2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup
Rugby union competition
| 2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Countries |  England France Georgia Ireland Italy Scotland South Africa Wales |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Final | |
| Venue | Millennium 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
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
- Teams in the 2023–24 Premiership Season that did not qualify for the 2024–25 European Rugby 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, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa & Wales: ten teams
- Teams in the 2024–25 United Rugby Championship season that did not qualify for the 2024–25 Champions Cup.
- Two teams invited, one each from South Africa and Georgia.[3]
| Entry Point | Premiership | Top 14 | United Rugby Championship | Invited | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | England | France | Ireland | Italy | Scotland | Wales | South Africa | Georgia | |
| Pool stage |
|
|
| ||||||
Pool stage
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
| Pos | Team
| Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiff | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Home Round of 16. |
| 2 | Cheetahs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Connacht | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Home Round of 16 as third best. |
| 4 | Lyon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Away Round of 16. |
| 5 | Perpignan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | 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.
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 | Dragons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Home Round of 16. |
| 2 | Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Montpellier | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Home Round of 16 as third best. |
| 4 | Newcastle Falcons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Away Round of 16. |
| 5 | Ospreys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | 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.
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 | Bayonne | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Home Round of 16. |
| 2 | Black Lion | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Edinburgh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Away Round of 16. |
| 4 | Gloucester | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Scarlets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | 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.
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
- ^ "Champions Cup: Cardiff to host 2025 final before 2026 return to Bilbao". BBC Sport. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ a b c "2024/25 EPCR season and Pool Draws dates". European Professional Club Rugby. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b c "Pool Tables | EPCR Challenge Cup". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
