# 2021–22 EPCR Challenge Cup

The 2021–22 EPCR Challenge Cup was the eighth 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 was the 26th edition of European club rugby's second-tier competition.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament format was changed for the previous season. A similar format remained for this season, however, the number of teams was increased from 14 to 15 and an additional six will join from the Champions Cup.
The tournament commenced in December 2021, and concluded with the final on 27 May 2022 at Stade Vélodrome in Marseille, France.
Lyon, who are in their first European final, won the Challenge Cup by defeating Toulon making it their first European title. It is also their first major title since their Champion de France title in 1933.

## Teams

Fifteen teams qualified for the 2021–22 EPCR 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.
The distribution of teams are:
* England: five teams
** Any teams finishing between 9th and 12th position in the Premiership that do not qualify for the 2020–21 European Champions Cup
** The champion of the Championship (Saracens)
* France: six teams
** Any teams finishing between 9th and 12th position in the Top 14 that do not qualify for the 2020–21 European Champions Cup
** As defending champions Montpellier did not finish in the top 8, the 8th ranked team will also compete in the Challenge Cup
** The champion of the Pro D2 (Perpignan)
** The winner of the relegation playoff between the 13th placed team in the Top 14 and the runner-up of the Pro D2 (Biarritz)
* Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales: four teams
** The bottom two sides in each conference from the Pro14
| Round | Premiership | Top 14 | United Rugby Championship | United Rugby Championship | United Rugby Championship |
| | England | France | Italy | Scotland | Wales |
| Preliminary stage | Gloucester London Irish Newcastle Falcons Saracens Worcester Warriors | Biarritz Brive Lyon Pau Perpignan Toulon | Benetton Zebre Parma | Edinburgh | Dragons |
| Transferred from Champions Cup | Bath Northampton Saints Wasps | Castres | | Glasgow Warriors | Cardiff |

### Team details

| 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 | 6,700 | Pro14 Conference B (6th) |
| Biarritz | Nicolas Nadau | Steffon Armitage | Parc des Sports Aguiléra | 15,000 | Pro D2 Runner Up |
| Brive | Jeremy Davidson | Saïd Hireche | Stade Amédée-Domenech | 13,979 | Top 14 bottom 6 (11th) |
| Dragons | Dean Ryan | Rhodri Williams | Rodney Parade | 8,700 | Pro14 Conference A (5th) |
| Edinburgh | Mike Blair | Grant Gilchrist Stuart McInally | Edinburgh Rugby Stadium | 7,800 | Pro14 Conference B (5th) |
| Gloucester | George Skivington | Lewis Ludlow | Kingsholm Stadium | 16,115 | Premiership 9th–12th (11th) |
| London Irish | Declan Kidney | Matt Rogerson | Brentford Community Stadium | 17,250 | Premiership 9th–12th (9th) |
| Lyon | Pierre Mignoni | Jean-Marc Doussain | Stade de Gerland | 35,000 | Top 14 bottom 6 (9th) |
| Newcastle Falcons | Dean Richards | Micky Young George McGuigan | Kingston Park | 10,200 | Premiership 9th–12th (10th) |
| Pau | Thomas Domingo | Quentin Lespiaucq-Brettes | Stade du Hameau | 18,324 | Top 14 bottom 6 (12th) |
| Perpignan | Patrick Arlettaz | Mathieu Acebes | Stade Aimé Giral | 14,593 | Pro D2 Champions |
| Saracens | Mark McCall | Owen Farrell | StoneX Stadium | 10,500 | RFU Championship champions |
| Toulon | Franck Azéma | Raphaël Lakafia | Stade Mayol | 18,200 | Top 14 bottom 6 (8th) |
| Worcester Warriors | Alan Solomons | Ted Hill | Sixways Stadium | 11,499 | Premiership 9th–12th (12th) |
| Zebre | Emiliano Bergamaschi (Replaces Michael Bradley) | Giulio Bisegni | Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi | 5,000 | Pro14 Conference A (6th) |
| Entering at Knockout Stage (transferred from Champions Cup) ||||||
| Bath | Stuart Hooper | Charlie Ewels | The Recreation Ground | 14,509 | Champions Cup Pool A 9th–11th (11th) |
| Cardiff Rugby | Dai Young | Josh Turnbull | Cardiff Arms Park | 12,125 | Champions Cup Pool b 9th–11th (9th) |
| Castres | Mauricio Reggiardo | Mathieu Babillot | Stade Pierre-Fabre | 12,500 | Champions Cup Pool B 9th–11th (11th) |
| Glasgow Warriors | Danny Wilson | Fraser Brown Ryan Wilson | Scotstoun Stadium | 7,351 | Champions Cup Pool A 9th–11th (9th) |
| Northampton Saints | Chris Boyd | Lewis Ludlam | Franklin's Gardens | 15,200 | Champions Cup Pool A 9th–11th (10th) |
| Wasps | Lee Blackett | Joe Launchbury | Ricoh Arena | 32,609 | Champions Cup Pool b 9th–11th (10th) |

