Challenge Cup

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

Piutau has his Bears prowling with intent

8 December 2019 0 comments

By NEALE HARVEY POOL 4 Going in: Charles Piutau breaks through to score Bristol’s third try PICTURES: Getty Images CHARLES Piutau celebrated extending his contract […]

Debut hat-trick for Adams as Blues bring up half ton

8 December 2019 2 comments

By ROB COLE POOL 5 JOSH Adams announced his arrival at the Arms Park with a hat-trick as Blues buried Pau under an avalanche of […]

Tigers produce clinical display to honour Matthews

8 December 2019 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN POOL 5 No holding him: Telusa Veainu breaks clear to score LEICESTERneeded only 18 minutes to flatten the Italian visitors in a […]

Holmes scores four as Tigers claw the French

17 November 2019 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN To the four: Tigers’ Jonah Holmes scores PICTURES: Getty Images LEICESTER welcomed back their England World Cup men, only for Welsh international […]

We were too naive says Pau coach

17 November 2019 0 comments

JONAH Holmes admitted Leicester’s winning performance was a “nice change” after the defeat at London Irish last week in the Premiership. “We didn’t stop and […]

How could Curry miss out on this award?

17 November 2019 2 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK TOM Curry was the Breakthrough Player of the Year in international rugby in 2019 for anyone with […]

Sonny Bill may need masking tape again

17 November 2019 1 comment

JUST before the 2017 Lions tour Sonny Bill Williams refused to wear an Auckland Blues jersey with a Bank of New Zealand logo on it, […]

Shillcock in for a treble as Warriors rout Russians

17 November 2019 0 comments

By ALEX BYWATER A JAMIE Shillcock hattrick ensured the Warriors got their Challenge Cup campaign off a flying start as they annihilated Enisei in Russia. […]

Basham rises to challenge as Dragons ease to victory

17 November 2019 1 comment

By ROB COLE Future star: Taine Basham of Dragons scores his third try PICTURES: Huw Evans TAINE Basham couldn’t have picked a better time to […]

Hughes try gets Scarlets off to winning start on home ground

17 November 2019 0 comments

By CALLUM ELLIS A SECOND-HALF try from Staffen Hughes helped the Scarlets open their Challenge Cup campaign with a win over London Irish at Parc […]

Ryan: tries hid Dragons errors

17 November 2019 0 comments

DRAGONS director of rugby Dean Ryan was happy with the five points, but not so much with the performance. “I’m weirdly not that happy because […]

Wasps left wanting as Jalibert puts boot in

17 November 2019 1 comment

By GARY FITGERALD DAI Young’s men were left ruing what might have been as they slipped out of South West France empty handed from a […]

Taylor shines for Scots in Agen

17 November 2019 1 comment

By TRP REPORTER ROUND-UP CENTRE GEORGE Taylor was the star of the show on his European debut as his two tries helped Edinburgh Rugby to […]

Wonder-kid Lloyd stars in Bears’ 8-try romp

17 November 2019 1 comment

By NEALE HARVEY Heaven: Charlie Powell has scored Bristol’s seventh try WELSH wonderkid Ioan Lloyd enhanced his burgeoning reputation as Bristol put Zebre to the […]

Lam hits out over sloppy discipline

17 November 2019 3 comments

DESPITE the big victory, Pat Lam was annoyed with Bristol’s discipline. He said: “The yellow cards were unacceptable. We had 20 minutes with 14 men […]

Blues survive scare to get the job done in Calvisano

17 November 2019 1 comment

By ROB COLE Star man: Jarrod Evans JOHN Mulvihill admitted his heart was in his mouth when Calvisano got back to within a point in […]

London Irish discover Challenge Cup opponents – full draw

19 June 2019 0 comments

Exiles will face Bayonne, who won the French equivalent of the GK IPA Championship last season

Kayser finally one of the kings of Europe

12 May 2019 0 comments

By NEALE HARVEY at St James’ Park Getting the party started: Fritz Lee leads the champagne celebrations for Clermont PICTURES: Getty Images VETERAN hooker Benjamin […]

Galacticos at Irish need a general like Jonny

12 May 2019 1 comment

NICK CAIN LONDON Irish look hellbent on becoming the Toulon of the Premiership following the newly-promoted club’s decision to buy-in a new team from around […]

Eddie has 60 days to drill the faults out of England

12 May 2019 0 comments

EDDIE Jones has secured more pre-World Cup training/ playing access to his England squad than any national coach before him, and given his side’s undulations […]

New Tottenham Hotspur stadium to host 2021 European rugby finals

10 May 2019 0 comments

A stadium with a capacity of 62,062

Try burst comes too late to save brave Quins

21 April 2019 1 comment

■By JAMES LLOYD EVEN a late try blitz by Harlequins could not stop Clermont Auvergne from setting up an all French European Challenge Cup final […]

Arrogant and divisive, but Galthie is a winner

21 April 2019 0 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK THE suggestion that the former France scrum-half and captain Fabien Galthie has been rubber-stamped as French national […]

RFU chief executive

21 April 2019 1 comment

Steve Brown told us in October there would be a prudence measure by the RFU to reduce spending by £4- £5m in the next financial […]

