Challenge Cup - Page 6 of 16 - News, reports, analysis and opinion

Tag: Challenge Cup

Gloucester left to rue what might have been

5 June 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Gloucester……..54pts Tries: Singleton 8, 44; Reid 18, Carreras 34, Thorley 49, Socino 57, Rees-Zammit 68, Clement 71 Conversions: Hastings 9, 19, 35, […]

Second tier is worth backing

5 June 2022 0 comments

THIS column has been at the forefront of lionising the Championship over the years, highlighting the massive disservice to the English game generally the RFU […]

Relegation freeze makes sense in World Cup year

5 June 2022 0 comments

JEFF PROBYN A FRONT ROW VIEW OF THE GAME There’s actually a reason the Premiership have been paid such a premium by the RFU for […]

No dead rubbers in final round of Top 14

5 June 2022 0 comments

JAMES HARRI NGTON FRENCH COLUMN Decider: Challenge Cup winners Lyon face Champions Cup winners La Rochelle PICTURE: Getty Images In less than three weeks, the […]

By George! Coach Skiverton has got big plans in place

29 May 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES GEORGE Skivington marked his new longterm contract with Gloucester by declaring his intent to make the club a regular contender for the […]

Bye weekends have been crucial in easing workload, insists Boyd

29 May 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES Bonus ball: Tom James scores Northampton’s fourth try against Saracens a fortnight ago CHRIS Boyd believes the bye weekend for one club […]

Couilloud can push Dupont all the way

29 May 2022 1 comment

ON THE evidence of Baptiste Couilloud’s command performance in Lyon’s 30-12 European Challenge Cup victory over Toulon in Marseille, they have a scrum-half capable of […]

Jones and his team enjoy French trip

29 May 2022 0 comments

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEILFISSLER EDDIE Jones and his coaching team cannot pick players who play outside the Premiership, but that didn’t stop them […]

Lost boy Kpoku’s found new lease of life in Lyon

22 May 2022 0 comments

By ADAM HATHAWAY JOEL Kpoku admits he was losing his way in the rugby world before decamping across the Channel, but he is not lost […]

Turner-Hall joins Quins mate Gray at London Scottish

22 May 2022 0 comments

EXCLUSIVE By JON NEWCOMBE HARLEQUINS academy coach Jordan Turner-Hall will join Joe Gray in the London Scottish coaching team. Quins hooker Gray is set to […]

Simmons has faith Irish can bridge gap in consistency

22 May 2022 1 comment

By PAUL REES Test centurion: London Irish lock Rob Simmons ROB Simmons says consistency is the ingredient London Irish need if they are to build […]

Surreal season for Chapman

22 May 2022 1 comment

CHARLIE Chapman is living his dream, playing for Gloucester after supporting the club as a boy from the Shed. The 23-year-old has made the scrum-half […]

Harlequins v Gloucester: Quins make one change ahead of Twickenham game

20 May 2022 0 comments

Harlequins have made one change ahead of their fixture with Gloucester at Twickenham. Sat third in the table, Harlequins look to guarantee their place in […]

Wasps left regretting wasted opportunities

15 May 2022 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Lyon ………………..20pts Tries: Berdeu 48, Charcosset 53 Conversions: Berdeu 48, 54 Penalties: Berdeu 35, 64 Wasps …………….18pts Tries: Robson 23, Gopperth 74 […]

Toulon too strong as Saracens crash out

15 May 2022 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Toulon …………….25pts Tries: Villiere 2, 39; Wainiqolo 60 Conversions: Carbonel 4, 61 Penalties: Carbonel 33, 52 Saracens ……….16pts Tries: Earl 15 Conversions: […]

Wasps boss Lee Blackett in dark about potential return for Christian Wade

10 May 2022 0 comments

Wasps boss Lee Blackett is unaware of Christian Wade’s possible return to rugby union after revealing there has been no contact with the club’s acclaimed […]

