2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup pool stage

Not to be confused with 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage.

The 2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup pool stage will be the first stage of the 12th season of the EPCR Challenge Cup.

Main article: 2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup

Structure

The pool stage draw took place on 1 July 2025,^[1] with the complete fixture list later announced on 15 July 2025.^[2] The fixtures will be played out across four weekends between 5 December 2025 and 18 January 2026.

Teams in the same pool played four of the other five teams in their pool, either at home or away, in the pool stage. The top four teams in each pool progressed to the round of 16 as well as the fifth-ranked team from each Champions Cup pool.

Teams was awarded table points based on match performances; four points for a win, two points for a draw, one bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match and one bonus point for losing a match by seven points or fewer.^[3]

In the event of a tie between two or more teams, the following tie-breakers were used, as directed by European Professional Club Rugby:

1. Where teams have played each other
   1. The club with the greater number of competition points from only matches involving tied teams.
   2. If equal, the club with the best aggregate points difference from those matches.
   3. If equal, the club that scored the most tries in those matches.
2. Where teams remain tied and/or have not played each other in the competition (i.e. are from different pools)
   1. The club with the best aggregate points difference from the pool stage.
   2. If equal, the club that scored the most tries in the pool stage.
   3. If equal, the club with the fewest players suspended in the pool stage.
   4. If equal, the drawing of lots will determine a club's ranking.

Pools

Pool 1

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 1

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Montpellier	2	2	0	0	55	20	+35	9	2	2	0	10	Home round of 16
2	Ospreys	2	2	0	0	57	43	+14	9	6	2	0	10
3	Connacht	2	1	0	1	73	24	+49	11	4	1	1	6
4	Zebre Parma	2	1	0	1	48	48	0	6	7	1	0	5	Away round of 16
5	Montauban	2	0	0	2	39	74	−35	5	10	0	0	0
6	Black Lion	2	0	0	2	13	76	−63	1	11	0	0	0

Source: EPCR^[4]
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.

Round 1

6 December 2025 19:15

Black Lion	13–24	Montpellier (1BP)
Try: Tabutsadze 13' c Con: Tsirekidze (1/1) 14' Pen: Tsirekidze (2/4) 9', 33' Cards: Mamamtavrishvili  66'	Report	Try: Uelese 42' m Tolofua 49' c Penalty try 66' Cadot 72' m Con: Hogg (1/2) 50'

Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi Attendance: 2,697 Referee: Adam Leal (England)

---

6 December 2025 21:00

(1 BP) Zebre Parma	41–17	Montauban
Try: Faissal 25' c Stavile 28' c Ribaldi 44' c Gesi 57' c Fusco 62' c Con: Roger (5/5) 26', 28', 45', 58', 63' Pen: Roger(10') Da Re (1/1) 76'	Report	Try: Ahmed 42' c Pacolo 50' c Con: Bosviel (2/2) 43', 51' Pen: Bosviel (1/1) 13'

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma Attendance: 1,302 Referee: Ben Connor (Wales)

---

7 December 2025 15:15

(1 BP) Ospreys	24–21	Connacht (1 BP)
Try: Deaves 42' m Cokanasiga 57' c R. Smith 67' c Hopkins 75' m Con: Edwards (3/4) 57', 68' Cards: Ratti  17' Phillips  28'	Report	Try: Bealham 11' c Jansen 17' c Aungier 23' c Con: Naughton (3/3) 12', 18', 24' Cards: Buckley  67'

Dunraven Brewery Field, Bridgend Attendance: 3,311 Referee: Evan Urruzmendi (France)

Round 2

12 December 2025 21:00

(1 BP) Montpellier	31–7	Zebre Parma
Try: Moustin 20' m Masibaka (2) 28' m, 66' c Tauleigne 61' c Verhaeghe 71' c Con: Miotti (3/5) 62', 67', 72'	Report	Try: Licata 10' c Con: Montemauri (1/1) 11'

GGL Stadium, Montpellier Attendance: 7,771 Referee: Peter Martin (Ireland)

---

13 December 2025 16:15

Montauban	22–33	Ospreys (1 BP)
Try: Maurouard 35' m Tuculet 56' c Kanika 80+4' c Con: Fortune (1/2) 56' Castel (1/1) 80+5' Pen: Fortune (1/1) 2' Cards: Tuculet  14'	Report	Try: Moriarty 6' c Morse 16' c Giles 24' m Daniel 60' c Hardy 71' c Con: Walsh (4/5) 6', 17', 61', 72' Cards: Conbeer  54'

Stade Sapiac, Montauban Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Adam Leal (England)

---

13 December 2025 20:00

(1 BP) Connacht	52–0	Black Lion
Try: Boyle (3) 1' c, 9' c, 29' c Blade (2) 17' m, 54' c Illo 33' m Bolton (2) 40' c, 67' c Con: Gilbert (6/8) 2', 9', 29', 41', 54', 68'	Report	Cards: Aptsiauri 6' to 16'

