Challenge Cup

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

stdClass Object ( [id] => 5 [league_name] => Challenge Cup [league_logo_id] => 0 [league_logo_url] => [parent_league_id] => 0 [wp_league_id] => 13 )

Bath

Benetton Treviso

Biarritz

Bristol

Brive

Cardiff

Connacht

Dragons

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Gloucester

Lions

London Irish

Lyon

Newcastle

Paris

Pau

Perpignan

Saracens

Scarlets

Toulon

Wasps

Worcester

Zebre

Ludlow: Sharks took it to Test level

26 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Gloucester captain Lewis Ludlow was dejected after the defeat to the Sharks in the Challenge Cup final but is proud of his […]

Ox Nche: ‘You don’t win a scrum alone, you win it together.’

23 May 2024 0 comments

In the words of Springboks and Sharks prop Ox Nche, “salads don’t win scrums”; but what does win you scrums? During the World Cup, South […]

Challenge Cup Final Preview – More than just a trophy on the line

23 May 2024 0 comments

The final fixture of the EPCR Challenge Cup takes place on Friday night, with Gloucester and the Sharks both desperate to put a shine on […]

Powell and Sharks looking to make European history

23 May 2024 0 comments

South African outfit the Sharks sit on the cusp of history, but Director of Rugby Neil Powell knows his team need to be at their […]

Ludlow’s up for the Sharks challenge

19 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Despite suffering a 14-try whitewash last weekend and finishing second bottom in the Premiership for a second straight year, Lewis Ludlow believes […]

Tbilisi win was key – Skivington

12 May 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE George Skivington has credited the European Challenge Cup win against Black Lion in Tbilisi as the moment Gloucester turned their season around. […]

Am: Chance to win silverware shows we’re on right track

5 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK The Sharks have endured an emotional rollercoaster this season but, after booking their place in the Challenge Cup final with yesterday’s sensational […]

Hotshot Hastings has the final say

5 May 2024 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ………………….. 40pts Tries: Hathaway 6, Blake 29, Hastings 58, Clarke 61, Thorley 78 Conversions: Hastings 29, 58, 61 Penalties: Hastings 19, […]

Coach is happy to chase a second trophy

5 May 2024 0 comments

Gloucester head coach George Skivington confirmed that his side had targeted the cup competitions after victory against Benetton took them to a second final of […]

Masuku hits the target for Sharks

5 May 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Sharks ……………..32pts Tries: Koch 61, Mapimpi 71 Conversions: Masuku 62, 72 Penalties: Masuku 4, 9, 14, 19, 26, 29 Clermont…………. 31pts Tries: […]

EPCR Challenge Cup semi-final preview

3 May 2024 0 comments

For the second year in a row each of the four Challenge Cup semi-finalists come from a different country, but it’s a side representing a […]

Sharks too strong for ordinary Edinburgh

14 April 2024 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER Sharks ……………36pts Tries: Am 16, J Venter 26, Mbonambi 55 Conversions: Masuku 17, 27, 56 Penalties: Masuku 48, 52, 65, 70; Bosch […]

On-target Carreras makes no mistake

14 April 2024 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ………23pts Tries: Blake 30 Penalties: Carreras 6, 18, 34, 49, 60, 65 Ospreys…………… 13pts Tries: Giles 13 Conversions: O Williams 13 […]

Murphy promises new focus after Ulster are demolished by Clermont

14 April 2024 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Clermont………..53pts Tries: Yato 18, 68, Sowakula 36, 60, Newsome 44, Simmons 64, Jurand 80 Conversions: Belleau 19, 37, 45, 61, 65, Bezy […]

Coach praises efforts in defence

14 April 2024 0 comments

GLOUCESTER director of rugby George Skivington praised his side’s defensive effort. He said: “After missing so many tackles in our league fixture against Bristol, we’ve […]

