WORCESTER Warriors will face away trips to Russia and France at the start of the 2019-20 European Challenge Cup.

First up for Warriors is a visit to the Kuban Krasnodar Stadium on Friday, November 15 for the Pool One opener against Enisei-STM.

Although Enisei are a Siberian club the severe Russian winter prevents them playing matches at their usual home ground.

Moscow – where Warriors played them three years ago – has also been ruled out for similar reasons.

Enisei have agreed to play their three home pool matches in Krasnodar, a city around 90 miles from the Black Sea.

Warriors will be away again on Saturday, November 23 when they face French Top 14 club Castres at the Stade Pierre Fabre.

Back-to-back matches against Dragons will follow when the Challenge Cup returns in December with the Pro-14 side, now coached by former Warriors director of rugby Dean Ryan, the visitors to Sixways on Saturday, December 7 (3pm).

The return leg at Rodney Parade will be played on Friday, December 13 (8pm) with two home matches to end the pool stage against Enisei on Saturday, January 11 (3pm) and Castres on Friday, January 17 (8pm).

Last season Warriors reached the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup where they were edged out by Harlequins in an all-Gallagher Premiership tie at Sixways having won five out of six pool matches.