European Challenge Cup

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s European Challenge Cup news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

Challenge Cup round two Friday and Saturday preview

15 December 2023 0 comments

Having got their campaign underway with victory last week, Gloucester are now back to nearly full strength for a crucial match against Clermont under the […]

Georgia happy to be joining the party

3 December 2023 0 comments

The Challenge Cup is being used to widen boundaries. A Georgian side, Black Lion which will play its home matches in Tbilisi, has been included […]

Battling Cardiff grab the glory in magnificent triumph over Sharks

2 April 2023 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Cardiff ……………………… 28pts Tries: Domachowski 19, Adams 33, 40+2, Conversions: J Evans 20, 40+3 Penalties: J Evans 9, 71; Priestland 43 Sale […]

Lions ……………. 51 Racing 92 ……28

2 April 2023 0 comments

LIONS battled to victory in their first ever Challenge Cup knockout stage game in Johannesburg, crushing Racing 92 despite being down to 14 men from […]

Stade F ………. 24 Lyon ……………..41

2 April 2023 0 comments

CHALLENGE Cup holders Lyon had to come from behind twice to win at Stade Français and earn a place in the quarter-finals. Lyon with face […]

High five for Matthews as Warriors crush Dragons

2 April 2023 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER Glasgow…………73pts Tries: Horne 2, Matthews 15, 22, 26, 33, 42; Turner 55, Forbes 57, Jones 59, Steyn 72, 79 Conversions: Horne 3, […]

Scarlets grit it out to set up clash with Clermont

2 April 2023 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Scarlets ……….. 19pts Tries: Fifita 50, Shingler 78 Penalties: Costelow 3, 15, 28 Brive……………….. 7pts Tries: Olding 47 Conversions: Olding 48 SCARLETS […]

Former Wasps star for Treviso

2 April 2023 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Benetton ……..41 Connacht …….. 19 CONNACHT could have few complaints as yet another Challenge Cup campaign fizzled out. Connacht failed to build […]

Easy for Clermont as Bears stumble

2 April 2023 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW Bristol ………………………….. 26pts Tries: Randall 34, Radradra 38 Conversions: MacGinty 35, 39 Penalties: MacGinty 11, 18, 49, 78 Clermont……………………… 33pts Tries: Lavanini […]

Biggar keeps Toulon on track

2 April 2023 0 comments

Toulon …………36 Cheetahs …….. 21 DAN Biggar helped steer Toulon past the Cheetahs at Stade Mayol. Thomas Salles cut through the midfield to score the […]

Toulon have to beat the cold to secure home tie

22 January 2023 3 comments

Toulon ………… 14 Zebre …………….. 5 TOULON secured a home tie in the Challenge Cup round of 16 as they maintained their winning run with […]

Benetton edge it but Stade still in

22 January 2023 0 comments

Benetton ……..35 Stade F ………..32 BENETTON couldn’t quite make it to the top of Pool B – but they put in a determined display to […]

Falcons on song but it’s too late to matter

22 January 2023 1 comment

■By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle……….35pts Tries: Young 3, Orlando 10, Carreras 18, Barton 42, Lucock 77 Conversions: Schoeman 4, 11, 19, 43, Thomas 78 Connacht ………… […]

Weir off target as Glasgow fail to overcome Bath

22 January 2023 2 comments

■By BRYN PALMER Glasgow………… 19pts Tries: Fagerson 6, Vailanu 22, Cancelliere 47 Conversions: Jordan 7, 23 Bath ……………….. 19pts Tries: Cloete 25 Conversions: Francis 25 […]

Cheetahs ready to go on attack

22 January 2023 0 comments

Preview Cheetahs v Pau Today. Kick-off 3.15pm TWO teams with almost identical Pool B records meet today knowing victory is a must to keep their […]

Little goes right for slack Cardiff

22 January 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REYNOLDS Brive ……………..37 Cardiff ………… 24 CARDIFF ended the group stage on a downbeat note as defeat in Brive saw them miss out […]

Scarlets on cruise control

22 January 2023 1 comment

By SAM JACKSON Bayonne ………… 7 Scarlets ………. 20 SCARLETS maintained their 100 per cent record in this season’s Challenge Cup with a comfortable victory […]

Cross: It’s all about physicality

22 January 2023 1 comment

Preview Dragons v Lions Kick-off 1pm URC rivals Lions and Dragons collide in what is a winner takes all contest in round four of the […]

