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2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup

(Redirected from 2023-24 EPCR Challenge Cup)
Not to be confused with 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup.

The 2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup was the 10th 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 28th edition of European club rugby's second-tier competition.

2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
 France
 Georgia
 Ireland
 Italy
 Scotland
 South Africa
 Wales
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and knockout
Date8 December 2023 – 24 May 2024
Tournament statistics
Teams18 (pool stage) + 4 (knockout stage)
Matches played51
Attendance384,554 (7,540 per match)
Highest attendance34,761 – Sharks v Gloucester
24 May 2024
Lowest attendance1,600 – Zebre Parma v Cheetahs
9 December 2023
Tries scored294 (5.76 per match)
Top point scorer(s)France Anthony Belleau (Clermont)
81 points
Top try scorer(s)Fiji Onisi Ratave (Benetton)
South Africa Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks)
6 tries
Final
VenueTottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
ChampionsSouth Africa Sharks (1st title)
Runners-upEngland Gloucester
← 2022–23 (Previous)
(Next) 2024–25 →

The tournament commenced in December 2023, and concluded with the final on 24 May 2024 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England.[1] In the final, Sharks beat Gloucester to win the cup for the first time.[2][3]

This is the second year that teams from South Africa can qualify, following the second United Rugby Championship season. Two teams have been invited from outside the three main European professional leagues; The Black Lion from Tbilisi, Georgia are current holders of the Rugby Europe Super Cup, the third-tier competition in European rugby administered by Rugby Europe, and Cheetahs the current holders of the Currie Cup, South Africa's second tier and most historic national competition. Originally not represented in the Challenge Cup, two Irish teams, Ulster and Connacht, joined in the play-off rounds, having dropped down from the Champions Cup.

Teams

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Sixteen teams qualified for the 2023–24 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 Heineken Champions Cup. Plus two invited sides making 18 teams.[4]

The distribution of teams are:

Entry Point Premiership Top 14 United Rugby Championship Invited
—  England  France   Ireland   Italy  Scotland   Wales   South Africa   Georgia
Pool stage —
Knockout stage — — — — — —

Team details

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Team Coach /
Director of Rugby 		Captain Stadium Capacity Method of qualification
Entering at Pool stage
  Benetton   Marco Bortolami   Dewaldt Duvenage
  Michele Lamaro 		Stadio Comunale di Monigo 5,000 URC bottom eight
  Black Lion   Levan Maisashvili   Merab Sharikadze Mikheil Meskhi Stadium 27,223 Invited[a]
  Castres   Jeremy Davidson   Mathieu Babillot Stade Pierre-Fabre 12,500 Top 14 bottom 6
  Cheetahs   Hawies Fourie   Victor Sekekete Free State Stadium, South Africa 46,000 Invited[b]
NRCA Stadium, Netherlands 5,000
  Clermont   Christophe Urios   Arthur Iturria Stade Marcel-Michelin 19,022 Top 14 bottom 6
  Dragons   Dai Flanagan   Steffan Hughes Rodney Parade 8,700 URC bottom eight
  Edinburgh   Sean Everitt   Grant Gilchrist
  Jamie Ritchie 		Edinburgh Rugby Stadium 7,800 URC bottom eight
  Gloucester   George Skivington   Lewis Ludlow Kingsholm 16,115 Premiership bottom 2
  Lions   Ivan van Rooyen   Marius Louw Emirates Airline Park 62,567 URC bottom eight
  Montpellier   Richard Cockerill[c]
  Patrice Collazo[c] 		  Paul Willemse GGL Stadium 15,697 Top 14 bottom 6
  Newcastle Falcons   Alex Codling[d]
  Micky Ward (interim)[d] 		  Callum Chick Kingston Park 11,200 Premiership bottom 2
  Ospreys   Toby Booth   Justin Tipuric Swansea.com Stadium 22,200 URC bottom eight
  Oyonnax   Joe El Abd   Tommy Raynaud Stade Charles-Mathon 11,500 Pro D2 Champions
  Pau   Sébastien Piqueronies   Beka Gorgadze Stade du Hameau 18,324 Top 14 bottom 6
  Perpignan   Franck Azéma   Mathieu Acebes Stade Aimé Giral 14,593 Top 14 bottom 6
  Scarlets   Dwayne Peel   Josh Macleod Parc y Scarlets 14,870 URC bottom eight
  Sharks   John Plumtree   Lukhanyo Am Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium 54,000 URC bottom eight[e]
  Zebre Parma   Fabio Roselli   Dave Sisi Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi 5,000 URC bottom eight
Entering at Knockout Stage (transferred from Champions Cup)
  Bayonne   Grégory Patat   Denis Marchois Stade Jean-Dauger 14,370 Champions Cup Pool C 5th place
  Connacht   Peter Wilkins   Jack Carty Galway Sportsgrounds 8,129 Champions Cup Pool A 5th place
  Sale Sharks   Alex Sanderson   Ben Curry Salford Community Stadium 12,000 Champions Cup Pool D 5th place
  Ulster   Richie Murphy   Iain Henderson Ravenhill Stadium 18,196 Champions Cup Pool B 5th place