## Pool stage

Key to colours :
* Winner, runner-up and third of each pool, advance to round of 16.
* The highest-scoring fourth-place team also advance to round of 16.

### Pool A

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Toulon | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 107 | 57 | +50 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 16 |
| 2 | Newcastle Falcons | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 73 | 89 | −16 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| 3 | Biarritz | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 59 | 47 | +12 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| 4 | Worcester Warriors | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 85 | 91 | −6 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| 5 | Zebre Parma | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 75 | 115 | −40 | 8 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 2 |

### Pool B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Lyon | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 122 | 57 | +65 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Gloucester | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 161 | 84 | +77 | 23 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 16 |
| 3 | Benetton | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 75 | 95 | −20 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 4 | Perpignan | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 54 | 138 | −84 | 7 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | Dragons | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 74 | 112 | −38 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 2 |

### Pool C

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Edinburgh | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 161 | 47 | +114 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| 2 | London Irish | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 78 | 82 | −4 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| 3 | Saracens | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 118 | 78 | +40 | 17 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 4 | Brive | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 41 | 146 | −105 | 4 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 5 | Pau | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 75 | 120 | −45 | 10 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 5 |

## Knock Out Stage
### Seeding for knockout stage

| Seed | Pool Leaders | Pts | Diff | TF |
| 1 | Lyon | 18 | +65 | 14 |
| 2 | Toulon | 16 | +50 | 13 |
| 3 | Edinburgh | 15 | +114 | 22 |
| Seed | Pool Runners–up | Pts | Diff | TF |
| 4 | Gloucester Rugby | 16 | +77 | 23 |
| 5 | Newcastle Falcons | 14 | –16 | 10 |
| 6 | London Irish | 12 | –4 | 12 |
| Seed | Pool Third placed | Pts | Diff | TF |
| 7 | Biarritz Olympique | 12 | +12 | 8 |
| 8 | Saracens | 11 | +40 | 17 |
| 9 | Benetton | 8 | –20 | 9 |
| Seed | Best fourth placed | Pts | Diff | TF |
| 10 | Worcester Warriors | 9 | –6 | 11 |
| – | Brive | 6 | –105 | 4 |
| – | Perpignan | 4 | –84 | 7 |
| Seed | Heineken Champions Cup (17–22) | Pts | Diff | TF |
| 11 – HCC 1 | Cardiff | 7 | –33 | 13 |
| 12 – HCC 2 | Wasps | 6 | –51 | 6 |
| 13 – HCC 3 | Castres Olympique | 5 | –14 | 9 |
| 14 – HCC 4 | Glasgow Warriors | 5 | –35 | 7 |
| 15 – HCC 5 | Northampton Saints | 2 | –68 | 6 |
| 16 – HCC 6 | Bath | 2 | –100 | 6 |

