2022–23 EPCR Challenge Cup explained

2022–23 EPCR Challenge Cup
Date:9 December 2022 – 19 May 2023
Tournament Format:Round-robin and knockout
Countries:
France
Ireland
Italy

South Africa
Teams:18
Champions: Toulon
Count:1
Runner-Up: Glasgow Warriors
Matches:51
Highest Attendance:31,514 - Glasgow Warriors v Toulon
19 May 2023
Lowest Attendance:200 - Cheetahs v Scarlets
17 December 2022
200 - Cheetahs v Pau
22 January 2023
Top Point Scorer: Sam Costelow (Scarlets)
62 points
Top Try Scorer: Johnny Matthews (Glasgow Warriors)
Jiuta Wainiqolo (Toulon)
7 tries
Venue:Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Website:EPCR Website
Previous Tournament:2021–22 European Rugby Challenge Cup
Previous Year:2021–22
Next Tournament:2023–24 EPCR Challenge Cup
Next Year:2023–24

The 2022–23 EPCR Challenge Cup was the 9th 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 27th edition of European club rugby's second-tier competition.

The tournament commenced in December 2022, and concluded with the final on 19 May 2023 at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, which was contested between Glasgow Warriors (their first European final) and Toulon who made their fourth appearance in a European final.

This was the first year that teams from South Africa could qualify, following the inaugural United Rugby Championship season, with Johannesburg-based Lions making their inaugural appearance in European club rugby.[1] In addition, another South African team, the Bloemfontein-based Cheetahs franchise, formerly of the URC predecessor competition the Pro14, had been invited to enter, having been excluded from European competition during their Pro14 tenure.[2]

Teams

Seventeen teams qualified for the 2022–23 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 one invited sides making 18 teams.

The distribution of teams were:

Team details

TeamCoach /
Director of Rugby
CaptainStadiumCapacityMethod of qualification
Entering at Pool stage
Bath Johann van Graan Ben Spenceralign=center 14,509Premiership 9th–13th (13th)
Bayonne Grégory Patat Antoine BattutStade Jean-Daugeralign=center 18,069Pro D2 Champions
Benetton Marco Bortolami Dewaldt Duvenage
Michele Lamaro
Stadio Comunale di Monigoalign=center 6,700URC bottom 8 (13th)
Bristol Bears Pat Lam Steve LuatuaAshton Gate Stadiumalign=center 27,000Premiership 9th–13th (10th)
Brive Patrice Collazo Saïd HirecheStade Amédée-Domenechalign=center 13,979Top 14 bottom 6 (12th)
Cardiff Dai Young Josh TurnbullCardiff Arms Parkalign=center 12,125URC bottom 8 (14th)
Cheetahs Hawies Fourie Victor SekeketeFree State Stadiumalign=center 46,000Invited team
Connacht Andy Friend Jack CartyGalway Sportsgroundsalign=center 8,129URC bottom 8 (11th)
Dragons Harrison Keddie
Will Rowlands
align=center 8,700URC bottom 8 (15th)
Glasgow Warriors Franco Smith Kyle Steynalign=center 7,351URC bottom 8 (8th)
Lions Ivan van Rooyen Reinhard NothnagelEllis Park Stadiumalign=center 62,567URC bottom 8 (12th)
Newcastle Falcons Dave Walder Will WelchKingston Parkalign=center 10,200Premiership 9th–13th (12th)
Pau Sébastien Piqueronies Lucas ReyStade du Hameaualign=center 18,324Top 14 bottom 6 (10th)
Perpignan Patrick Arlettaz Mathieu AcebesStade Aimé Giralalign=center 14,593Top 14 bottom 6 (13th)
Scarlets Dwayne Peel Jonathan DaviesParc y Scarletsalign=center 14,870URC bottom 8 (10th)
Stade Francais Gonzalo Quesada Romain BriatteStade Jean-Bouinalign=center 20,000Top 14 bottom 6 (11th)
Toulon Pierre Mignoni Charles OllivonStade Mayolalign=center 18,200Top 14 bottom 6 (8th)
Zebre Fabio Roselli Dave SisiStadio Sergio Lanfranchialign=center 5,000URC bottom 8 (16th)
Entering at Knockout Stage (transferred from Champions Cup)
Clermont Christophe Urios Arthur IturriaStade Marcel-Michelinalign=center 19,022Champions Cup Pool B 9th–10th (9th)
Lyon Xavier Garbajosa Jean-Marc DoussainMatmut Stadium de Gerlandalign=center 35,029Champions Cup Pool A 9th–10th (9th)
Racing 92 Laurent Travers Henry ChavancyParis La Défense Arenaalign=center 32,000Champions Cup Pool A 9th–10th (10th)
Sale Sharks Alex Sanderson Jono RossAJ Bell Stadiumalign=center 12,000Champions Cup Pool B 9th–10th (10th)

Pool stage

See main article: article and 2022–23 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.

bgcolor="#ccffcc"
    Top 6 in each pool, advance to round of 16.

Pool B

Knockout stage

The knockout stage was played across 31 March/1/2 April with a single leg round of 16 matches consisting of the top six ranked teams from each pool and the teams ranked 9th and 10th in each pool of the 2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup (Clermont, Lyon, Racing 92 and Sale Sharks denoted by * in the bracket). The Round of 16 followed a pre-determined format, while the quarter-finals and semi-finals always guaranteed home advantage to the higher ranked team.

The last-16 were dominated by clubs from Top 14 (eight) and the United Rugby Championship (six), with only two English clubs reaching the knockout stages - both eliminated in the first play-off round along with the only Irish team, Connacht, while both South African clubs departed by the quarter-finals. Treviso became the first Italian side to reach a European semi-final, as three URC teams from three different countries(Italy, Scotland and Wales) reached the final four along with French giant Toulon.

Round of 16

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Quarter-finals

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Semi-finals

The higher-ranked club gained home stadium advantage, however, in the event that a South African team had been the higher ranked side, the game would have been located in Europe.

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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:[4]

RankPlayerClubPoints
1 Sam Costelow Scarlets62
2 Rhys Priestland Cardiff57
3 George Horne Glasgow47
4 Dan Biggar Toulon39
5 AJ MacGinty Bristol38

Most tries

Source:[4]

RankPlayerClubTries
1 Johnny Matthews Glasgow7
2 Josh Adams Cardiff6
Jiuta Wainiqolo Toulon
Steff Evans Scarlets
5 Rhyno Smith Benetton5

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: South African teams to play in Champions Cup for first time . Sky Sports . 2 June 2022 .
  2. Web site: EPCR confirms inclusion of South African clubs from 2022/23 season . 2 June 2022 .
  3. [Ospreys (rugby union)|Ospreys]
  4. Web site: Tournament Statistics . . 30 March 2023 . en-UK.