Connacht know they must rise to the occasion

14 April 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON PREVIEW… Benetton v Connacht Today. Kick-off 12.30pm CONNACHT know they will have to go up a gear to see off Benetton today. […]

Pienaar heads the list for Europe’s golden oldies

14 April 2024 0 comments

In the course of wheeling their way into the Challenge Cup quarter-finals last weekend against the Cheetahs, the Michelin Men of Clermont brought a somewhat […]

EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final preview

11 April 2024 0 comments

Eight countries from seven different nations remain in the Challenge Cup as it reaches the quarter-final stage, with an Anglo-Welsh clash getting things underway on […]

Ulster set for massive fight

7 April 2024 0 comments

Preview Montpellier v Ulster Today. 12.30pm ULSTER interim head coach Richie Murphy says a ‘massive test’ awaits in Montpellier. Ulster have lost their last two […]

Clermont survive second-half scare

7 April 2024 0 comments

Clermont ……..27 Cheetahs …….22 ■By BEN JAYCOCK THREE-TIME Challenge Cup winners Clermont held off a Cheetahs fightback to earn a place in the last eight. […]

Umaga stars for 14-man Benetton

7 April 2024 0 comments

Benetton ……..27 Lions ……………. 17 ■By SAM JACKSON THE Lions were booted out of the Challenge Cup by a Benetton side that played half the […]

Carreras’ boot keeps Gloucester in control

7 April 2024 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ……… 30pts Tries: Mercer 8, May 27, Llewellyn 32 Conversions: Carreras 8, 27, 32 Penalties: Carreras 54, 60, 79 Castres …………….25pts […]

Dominant Ospreys out-muscle the weakened Sharks

7 April 2024 0 comments

■By ROGER PANTING mance from them and a tion has to be made of the 30 metres out from his own Ospreys …………. 20pts Tries: […]

Bundee’s back to boost Connacht

7 April 2024 0 comments

Preview Pau v Connacht Today. 5.30pm IRELAND duo Bundee Aki and Finlay Bealham come into the starting XV as Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins names […]

Sisi leads way on 100th appearance

7 April 2024 0 comments

Preview Sharks v Zebre Today. 3pm DAVID Sisi captains Zebre on his 100th appearance for the club as the Italian side hope to secure a […]

EPCR Challenge Cup last 16 preview

4 April 2024 0 comments

Teams from seven nations are represented in the round of 16 of the EPCR Challenge Cup, which gets underway on Friday night as Gloucester host […]

Keen demand to host Euro finals weekend

4 February 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Dominic McKay, chairman of European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), has revealed that interest in hosting European club rugby’s finals weekend was higher […]

Edinburgh claim vital bonus point to proceed

21 January 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Scarlets ………… 19pts Tries: Roberts 14, Conbeer 79, Penalty 80 Conversion: Lloyd 79 Edinburgh……… 31pts Tries: Vellacott 3, Nel 7, Van der […]

Gloucester seal home advantage for last 16

21 January 2024 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ………35pts Tries: Atkinson 9, Clarke 50, Hastings 68, Tuisue 72 Conversions: Hastings 9, 50, Carreras 68 Penalties: Hastings 25, 60, Carreras […]

Wales prop Thomas ruled out of Ospreys’ South African safari

21 January 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW… Lions v Ospreys Today. Kick-off 1pm, Ellis Park THE Ospreys have already qualified for the Challenge Cup knockout stages but know […]

Black Lion …….. 3 Clermont ………36

21 January 2024 0 comments

CLERMONT secured home advantage in the last 16 with a five-try rout of the Georgian newcomers. The Top 14 giants and three-time former winners ended […]

Pau ………………..28 Zebre …………….27

21 January 2024 0 comments

JOE Simmonds was the star of the show as he contributed 18 points in Pau’s win over Italian side Zebre. Zebre fly-half Geronimo Prisciantelli missed […]

