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2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup

Rugby union competition From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup
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The 2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup, known colloquially as the 2024-25 European Challenge Cup[1]was the eleventh edition of the EPCR Challenge Cup, an annual second-tier rugby union competition for professional clubs competing in elite European competition. Including the predecessor competition, the original European Challenge Cup, this is the 29th edition of European club rugby's second-tier competition.

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The final was played at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales.[2][3]

The South African Durban-based team, Sharks, were the reigning champions, and qualified for the 2024–25 European Rugby Champions Cup as a consequence. Following the pool stages of that competition, the Sharks dropped back into the knockout phase of the Challenge Cup, becoming at that point the defending champions. The Sharks were eliminated in the Round of 16 by French team, Lyon Olympique.

Bath Rugby defeated Lyon in the final 37-12, to win their second title, and the thirteenth for an English club, a record for one nation and one league.

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Teams

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Sixteen teams qualified for the 2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup from Premiership Rugby, the Top 14 and the United Rugby Championship as a direct result of their domestic league performance having not qualified for the Champions Cup. Two further sides received invitations, South Africa's Cheetahs and Georgia's Black Lion.[3]

The distribution of teams are:

At the knockout stage, a further four teams entered the competition from the Champions Cup:

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Team details

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Pool stage

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Teams were drawn into pools on 2 July in Cardiff.[3] Teams were awarded four points for a win, two for a draw, one for scoring four tries in a game, and one for losing by less than eight points.

Pool 1

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: EPCR[7]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

Pool 2

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: EPCR[8]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

Pool 3

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: EPCR[9]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.
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Knockout stage

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The knockout stage begins with a single-leg round of 16 matches, consisting of the top 4 teams from each pool, and the teams ranked 5th in each pool of the 2024–25 European Rugby Champions Cup. The round of 16 follows a pre-determined format, while the quarter-finals and semi-finals guarantee home advantage to the higher-ranked team.

Seeding

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Bracket

Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
            
3 Scotland Edinburgh 24
14 South Africa Lions 12
3 Scotland Edinburgh 34
11 South Africa Bulls 28
6 France Bayonne 22
11 South Africa Bulls 32
3 Scotland Edinburgh 24
10 England Bath Rugby 39
7 France Pau 24
10 England Bath Rugby 49
10 England Bath Rugby 61
15 England Gloucester 26
2 France Montpellier 17
15 England Gloucester 24
10 England Bath Rugby 37
5 France Lyon 12
4 Wales Ospreys 36
13 Wales Scarlets 14
4 Wales Ospreys 18
5 France Lyon 20
5 France Lyon 34
12 South Africa Sharks 21
5 France Lyon 29
9 France Racing 92 15
1 Ireland Connacht 35
16 Wales Cardiff 20
1 Ireland Connacht 40
9 France Racing 92 43
8 France Perpignan 18
9 France Racing 92 24

Round of 16

4 April 2025
20:00
Edinburgh Scotland (3)24–12(14) South Africa Lions
Try: Goosen 1' m
Vellacott 9' m
Ritchie 28' c
Price 71' c
Con: Thompson (2/4) 29', 72'
ReportTry: Horn 46' m
Visagie 75' c
Con: Steyn (1/1) 76'
Edinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 5,407
Referee: Ludovic Cayre (France)

4 April 2025
21:00
Pau France (7)24–49(10) England Bath Rugby
Try: C. Tuipulotu 26' c
Brau-Boirie (2) 61' c, 68' c
Con: Desperes (3/3) 27', 62', 69'
Pen: Desperes (1/1) 19'
ReportTry: Muir 1' c
Cokansiga 21' c
Obano 29' c
Bayliss 34' c
Dunn 42' c
McConnochie 56' c
Reid 71' c
Con: Donoghue (7/7) 2', 22', 30' 35', 43', 57', 72'
Stade du Hameau, Pau
Attendance: 6,816
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)

