2012 Challenge Cup winner Dimitri Yachvili believes that with Marseille hosting next season’s European Finals Weekend, there will be “added motivation” for RC Toulon as they look to return to Europe’s top table. The French club will play in the Challenge Cup for the first time since 2012, when they were beaten 21-18 by Yachvili’s Biarritz side in the final at Twickenham Stoop. This follows a disappointing season domestically and in Europe, finishing ninth in the TOP 14 and failing to come out of Pool 5 in the Heineken Champions Cup. Toulon do have fond memories of the Stade de Marseille, though, having won their 2014 and 2015 Champions Cup semi-finals there, against Munster Rugby (24-16) and Leinster Rugby (25-20) respectively. And Yachvili – who kicked every point in Biarritz’s 2012 success – feels that although Toulon have a tricky pool, a return to the Stade de Marseille could provide the spark for a prolonged run in Europe next season. https://twitter.com/ERChallengeCup/status/1145308813886668800 “It will be very hard for Toulon,” said the former France scrum-half. “They have to play to win every game, but London Irish and Scarlets will be very hard. “They know Scarlets quite well, as they have played against them in the Champions Cup, but it will be hard for all of the teams. “Marseille will be added motivation for Toulon, because it is not too far from them and they have already played there in the Champions Cup. “They would love to play in the Challenge Cup final in Marseille, but all the teams want to be there, so the challenge is huge.”

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Further Challenge Cup fixture information will be available in early August, after the publication of the calendars for the Gallagher Premiership, Guinness PRO14 and TOP 14.