Lyon fight back to set up battle with Wasps

8 May 2022 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER Lyon………………..35pts Tries: Couilloud 36, R Taofifenua 55, Niniashvili 62, 76 Conversions: Berdeu 36, Doussain 56, 77 Penalties: Berdeu 2, 13, 71 Glasgow…………27pts […]

Barbeary score swings it for Wasp as Blair laments ‘brain-farts’

8 May 2022 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER Edinburgh ……..30pts Tries: Vellacott 12, McBurney 26, Bradbury 66 Conversions: Boffelli 13, 26, 66 Penalties: Boffelli 9, 43, 73 Wasps …………….34pts Tries: […]

We’ll stick to our attacking style -Kiss

8 May 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES PREVIEW… Toulon v London Irish Today. Kick-off 12.30pm, Stade Mayol LONDON Irish will not abandon their attack from anywhere approach when they […]

Comeback king Sergio aims to bow out in style

8 May 2022 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER RUGBY MATTERS YOU can’t keep a good man down. Sergio Parisse has not been on our radar for a while and a possible […]

Banahan urges Bath to bridge the divide

1 May 2022 0 comments

By TOM BRADSHAW BATH legend Matt Banahan says the club must urgently return to its city roots to stop an “us and them” dynamic which […]

Malins the master as Saracens march on

1 May 2022 1 comment

By ROGER PANTING Worcester ……..16pts Tries: Howe 78 Conversions: Searle 78 Penalties: Smith 13, 26, 38 Saracens ……….38pts Tries: Malins 4, 41, 56, 71; Earl […]

We’ll have to be at our very best, says Blackett

1 May 2022 0 comments

Coach: Lee Blackett LEE Blackett says every match for the rest of the season is a knock-out one for Wasps who are in contention to […]

All to play for as it begins to get serious

1 May 2022 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON Like any other league, the business end of the Top 14 season is played in a haze of permutations and possibilities on a […]

Atkinson’s style puts Wasps on right road

24 April 2022 0 comments

By ROB WILDMAN Wasps …………….41pts Tries: West 4, Bassett 31, Stooke 53, Oghre 63, 79, T Willis 80 Conversions: Gopperth 4, 53, Umaga 63, 80 […]

We’ll be going flat out in every single game, says Blackett

24 April 2022 1 comment

WASPS boss Lee Blackett firmly believes his squad can still claim end-ofseason glory. “We’ve got two competitions and we will be going flat out in […]

Jimmy’s on course for illustrious 4,000 club

24 April 2022 2 comments

PETER JACKSON ON a sporting stage where the landscape changes like a kaleidoscope, one constant can be found in the enduring presence of an uncapped […]

Saracens book place in European quarters

24 April 2022 0 comments

SARACENS overcame a spirited Cardiff fightback last Sunday to book a Challenge Cup quarter-final date with Gloucester. Max Malins scored a try and set up […]

Ace Thomas chasing the dream

24 April 2022 0 comments

Premiership By ROB COLE PREMIERSHIP CUP FINAL PREVIEW: Aberavon v Newport Kick-off 5,35pm THE last time Aled Thomas played in a cup final he scored […]

No respite as the race for play-offs ramps up

17 April 2022 0 comments

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN The rugby season in Europe’s top three leagues gets confused at this time of year, as we head into the business […]

Promising Harlequins back-row Archie White signs new deal

13 April 2022 0 comments

Harlequins Academy graduate Archie White has signed a new undisclosed contract at The Stoop. The back-row forward has so far amassed 55 appearances at Quins, […]

Wasps sign exciting young fly-half Will Haydon-Wood from Newcastle Falcons

11 April 2022 0 comments

Young English fly-half Will-Haydon-Wood will join Wasps from Newcastle Falcons next season. The England Under 20 international has appeared 13 times for Newcastle and scored […]

Ireland and Lions back row Seán O’Brien to retire at the end of the season

8 April 2022 0 comments

London Irish back row Seán O’Brien has announced his retirement from rugby at the end of the 2021/22 campaign. The Ireland and Lions back-row forward […]