Oyonnax ……….28 Cheetahs ……..27

21 January 2024 0 comments

JULES Solan stepped up to slot a match winning conversion in injury time to complete Oyonnax’s comeback victory after Adrien Bordenave scored a try in […]

Benetton ………27 Montpellier …19

21 January 2024 0 comments

TOMAS Albornoz ran the show to secure Benetton home advantage in the last 16 and boost his chances of taking over from Nicolas Sanchez as […]

Tough for Falcons as Diamond gets ready

21 January 2024 0 comments

■ By PAUL REES NEWCASTLE’S players will have their fourth boss in less than a year when Steve Diamond starts work as consultant director of […]

Brown returns as Dragons aim to make it four in a row

21 January 2024 0 comments

PREVIEW… Dragons v Sharks By BEN JAYCOCK Today. Kick-off 5.30pm, Rodney Parade THE Dragons are aiming for four victories on the spin at Rodney Parade […]

Challenge Cup Friday and Saturday previews

19 January 2024 0 comments

Half of the places provided by the EPCR Challenge Cup pool stages for the last 16 have already been decided. Six sides are through, and […]

Cockerill handed Georgia job

18 January 2024 0 comments

Former Leicester Tigers boss and England assistant Richard Cockerill has been named head coach of the Georgian national team and their club side Black Lion. […]

Champions Cup and Challenge Cup round three Sunday round-up

15 January 2024 0 comments

The third weekend of EPCR action ended with half of the qualification places now decided in each of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup. Though […]

Williams sees red as Scarlets eliminated

14 January 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Clermont………..xxpts Tries: player name and time Conversions: player name and time Penalties: player name and time Drop goals: player name and time […]

Mercer in the right place for Gloucester

14 January 2024 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER Edinburgh………..20pts Tries: Young 22, Ashman 61, Vellacott 68 Conversion: Healy 69 Penalty: Healy 52 Gloucester ……… 21pts Tries: Rees-Zammit 45, Mercer 74 […]

Full-back Hopkins is star of the show as fans pay tribute to JPR

14 January 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Ospreys………….25pts Tries: Hopkins 40, 50, Giles 63 Conversions: Edwards 51, 64 Penalties: Edwards 34, 43 Perpignan……….. 3pts Penalties: McIntyre 46 ON a […]

Willemse power makes difference

14 January 2024 0 comments

Montpellier ..13 Lions ……………… 3 UNDEFEATED Montpellier went three from three to top Pool 2 with victory over South African side the Lions. Both sides […]

Le Brun keeping Castres on course

14 January 2024 0 comments

Castres ………..28 Black Lion ……. 6 CASTRES secured their second win in the Challenge Cup to boost their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages […]

Dragons blow chance of booking home leg

14 January 2024 0 comments

By JOHN WILKINS Zebre………………20pts Tries: Gesi 26, 51; Bianchi 44 Conversions: Montemauri 45 Penalties: Montemauri 35 Dragons………….17pts Tries: Rosser 58 Penalties: Evans 6, 13, 17, […]

Cheetahs excited for trip to Dam

14 January 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Preview Cheetahs v Pau Today. 1pm THE Cheetahs are gearing up for this historic clash as the South African franchise host a […]

Horror show goes on for dejected Falcons

14 January 2024 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Newcastle…………………….18pts Tries: Bello 13, McCallum 62 Conversion: Connon 14 Penalty: Connon 4, 24 Benetton……………………… 57pts Tries: Albornoz 16, Ratave 19, 43; Menoncello […]

Springbok stars step up for error-strewn Sharks

14 January 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Sharks …………38 Oyonnax ……….. 7 URC bottom side the Sharks made life difficult for themselves but in the end secured a convincing […]

Challenge Cup round three Friday and Saturday Preview

12 January 2024 0 comments

Round 3 of the Challenge Cup promises an array of exciting fixtures, featuring eight matches unfolding across Friday and Saturday with teams vying for a […]