challenge Cup |
| 2018–19 | Enisey-STM | 58–52 | Timișoara Saracens | Calvisano | 57–43 | Rovigo Delta | 2019–20 European Rugby Challenge Cup |
| Key | Winners qualified to the European Rugby Challenge Cup | Winners continue in the European Rugby Challenge Cup | Winners advance to the European Rugby Challenge Cup | Runners-up advanced to the European Rugby Challenge Cup (winners ineligible) |

## Tournaments
### 2014

The reduced format for the inaugural Qualifying Competition included two Italian Clubs, a Romanian and a Georgian side. Sides were paired up and competed in two matches, home and away. The winners, on aggregate, of these two games received one of the two places in the 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup.
| Pool 1 | Pool 2 |
| Rovigo Delta | București Wolves |
| Tbilisi Caucasians | Calvisano |

#### Rugby Europe 1 play-off

* 20 September 2014 16:00 CEST
| Rovigo Delta | 22–18 | Tbilisi Caucasians |
* Stadio Mario Battaglini Referee: Lloyd Linton (SRU)
* 27 September 2014 17:00 GET
| Tbilisi Caucasians | 21–24 | Rovigo Delta |
* Vake Stadium, aka Meskhi Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
* Rovigo Delta won the play-off 46 – 39 on aggregate, and qualifies as Rugby Europe 1 for the 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

#### Rugby Europe 2 play-off

* 20 September 2014 21:00 EEST
| București Wolves | 18–13 | Calvisano |
* Stadium Arcul de Triumf Referee: Gary Conway (IRFU)
* 27 September 2014 19:30 CEST
| Calvisano | 13–10 | București Wolves |
* Peroni Stadium Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (FFR)
* București Wolves won the play-off 28 – 26 on aggregate, and qualified as Rugby Europe 2 for the 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

### 2015

The expanded competition for entry into the 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup features six teams, in two pools of three. Russia is represented in European competition for the first time. Matches are scheduled for the same weekends as the 2014–15 Challenge Cup, beginning with the 5th Round of the Challenge Cup.
| Pool 1 | Pool 2 |
| Calvisano | Enisey-STM |
| Viadana | Centro Desportivo Universitário de Lisboa |
| El Salvador | Mogliano |

#### Pool 1

Matches :
17 January 2015Calvisano 34 – 3 Viadana
24 January 2015Viadana 36 – 7 El Salvador
4 April 2015El Salvador 12 – 62 Calvisano :
* Advances to Qualifying play-offs
| | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
| Calvisano | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 96 | 15 | +81 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Viadana | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 41 | –2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| El Salvador | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 98 | –79 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Qualifying play-off
* 18 April 2015
| Rovigo Delta | 17 – 17 | Calvisano |
* 2 May 2015
| Calvisano | 35 – 7 | Rovigo Delta |
* Calvisano won the play-off 52–24 on aggregate, and will play in the 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

#### Pool 2

Matches :
17 January 2015Mogliano 45 – 17 Centro Desportivo Universitário de Lisboa
24 January 2015Centro Desportivo Universitário de Lisboa 6 – 28 Enisey-STM
4 April 2015Enisey-STM 19 – 15 Mogliano :
* Advances to Qualifying play-offs
| | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
| Enisey-STM | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 15 | +32 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Mogliano | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 60 | 19 | +41 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Centro Desportivo Universitário de Lisboa | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 73 | –56 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Qualifying play-off
* 18 April 2015
| CSM Baia Mare | 20 – 30 | Enisey-STM |
* 2 May 2015
| Enisey-STM | 33 – 12 | CSM Baia Mare |
* Enisey-STM won the play-off 63–32 on aggregate, and will play in the 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

### 2015–16

The Qualifying Competition was once again expanded, this time featuring 8 teams in two pools of four. Each team will play the teams in the other pool once. Belgium and Germany are represented in pan-European Rugby competition for the first time, through Royal Kituro and Heidelberger RK respectively.
* Advances to Qualifying play-offs
| Pool A | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Rovigo | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 136 | 77 | 59 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| Heidelberger RK | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 109 | 71 | 38 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| Fiamme Oro | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 74 | 51 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Valladolid RAC | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 114 | 68 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Pool B | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Timișoara Saracens | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 126 | 48 | 78 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
| GD Direito | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 72 | 82 | –10 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Mogliano | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 49 | 105 | –56 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Royal Kituro | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 198 | –178 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

