2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup
Rugby union competition From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup, known colloquially as the 2024-25 European Challenge Cup[1] will be 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.
2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup | |
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![]() The EPCR Challenge Cup | |
Tournament details | |
Countries | England France Georgia Ireland Italy Scotland South Africa Wales |
Date | 6 December 2024 — 23 May 2025 |
Tournament statistics | |
Teams | 22 |
Matches played | 48 |
Attendance | 319,423 (6,655 per match) |
Highest attendance | 14,073 – Lyon v Cardiff 7 December 2024 |
Lowest attendance | 1,450 – Zebre v Lyon 14 December 2024 |
Tries scored | 348 (7.25 per match) |
Top point scorer(s) | Axel Desperes (Pau) 61 points |
Top try scorer(s) | Josh Adams (Cardiff) Wes Goosen (Edinburgh) Josh Macleod (Scarlets) Jac Morgan (Ospreys) Chay Mullins (Connacht) 4 tries |
Final | |
Venue | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff |
The final will be played at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales.[2][3]
The South African Durban-based team, Sharks, are 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.
Teams
Summarize
Perspective
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:
- England: two teams
- Teams in the 2024–25 Premiership season that did not qualify for the 2024–25 Champions Cup.
- France: six teams
- Teams taking part in the 2024–25 Top 14 season that did not qualify for the 2024–25 Champions Cup.
- Georgia: one team
- one team, invited, Black Lion
- Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales: eight teams
- Eight teams in the 2024–25 United Rugby Championship season that did not qualify for the 2024–25 Champions Cup. This season, these consist of four teams from Wales (Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets), and a single team each from Ireland (Connacht Rugby), Italy (Zebre Parma), Scotland (Edinburgh) and South Africa (Lions).
- South Africa: one further team
At the knockout stage, a further four teams entered the competition from the Champions Cup:
- South Africa: two further teams, Bulls and Sharks
- England: 1 further team Bath Rugby
- France: 1 further team Racing 92
Entry Point | Premiership | Top 14 | United Rugby Championship | Invited | |||||
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Pool stage | |||||||||
Knockout
stage |
from 2024–25 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage | ||||||||
Team details
Pool stage
Summarize
Perspective
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
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 154 | 73 | +81 | 25 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 20 | Home round of 16 |
2 | ![]() |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 150 | 118 | +32 | 21 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 14 | |
3 | ![]() |
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 92 | +8 | 12 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 11 | |
4 | ![]() |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 91 | 98 | −7 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 7 | Away round of 16 |
5 | ![]() |
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 73 | 132 | −59 | 10 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
6 | ![]() |
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 70 | 125 | −55 | 10 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
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.
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
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 131 | 41 | +90 | 19 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 19 | Home round of 16 |
2 | ![]() |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 111 | 116 | −5 | 16 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 15 | |
3 | ![]() |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 119 | 108 | +11 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 12 | |
4 | ![]() |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 122 | 103 | +19 | 18 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 10 | Away round of 16 |
5 | ![]() |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 61 | 116 | −55 | 8 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |
6 | ![]() |
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 55 | 115 | −60 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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.
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
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 127 | 67 | +60 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 16 | Home round of 16 |
2 | ![]() |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 125 | 101 | +24 | 18 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 14 | |
3 | ![]() |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 97 | 94 | +3 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 11 | Away round of 16 |
4 | ![]() |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 82 | 115 | −33 | 12 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 9 | |
5 | ![]() |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 115 | 108 | +7 | 14 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |
6 | ![]() |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 71 | 132 | −61 | 6 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
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.
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.
