European Rugby Challenge Cup 2015/16

European Rugby Challenge Cup 2015/16
master	Montpellier Hérault RC (1st title)
Teams	20th
countries	England France Ireland Italy Russia Scotland Wales
Games	61  (of which 61 played)
tries	347  (ø 5.69 per game)
spectator	334,108  (ø 5,477 per game)
Most of the points	Benoît Paillaugue , Montpellier Rhys Patchell , Cardiff Blues (56 each)
Most attempts	Marcus Watson , Ospreys (6)
← European Rugby Challenge Cup 2014/15 European Rugby Challenge Cup 2016/17 →

The European Rugby Challenge Cup 2015/16 was the 2nd edition of the European Rugby Challenge Cup , the second-tier European cup competition in rugby union . This competition is the successor to the European Challenge Cup that existed from 1996 to 2014 . 20 teams from seven countries were involved. The competition began on November 12, 2015, and the final took place on May 13, 2016 at the Stade des Lumières in Lyon . The title was won by the French team Montpellier Hérault RC .

Attendees

The following teams were eligible to participate:

• the four teams from the English Premiership in England between 8th and 11th place
• the winner of the RFU Championship in England
• the five teams from the top 14 in France between 8th and 12th place
• the winner of Pro D2 and the winner of the regular season
• from the Pro12 , the remaining four teams from Italy , Ireland , Scotland and Wales , which no place for the European Rugby Champions Cup have
• the two losers in the play-offs for the European Rugby Champions Cup
• the two winners of the qualifying competition

mode

There were five groups with four teams each. Each team played a home and an away game against the three group opponents. In the group stage, the teams received:

• four points for a win
• two points for a tie
• a bonus point for four or more attempts
• a bonus point for a loss of seven or less points

For the quarter-finals, the five group winners (classified according to the number of points won in places 1–5) and the three best runners-up (classified in places 6–8) qualified. Teams in places 1-4 had home rights in the quarterfinals. The first played against the eighth, the second against the seventh, the third against the sixth and the fourth against the fifth. In contrast to the European Challenge Cup, no team from the European Rugby Champions Cup 2015/16 took part in the finals.

qualification

Rugby Europe 1 Play-Off

17th January 2015	Rugby Calvisano	34: 3	Rugby Viadana	Centro Sportivo San Michele , Calvisano

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January 24, 2015	Rugby Viadana	36: 7	CR El Salvador	Stadio Luigi Zaffanella , Viadana

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April 4, 2015	CR El Salvador	12: 62	Rugby Calvisano	Estadio Pepe Rojo , Valladolid

Endgame

April 18, 2015	Rugby Rovigo	17: 7	Rugby Calvisano	Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini , Rovigo

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2nd May 2015	Rugby Calvisano	35: 7	Rugby Rovigo	Centro Sportivo San Michele , Calvisano

Rugby Calvisano qualified with an overall result of 42:24.

Rugby Europe 2 Play-Off

17th January 2015	Mogliano rugby	45: 17	CDUL	Stadio Maurizio Quaggia , Mogliano Veneto

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January 24, 2015	CDUL	0: 28 1	Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk	Estádio Universitário de Lisboa , Lisbon

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April 4, 2015	Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk	19:15	Mogliano rugby	Avangard Stadium , Krasnoyarsk

Endgame

April 18, 2015	CSM Baia Mare	20:30	Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk	Stadionul Lascăr Ghineţ , Baia Mare

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2nd May 2015	Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk	32:12	CSM Baia Mare	Avangard Stadium , Krasnoyarsk

Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk qualified with an overall result of 62:32.

¹Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk won the game at the green table for using non-regular CDUL players. The game originally ended 6:28 for Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk.

draw

The participants will be drawn into the preliminary round groups on June 17, 2015 in the Stade de la Maladière in Neuchâtel . The betting order was based on performance in the respective championships.

Pot 1	Montpellier Hérault RC	Sale Sharks	Connacht rugby	Atlantique Stade Rochelais	Edinburgh rugby
Pot 2	CA Brive	Gloucester RFC	Newport Gwent Dragons	Harlequins	London Irish
Pot 3	Castres Olympique	Newcastle Falcons	Zebra	FC Grenoble	Cardiff Blues
Pot 4	Section Paloise	SU Agen	Worcester Warriors	Rugby Calvisano	Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk

Group stage

Group winners, qualified for quarter-finals

Top three runners-up, qualified for quarter-finals

Group 1

	team	Games	Victories	Unent.	Ndlg.	Game points	Diff.	Bonus points	Table points
1.	Connacht rugby	6th	4th	0	2	147: 96	+ 51	3	19th
2.	Newcastle Falcons	6th	3	0	3	137: 97	+ 40	4th	16
3.	CA Brive	6th	3	0	3	114: 88	+ 26	4th	16
4th	Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk	6th	2	0	4th	63: 180	- 117	0	8th

November 13, 2015 19:30 CET	CA Brive	13: 9	Newcastle Falcons	Stade Amédée-Domenech , Brive-la-Gaillarde spectators: 6,000
		report

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November 14, 2015 3:00 p.m. KRAT	Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk	14:31	Connacht rugby	Avangard Stadium , Krasnoyarsk Spectators: 2,500
		report

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November 21, 2015 5:00 PM GMT	Connacht rugby	21:17	CA Brive	Galway Sportsgrounds , Galway Spectators: 4,357
		report

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November 22, 2015 3:00 PM GMT	Newcastle Falcons	55: 7	Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk	Kingston Park , Newcastle upon Tyne Spectators: 4,093
		report