Wasps prop hit with ban

3 April 2022 0 comments

WASPS prop Jeff Toomaga-Allen has been banned for three games after admitting a charge of striking. The 31-year-old New Zealander made contact with the face […]

Hughes back with the Bears

3 April 2022 0 comments

NATHAN Hughes’ loan to Bath will end on Monday and he will return to continue playing under his contract with Bristol. Bath head coach Neal […]

Clermont join battle for Hughes

6 March 2022 0 comments

ON THE BLIND SIDE BY NEIL FISSLER CLERMONT Auvergne have emerged as a serious threat to London Irish’s plans to sign former England No.8 Nathan […]

One-club man Sharples bows out with no regrets

6 March 2022 0 comments

By PAUL REES CHARLIE Sharples retired last week as a rarity in the modern game. He was a one club man, spending his entire career […]

Gloucester stalwart Charlie Sharples retires with immediate effect

28 February 2022 0 comments

Gloucester‘s stalwart winger Charlie Sharples will retire from professional rugby with immediate effect. Initially planning on retiring at the end of the season, a shoulder […]

Lemaitre puts his faith in Mignoni

20 February 2022 1 comment

JAMES HARRINGTON FRENCH COLUMN Toulon president Bernard Lemaitre pulled something of a recruitment rabbit out of his hat this week, as he confirmed current Lyon […]

Jones gives fascinating insight into how his coaching team operates

8 February 2022 50 comments

Eddie Jones has given an insight into how his coaching team operate on a Test week and how they’ve reacted to their Six Nations defeat […]

Harlequins legend Danny Care signs contract extension

26 January 2022 1 comment

Danny Care has signed an undisclosed contract extension at Harlequins. A delighted Care was “delighted” to put pen-to-paper on a new deal extends the legendary […]

Postponed European rugby matches cancelled amid future uncertainty

12 January 2022 0 comments

All postponed matches from round two of the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup have now been cancelled, while uncertainty hovers over the remainder of […]

‘Deccy’ is a visionary, no wonder other clubs like him – Rogerson

26 December 2021 0 comments

By PAUL REES Target: Declan Kidney DECLAN Kidney has been linked with a return to Munster but says he has unfinished business at inform London […]

Billy close to return for Sarries as knee improves

26 December 2021 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD BILLY Vunipola is back on track to return to the Saracens front line and has remained upbeat and positive about his playing […]

Creevy at the double as Exiles enjoy away day

12 December 2021 1 comment

By JOHN WILLIAMS Pau ………………….17pts Tries: Levron 58, Joseph 77 Conversions: Levron 59, 78 Penalties: Levron 14 London Irish ….26pts Tries: Penalty 12, Creevy 19, […]

Valiant Gloucester kids fall just short

12 December 2021 1 comment

By GARY FITZGERALD Lyon ………………..19pts Tries: Taufua 46 Conversions: Doussain 47 Penalties: Doussain 10, 24, 58; Pelissie 70 Gloucester ……..13pts Tries: Jordan 59 Conversions: Twelvetrees […]

Billy blow makes bad day worse for Sarries

12 December 2021 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Saracens ……….18pts Tries: Goode 13, Christie 26 Conversions: M Vunipola 27 Penalties: M Vunipola 42, 57 Edinburgh……….21pts Tries: Moyano 23, Nel 66 […]

Dempsey stars as Warriors prepare for France

5 December 2021 0 comments

By GARY HEATLY Glasgow …………33pts Tries: Tuipulotu 1, Steyn 31, Dempsey 39, Price 59, Matthews 70 Conversions: Thompson 17, 39, 59, 70 Dragons …………14pts Tries: […]

The cooped-up players deserve our sympathy

5 December 2021 0 comments

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND WALES’ four regions begin their European campaigns this weekend and they will head into the Champions Cup and Challenge […]