Knockout stage
Summarize
Perspective
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
Rank | Team | Pts | Diff | TF |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pool leaders | ||||
1 | ![]() | 20 | +81 | 25 |
2 | ![]() | 19 | +90 | 19 |
3 | ![]() | 16 | +60 | 18 |
Pool runners-up | ||||
4 | ![]() | 15 | –5 | 16 |
5 | ![]() | 14 | +32 | 21 |
6 | ![]() | 14 | +24 | 18 |
Top two third placed teams | ||||
7 | ![]() | 12 | +11 | 10 |
8 | ![]() | 11 | +8 | 12 |
Champions Cup teams | ||||
9 | ![]() | 9 | −12 | 12 |
10 | ![]() | 7 | −12 | 14 |
11 | ![]() | 5 | −29 | 12 |
12 | ![]() | 5 | −87 | 10 |
Third best third placed team | ||||
13 | ![]() | 11 | +3 | 13 |
Fourth placed teams | ||||
14 | ![]() | 10 | +19 | 13 |
15 | ![]() | 9 | −33 | 12 |
16 | ![]() | 7 | −7 | 13 |
Bracket
Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||||||
4 | ![]() | 36 | |||||||||||||||||
13 | ![]() | 14 | |||||||||||||||||
4 | ![]() | 18 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | ![]() | 20 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | ![]() | 34 | |||||||||||||||||
12 | ![]() | 21 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||
9 | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||
1 | ![]() | 35 | |||||||||||||||||
16 | ![]() | 20 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | ![]() | 40 | |||||||||||||||||
9 | ![]() | 43 | |||||||||||||||||
8 | ![]() | 18 | |||||||||||||||||
9 | ![]() | 24 | |||||||||||||||||
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3 | ![]() | 24 | |||||||||||||||||
14 | ![]() | 12 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | ![]() | 34 | |||||||||||||||||
11 | ![]() | 28 | |||||||||||||||||
6 | ![]() | 22 | |||||||||||||||||
11 | ![]() | 32 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||
10 | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||
7 | ![]() | 24 | |||||||||||||||||
10 | ![]() | 49 | |||||||||||||||||
10 | ![]() | 61 | |||||||||||||||||
15 | ![]() | 26 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | ![]() | 17 | |||||||||||||||||
15 | ![]() | 24 |
Round of 16
4 April 2025 20:00 |
Edinburgh ![]() | 24–12 | (14) ![]() |
Try: Goosen 1' m Vellacott 9' m Ritchie 28' c Price 71' c Con: Thompson (2/4) 29', 72' | Report | Try: 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 ![]() | 24–49 | (10) ![]() |
Try: C. Tuipulotu 26' c Brau-Boirie (2) 61' c, 68' c Con: Desperes (3/3) 27', 62', 69' Pen: Desperes (1/1) 19' | Report | Try: 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 ![]() | 22–32 | (11) ![]() |
Try: Mori 32' m Bourdeau 48' c Spring 75' c Con: Spring (1/1) 49' Tiberghien (1/1) 76' Pen: Germain (1/1) 5' | Report | Try: 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 ![]() | 17–24 | (15) ![]() |
Try: Bouthier 4' c Reus 9' c Con: Reus (2/2) 5', 10' Pen: Reus (1/1) 40' | Report | Try: 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 ![]() | 35–20 | (16) ![]() |
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' | Report | Try: Lee-Lo 37' m B. Thomas 53' c Adams 60' m Con: B. Thomas (1/3) 54' Pen: Sheedy (1/2) 12' |
Dexcom Stadium, Galway Attendance: 4,217 Referee: Luc Ramos (France) |
5 April 2025 21:00 |
Perpignan ![]() | 18–24 | (9) ![]() |
Try: Allan 35' m Veredamu 53' c Con: Allan (1/1) 54' Pen: Allan (2/2) 13', 17' | Report | Try: 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 ![]() | 36–14 | (13) ![]() |
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' | Report | Try: 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 ![]() | 34–21 | (12) ![]() |
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' | Report | Try: 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 ![]() | 34–28 | (11) ![]() |
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' | Report | Try: 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 ![]() | 18–20 | (5) ![]() |
Try: J. Morgan 25' c McGuigan 70' m Con: Edwards (1/2) 26' Pen: Edwards (2/2) 19', 54' | Report | Try: 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 ![]() | 40–43 | (9) ![]() |
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' | Report | Try: 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' |
Dexcom Stadium, Galway Attendance: 6,217 Referee: Christophe Ridley (England) |
13 April 2025 17:30 |
Bath ![]() | 61–26 | (15) ![]() |
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' | Report | Try: 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
Final
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.
Most points
Source:[10]
|
Most tries
Source:[10]
|
Discipline
Summarize
Perspective
Citings/bans
Player | Match[N 1] | Citing date | Law breached | Result | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() ![]() (Round 2 – 14 December 2024) |
18 December 2024 | 9.18 – Tip Tackle (Red card) |
3-match ban | [12] [13] |
![]() |
![]() ![]() (Round 2 – 15 December 2024) |
18 December 2024 | 9.18 – Tip Tackle (Red card) |
Red card rescinded | [12] [14] |
![]() |
![]() ![]() (Round 2 – 15 December 2024) |
18 December 2024 | 9.28 – Match Official Abuse (Citing) |
2-match ban | [12] [15] |
![]() |
![]() ![]() (Round 3 – 11 January 2025) |
14 January 2025 | 9.20(d) – Dangerous Play in a Ruck (Citing) |
1-match ban | [16] |
![]() |
![]() ![]() (Round 4 – 19 January 2025) |
22 January 2025 | 9.13 – Dangerous Tackling (Red card) |
3-match ban[N 2] | [18] |
![]() |
![]() ![]() (Round of 16 – 4 April 20255) |
7 April 2025 | 9.13 – Dangerous Tackling (Red card) |
3-match ban[N 3] | [19] |
Notes:
- The ban is reduced by one match, subject to the player's completion of the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme.[17]
- The ban is reduced by one match, subject to the player's completion of the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme.[17]
Notes
- Mark Jones replaced Toby Booth as Ospreys head coach on 17 December 2024.[5]
- 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.
- Patrice Collazo replaced Stuart Lancaster as Racing 92 head coach on 1 February 2025.[6]
References
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