#### Fixtures

Matches :
14 November 2015 14:00Royal Kituro 6 – 24 Fiamme OroFiamme OroComplexe Wahis, Schaerbeek Attendance: 550 Referee: Cristophe Ridley (England)
14 November 2015 15:00(BP) Rovigo 29 – 19 GD DireitoReportStadio Mario Battaglini Attendance: 800 Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
21 November 2015 16:00Valladolid RAC 18 – 36 Timișoara Saracens (BP)Valladolid RACCampos de Pepe Rojo Referee: Elia Rizzo (Italy)
21 November 2015 15:00(BP) GD Direito 21 – 24 Heidelberger RKHeidelberger RKCampo de Monsanto Referee: Iñigo Atorrasagasti (Spain)
21 November 2015 15:00Royal Kituro P – P RovigoComplexe Wahis, Schaerbeek
In the wake of the Paris attacks, Brussels was placed on a Level 4 Alert. In agreement with EPCR, FBRB and the municipal authorities, this game was postponed.
21 November 2015 15:00Fiamme Oro 19 – 0 MoglianoReportStadio Gelsomini Attendance: 250 Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
12 December 2015 13:30(BP) Timișoara Saracens 45 – 13 RovigoStadionul Dan Păltinișanu Referee: Sean Gallagher (Ireland)
12 December 2015 15:00Fiamme Oro 17 – 10 GD Direito (BP)Stadio Gelsomini Referee: Iñigo Atorrasagasti (Spain)
12 December 2015 15:00(2 BPs) Mogliano 26 – 32 Heidelberger RK (BP)Stadio Maurizio Quaggia Referee: Graeme Wells (Scotland)
12 December 2015 16:00(BP) Valladolid RAC 62 – 0 Royal KituroValladolid RACCampos de Pepe Rojo Referee: Elia Rizzo (Italy)
19 December 2015 13:30(BP) Timișoara Saracens 35 – 14 Fiamme OroFiamme OroStadionul Dan Păltinișanu Referee: Philippe Brousset (France)
19 December 2015 14:00(BP) Heidelberger RK 50 – 14 Royal KituroHeidelberger RKHeidelberger RK, Heidelberg Attendance: 800 Referee: Vlad Iordăchescu (Romania)
19 December 2015 15:00Mogliano 10 – 22 Valladolid RACReportStadio Maurizio Quaggia Attendance: 500 Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
9 January 2016 15:00GD Direito 22 – 12 Valladolid RACValladolid RACEstádio Nacional, Jamor Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
16 January 2016 14:00(BP) Heidelberger RK 3 – 10 Timișoara SaracensHeidelberger RK TimișoaraHeidelberger RK, Heidelberg
16 January 2016 15:00(BP) Rovigo 32 – 13 MoglianoMoglianoStadio Mario Battaglini Attendance: 1,100 Referee: Elia Rizzo (Italy)
23 January 2016 15:00Royal Kituro 0 – 62 RovigoComplexe Wahis, Schaerbeek :

#### Qualifying play-offs

* 9 April 2016
| Rovigo | 0 – 31 | Enisey-STM |
* Stadio Mario Battaglini
* 9 April 2016
| Timișoara Saracens | 36 – 23 | Calvisano |
* Dan Paltinisanu Stadium
* 23 April 2016
| Enisey-STM | 39 – 5 | Rovigo |
* Trud Stadium, Krasnodar
* 23 April 2016
| Calvisano | 17 – 28 | Timișoara Saracens |
* Peroni Stadium
* On aggregate, Enisey-STM (Aggregate score: 70–5) and Timișoara Saracens (Aggregate score: 64–40) qualify for the 2016–17 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

