Sale Sharks will play Leicester Tigers, Newcastle Falcons, Wasps Rugby and Harlequins as they start their title defence in the pool stages of this season’s Premiership Rugby Cup.
The competition’s three pools and opening two rounds of fixtures were today confirmed by Premiership Rugby, with the Sharks taking on the Tigers at Welford Road on Saturday 13 November, before returning to the AJ Bell Stadium to face northern rivals Newcastle Falcons on Friday 19 November.
Alex Sanderson and his team then host Wasps at home on the weekend of 18/19/20 March 2022, before travelling down to the Twickenham Stoop for a midweek clash with Harlequins on either the 29th or 30th of March.
With 13 teams in this year’s tournament, Pool A is comprised of five clubs, whereas Pools B and C are made up of four clubs each.
The Sharks are drawn in Pool B with Newcastle Falcons, Leicester Tigers and Wasps – with each side playing each other once during the first three rounds of the competition, before taking on one of the four teams in Pool C in Round 4. All five sides in Pool A will play each other once, with no cross-pool matches.
All clubs in the tournament play a total of four pool matches, before the teams topping each of Pool A, B and C – as well as the highest-ranked runner-up – will progress to the semi-finals which are due to take place at the end of April.
Premiership Rugby Cup pool draw 2021/22
Pool A – Exeter Chiefs, Bristol Bears, Worcester Warriors, Bath Rugby, Gloucester Rugby
Pool B – Newcastle Falcons, Leicester Tigers, Sale Sharks, Wasps
Pool C – Northampton Saints, London Irish, Saracens, Harlequins
Premiership Rugby Cup: Sharks’ pool stage fixtures 2021/22
