The tournament featured teams from non-EPCR countries, such as Spain, Germany, Belgium, Romania, Georgia, Russia and Portugal, as well as select Italian Eccellenza clubs.

[6] In 2017, the competition was rebranded as the European Rugby Continental Shield, and it was announced that the two qualifiers would play each other as part of the EPCR's finals weekend,[7] a practice which was discontinued for 2018–19.

Belgium and Germany are represented in pan-European Rugby competition for the first time, through Royal Kituro and Heidelberger RK respectively.

This season's competition features clubs from the domestic leagues of non-EPCR unions Russia, Spain, Germany and Belgium, as well as four representatives from the Italian Eccellenza.

The two pool winners will then play off against Timișoara Saracens of Romania and Russia's Enisei-STM on a home and away basis to decide which two clubs will qualify for the 2017–18 Challenge Cup.

[7] EPCR will determine about one open question: If it was like the past years, according to the rating, Krasny Yar Krasnoyarsk would meet with the Romanian Timișoara.

But Krasny Yar received a letter that EPCR will hold a meeting on the final round of qualifying Challenge Cup, which will be determined the opponents.

[11] On February 14, at the office of RK "Yenisei-STM" received a letter signed by the coordinator of the qualifying competitions EPCR Vincent Prebande.

The two clubs which advance will then play each other home and away with the winners securing a place in the Continental Shield final in Bilbao next May and also qualifying for the 2018–19 Challenge Cup.

The winners of the Enisei-STM v Krasny Yar play-offs will go through to the Continental Shield final in Bilbao and will also qualify for the 2018–19 Challenge Cup.