Halfpenny’s boot proves the difference for Scarlets

15 January 2023 1 comment

By ROGER PANTING Scarlets ……….. 20pts Tries: Steff Evans 22, McNicholl 54 Conversions: Halfpenny 22, 54 Penalties: Halfpenny 10, 63 Cheetahs ……… 17pts Tries: van […]

Thacker’s hat-trick lifts Bears

15 January 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Zebre……………… 11pts Tries: Gesi 60 Penalties: Eden 7, 24 Bristol …………… 34pts Tries: Thacker 43, 67, 77; Lloyd 52, Harding 73, Bradbury […]

Stuart: It will be tough but we’ll do our best

15 January 2023 1 comment

By JON NEWCOMBE PREVIEW… Cardiff v Newcastle Today. Kick-off 1pm, Arms Park SCRUM-HALF Sam Stuart insists Newcastle haven’t given up hope of making the knockout […]

It’s like a cup final – Annett

15 January 2023 1 comment

Preview Bath v Toulon Kick-off 3.15pm BATH’S Challenge Cup game against Toulon was postponed yesterday because of flooding. The game will take place today at […]

Connacht cruise into knockouts

15 January 2023 0 comments

By DARAGH SMALL Connacht …….. 61 Brive ………………. 5 ALEX Wootton scored a hat-trick as Connacht’s bonus point win secured their place in the knockout […]

Warriors hit Perpignan for six

15 January 2023 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER Perpignan …..26 Glasgow ……….40 GLASGOW maintained their 100 per cent record in the European Challenge Cup pool stages and booked their place […]

Dragons end European drought

15 January 2023 1 comment

By ROB COLE Pau ……………….. 12 Dragons ……….. 21 DRAGONS took revenge on Pau to record a first win in European competition for more than […]

Benetton ………26 Bayonne ………… 7

15 January 2023 0 comments

BENETTON booked their place in the knockout stage of the Challenge Cup with a comfortable win over rock-bottom Bayonne in Pool B. The Italian side […]

Stade F ………… 17 Lions ……………… 7

15 January 2023 0 comments

A SECOND half horror show saw the Lions go down to Stade Francais at the Stade Jean-Bouin. The Lions completely dominated the first period but […]

Scarlets looking to prove worth

11 December 2022 1 comment

Preview Scarlets v Bayonne Today. 3.15pm SCARLETS welcome Wales internationals Dane Blacker, Ryan Elias and Josh Macleod back into their starting line-up for their Challenge […]

Cardiff cruise home as Williams hits 250 in style

11 December 2022 0 comments

By SIMON ROBERTS Cardiff…………… 41pts Tries: Dacey 4, 18; Adams 22, L Williams 48, T Williams 60, Grady 77, Cabango 80 Conversions: Evans 5, 19, […]

Weir keeps his cool to guide Glasgow home

11 December 2022 0 comments

By HAMISH STUART Bath………………….. 19pts Tries: White 22, Lee-Warner 28, Gallagher 61 Conversions: Francis 29, 62 Glasgow……………22pts Tries: Bean 3, Turner 15, Jones 38 Conversions: […]

Relief for Moriarty after he loses head

11 December 2022 2 comments

By MATT LLOYD Lions………………. 31pts Tries: Lombard 15, Ntlabakanye 30, van der Merwe 44, 48 Conversions: Lombard 10, 30; Hendrikse 44, 48 Penalties: Lombard 4 […]

Walder: We couldn’t put them under any pressure

11 December 2022 2 comments

By JOHN FALLON Connacht……….22pts Tries: Boyle 4, Byrne 37, Killgallen 77 Conversions: Hawkshaw 4, 38 Penalties: Hawkshaw 60 Newcastle………. 8pts Tries: Earle 25 Penalties: Schoeman […]

Zebre……………….. 21 Toulon…………….. 24

11 December 2022 1 comment

GAEL Drean’s 71st minute try won the match for Toulon against a plucky Zebre side. The visitors made a strong start and after consecutive penalties […]

Pau…………………… 16 Cheetahs………… 21

11 December 2022 2 comments

SOUTH African franchise the Cheetahs made a victorious start to their Challenge Cup campaign as they edged Top 14 strugglers Pau. Clement Mondinant opened the […]

Stade Fr……………24 Benetton………… 14

11 December 2022 0 comments

STADE Francais produced a stunning second half to overcome a resilient Benetton at the Stade Jean-Bouin on Friday. In a turgid first period, it was […]

