2022–23 EPCR Challenge Cup

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: • England: three teams • Remaining teams in the Premiership that do not qualify for the 2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup. Worcester Warriors and Wasps had previously qualified but were both suspended after entering administration. • France: six teams • Teams taking part in the 2022–23 Top 14 season that did not qualify for the Champions Cup • Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales, South Africa: nine teams • The bottom seven teams in the United Rugby Championship and the Glasgow Warriors as the Welsh shield winners (the Ospreys) were not in the top 8 teams in the URC. • Cheetahs (invited to participate) Team details ==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 A 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 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Quarter-finals ---- ---- ---- 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. ---- 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: Most tries Source: ==See also==