Jobs for the boys is a concern

21 April 2019 0 comments

THE blurred lines between senior executives in sport being guardians of governing bodies and then, armed with inside knowledge, joining corporate commercial companies with a […]

Ref Owen takes centre stage in Sharks battle

21 April 2019 1 comment

■By GARY FITZGERALD Ever alert: Chris Ashton touches down for Sale PICTURES: Getty Images STEVE Diamond’s Sharks slumped despairingly out of Europe on a frantic […]

Diamond: Now we must aim for top 6

21 April 2019 0 comments

STEVE Diamond urged his players to quickly forget their European despair and focus on snatching a top six place in the Premiership and Champions Cup […]

Chris Ashton back for Sale’s European dream

19 April 2019 0 comments

Read Steve Diamond’s thoughts ahead of the Challenge Cup semi-final trip to La Rochelle

Killer start puts Sharks on scent for silverware

31 March 2019 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Flying start: Byron McGuigan dives over for Sale’s first try PICTURES: Getty Images No way through: Sale try-scorer Denny Solomona is halted […]

Friend defends selection policy

31 March 2019 0 comments

CONNACHT coach Andy Friend accepted his team had made too many errors to really push Sale in this quarter-final. “With it 20-3 at half-time, we […]

Catrakilis keeps his nerve to win thriller for Quins

31 March 2019 3 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD DEMETRI Catrakilis kicked the crucial winning penalty four minutes from time as Quins left Warriors shell-shocked and booked themselves another European semi-final. […]

Dallaglio predicts seismic shift in Far East

31 March 2019 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD NEWS EXTRA LAWRENCE Dallaglio predicts the Northern Hemisphere invasion to Japan later this year will be the ‘strongest ever’ for any World […]

Franks craving more of winning feeling at Saints

31 March 2019 2 comments

By NEALE HARVEY Learning from the master: Paul Hill PICTURES: Getty Images BEN Franks says he is relishing his role as mentor to Northampton’s squadron […]

French trip holds no fear for Daniels

31 March 2019 0 comments

Confident: Bristol utility back Luke Daniels LUKE Daniels insists Bristol go into their first European knock-out match in 12 years full of confidence despite last […]

RFU fear over Six Nations relegation is spineless

31 March 2019 0 comments

THERE were signs this week that the RFU have adopted a ‘Little England’ mentality, matching the insularity of the Scots, Italians, Irish and French in […]

Never on Sunday please, for sake of the fans

31 March 2019 1 comment

THE 20,000 empty seats at the Stade de France for the host nation’s opening game of the 2019 Six Nations against Wales has hopefully put […]

HONOUR YOUR RUGBY HEROES

31 March 2019 0 comments

THE RUGBY PAPER AWARDS Feel the passion: Bristol win the Championship to gain promotion to the Premiership Lunch venue: Quins’ Twickenham Stoop WE ARE proud […]

Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals to support Doddie Weir foundation, EPCR announce

5 March 2019 0 comments

Newcastle and St James’ Park will host the two European finals in May

PRO14

20 January 2019 2 comments

Kings …………….17 Cheetahs ……24 REPLACEMENT prop Luan de Bruin scored a dramatic 86th-minute try for the Cheetahs to clinch the derby win. Rabz Maxwane and […]

Bath in talks with former All Black ace Cruden

20 January 2019 0 comments

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEILFISSLER Follow me on Twitter: @neilfissler Wanted: Aaron Cruden BATH are looking to end their search for a new fly-half […]

Top 14 show interest in Morgan

20 January 2019 0 comments

BEN MORGAN is attracting interest from French clubs after having his name circulated around the Top 14. No.8 Morgan, right, who signed a new deal […]

Irish put offers on the table for Aussie cavalry

20 January 2019 0 comments

Major bid: Adam Coleman is wanted by Irish LONDON IRISH have made Melbourne Rebels lock Adam Coleman a massive offer to become one of three […]

Will Adams choose the Blues or Scarltes?

20 January 2019 0 comments

WELSH regions will start making offers to the players they want to retain for next season at the start of February following talks with the […]

Carty crowns big week with late winner

20 January 2019 1 comment

■By JOHN FALLON Bordeaux ……27 Connacht ……33 A GLORIOUS week for Connacht was appropriately capped off by Jack Carty as he snatched victory three minutes […]

Ospreys sent crashing by Bouchet’s late winner

20 January 2019 0 comments

■By JAMES LLOYD A LATE Pau try dumped the Ospreys out of the Challenge Cup despite a brave effort in France. Tries from Pierre Nueno, […]

Sharks cut loose to confirm title credentials

20 January 2019 1 comment

■ By ROSS HEPPENSTALL FIVE-STAR Sale smashed Perpignan to pieces to confirm a home quarter-final and encourage hopes of going all the way to the […]

Sleightholme grabs four in Timisoara slaughter

20 January 2019 1 comment

■By GARY FITZGERALD ALEX Waller quickly turned his sights on another hot and spicy East Midlands clash following the stunning 17-try torture of Timisoara and […]

Dragons left feeling red after another hammering

20 January 2019 3 comments

■By ROGER PANTING DRAGONS’ deficiencies were ruthlessly exposed by a mightily impressive Clermont, who recorded a sixth bonus point win to top Pool 1 with […]