European Rugby Challenge Cup

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Name
European Rugby Challenge Cup

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Poster

Established
1996 (28 years old)

First Recorded Event
2022-12-09

Current Season
2023-2024

API Football ID
52

Sport
Sport Icon

Rugby

Location
Europe

Gender
Male

TV Rights
Austria - More Than Sports
Australia - beIN Sports
Canada - Flo Rugby
Denmark - Viaplay
Estonia - Viaplay
Finland - Viaplay
France - beIN Sports
France - France TV
Germany - More Than Sports
Iceland - Viaplay
Ireland - TNT Sports
Ireland - Premier Sports
LATAM - ESPN
Latvia - Viaplay
Lithuania - Viaplay
Malta - GO
Netherlands - Viaplay
New Zealand - Sky Sport
Norway - Viaplay
Poland - Polsat
Portugal - Sport TV
Romania - DIGI
SEA - Premier Sport
Spain - Telefonica
SSA - Super Sport
Sweden - Viaplay
Switzerland - More Than Sports
United Kingdom - TNT Sports
United Kingdom - S4C
United Kingdom - Viaplay
USA - Flo Rugby
Rest of World - epcrugby.tv

Logo

Upcoming

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Results
24/05	Gloucester	22 - 36	The Sharks
04/05	Gloucester	40 - 23	Benetton
04/05	The Sharks	32 - 31	ASM Clermont
14/04	Benetton	39 - 24	Connacht
13/04	The Sharks	36 - 30	Edinburgh
13/04	ASM Clermont	53 - 14	Ulster
12/04	Gloucester	23 - 13	Ospreys
07/04	The Sharks	47 - 3	Zebre
07/04	Section Palo	30 - 40	Connacht
07/04	Montpellier	17 - 40	Ulster

Description
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The EPCR Challenge Cup is an annual rugby union competition organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the second-tier competition for clubs based in European leagues behind the European Rugby Champions Cup. From its inception in 1996 to 2014, it was known as the European Challenge Cup and governed by European Rugby Cup (ERC). Following disagreements in the structure of the tournament's format and division of revenue, the English and French leagues withdrew to form the EPCR, which organized the Challenge Cup and the Champions Cup since the 2014–15 season.

The Challenge Cup is currently contested between 18 teams; 16 of which qualify from the three main European domestic leagues (Premiership Rugby, Top 14, and United Rugby Championship). In 2023–23, the Cheetahs, a South African team who do not play in either of the three leagues, but has close historical connections to the URC, also take part in the Challenge Cup as an invited team. For the 2023-24 season, Georgia's Black Lion were also invited to take part in the tournament.

Toulon are the current Challenge Cup holders, having won the 2022–23 EPCR Challenge Cup.

Seasons

2023-2024

2022-2023

2021-2022

Teams

ASM Clermont Auve	Aviron Bayonnais	Benetton	Black Lion
Castres Olympique	Cheetahs	Connacht	Dragons
Edinburgh	Gloucester	Lions Super Rugby	Montpellier Héra
Newcastle Falcons	Ospreys	Oyonnax Rugby	Sale Sharks
Scarlets	Section Paloise	The Sharks	Ulster
USA Perpignan	Zebre