European Challenge Cup

Edinburgh got back to winning ways in the European Rugby Challenge Cup after their defeat in last season's final against Gloucester while Brive beat Newcastle in tonight's matches.

European Rugby returned with a bang last night, with Harlequins putting six tries past potential England Head Coach Jake White’s Montpellier. We preview the rest of the action.

After declaring his interest in succeeding Stuart Lancaster as England coach, Jake White watched as his Montpellier side were beaten 41-18 by Harlequins in the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

Next season marks the second year of the new European competitions, and following the draws this week, Mike Stanton analyses the lay of the land for the European Challenge Cup.

European Challenge Cup holders Gloucester will take on local rivals Worcester Warriors in the group stages of next season's competition.

Gloucester flanker Ross Moriarty has been cited following an incident in the European Rugby Challenge Cup final against Edinburgh last Friday.

Gloucester survived Bill Meakes' red card to see off Edinburgh 19-13 and claim Challenge Cup glory at the Twickenham Stoop, reviving their Champions Cup qualification hopes at the expense of Sale and Harlequins.

Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw admits it will feel "a little bit strange" when he goes into European Challenge Cup final battle against his former team.

Gloucester held off a stern challenge from Exeter to win their European Challenge Cup semi-final 30-19 at Kingsholm and set up a final clash with Edinburgh next month.

Edinburgh reached a European final for the first time after beating Newport Gwent Dragons 45-16 in a one-sided European Challenge Cup semi-final.

Clermont were simply glorious; Leinster were brutally efficient. Saracens were powerful and clutch, whilst Toulon, believe it or not, were a tad lucky.

London Irish head coach Glenn Delaney was left to rue what might have been after his side lost a dramatic Challenge Cup quarter-final to Edinburgh at the Madejski Stadium.

Gloucester became the first side through to the European Challenge Cup semi-finals after a 14-7 win over Connacht in a dour game at Kingsholm.

The last weekend of European Challenge Cup Pool fixtures have ended and the knockout stages have been drawn with some interesting quarter finals due to take place; most notably for English rugby fans a Premiership battle between Exeter Chiefs and Newcastle Falcons due to take place at Sandy Park.

Gloucester claimed their sixth win from six in the European Challenge Cup to secure top seeding for the quarter-finals after a 31-20 win at Brive.

Round 5 of the European Rugby Champions Cup was another feather in the cap of the new competition, offering up an abundance of tries, end-to-end excitement and compelling contests throughout.

Cardiff Blues returned to the top of Pool One in the European Challenge Cup in astonishing fashion, running over a hundred points beyond part-timers Rovigo at Arms Park.

Newcastle lost their unbeaten record in the European Challenge Cup as Stade Francais scored a late try to win a thrilling Pool 3 tie 31-24.

The European Rugby Challenge Cup returned for a pulsating third round of fixtures this past weekend and we have somehow shortened the action into one full round-up which includes Newcastle Falcons maintaining their 100% record, Garth Steenson's 16 point haul for Exeter at La Rochelle and a whole load more. Who do you think is on course to make it to the quarter-finals at this stage?

Newcastle maintained their 100 per cent start to their European Challenge Cup campaign with a 30-23 victory against Stade Francais on Friday.