### Bracket

| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Lyon | 31 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Worcester Warriors | 17 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Worcester Warriors | 17 | 1 | Lyon | 35 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 14 | Glasgow Warriors | 27 | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Newcastle Falcons | 17 | 14 | Glasgow Warriors | 27 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Glasgow Warriors | 27 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Glasgow Warriors | 27 | | | | 1 | Lyon | 20 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 12 | Wasps | 18 | | | | |
| 3 | Edinburgh | 41 | | | | | | | 12 | Wasps | 18 | | | | |
| 16 | Bath | 19 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Bath | 19 | 3 | Edinburgh | 30 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 12 | Wasps | 34 | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Biarritz Olympique | 29 | 12 | Wasps | 34 | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Wasps | 39 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Wasps | 39 | | | | | | | | 1 | Lyon | 30 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Toulon | 12 |
| 2 | Toulon | 36 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Toulon | 12 |
| 9 | Benetton | 17 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Benetton | 17 | 2 | Toulon | 19 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | London Irish | 18 | | | | | | | |
| 6 | London Irish | 64 | 6 | London Irish | 18 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Castres | 17 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Castres | 17 | | | | 2 | Toulon | 25 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 8 | Saracens | 16 | | | | |
| 4 | Gloucester | 31 | | | | | | | 8 | Saracens | 16 | | | | |
| 15 | Northampton Saints | 21 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Northampton Saints | 21 | 4 | Gloucester | 15 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | Saracens | 44 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Saracens | 40 | 8 | Saracens | 44 | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Cardiff | 33 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Round of 16

* 15 April 2022 17:30 BST
| London Irish | 64–27 | Castres |
| Try: Creevy (2) 6' c, 24' c Rona 17' m Pearson 34' c González 37' c Rowe 39' c Rogerson 71' m Joseph 75' c Cornish 78' c Janse van Rensburg 79' m Con: Jackson (7/10) 7', 25', 35', 38', 40', 77', 79' | Report | Try: Kockott 45' c Chabouni 54' c Arata 58' c Con: Botica (3/3) 46', 55', 59' Pen: Botica (2/2) 21', 67' |
* Brentford Community Stadium Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
* 15 April 2022 19:00 CEST
| Biarritz Olympique | 29–39 | Wasps |
| Try: Peyresblanques 28' m Hirigoyen 42' c Armitage 57' c Soury 68' c Con: Bosch (3/4) 43', 58', 68' Pen: Bosch (1/1) 14' | Report | Try: Umaga 11' m Barbeary (3) 14' c, 22' c, 75' c Robson 26' c Con: Gopperth (4/5) 15', 23', 27', 76' Pen: Gopperth (2/2) 9', 62' |
* Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)
* 15 April 2022 21:00 CEST
| Lyon | 31–17 | Worcester Warriors |
| Try: Couilloud 4' c R. Taofifénua 15' c Devisme 47' c Barassi 76' c Con: Sopoaga (3/3) 5', 16', 48' Berdeu (1/1) 78' Pen: Berdeu (1/1) 57' | Report | Try: Howe 2' m Hill 50' m Searle 75' c Con: Searle (1/3) 76' |
* Matmut Stadium de Gerland Attendance: 10,500 Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
* 15 April 2022 20:00 BST
| Newcastle Falcons | 17–27 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Try: Montgomery 51' c Hodgson 65' c Con: Connon (1/1) 52' Hodgson (1/1) 66' Pen: Connon (1/1) 27' | Report | Try: Matthews 3' c Steyn (2) 6' m, 57' m McKay 31' c Con: Thompson (2/4) 4', 32' Pen: Thompson (1/2) 62' |
* Kingston Park Attendance: 4,121 Referee: Tual Trainini (France)
* 16 April 2022 20:00 BST
| Edinburgh | 41–19 | Bath |
| Try: Boffelli (2) 10' m, 62' c Kinghorn 31' c Schoeman 52' c Bennett 68' m Boyle 78' c Con: Boffelli (4/6) 31', 53', 64', 79' Pen: Boffelli (1/1) 22' | Report | Try: Underhill (2) 1' c, 25' m B. Spencer 34' c Con: Bailey (1/2) 2' B. Spencer (1/1) 35' |
* DAM Health Stadium Attendance: 5,071 Referee: Ludovic Cayre (France)
* 16 April 2022 20:00 BST
| Gloucester | 31–21 | Northampton Saints |
| Try: Thorley 4' c Rapava-Ruskin 7' c Alemanno 21' c Socino 46' c Con: Hastings (4/4) 5', 8', 22', 47' Pen: Hastings (1/1) 54' | Report | Try: Augustus 32' c Hutchinson 38' c Haywood 66' c Con: Biggar (2/2) 33', 39' Furbank (1/1) 67' |
* Kingsholm Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
* 16 April 2022 21:00 CEST
| Toulon | 36–17 | Benetton |
| Try: Villière 7' c Ollivon 27' c Coulon 78' c Con: Carbonel (3/3) 8', 28', 80' Pen: Carbonel (5/6) 37', 62', 67', 72', 76' | Report | Try: Menoncello 52' c Ioane 60' c Con: Smith (2/2) 53', 61' Pen: Smith (1/1) 4' |
* Stade Mayol Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
* 17 April 2022 13:00 BST
| Saracens | 40–33 | Cardiff |
| Try: Morris 36' c Maitland (2) 51' c, 57' m Davies 63' m Malins 69' c Con: Farrell (3/5) 37', 52', 70' Pen: Farrell (3/3) 14', 24', 31' | Report | Try: T. Williams 40' c Lane 48' c Carré 74' c Con: Priestland (2/2) 40+1', 49' J. Evans (1/1) 75' Pen: Priestland (4/5) 8', 32', 55', 60' |
* StoneX Stadium Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)