Pool stage

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Main article: 2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup pool stage

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

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2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 1
Pos Team
 Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1   Sharks (1) 4 3 0 1 141 53 +88 21 6 4 1 17 Qualifies for a home Round of 16
2   Pau (6) 4 3 0 1 90 113 −23 10 15 0 0 12
3   Cheetahs (13) 4 2 0 2 112 105 +7 14 13 2 1 11 Qualifies for Round of 16
4   Zebre Parma (16) 4 2 0 2 83 92 −9 11 9 1 1 10
5   Dragons 4 1 0 3 71 80 −9 7 12 1 2 7
6   Oyonnax 4 1 0 3 56 110 −54 8 16 1 1 6
Source: EPCR


Pool 2

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2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 2
Pos Team
 Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1   Benetton Rugby (3) 4 3 0 1 147 87 +60 19 12 3 0 15 Qualifies for a home Round of 16
2   Montpellier (5) 4 3 0 1 94 54 +40 15 7 2 0 14
3   Ospreys (7) 4 3 0 1 111 103 +8 15 14 2 0 14 Qualifies for a home Round of 16 as 3rd best
4   Lions (14) 4 2 0 2 94 76 +18 10 8 2 0 10 Qualifies for Round of 16
5   Newcastle Falcons 4 1 0 3 82 139 −57 8 20 0 1 5
6   Perpignan 4 0 0 4 45 114 −69 4 10 0 0 0
Source: EPCR


Pool 3

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2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 3
Pos Team
 Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1   Gloucester (2) 4 4 0 0 99 52 +47 9 7 1 0 17 Qualifies for a home Round of 16
2   Clermont (4) 4 3 0 1 122 66 +56 17 7 3 0 15
3   Edinburgh (8) 4 2 0 2 103 92 +11 15 12 2 1 11 Qualifies for a home Round of 16 as second 3rd best
4   Castres (15) 4 2 0 2 88 91 −3 13 10 2 0 10 Qualifies for Round of 16
5   Black Lion 4 1 0 3 42 86 −44 3 10 0 1 5
6   Scarlets 4 0 0 4 59 126 −67 7 18 0 0 0
Source: EPCR


Knockout stage

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The knockout stage will be played with a single-leg round of 16 matches consisting of the top four teams from each pool and the teams ranked 5th in each pool of the 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup. The Round of 16 will follow a pre-determined format, while the quarter-finals and semi-finals will guarantee home advantage to the higher-ranked team.

Seeding

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Rank Team Pts Diff TF
Pool leaders
1   Sharks 17 +88 21
2   Gloucester 17 +47 9
3   Benetton Rugby 15 +60 19
Pool runners-up
4   Clermont 15 +56 17
5   Montpellier 14 +40 15
6   Pau 12 –23 10
Top two third placed teams
7   Ospreys 14 +8 15
8   Edinburgh 11 +11 15
Champions Cup teams
9   Bayonne 8 –25 11
10   Sale Sharks 6 –7 13
11   Connacht 6 –52 13
12   Ulster 5 –59 12
Third best third placed team
13   Cheetahs 11 +7 14
Fourth placed teams
14   Lions 10 +18 10
15   Castres 10 –3 13
16   Zebre Parma 10 –9 11

Bracket

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Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
            
1   Sharks 47
16   Zebre Parma 3
1   Sharks 36
8   Edinburgh 30
8   Edinburgh 33
9   Bayonne 15
1   Sharks 32
4   Clermont 31
4   Clermont 27
13   Cheetahs 22
4   Clermont 53
12   Ulster 14
5   Montpellier 17
12   Ulster 40
1   Sharks 36
2   Gloucester 22
2   Gloucester 30
15   Castres 25
2   Gloucester 23
7   Ospreys 13
7   Ospreys 23
10   Sale Sharks 15
2   Gloucester 40
3   Benetton 23
3   Benetton 27
14   Lions 17
3   Benetton 39
11   Connacht 24
6   Pau 30
11   Connacht 40

