THE Dragons are no longer chasing a trip to Marseille for the European Challenge Cup final after tournament bosses opted for a new finals venue.

The French city had been scheduled to host the Challenge Cup and Champions Cup finals before the coronavirus pandemic.

European Professional Club Rugby chiefs initially stuck with the Stade Velodrome when announcing the rejigged competitions but have now opted to give Marseille the honour next year with the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium now host in 2022.

“With tens of thousands of fans scheduled to travel to the south of France, the board of EPCR and the local organising committee have agreed that insufficient safeguards are currently in place during the public health crisis to stage two high-profile matches at the 67,000-capacity Stade Vélodrome,” read a statement.

“As a consequence, EPCR is currently working with its shareholder leagues and unions to secure an alternative venue or venues for the two finals which will be played on the weekend of 16/17/18 October, and details will be announced as soon as practicable.”

The Dragons head to Bristol on the weekend of September 18 – the exact date is yet to be confirmed – for the right to take on either Bordeaux-Begles or Edinburgh in the semi-finals.

The region have a perfect three from three record in the last eight of the Challenge Cup after beating Brive, Cardiff Blues and Gloucester but lost semi-finals to Clermont Auvergne, Edinburgh and Montpellier.

2020 EPCR dates

Quarter-finals: weekend of 18/19/20 September

Semi-finals: weekend of 25/26/27 September

Heineken Champions Cup final: weekend of 16/17/18 October (venue TBC)

Challenge Cup final: weekend of 16/17/18 October (venue TBC)

Start of 2020/21 season: weekend of 11/12/13 December