### 2016–17

The format of the Qualifying Competition remains similar to the previous season. As before, two places in the next year's Challenge Cup will be available for teams in the Qualifying Competition.
This season's competition features clubs from the domestic leagues of non-EPCR unions Russia, Spain, Germany and Belgium, as well as four representatives from the Italian Eccellenza.
The eight participating clubs will compete in two pools with each club in Pool A playing once against each club in Pool B.
The two pool winners will then play off against Timișoara Saracens of Romania and Russia's Enisei-STM on a home and away basis to decide which two clubs will qualify for the 2017–18 Challenge Cup.
Mid-season it was announced the competition would become the European Rugby Continental Shield and the two qualifiers will play a final match as part of EPCR's 2017 Edinburgh Finals weekend.
* Advances to Qualifying play-offs
| Pool A | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Krasny Yar | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 172 | 61 | 111 | 4 | 0 | 20 |
| Petrarca | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 149 | 45 | 104 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
| Calvisano | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 134 | 92 | 42 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| Dendermondse RC | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 50 | 167 | –117 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pool B | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Mogliano | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 129 | 126 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| El Salvador | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 84 | 105 | –21 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Rovigo | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 72 | 95 | –23 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Heidelberger RK | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 80 | 181 | –101 | 1 | 0 | 5 |

#### Fixtures

Matches :
15 October 2016 16:00Petrarca 24 – 13 RovigoCentro Sportivo Plebiscito, Padua Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
15 October 2016 17:00(BP)El Salvador 57 – 8 Dendermondse RCEstadio Pepe Rojo, Valladolid Referee: Emanuele Tomo (Italy)
15 October 2016 15:00(BP)Calvisano 60 – 19 Heidelberger RKPeroni Stadium, Brescia Referee: Dan Jones (Wales)
16 October 2016 13:00(BP)Krasny Yar 48 – 24 Mogliano(BP)Monino Stadium, Moscow Referee: Graeme Wells (Scotland)
22 October 2016 14:00(BP)Krasny Yar 32 – 5 El SalvadorSlava Stadium, Moscow Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)
22 October 2016 15:00(BP)Rovigo 19 – 22 CalvisanoStadio Mario Battaglini Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
22 October 2016 16:00(BP)Petrarca 31 – 22 Mogliano(BP)Centro Sportivo Memo Geremia, Padua Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
10 December 2016 13:00El Salvador 3 – 39 Petrarca(BP)Estadio Pepe Rojo, Valladolid Referee: Sean Gallagher (Ireland)
10 December 2016 17:00Heidelberger RK 21 – 50 Krasny Yar(BP)Sportzentrum Sud, Heidelberg Referee: Elia Rizzo (Italy)
10 December 2016 15:30Dendermondse RC 7 – 29 Rovigo(BP)Sportcomplex Sint-Gillis, Dendermonde Referee: Vlad Iordăchescu (Romania)
10 December 2016 14:30(BP)Mogliano 35 – 26 Calvisano(BP)Stadio Maurizio Quaggia Referee: Dan Jones (Wales)
17 December 2016 14:30Rovigo 11 – 42 Krasny Yar(BP)Stadio Mario Battaglini Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
17 December 2016 14:30(BP)Calvisano 26 – 19 El Salvador(BP)Peroni Stadium, Brescia Referee: Graeme Wells (Scotland)
17 December 2016 14:30Heidelberger RK 7 – 55 Petrarca(BP)Sportzentrum Sud, Heidelberg Referee: Inigo Atorrasagasti (Spain)
17 December 2016 14:30(BP)Mogliano 48 – 17 Dendermondse RCStadio Maurizio Quaggia Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
14 January 2017 15:30Dendermondse RC 16 – 33 Heidelberger RKSportcomplex Sint-Gillis, Dendermonde Referee: Christophe Ridley (England) :