Round of 16

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5 April 2024
20:00
Gloucester   (2)30–25(15)   Castres
Try: Mercer 8' c
May 27' c
Llewellyn 31' c
Con: Carreras (3/3) 10', 28', 33'
Pen: Carreras (3/3) 55', 61', 79'		ReportTry: Dumora 1' c
Zarantonello 72' c
Raisuqe 80+2' m
Con: Popelin (2/3) 2', 73'
Pen: Popelin (2/2) 39', 52'
Kingsholm, Gloucester
Attendance: 9,134
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
6 April 2024
12:30
Clermont   (4)27–22(13)   Cheetahs
Try: Jurand 1' c
Delguy 37' m
Fourcade 41' c
Jauneau 53' m
Con: Belleau (2/4) 2', 42'
Pen: Belleau (1/2) 22'		ReportTry: Qoma (2) 62' c, 72' c
Mafura 68' m
Con: Pienaar (2/3) 63', 73'
Pen: Pienaar (1/1) 11'
Stade Marcel-Michelin, Clermont-Ferrand
Attendance: 13,493
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
6 April 2024
17:30
Benetton   (3)27–17(14)   Lions
Try: Gallo 8' c
Ratave 33' c
Bernasconi 51' c
Con: Umaga (3/3) 9', 34', 52'
Pen: Albornoz (1/1) 63'		ReportTry: Visagie 2' c
Hendrikse 46' c
Con: Hendrikse (2/2) 3', 47'
Pen: Hendrikse (1/3) 37'
Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso
Attendance: 4,846
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)
6 April 2024
20:00
Ospreys   (7)23–15(10)   Sale Sharks
Try: Morris 32' m
Giles 46' m
Morgan-Williams 48' c
Con: O. Williams (1/3) 49'
Pen: O. Williams (2/4) 25', 78'		ReportTry: Reed 61' m
B. Curry 69' c
Con: R. du Preez (1/2) 69'
Pen: R. du Preez (1/1) 3'
Brewery Field, Bridgend[9]
Attendance: 4,225
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
6 April 2024
20:00
Edinburgh   (8)33–15(9)   Bayonne
Try: Watson 23' m
Currie 42' c
Vellacott (2) 53' c, 56' c
Van der Merwe 67' c
Con: Healy (4/5) 42', 54', 57', 69'		ReportTry: Spring (2) 17' c, 49' m
Con: Spring (1/2) 18'
Pen: Spring (1/1) 48'
Murrayfield, Edinburgh [f]
Attendance: 5,365
Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)
7 April 2024
12:30
Montpellier   (5)17–40(12)   Ulster
Try: Willemse 9' c
Eymeri 23' c
Con: Foursans-Bourdette (2/2) 10', 24'
Pen: Foursans-Bourdette (1/1) 38'		ReportTry: Addison 27' c
Baloucoune 42' m
Wilson 62' c
McCann 67' c
McCloskey 77' c
Penalty try 80'
Con: Cooney (4/5) 30', 63', 68', 79'
GGL Stadium, Montpellier
Attendance: 5,240
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
7 April 2024
15:00
Sharks   (1)47–3(16)   Zebre Parma
Try: Tshituka 6' c
Kok 20' c
Rahl 35' c
Fassi 43' c
Buthelezi 56' m
Hooker 64' c
Bosch 74' c
Con: Masuku (5/6) 7', 21', 36', 44', 65'
Bosch (1/1) 75'		ReportPen: Eden (1/1) 5'
Kings Park Stadium, Durban
Attendance: 6,730
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (England)
7 April 2024
17:30
Pau   (6)30–40(11)   Connacht
Try: Zegueur (2) 9' c, 38' c
Fisi'ihoi 46' c
Con: Simmonds (3/3) 9', 39', 47'
Pen: Simmonds (2/2) 25', 36'		ReportTry: Heffernan 4' c
Prendergast (2) 14' m, 78' c
Bolton 44' c
Blade 54' c
Aki 64' c
Con: Carty (2/3) 6', 45'
Hanrahan (3/3) 55', 65', 80'
Stade du Hameau, Pau
Attendance: 6,488
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)