5 April 2025
13:30
Bayonne France (6)22–32(11) South Africa Bulls
Try: Mori 32' m
Bourdeau 48' c
Spring 75' c
Con: Spring (1/1) 49'
Tiberghien (1/1) 76'
Pen: Germain (1/1) 5'
ReportTry: Petersen 15' m
Ludwig 38' c
Kriel 44' c
van Staden 67' c
Con: Johannes (2/3) 39', 45'
Goosen (1/1)
Pen: Johannes (1/1) 14'
Goosen (1/1) 80'
Stade Jean-Dauger, Bayonne
Attendance: 10,675
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)

5 April 2025
18:30
Montpellier France (2)17–24(15) England Gloucester
Try: Bouthier 4' c
Reus 9' c
Con: Reus (2/2) 5', 10'
Pen: Reus (1/1) 40'
ReportTry: F. Thomas 25' c
Jordan 33' c
Ackermann 57' c
Con: Carreras (3/3) 26', 34', 57'
Pen: Carreras (1/1) 80'
GGL Stadium, Montpellier
Attendance: 5,579
Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)

5 April 2025
20:00
Connacht Ireland (1)35–20(16) Wales Cardiff
Try: Divine 2' c
Jansen 40+4' c
Treacy 44' c
Bolton 66' c
Boyle, 76' c
Con: Hanrahan (3/3) 4', 45', 42'
Ioane (2/2) 66', 77'
ReportTry: Lee-Lo 37' m
B. Thomas 53' c
Adams 60' m
Con: B. Thomas (1/3) 54'
Pen: Sheedy (1/2) 12'
The Sportsground, Galway
Attendance: 4,217
Referee: Luc Ramos (France)

5 April 2025
21:00
Perpignan France (8)18–24(9) France Racing 92
Try: Allan 35' m
Veredamu 53' c
Con: Allan (1/1) 54'
Pen: Allan (2/2) 13', 17'
ReportTry: Bamba 23' c
Joseph 41' c
Naituvi 65'
Con: Farrell (1/1) 24'
Gibert (1/1) 42'
Le Garrec (1/1) 66'
Pen: Farrell (1/1) 8'
Stade Aimé Giral, Perpignan
Attendance: 9,816
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)

6 April 2025
17:30
Ospreys Wales (4)36–14(13) Wales Scarlets
Try: Beard 1' c
J. Morgan 4' m
R. Davies 28' c
Lake 38' c
Walsh 52' m
Kasende 61' m
Con: D. Edwards (3/6) 2', 29', 39'
ReportTry: Murray 10' c
James 71' c
Con: Lloyd (2/2) 11', 71'
Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea
Attendance: 9,057
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)

6 April 2025
18:30
Lyon France (5)34–21(12) South Africa Sharks
Try: Tchaptchet 16' m
William 20' c
Charcosset 27' c
Maraku 37' m
Rattez 67' c
Con: Berdeu (2/4) 21', 28'
Méliande (1/1) 67'
Pen: Berdeu (1/1) 7'
ReportTry: Mbatha 4' c
Rahl 69' c
Mavesere 79' c
Con: Masuku (1/1) 5'
Smith (2/2) 70', 80'
Stade de Gerland, Lyon
Attendance: 10,475
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy)

Quarter-finals

12 April 2025
12:30
Edinburgh Scotland (3)34–28(11) South Africa Bulls
Try: Lang (2) 3' c, 24' c
Bradbury 13' c
Gilchrist 42' c
Con: Thompson (4/4) 4', 14', 25', 43'
Pen: Thompson (2/2) 37', 59'
ReportTry: Kriel (2) 16' c, 76' c
Penalty try 46'
Hanekom 49' c
Con: Johannes (1/1) 17'
Goosen (2/2) 50', 76'
Edinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 4,737
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)