#### Qualifying play-offs

EPCR will determine about one open question: If it was like the past years, according to the rating, Krasny Yar Krasnoyarsk would meet with the Romanian Timișoara. But Krasny Yar received a letter that EPCR will hold a meeting on the final round of qualifying Challenge Cup, which will be determined the opponents. On February 14, at the office of RK "Yenisei-STM" received a letter signed by the coordinator of the qualifying competitions EPCR Vincent Prebande. Mr. Prebande reports that, like last year, the second stage of Qualifying teams will play in accordance with the principle of sport. The two-legged confrontation "Yenisei-STM" will meet the Italian club "Mogliano" and "Krasny Yar" - with the Romanian club "Timișoara Saracens".
* 1 April 2017
| Mogliano | 0 – 46 | Enisey-STM |
* Stadio Maurizio Quaggia
* 1 April 2017
| Krasny Yar | 12 – 17 | Timișoara Saracens |
* Rustavi Arena, Georgia
* 22 April 2017
| Enisey-STM | 51 – 7 | Mogliano |
* Slava Stadium, Moscow
* 22 April 2017
| Timișoara Saracens | 18 – 27 | Krasny Yar |
* Stadionul Dan Păltinișanu
* On aggregate, Enisey-STM (Aggregate score: 97–7) and Krasny Yar (Aggregate score: 39–35) qualify for the 2017–18 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

#### Continental Shield Final

* 13 May 2017
| Enisey-STM | 36 – 8 | Krasny Yar |
* Murrayfield Complex, Edinburgh

### 2017–18

The format of the Qualifying Competition remains similar to the previous season. As before, two places in the next year's Challenge Cup will be available for teams in the Continental Shield. Clubs from six countries will compete in the 2017–18 Continental Shield.
Four representatives from the Italian Eccellenza – Pataro Rugby Calvisano, Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo, Rugby Petrarca and Rugby Viadana – will be joined by Romania's Timișoara Saracens, RC Batumi from Georgia, Heidelberger RK of Germany and Portugal's Centro Desportivo Universitario de Lisboa (CDUL Rugby) competing in two pools of four.
Following the pool stage matches, the winners of Pool A will play the runners-up in Pool B, and the winners of Pool B will play the runners-up in Pool A on a home and away basis.
The two clubs which advance will then play each other home and away with the winners securing a place in the Continental Shield final in Bilbao next May and also qualifying for the 2018–19 Challenge Cup.
The other Continental Shield finalist will be decided by a home and away play-off between Russia's Enisei-STM and Krasny Yar who have both received a bye into the knockout stage of the competition due to their participation in this season's Challenge Cup and to their success in last season's Continental Shield.
The winners of the Enisei-STM v Krasny Yar play-offs will go through to the Continental Shield final in Bilbao and will also qualify for the 2018–19 Challenge Cup.
The aim of the Continental Shield is to widen the footprint of club rugby across Europe and to give both emerging and established clubs in different territories the opportunity to qualify for the Challenge Cup.
* Advances to Pool play-offs
| Pool A | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Timișoara Saracens | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 106 | 68 | +38 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| Heidelberger RK | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 96 | 74 | +22 | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| Rovigo | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 89 | 86 | +3 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Viadana | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 66 | 128 | –62 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Pool B | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Calvisano | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 107 | 52 | +55 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| Batumi | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 107 | 95 | +12 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| Petrarca | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 99 | 68 | +31 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| CDUL | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 43 | 142 | –99 | 0 | 0 | 4 |

