Challenge Cup

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

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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 […]

The French out in front? That’s not how it looks

24 December 2023 0 comments

With 12 victories in 16 games, Paul Rees reflects on a promising start by English clubs in the Champions Cup It has been a chastening […]

Dreadful night for Scarlets

24 December 2023 0 comments

When they drank Llanelli dry the day the Scarlets beat New Zealand 51 years ago, the public houses to run out of beer included The […]

Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Sunday round-up

18 December 2023 0 comments

Narrow victories for Exeter and Leicester ensured English teams came away with more wins than losses on a second-straight weekend of Champions Cup action. Although, […]

Dungeon of obscurity needs to be shut

17 December 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT Barely able to buy a round of drinks, let alone a win – the good men and true of Kingsholm are up against […]

Scarlets stunned by Matkava’s history boys

17 December 2023 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Scarlets ………….. 7pts Try: Fifita 4 Conversion: Lloyd 5 Black Lion ……..23pts Tries: Modebadze 34, Mamrikishvili 58 Conversion: Matkava 35, 59 Penalties: […]

Mercer leads the charge at Kingsholm

17 December 2023 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Gloucester ………28pts Tries: May 16, Socino 32, 35 Conversions: Carreras 32, 35 Penalties: Carreras 40, 56, 68 Clermont…………. 17pts Tries: Jauneau 17, […]

Morgan rested as Booth makes changes for Ospreys’ French test

17 December 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK THE Ospreys go into today’s trip to Top 14 basement side Montpellier without Wales captain Jac Morgan, who is rested. Ospreys head […]

Prisciantelli drives Zebre fightback

17 December 2023 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Oyonnax ………14 Zebre …………… 21 ZEBRE fly-half Geronimo Prisciantelli kicked eight points as his side fought back from an 11-point deficit in […]

Try double gets record for Rhyno

17 December 2023 0 comments

By BEN WILLIAMS Benetton ……..29 Perpignan …….. 7 Full-back Rhyno Smith became Benetton’s all-time leading try scorer in EPCR competitions as his side enjoyed a […]

Late drama as Dragons denied at the death

17 December 2023 0 comments

By DAVID JOHN DRAGONS were denied back-to-back Challenge Cup victories in the final play of the game as Pau registered their first win of the […]

Sharks excited for derby tear up

17 December 2023 0 comments

Preview Cheetahs vSharks Today. 1pm By BEN JAYCOCK THE Sharks and Cheetahs both go into today’s Challenge Cup derby in high spirits after opening round […]

Tenth defeat in a row for battling Falcons

17 December 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Lions blindside Emmanuel Tshituka scored two second-half tries as Newcastle were taken back to school by a brutally powerful South African side […]

Edinburgh coast home after Cocagi sees red

17 December 2023 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER With Paterson failing to return from an HIA, Darcy Graham made an earlier than anticipated return to action from the bench. Duhan […]

Social media can hurt even the best

17 December 2023 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME Last weekend saw some of the best rugby we have seen this season, including the World […]

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 […]

Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Sunday round-up

11 December 2023 0 comments

Sunday saw a fourth meeting in as many seasons of La Rochelle and Leinster in the Champions Cup, with their last two clashes both having […]

Lions set to ring the changes

10 December 2023 0 comments

■By BEN JAYCOCK Preview… Perpignan v Lions Today. 1pm LIONS head coach Ivan van Rooyen will be banking on the strength of his squad as […]

Four-try Lake guides Ospreys safely home

10 December 2023 0 comments

■By ROB COLE Ospreys ……………………….. 43pts Tries: Lake 7, 26, 46, 56; Thomas 17, Morris 76 Conversions: Williams 8, 19, 27, 48; Walsh 77 Penalties: […]

Clermont dominate to see off Edinburgh

10 December 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Clermont……….. 31pts Tries: Moala 25, Newsome 31, 62; Bibi Biziwu 69 Conversions: Belleau 27, 32, 64, 70 Penalties: Belleau 38 Edinburgh……… 18pts […]

Lloyd blow a problem for Scarlets and Gatland

10 December 2023 0 comments

■By ANDY HOWELL Castres …………. 34pts Tries: Raisuqe 5, Fernandez 32, Papali’i 38, Dumora 43, Le Brun 66 Conversions: Le Brun 5, 43, 66 Scarlets […]