Dexcom Stadium, Galway Attendance: 3,928 Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (England)

Round 3

10 January 2026 14:00

Montauban	v	Black Lion

Stade Sapiac, Montauban

---

11 January 2026 14:00

Montpellier	v	Connacht

GGL Stadium, Montpellier

---

11 January 2026 14:00

Zebre Parma	v	Ospreys

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma

Round 4

17 January 2026 17:00

Black Lion	v	Zebre Parma

Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi

---

17 January 2026 20:00

Connacht	v	Montauban

Dexcom Stadium, Galway

---

17 January 2026 20:00

Ospreys	v	Montpellier

Dunraven Brewery Field, Bridgend

Pool 2

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 2

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Benetton	2	2	0	0	70	49	+21	8	5	1	0	9	Home round of 16
2	Newcastle Red Bulls	2	2	0	0	37	24	+13	5	3	0	0	8
3	Perpignan	2	1	0	1	72	61	+11	8	8	1	0	5
4	Dragons	2	1	0	1	40	62	−22	6	8	0	0	4	Away round of 16
5	Lyon	2	0	0	2	35	46	−11	5	6	0	2	2
6	Lions	2	0	0	2	28	40	−12	3	5	0	1	1

Source: EPCR^[5]
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.

Round 1

6 December 2025 15:00

Lions	18–26	Benetton
Try: Mpeku 37' c Venter 45' m Con: C. Smith (1/2) 38' Pen: C. Smith (2/3) 9', 57' Cards: Mpeku  66'	Report	Try: Smith 6' m Marin 71' c, 75' m Con: Albornoz (1/2) 72' Pen: Umaga (1/2) 13' Albornoz (1/1) 60' Drop: Albornoz (1/1) 79'

Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg Attendance: 4,120 Referee: Kevin Bralley (France)

---

6 December 2025 18:30

Lyon	14–23	Newcastle Red Bulls
Try: Mathiron 15' c Shvangiradze 45' c Con: Jackson (2/2) 16', 45'	Report	Try: Obatoyinbo 8' c Christie 71' m Spencer 76' m Con: Connon (1/3) 9' Pen: Conno (2/2) 27', 40' Cards: Mafi  59'

Mahmut Stadium, Lyon Attendance: 12,065 Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)

---

7 December 2025 14:00

(1 BP) Perpignan	41–17	Dragons
Try: Hall 12' c Diaby 28' c Joseph 50' m Chinarro 59' m Le Corvec 76' c Con: Kretchmann (2/4) 13', 29' Aprasidze (1/1) 77' Pen: Kretchmann (1/2) 45' Cards: Carter  71'	Report	Try: Westwood 55' c Austin (2) 64' m, 82' m Con: O'Brien (1/3) 55' Cards: Paia'aua  15'

Stade Aime Giral, Perpignan Attendance: 6,215 Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy)

Round 2

13 December 2025 14:00

(1 BP) Benetton	44–31	Perpignan
Try: Odogwu (2) 8' c, 24' c Izekor 19' c Bernasconi 49' c Mendy 59' c Con: Albornoz (3/3) 9', 19', 25' Umaga (2/2) 50', 60' Pen: Albornoz (1/1) 14' Umaga (2/2) 67', 78'	Report	Try: Duguivalu 21' c Poulet 34' c Fahy 63' m Con: Reus (2/3) 21', 35' Pen: Reus (4/5) 3', 16', 46', 53'

Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Benetton Attendance: 4,151 Referee: Ben Connor (Wales)

---

13 December 2025 17:30

Newcastle Red Bulls	14–10	Lions (1 BP)
Try: Hearle 13' c McCallum 79' c Con: Chamberlain (1/1) 14' Connon (1/1) 80' Cards: Fletcher 38' to 48'	Report	Try: Davids 4' c Con: Francis (1/1) 4' Pen: Francis (1/1) 20' Cards: Davids  31'

Kingston Park, Newcastle Attendance: 4,703 Referee: Benoit Rousselet (France)

---

14 December 2025 15:15

Dragons	23–21	Lyon (1 BP)
Try: Keddie 65' m Burrows 73' m Keddie 78' m Con: O'Brien (1/3) 79' Pen: O'Brien (2/3) 10', 25' Cards: J. Rosser  22' de Beer  56'	Report	Try: Roux 31' c Mathiron 43' c Maalo 56' c Con: Cassang (2/2) 32', 44' Gonzalez (1/1) 57' Cards: Maraku  72'

Rodney Parade, Newport Attendance: 4,028 Referee: Filippo Russo (Italy)