Quarter-finals

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12 April 2024
20:00
Gloucester   (2)23–13(7)   Ospreys
Try: Blake 30' m
Pen: Carreras (6/6) 6', 18', 34', 50', 60', 65'		ReportTry: Giles 13' c
Con: O. Williams (1/1) 14'
Pen: O. Williams (1/2) 22'
Giles (1/1) 40'
Kingsholm, Gloucester
Attendance: 9,816
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
13 April 2024
13:30
Sharks   (1)36–30(8)   Edinburgh
Try: Am 16' c
J. Venter 26' c
Mbonambi 55' c
Con: Makusu (3/3) 17', 27', 56'
Pen: Makusu (4/5) 48', 52', 65', 70'
Bosch (1/1) 78'		ReportTry: Schoeman 31' c
Watson 75' c
Cherry 80+2' c
Con: Healy (3/3) 32', 76', 80+3'
Pen: Healy (3/3) 3', 15', 40'
Kings Park Stadium, Durban
Attendance: 11,894
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
13 April 2024
13:30
Clermont   (4)53–14(12)   Ulster
Try: Yato (2) 18' c, 68' c
Sowakula (2) 36' c, 59' c
Newsome 44' c
Simmons 63' c
Jurand 79' m
Con: Belleau (4/4) 19', 37', 61', 64'
Delguy (1/1) 45'
Bézy (1/2) 69'
Pen: Belleau (2/3) 28', 32'		ReportTry: Timoney (2) 12' c, 43' c
Con: Cooney (2/2) 13', 45'
Stade Marcel-Michelin, Clermont-Ferrand
Attendance: 13,945
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)
14 April 2024
13:30
Benetton   (3)39–24(11)   Connacht
Try: Lucchesi 5' c
Menoncello 12' c, 59' c
Smith 19' c
Albornoz (2) 26' 66'
Con: Albornoz (1/1) 6'
Umaga (3/3) 20', 28', 67'
Pen: Umaga 53', 60'		ReportTry: Heffernan 2' c
Boyle 41' c
Aki 56' c
Smith 68'
Con: Hanrahan (2/4) 3', 42'
Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso
Attendance: 4,098
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)

Semi-finals

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4 May 2024
12:30
Sharks   (1)32–31(4)   Clermont
Try: Koch 60' c
Mapimpi 70' c
Con: Masuku (2/2) 61', 71'
Pen: Masuku (6/6) 3', 8', 13', 18', 25', 28'		ReportTry: Jurand (2) 4' c, 19' m
Newsome 29' c
Con: Belleau (2/3) 6', 31'
Pen: Belleau (4/5) 15', 36', 40+1', 41'
Twickenham Stoop, London
Attendance: 5,517
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
4 May 2024
15:00
Gloucester   (2)40–23(3)   Benetton
Try: Hathaway 5' m
Blake 28' c
Hastings 57' c
Clarke 61' c
Thorley 77' m
Con: Hastings (3/5) 29', 59', 62'
Pen: Hastings (2/3) 19', 48'
Englefield (1/1) 69'		ReportTry: Smith 41' m
Lucchesi (2) 54' m, 66' c
Con: Albornoz (1/3) 67'
Pen: Albornoz (2/2) 15', 23'
Kingsholm, Gloucester
Attendance: 11,426
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)

Final

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24 May 2024
20:00
Sharks   (1)36–22(2)   Gloucester
Try: Buthelezi 25' c
Fassi 54' c
Mapimpi 59' c
Con: Masuku (3/3) 26', 55', 60'
Pen: Masuku (5/6) 14', 30', 36', 49', 52'		ReportTry: Tuisue 57' c
Socino 75' c
Clarke 78' m
Con: Hastings (2/3) 58', 76'
Pen: Englefield (1/1) 22'
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Attendance: 34,761
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Black Lion are champions of the third-tier Rugby Europe Super Cup competition for European nations outside the Six Nations.[6]
  2. ^ Cheetahs formerly competed in the Pro 12, the earlier incarnation of the United Rugby Championship.[6]
  3. ^ a b Richard Cockerill was sacked in November 2023 after a poor start to the season and replaced by Patrice Collazo.[7]
  4. ^ a b Alex Codling stepped down from his daily duties as Newcastle Falcons head coach at the start of February 2024. Forwards coach Micky Ward took over on an interim basis.[8]
  5. ^ Sharks finished eighth in the URC regular season phase, but were displaced in the Champions Cup by Cardiff Rugby as URC Welsh Shield winners
  6. ^ Edinburgh's game against Bayonne was originally scheduled to be held at the Edinburgh Rugby Stadium but was moved the day of the game to Murrayfield Stadium due to strong winds from Storm Kathleen.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to host 2024 Champions Cup final". Irish Times. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Sharks overpower Gloucester to win Challenge Cup". BBC Sport. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Sharks win Challenge Cup final, reducing URC Champions Cup places to seven". RTE Sport. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  4. ^ "EPCR pool draws for 2023/24 season". EPCR Challenge Cup. European Professional Club Rugby. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Bristol Bears to replace London Irish in Champions Cup, EPCR confirm". BBC Sport. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "European Challenge Cup: Georgian side Black Lion invited into European competition". BBC Sport. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Richard Cockerill is sacked by Montpellier after just seven games". Rugby Pass. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Steve Diamond: Newcastle Falcons appoint ex-Sale and Worcester boss as consultant director of rugby". BBC Sport. 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  9. ^ "European Challenge Cup: Ospreys to host Sale in Bridgend rather than Swansea". BBC Sport. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Edinburgh's clash with Bayonne moved to Murrayfield". BBC Sport. 6 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
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