**The return of European action is just a day away, and this year’s European Rugby Challenge Cup promises to be just as enthralling as ever, with four Guinness PRO14 clubs in action across the weekend.** The Italian contingent of Zebre and Benetton will once again feature in the competition, as well as the Welsh duo of Cardiff Blues and Ospreys, with all four sides heading into the weekend with hopes of progressing to the final stages of this year’s European adventure. # How it works For the uninitiated, the competition will be taking on a different format this year, with each side facing just two teams home and away in the group stages, before the knockout phases continue in 2021. The Challenge Cup is made up of 14 teams; four from the Premiership, four from the PRO14 and six from the Top 14, with these teams set into two tiers. Tier one consists of ninth and tenth in the Premiership, ninth and tenth-ranked in the PRO14, and ninth, 10th and 11th in the TOP 14, with the lower ranked teams in tier two. Teams do not face a side in their tier, but all compete in the same group with the top eight at the end of the pool stage progressing to the knockout stages next February, with the eight lucky losers dropping down from the Heineken Champions Cup. # Benetton face Stade under Friday night lights The action gets underway on Friday night, as Benetton head to 2017 winners Stade Francais looking to turn their form around with the trip to Paris. Kieran Crowley’s side are yet to secure a victory in domestic competition this season, but the fresh start in Europe could be exactly what they need to get themselves firing. Their hosts have fared better in the Top 14 this season and currently sit sixth in the table after six victories from their ten matches, and with the wealth of experience and talent in their ranks, the Italians will have to be on their game if they are to get anything from the match at Stade Jean Bouin. Two-time winners Cardiff Blues are also in action on Friday night, as John Mulvihill takes his side to Kingston Park to face Newcastle Falcons in their European opener. The hosts are enjoying an excellent start to their return to the Premiership, with three wins from their three matches this season paving the way for them to sit second in the table. After a superb start to the current campaign, the Blues have just one win in their last six matches, and will be looking to get back to winning ways tomorrow evening, and will be assisted by the return of their international stars - although Josh Adams and Josh Navidi will miss out. It won’t be an easy task for the Welsh side in the northeast of England, but boss Mulvihill is excited by the prospect of facing the Falcons, and expects a tough encounter. “It’s great to welcome some of our Wales boys to the squad this weekend and they have brought a lot of enthusiasm and energy to training this week,” said boss Mulvihill. “We have done well in the Challenge Cup previously and the boys are looking forward to the challenge of taking on a Newcastle Falcons team flying high in the English Premiership. “It’s a very important time of year and we really want a big result up in Newcastle to roll into Stade Francais at home next weekend and then the Welsh derbies.”