Round 3

10 January 2026 13:00

Newcastle Red Bulls	v	Perpignan

Kingston Park, Newcastle

---

10 January 2026 17:15

Lions	v	Lyon

Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg

---

10 January 2026 18:30

Benetton	v	Dragons

Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Benetton

Round 4

16 January 2026 20:00

Dragons	v	Newcastle Red Bulls

Rodney Parade, Newport

---

17 January 2026 18:30

Perpignan	v	Lions

Stade Aime Giral, Perpignan

---

18 January 2026 14:00

Lyon	v	Benetton

Mahmut Stadium, Lyon

Pool 3

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 3

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Stade Français	2	2	0	0	83	39	+44	12	6	2	0	10	Home round of 16
2	Exeter Chiefs	2	1	1	0	73	43	+30	10	7	2	0	8
3	Ulster	2	1	0	1	87	36	+51	13	5	2	1	7
4	Cardiff	2	1	0	1	46	64	−18	7	10	1	0	5	Away round of 16
5	Racing 92	2	0	1	1	38	92	−54	6	13	1	0	3
6	Cheetahs	2	0	0	2	34	87	−53	5	12	0	0	0

Source: EPCR^[6]
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.

Round 1

5 December 2025 20:00

(1 BP) Ulster	61–7	Racing 92
Try: Stockdale (2) 15' c, 79' c Herring 35' c O'Toole 42' m Stewart 48' c Wilson 59' c Flannery 68' c Z. Ward (2) 73' c, 80+3' c Con: Murphy (8/9) 16', 36', 49', 59', 68', 74', 80', 83'	Report	Try: Gibert 8' c Con: Gibert (1/1) 9' Cards: Sanconnie  50'

Affidea Stadium, Belfast Attendance: 10,426 Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wales)

---

6 December 2025 14:00

(1 BP) Stade Français	38–17	Cardiff
Try: Ibo (2) 17' m, 50' m Halaifonua 42' c Sclezo 61' c Foursans-Bourdette 66' c Laloi 76' c Con: Foursans-Bourdette (4/6) 42', 62', 67', 77'	Report	Try: Stephens 24' m Young 34' m Sebastian 79' c Con: Wilde (2/3) 80'

Stade Jean Bouin, Paris Attendance: 10,643 Referee: Peter Martin (Ireland)

---

7 December 2025 17:30

(1 BP) Exeter Chiefs	42–12	Cheetahs
Try: Ikitau 5' c Fisilau 20' c Skinner 31' c Sio 37' c Slade 41' c Feyi-Waboso 57' c Con: Slade (6/6) 6', 21', 32', 38', 42', 58'	Report	Try: Annies 24' c Hartzenberg 44' m Con: van der Walt (1/2) 25'

Sandy Park, Exeter Attendance: 9,048 Referee: Benoit Rousselet (France)

Round 2

13 December 2025 14:00

Cheetahs	22–45	Stade Français (1 BP)
Try: van der Westhuizen 33' c Hartzenerg 38' c Nel 81' m Con: Jasper (2/2) 34', 39' Pen: Jasper 13'	Report	Try: Motassi (2) 7' c, 44' c Marchant 22' c Mapu 42' c Nene 67' c Scelzo 76' c Con: Foursans-Bourdette (6/6) 7', 22', 43', 45', 68', 77' Pen: Foursans-Bourdette (1/1) 53'

NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam Attendance: 2,250 Referee: Sara Cox (England)

---

13 December 2025 20:00

(1 BP) Cardiff	29–26	Ulster (2 BP)
Try: Nott 7' c Bowen 13' m Southworth 65' c Thomas 73' c Con: Halfpenny (1/1) 8' Sheedy (2/2) 65', 74' Pen: Sheedy (1/1) 80+1' Cards: Botham  68'	Report	Try: Stewart 22' c Hume 40' c Kok (2) 45' m, 54' c Con: Flannery (3/4) 23', 41', 55' Cards: Sheridan  68' Carson  72'

Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff Attendance: 6,425 Referee: Evan Urruzmendi (France)

---

14 December 2025 14:00

(1 BP) Racing 92	31–31	Exeter Chiefs (1 BP)
Try: Labarbe 8' c Ravutaumada 27' m Taofifénua 64' c Donguy 72' m Latrasse 80+2' c Con: Gibert (1/2) 8' Prisciantelli (2/3) 65', 80+3'	Report	Try: Moloney 14' c James 20' c Pearson 29' c Tuima 37' c Con: Coen (4/4) 14', 21', 31', 38' Pen: Coen (1/1) 70' Cards: Tuima  62' Fisilau  71'

Stade Dominique Duvauchelle, Créteil Attendance: 5,591 Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy)

Round 3

10 January 2026 14:00

Stade Français	v	Exeter Chiefs

Stade Jean Bouin, Paris

---

10 January 2026 15:15

Cardiff	v	Racing 92

Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff

---

11 January 2026 16:15

Cheetahs	v	Ulster

NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam

Round 4

17 January 2026 13:00

Ulster	v	Stade Français

Affidea Stadium, Belfast

---

18 January 2026 13:00

Exeter Chiefs	v	Cardiff

Sandy Park, Exeter

---

18 January 2026 18:30

Racing 92	v	Cheetahs

La Défense Arena, Nanterre

Notes