#### Fixtures

Matches :
14 October 2017 15:00Timișoara Saracens 29 – 25 Petrarca (BP)Dan Paltinisanu Stadium, Timișoara Referee: Lloyd Linton
14 October 2017 15:00(BP) Rovigo 31 – 27 Batumi (2 BP)Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini, Rovigo Referee: Maxime Burlet
14 October 2017 15:00Heidelberger RK 23 – 19 Calvisano (BP)Sportzentrum Süd, Heidelberg Referee: Iñigo Atorrasagasti
14 October 2017 15:00(BP) Viadana 14 – 19 CDULStadio Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana Referee: Nika Amashukeli
21 October 2017 15:00(BP) Calvisano 41 – 14 ViadanaCentro Sportivo San Michele, Calvisano Referee: Sam Grove White
21 October 2017 15:00Petrarca 18 – 13 Rovigo (BP)Centro Sportivo Plebiscito, Padua Referee: Shota Tevzadze
21 October 2017 15:00(BP) Batumi 33 – 16 Heidelberger RKRugby Arena, Batumi Referee: Maxime Burlet
21 October 2017 15:00CDUL 10 – 45 Timișoara Saracens (BP)Estadio Universitario de Lisboa, Lisbon Referee: Andrea Piardi
9 December 2017 15:00Heidelberger RK 19 – 15 Petrarca (BP)Sportzentrum Süd, Heidelberg Referee: Andrea Piardi
9 December 2017 15:00Timișoara Saracens 15 – 13 Calvisano (BP)Dan Paltinisanu Stadium, Timișoara Referee: Nika Amashukeli
9 December 2017 15:00(BP) Viadana 31 – 27 Batumi (BP)Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana Referee: Iñigo Atorrasagasti
9 December 2017 15:00(BP) Rovigo 45 – 7 CDULStadio Comunale Mario Battaglini, Rovigo Referee: Ben Blain
16 December 2017 15:00(BP) Calvisano 34 – 0 RovigoCentro Sportivo San Michele, Calvisano Referee: Lloyd Linton
16 December 2017 15:00CDUL 7 – 38 Heidelberger RK (BP)Estadio Universitario de Lisboa, Lisbon Referee: Shota Tevzadze
16 December 2017 15:00Batumi 20 – 17 Timișoara Saracens (BP)Rugby Arena, Batumi Referee: Keith Allen
16 December 2017 15:00(BP) Petrarca 41 – 7 ViadanaImpianti Sportivi Memo Geremia, Padua Referee: Andrea Piardi :

#### Pool play-offs

* 13 January 2018 15:00
| Batumi | 6 – 11 | Timișoara Saracens |
* Rugby Arena, Batumi
* 13 January 2018 15:00
| Heidelberger RK | 34 – 29 | Calvisano |
* Sportzentrum Süd, Heidelberg
* 20 January 2018 14:00
| Timișoara Saracens | 21 – 12 | Batumi |
* Cluj Arena, Cluj
* 20 January 2018 15:00
| Calvisano | 13 – 17 | Heidelberger RK |
* Centro Sportivo San Michele, Calvisano
* On aggregate, Timișoara Saracens (Aggregate score: 32–18) and Heidelberger RK (Aggregate score: 51–42) qualify for Qualifying play-offs.

#### Qualifying play-offs

* 31 March 2018 15:00
| Enisey-STM | 47 – 22 | Krasny Yar |
* Trud Stadium, Krasnodar
* 31 March 2018 14:00
| Timișoara Saracens | 26 – 20 | Heidelberger RK |
* Dan Paltinisanu Stadium, Timișoara
* 21 April 2018 15:00
| Krasny Yar | 26 – 27 | Enisey-STM |
* Krasny Yar Stadium, Krasnoyarsk
* 21 April 2018 15:00
| Heidelberger RK | 27 – 15 | Timișoara Saracens |
* Sportzentrum Süd, Heidelberg
Despite Heidelberger RK defeating Timișoara Saracens with the aggregate score of 47-41 and going into the Challenge Cup for the first time, Heidelberger RK have been disqualified from the Challenge Cup so Timișoara Saracens will replace them.

#### Continental Shield Final

* 12 May 2018 12:00
| Enisey-STM | 24 – 20 | Heidelberger RK |
* Campos Deportivos de Fadura, Getxo, Biscay