Edinburgh’s second half charge sinks sorry Bath

17 April 2022 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER Edinburgh ……..41pts Tries: Boffelli 10, 63, Kinghorn 31, Schoeman 53, Bennett 69, Boyle 78 Conversions: Boffelli 32, 54, 64, 79 Penalties: Boffelli […]

Saints at sea after Biggar’s red card

17 April 2022 1 comment

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ……..31pts Tries: Thorley 4, Rapava-Ruskin 7, Alemanno 21, Socino 47 Conversions: Hastings 4, 7, 21, 47 Penalties: Hastings 52 Northampton….21pts Tries: […]

Barbeary hat-trick as fast-starting Wasps hold off fierce French fightback

17 April 2022 2 comments

By JAMES HARRINGTON Biarritz …………..29pts Tries: Peyresblanques 28, Hirigoyen 42, Soury 68, Armitage 57 Conversions: Bosch 43, 58, 68 Penalties: Bosch 14 Wasps …………….39pts Tries: […]

Jaded Falcons sent crashing

17 April 2022 1 comment

By SAM JACKSON Newcastle ……..17pts Tries: Montgomery 51, Hodgson 65 Conversions: Connon 52, 66 Penalties: Connon 28 Glasgow …………27pts Tries: Matthews 4, Steyn 7, 58; […]

Warriors fall short but get plaudits from Diamond

17 April 2022 1 comment

By TOM SHEEDY Lyon ………………..31pts Tries: Couilloud 5, Taofifenua 16, Devisme 48, Barassi 77 Conversions: Sopoaga 6, 17, 49; Berdeu 79 Penalties: Berdeu 58 Worcester […]

Carbonel puts the boot into Benetton

17 April 2022 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Toulon …………36 Benetton ……..27 TOULON will face London Irish in the semi-finals after they comfortably beat Benetton to book their place in […]

Clinical first half sets up 10-try win for Irish

17 April 2022 1 comment

By GARY FITZGERALD London Irish ….64pts Tries: Creevy 6, 24; Rona 18, Pearson 34, Gonzalez 36, Rowe 39, Rogerson 71, Joseph 75, Cornish 78, Van […]

Saracens dig deep to find a gem in Christie

17 April 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Saracens v Cardiff Today. Kick-off 1pm, StoneX Stadium THE season Saracens spent in the Championship allowed them to scrutinise players who […]

Dai Young: Welsh rugby needs to build from the bottom up

17 April 2022 1 comment

Tough times: Dai Young DAI Young thought he knew what he was taking on when he took charge of Cardiff for the second time a […]

Albornoz inspires Treviso fightback

10 April 2022 1 comment

By SAM JACKSON Benetton ……..17 Perpignan ……..7 ARGENTINIAN Tomas Albornoz jumped off the bench to inspire Benetton into the last 16 of the Challenge Cup […]

Falcons leave it late to steal the show

10 April 2022 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle ……..25pts Tries: Davison 17, Burrell 28, McGuigan 58, Nordil-Kelemeti 80 Conversions: Connon 80+1 Penalties: Connon 40+1 Zebre ………………22pts Tries: Andreani 46 […]

Edinburgh on the Boyle with eight-try slaughter to stretch unbeaten home run

10 April 2022 2 comments

By GARY HEATLY Edinburgh ……..54pts Tries: McInally 3, Boyle 10, 20; Pyrgos 32, Nel 39, Moyano 45, 79;, Phillips 69 Conversions: Van der Walt 3, […]

Gloucester bank on Socino to save face

10 April 2022 1 comment

By ROGER PANTING Dragons…………..21pts Tries: Basham 18, Rosser 26, Keddie 40 Conversions: S Davies 18, 26, 40 Gloucester ……..26pts Tries: Socino 13, 62, 67; Rees-Zammit […]

Amitage leads way against his old club

10 April 2022 0 comments

By TOM SHEEDY Biarritz …………20 Toulon…………..17 IN a superb contest, Steffon Armitage, now 36, rolled back the years to lead Biarritz to victory over a […]

It’s shooting practice for ace Farrell

10 April 2022 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Brive ………………….5pts Tries: Tuicuvu 14 Saracens ……….55pts Conversions: Farrell 22, 37, 41, 58, 72, 76 Penalties: Farrell 6 Tries: Christie 10, Mawi […]

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