Barton is on target to rescue Gloucester

10 December 2023 0 comments

■By BRENDAN GALLAGHER Black Lion ………. 10pts Try: Matkava 20 Conversion: Matkava 21 Gloucester ……… 15pts Penalty: Matkava 68 Penalties: Barton 11, 17, 28, 48, […]

Newcastle are hoping for a cold front in basement battle

10 December 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Newcastle v Montpellier Today. Kick-off 3.15pm, Kingston Park IT will be a case of bottoms up at Kingston Park today when […]

Pau no match for powerful Sharks

10 December 2023 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Sharks ……….. 45 Pau ………………… 5 LUKHANYO Am and Eben Etzebeth scored two tries apiece as the Sharks launched their maiden Challenge […]

Perfect Pienaar downs Zebre

10 December 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Zebre ……………15 Cheetahs …….33 CHEETAHS scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar was perfect off the tee as the South African invitational side secured a routine […]

Dyer at the double to seal victory for Dragons

10 December 2023 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Dragons………… 24pts Tries: Hewitt 43, Davies 74, Dyer 77, 80 Conversions: Reed 44, 80 Oyonnax………….. 7pts Tries: Treilles 22 Conversions: Soulan 23 […]

Challenge Cup round one Friday and Saturday preview

8 December 2023 0 comments

Gloucester will be looking to get their season back on track as they face Black Lion, with their opposition becoming the first Georgian team to […]

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 […]

Challenge Cup invite for Black Lion and Cheetahs

9 July 2023 0 comments

Georgian team Black Lion and South African side Cheetahs have been invited to join the 2023- 24 European Challenge Cup. Organisers have finalised the pool […]

Georgia and Israel in line for Challenge Cup

2 July 2023 1 comment

By JON NEWCOMBE Teams from Georgia, Israel and South Africa are in the running to fill the two vacant spots in the 2023/24 European Challenge […]

Superstar Parisse signs off in style

21 May 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Glasgow……………………….. 19pts Tries: Steyn 55, 73; Cancelliere 68 Conversions: Horne 56, 74 Toulon …………………………. 43pts Tries: Serin 4, 24, Parisse 17, Wainiqolo […]

Warriors will learn from this – Smith

21 May 2023 0 comments

Glasgow head coach Franco Smith accepted that his side were outplayed but believes this experience will help his players in the long run. He said: […]

European Challenge Cup final preview

19 May 2023 0 comments

The word “historic” is often overused when it comes to sporting triumphs, but there can be no doubt that will be the case for whoever […]

Miotti can be the main man for Glasgow – McDowall

14 May 2023 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER Domingo Miotti can step up and fill the boots of banned fly-half Tom Jordan as Glasgow aim to become the first Scottish […]

Glasgow power on to first Euro final

30 April 2023 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Scarlets ………………………..17pts Tries: Steff Evans 31 Penalties: Costelow 24, 28, 39, 46 Glasgow………………………. 35pts Tries: McDowall 3, 79; Horne 43, Matthews 51, […]

Negri’s keen on Parisse clash

30 April 2023 0 comments

■ By JON NEWCOMBE Preview Toulon v Benetton Today. Kick off 12.30pm SEBASTIAN Negri is relishing the prospect of being on the same pitch with […]

Monstrous defence wins battle for Warriors

9 April 2023 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Glasgow………… 31pts Tries: Dempsey 9, Dobie 17, Fagerson 48, Jordan 73 Conversions: G Horne 10, 19, 49, 74 Penalties: G Horne 68 […]

Cardiff pay price for poor discipline

9 April 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Benetton ……………………. 27pts Tries: Smith 20, Lamaro 56, Watson 68 Conversions: Umaga 21, 57; Albornoz 70 Penalties: Umaga 6, 12 Cardiff ……………………….. […]

Costelow grabs it for Scarlets

9 April 2023 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Scarlets …………………….. 32pts Tries: Halfpenny 8, Costelow 14, Williams 36, Conbeer 76 Conversions: Halfpenny 14, Costelow 36, 76 Penalties: Halfpenny 6, Costelow […]

Toulon have too much power for Lyon

9 April 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Toulon ………….. 48pts Tries: Wainiqolo 26, 66; Baubigny 38, Priso 40, Vuidravuwalu 49, Ollivon 57, Luc 77 Conversions: West 39, 40, 50, […]

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