### 2018–19

Clubs from Italy, Georgia and Belgium competed in the 2018/19 Continental Shield with a place in the Challenge Cup up for grabs.
Four sides from the Italian Eccellenza – Argos Rugby Petrarca, Pataro Calvisano, Femi-CZ Rugby Rovigo Delta and GS Fiamme Oro Rugby – were joined by Georgia's RC Locomotive Tbilisi and Belgian representatives, Belgium Rugby Barbarians XV, competing in two pools of three.
Locomotive Tbilisi, Calvisano and Fiamme Oro from Rome were drawn in Pool A while Pool B was made up of Petrarca, Belgium Rugby Barbarians XV and Rovigo. Clubs in the same pool played one another on a home and away basis and the two pool winners played off over two legs to decide which club qualified for the 2019/20 Challenge Cup.
A further place in the 2019/20 Challenge Cup was decided by a home and away play-off between Russia's Enisei-STM and Timișoara Saracens of Romania who are both competing in this season's Challenge Cup.
The aim of the Continental Shield is to widen the footprint of club rugby across Europe and to give both emerging and established clubs in different territories the opportunity to qualify for the Challenge Cup.
The Continental Shield, which was won for the second time by Enisei-STM in Bilbao in 2017–18, is organised by EPCR in conjunction with Rugby Europe and the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR).
| Pool A | Pool B |
| Calvisano | Petrarca |
| Fiamme Oro | Rovigo Delta |
| RC Locomotive Tbilisi | Belgium Rugby Barbarians XV [fr] |
* Advances to Pool play-offs
| Pool A | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Calvisano | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 98 | 56 | +42 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| RC Locomotive Tbilisi | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 102 | 62 | +40 | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| Fiamme Oro | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 62 | 144 | -82 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Pool B | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Rovigo Delta | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 218 | 73 | +145 | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| Petrarca | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 121 | 87 | +34 | 3 | 1 | 14 |
| Belgium Barbarians XV | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 45 | 224 | -179 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

#### Fixtures

Matches :
Saturday 13 October 15:00RC Locomotive Tbilisi 6 – 17 CalvisanoPool AAvchala Stadium, Tbilisi
Saturday 13 October 15:00Rovigo Delta 34 – 34 Petrarca (BP)Pool BStadio Comune Mario Battaglini, Rovigo
Saturday 20 October 15:00(BP) Calvisano 35 – 20 Fiamme OroPool APata Stadium, Calvisano Attendance: 1000
Saturday 20 October 13:00Belgium Barbarians XV 12 – 31 Petrarca (BP)Pool BStade Nelson Mandela, Brussels Attendance: 300
Saturday 8 December 15:00(BP) Fiamme Oro 22 – 29 RC Locomotive Tbilisi (BP)Pool AFiamme Oro Stadium, Italy Attendance: 400
Saturday 8 December 15:00(BP) Petrarca 36 – 14 Belgium Barbarians XVPool BArgos Arena, Italy Attendance: 500
Saturday 15 December 15:00(BP) Calvisano 13 – 20 RC Locomotive TbilisiPool APata Stadium, Calvisano
Saturday 15 December 15:00(BP) Rovigo Delta 68 – 12 Belgium Barbarians XVPool BStadio Comune Mario Battaglini, Rovigo
Saturday 12 January 2019 15:00(BP) RC Locomotive Tbilisi 47 – 10 Fiamme OroPool AAvchala Stadium, Tbilisi
Saturday 12 January 2019 18:00Petrarca 20 – 27 Rovigo DeltaPool BArgos Arena, Italy
Saturday 19 January 2019 18:00Fiamme Oro 10 – 33 Calvisano (BP)Pool AFiamme Oro Stadium, Italy
Saturday 19 January 2019 18:00Belgium Barbarians XV 7 – 89 Rovigo Delta (BP)Pool BStade du Pachy, Waterloo :

#### Qualifying play-offs

* 30 March 2019 14:00 (CET)
| Timișoara Saracens | 20–18 | Enisey-STM |
* Dan Paltinisanu Stadium, Timișoara
* 30 March 2019 15:00 (CET)
| Calvisano | 29–13 | Rovigo Delta |
* Pata Stadium, Calvisano
* 20 April 2019 10:00 (CEST)
| Enisey-STM | 40–32 | Timișoara Saracens |
* Avangard Stadium, Krasnoyarsk
* 20 April 2019 15:00 (CEST)
| Rovigo Delta | 30–28 | Calvisano |
* Stadio Mario Battaglini, Rovigo
* On aggregate, Enisey-STM (aggregate score: 58–52) and Calvisano (aggregate score: 57-43) qualify for the 2019–20 European Rugby Challenge Cup.