### Quarter-finals

* 6 May 2022 20:00 BST
| Gloucester | 15–44 | Saracens |
| Try: Singleton 30' m Rees-Zammit 73' c Con: Twelvetrees (1/1) 74' Pen: Hastings (1/1) 44' | Report | Try: Davies 8' c Itoje 47' c Tompkins 51' c George 61' c Taylor 71' c Con: Farrell (5/5) 9', 48', 52', 62', 72' Pen: Farrell (3/3) 5', 18', 36' |
* Kingsholm Stadium Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
* 7 May 2022 12:30 BST
| Edinburgh | 30–34 | Wasps |
| Try: Vellacott 12' c McBurney 25' c Bradbury 66' c Con: Boffelli (3/3) 13', 26', 66' Pen: Boffelli (3/3) 9', 42', 73' | Report | Try: Gopperth 15' c Alo 43' c West 57' c Barbeary 75' c Con: Gopperth (4/4) 16', 44', 58', 77' Pen: Gopperth (2/2) 7', 49' |
* DAM Health Stadium Attendance: 6,431 Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
* 7 May 2022 21:00 CEST
| Lyon | 35–27 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Try: Couilloud 35' c R. Taofifénua 55' c Niniashvili (2) 61' m, 75' c Con: Berdeu (2/3) 36', 76' Doussain (1/1) 57' Pen: Berdeu (3/4) 1', 12', 70' | Report | Try: McKay 5' c Forbes 39' c Penalty try 49' Con: Thompson (2/2) 6', 40' Pen: Thompson (2/2) 23', 27' |
* Stade de Gerland Attendance: 28,000 Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
* 8 May 2022 13:30 CEST
| Toulon | 19–18 | London Irish |
| Try: Ollivon 59' c Con: Carbonel (1/1) 59' Pen: Carbonel (4/5) 36', 40', 43', 66' | Report | Try: Tuisue 8' c Arundell 73' m Con: Jackson (1/2) 10' Pen: Jackson (2/3) 4', 62' |
* Stade Mayol Attendance: 11,300 Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)

### Semi-finals

* 14 May 2022 13:30 CEST
| Lyon | 20–18 | Wasps |
| Try: Berdeu 46' c Charcosset 53' c Con: Berdeu (2/2) 48', 54' Pen: Berdeu (2/4) 35', 64' | Report | Try: Robson 23' m Gopperth 73' c Con: Gopperth (1/2) 74' Pen: Gopperth (2/2) 38', 51' |
* Stade de Gerland Attendance: 10,525 Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
* 14 May 2022 21:00 CEST
| Toulon | 25–16 | Saracens |
| Try: Villière (2) 2' c, 39' m Wainiqolo 60' c Con: Carbonel (2/3) 4', 61' Pen: Carbonel (1/2) 33' | Report | Try: Earl 15' c Con: Farrell (1/1) 17' Pen: Farrell (3/4) 12', 26', 58' |
* Stade Mayol Attendance: 13,368 Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)

### Final

* 27 May 2022 21:00
| Lyon | 30–12 | Toulon |
| Try: Couilloud 7' c Penalty try 45' Barassi 47' c Con: Berdeu (2/2) 9', 49' Pen: Berdeu (2/3) 20', 59' Ngatai (1/1) 70' | Report | Try: Serin 16' c Kolbe 73' m Con: Carbonel (1/1) 17' Kolbe (0/1) |
* Stade Vélodrome, Marseille Attendance: 51,431 Referee: Luke Pearce (England)