Former Connacht Rugby head coach Pat Lam has moved to Ashton Gate to take charge of Bristol’s attempt to make a quickfire return to the Premiership after their relegation into the Championship last season and he will know all about the challenges posed by playing the Blues.
The two teams are joined in Pool B of the 2017/18 tournament by Doncaster and Leinster A, while Ospreys Premiership Select find themselves in the same pool as the reigning champions, Munster A, Bedford Blues and Nottingham.
Scarlets Premiership Select, coached by Dai Flanagan, were the most successful of the Welsh regional sides last season as they reached the quarter-finals before falling heavily, 84-7, at Ealing Taifinders. They will face Cornish Pirates, newly promoted Hartpury College and Ulster A.
Dragons Premiership Select meet Yorkshire Carnegie for the second season in a row and will also have beaten finalists Jersey Reds in their pool. London Scottish make up Pool C.
The matches will once again be played on the weekends of the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup weekends with the first round matches taking place on the weekend of 13-15 October. The Ospreys (v Munster A) and Blues (v Bristol) will be at home in round one, while the Dragons travel to London Scottish and the Scarlets head to Ulster.
2017/18 British & Irish Cup Pools
Pool A: Bedford Blues, Munster A, Nottingham, Ospreys Premiership Select
Pool B: Bristol Rugby, Cardiff Blues Premiership Select, Doncaster, Leinster A
Pool C: Dragons Premiership Select, London Scottish, Yorkshire Carnegie, Jersey Reds
Pool D: Connacht Eagles, Rotherham, Richmond, Ealing Trailfinders
Pool E: Cornish Pirates, Hartpury, Scarlets Premiership Select, Ulster A
British & Irish Cup 2017/18 fixtures
Round 1: 13-15 October 2017
Nottingham v Bedford Blues
Ospreys Select v Munster A
Doncaster Knights v Leinster A
Cardiff Blues Select v Bristol Rugby
London Scottish v Dragons Select
Jersey Reds v Yorkshire Carnegie
Rotherham Titans v Connacht A
Ealing Trailfinders v Richmond
Hartpury RFC v Cornish Pirates
Ulster A v Scarlets Select
Round 2: 20-22 October 2017
Bedford Blues v Ospreys Select
Munster A v Nottingham
Leinster A v Cardiff Blues Select
Bristol Rugby v Doncaster Knights
Dragons Select v Jersey Reds
Yorkshire Carnegie v London Scottish
Connacht A v Ealing Trailfinders
Richmond v Rotherham Titans
Cornish Pirates v Ulster A
Scarlets Select v Hartpury RFC
Round 3: 8-10 December 2017
Munster A v Bedford Blues
Nottingham v Ospreys Select
Munster A v Bedford Blues
Nottingham v Ospreys Select
Bristol Rugby v Leinster A
Doncaster Knights v Cardiff Blues Select
Yorkshire Carnegie v Dragons Select
London Scottish v Jersey Reds
Richmond v Connacht A
Rotherham Titans v Ealing Trailfinders
Scarlets Select v Cornish Pirates
Hartpury RFC v Ulster A
Round 4: 15-17 December 2017
Bedford Blues v Munster A
Ospreys Select v Nottingham
Leinster A v Bristol Rugby
Cardiff Blues Select v Doncaster Knights
Dragons Select v Yorkshire Carnegie
Jersey Reds v London Scottish
Connacht A v Richmond
Ealing Trailfinders v Rotherham Titans
Cornish Pirates v Scarlets Select
Ulster A v Hartpury RFC
Round 5: 12-14 January 2018
Nottingham v Munster A
Ospreys Select v Bedford Blues
Doncaster Knights v Bristol Rugby
Cardiff Blues Select v Leinster A
London Scottish v Yorkshire Carnegie
Jersey Reds v Dragons Select
Rotherham Titans v Richmond
Ealing Trailfinders v Connacht A
Hartpury RFC v Scarlets Select
Ulster A v Cornish Pirates
Round 6: 29 January 2018
Bedford Blues v Nottingham
Munster A v Ospreys Select
Leinster A v Doncaster Knights
Bristol Rugby v Cardiff Blues Select
Dragons Select v London Scottish
Yorkshire Carnegie v Jersey Reds
Connacht A v Rotherham Titans
Richmond v Ealing Trailfinders
Cornish Pirates v Hartpury RFC
Scarlets Select v Ulster A
