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2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup

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2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
 France
 Georgia
 Ireland
 Italy
 Scotland
 South Africa
 Wales
Tournament statistics
Final
VenueMillennium Stadium, Cardiff
← 2023–24 (Previous)
(Next) 2025–26 →

The 2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup will be the eleventh edition of the EPCR Challenge Cup, an annual second-tier rugby union competition for professional clubs. Including the predecessor competition, the original European Challenge Cup, this is the 29th edition of European club rugby's second-tier competition.

The final will be played at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales.[1][2]

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.[2]

The distribution of teams are:

  • England: two teams
  • France: six teams
  • Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa & Wales: ten teams
    • Eight teams in the 2024–25 United Rugby Championship season that did not qualify for the 2024–25 Champions Cup. This season this consists of four teams from Wales, and a single team each from South Africa, Ireland, Italy and Scotland.
    • Two teams invited, one each from (again) South Africa (but based in the Netherlands) and Georgia.[3]
Entry Point Premiership Top 14 United Rugby Championship Invited
England England France France Ireland Ireland Italy Italy Scotland Scotland Wales Wales South Africa South Africa Georgia (country) Georgia
Pool stage

Pool stage

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Teams will be drawn into pools on 2 July in Cardiff.[2] Teams will be 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

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EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 1
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Wales Cardiff 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home round of 16
2 South Africa Cheetahs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Ireland Connacht 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home round of 16 as third best
4 France Lyon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away round of 16
5 France Perpignan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Italy Zebre Parma 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 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.

Pool 2

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EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 2
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Wales Dragons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home round of 16
2 South Africa Lions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 France Montpellier 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home round of 16 as third best
4 England Newcastle Falcons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away round of 16
5 Wales Ospreys 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 France Pau 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 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.

Pool 3

[edit]
EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 3
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 France Bayonne 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home round of 16
2 Georgia (country) Black Lion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Scotland Edinburgh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away round of 16
4 England Gloucester 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Wales Scarlets 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 France Vannes 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 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.

References

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  1. ^ "Champions Cup: Cardiff to host 2025 final before 2026 return to Bilbao". BBC Sport. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "2024/25 EPCR season and Pool Draws dates". European Professional Club Rugby. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Black Lion and Toyota Cheetahs to continue EPCR Challenge Cup participation for next two seasons". European Professional Club Rugby. 18 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Pool Tables | EPCR Challenge Cup". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.