12 April 2025
17:30
Ospreys Wales (4)18–20(5) France Lyon
Try: J. Morgan 25' c
McGuigan 70' m
Con: Edwards (1/2) 26'
Pen: Edwards (2/2) 19', 54'
ReportTry: Rattez 6' c
Guillard 50' c
Con: Berdeu (2/2) 7', 51'
Pen: Berdeu (2/2) 21', 34'
Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea
Attendance: 3,723
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)

12 April 2025
20:00
Connacht Ireland (1)40–43(9) France Racing 92
Try: Aki 2' c
C. Prendergast (2) 8' c, 29' c
Penalty try 12'
Murphy 72' m
Forde 78' c
Con: Hanrahan (4/5) 3', 9', 30', 79'
ReportTry: Naituvi 5' m
Escobar 18' m
Le Garrec (2) 24' c, 48' c
Tuisova 33' c
Con: Lancaster (2/4) 25', 33'
Le Garrec (1/1) 49'
Pen: Lancaster (1/2) 42'
Le Garrec (2/3) 56', 64'
Drop: Farrell (1/1) 53'
The Sportsground, Galway
Attendance: 6,217
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)

13 April 2025
17:30
Bath England (10)61–26(15) England Gloucester
Try: de Glanville 3' c
Dunn 10' m
Griffin 14' c
Spencer 29' c
Barbeary (2) 38' c, 50' c
Coetzee 65' c
Hill 70' c
Carr-Smith 78' c
Con: Russell (8/9) 4', 15', 29', 39', 51', 66', 71', 79'
ReportTry: Carreras 6' c
Singleton 22' c
Morris 36' m
Ludlow 73' c
Con: Carreras (3/4) 7', 22', 73'
The Rec, Bath
Attendance: 9,445
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)

Semi-finals

3 May 2025
15:00
Edinburgh Scotland (3)24–39(10) England Bath
Try: Tuipulotu 18' c
Penalty try 42'
Price 64' c
Con: Thompson (2/2) 19', 65'
Pen: Thompson (1/2) 37'
ReportTry: Underhill 8' c
Dunn (2) 30' m, 53' c
Barbeary 59' m
Annett 75' c
Pepper 78' m
Con: Russell (3/6) 9', 54', 76'
Pen: Russell (1/1) 63'
Edinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 7,989
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)

4 May 2025
13:30
Lyon France (5)29–15(9) France Racing 92
Try: Rattez 27' c
Saghinadze 50' c
Con: Berdeu (2/2) 28', 51'
Pen: Berdeu (5/7) 24', 47', 62', 67', 72'
ReportTry: Escobar 35' m
Labarbe 54' c
Con: Tedder (1/2) 55'
Pen: Tedder (1/2) 22'
Stade de Gerland, Lyon
Attendance: 13,205
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)

Final

23 May 2025
20:00
Bath England (10)37–12(5) France Lyon
Try: Dunn 18' c
Ojomoh 24' c
Obano 50' c
Spencer 62' c
Con: Russell (4/4) 20', 24', 51', 63'
Pen: Russell (3/3) 8', 42', 71'
ReportTry: Dumortier 3' m
Botha 44' c
Con: Berdeu (1/2) 44'
Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 36,705
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
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Leading scorers

Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not yet earned international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-WR nationalities.

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Discipline

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Citings/bans

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Notes:

  1. The cited player's club is listed in bold italics.[12]
  2. The ban is reduced by one match, subject to the player's completion of the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme.[18]
  3. The ban is reduced by one match, subject to the player's completion of the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme.[18]
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Notes

  1. Mark Jones replaced Toby Booth as Ospreys head coach on 17 December 2024.[5]
  2. Although Ospreys finished in the URC top eight – which would have qualified them for the 2024–25 Champions Cup – they were displaced by the Sharks, who were the winners of the 2023–24 Challenge Cup.
  3. Patrice Collazo replaced Stuart Lancaster as Racing 92 head coach on 1 February 2025.[6]
  4. Breakspear replaced Cross as Assistant referee in the second half.
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References

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