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December 11, 2015 7:45 PM GMT	Connacht rugby	25:10	Newcastle Falcons	Galway Sportsgrounds, Galway Spectators: 4,346
		report

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December 12, 2015 16:00 MSK	Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk	10: 7	CA Brive	Slava Metreweli Stadium , Sochi Spectators: 600
		report

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December 19, 2015 15:00 CET	CA Brive	33: 3	Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk	Stade Amédée-Domenech, Brive-la-Gaillarde spectators: 3,000
		report

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December 20, 2015 3:00 PM GMT	Newcastle Falcons	29: 5	Connacht rugby	Kingston Park, Newcastle upon Tyne Spectators: 4,067
		report

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January 16, 2016 14:00 MSK	Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk	24: 7	Newcastle Falcons	Slava Metreveli Stadium, Sochi Spectators: 400
		report

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January 16, 2016 8:45 PM CET	CA Brive	21:18	Connacht rugby	Stade Amédée-Domenech, Brive-la-Gaillarde spectators: 3,000
		report

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January 23, 2016 15:00 GMT	Connacht rugby	47: 5	Yenisei-STM Krasnoyarsk	Galway Sportsgrounds, Galway Spectators: 4,261
		report

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January 23, 2016 15:00 GMT	Newcastle Falcons	27:23	CA Brive	Kingston Park, Newcastle upon Tyne Spectators: 3,803
		report

Group 2

	team	Games	Victories	Unent.	Ndlg.	Game points	Diff.	Bonus points	Table points
1.	Sale Sharks	6th	5	0	1	154: 78	+ 76	3	23
2.	Newport Gwent Dragons	6th	4th	0	2	151: 117	+ 34	4th	20th
3.	Castres Olympique	6th	3	0	3	124: 136	- 12	3	15th
4th	Section Paloise	6th	0	0	6th	68: 166	- 98	0	0

November 15, 2015 3:15 pm GMT	Newport Gwent Dragons	30: 12	Sale Sharks	Rodney Parade , Newport Spectators: 4,455
		report

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November 21, 2015 2:30 PM GMT	Sale Sharks	29:20	Section Paloise	AJ Bell Stadium , Salford Spectators: 4,006
		report

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November 21, 2015 5:00 p.m. CET	Castres Olympique	32:29	Newport Gwent Dragons	Stade Pierre-Antoine , Castres spectators: 7,580
		report

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December 12, 2015 2:30 PM GMT	Newport Gwent Dragons	22: 0	Section Paloise	Rodney Parade, Newport Spectators: 4,202
		report

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December 12, 2015 8:45 PM CET	Castres Olympique	10: 17	Sale Sharks	Stade Pierre-Antoine, Castres spectators: 6,816
		report

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December 19, 2015 2:30 PM GMT	Sale Sharks	31:10	Castres Olympique	AJ Bell Stadium, Salford Spectators: 4,525
		report

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December 19, 2015 8:45 PM CET	Section Paloise	17:34	Newport Gwent Dragons	Stade du Hameau , Pau spectators: 7,500
		report

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January 9, 2016 1 21:00 CET	Section Paloise	21:30	Castres Olympique	Stade du Hameau, Pau spectators: 8,000
		report

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January 15, 2016 19:45 CET	Section Paloise	3:27	Sale Sharks	Stade du Hameau, Pau spectators: 6,000
		report

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January 15, 2016 7:45 PM GMT	Newport Gwent Dragons	31:18	Castres Olympique	Rodney Parade, Newport Spectators: 4,316
		report

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January 21, 2016 7:45 PM GMT	Sale Sharks	38: 5	Newport Gwent Dragons	AJ Bell Stadium, Salford Attendance: 4,015
		report

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January 22, 2016 19:00 CET	Castres Olympique	24: 7	Section Paloise	Stade Pierre-Antoine, Castres spectators: 6,025
		report

¹The game was originally scheduled to take place on November 14, 2015. Due to the terrorist attacks in Paris , the game was canceled for security reasons and rescheduled for a new date.

Group 3

	team	Games	Victories	Unent.	Ndlg.	Game points	Diff.	Bonus points	Table points
1.	Harlequins	6th	5	0	1	225: 123	+ 102	5	25th
2.	Montpellier Hérault RC	6th	4th	0	2	221: 116	+ 105	4th	20th
3.	Cardiff Blues	6th	3	0	3	229: 131	+ 98	5	17th
4th	Rugby Calvisano	6th	0	0	6th	39: 344	- 305	0	0

November 12, 2015 7:45 PM GMT	Harlequins	41:18	Montpellier Hérault RC	The Stoop , London audience: 7,136
		report

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November 14, 2015 15:00 CET	Rugby Calvisano	9:50	Cardiff Blues	Centro Sportivo San Michele , Calvisano spectators: 1,500
		report

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November 19, 2015 7:45 PM GMT	Cardiff Blues	20:32	Harlequins	Cardiff Arms Park , Cardiff Spectators: 5,249
		report

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November 20, 2015 at 8:30 p.m. CET	Montpellier Hérault RC	64: 0	Rugby Calvisano	Altrad Stadium , Montpellier Spectators: 9,900
		report

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December 11, 2015 7:30 p.m. GMT	Cardiff Blues	37: 27	Montpellier Hérault RC	Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff Spectators: 4,602
		report

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December 12, 2015 2:30 p.m. CET	Rugby Calvisano	10:50	Harlequins	Centro Sportivo San Michele, Calvisano spectators: 1,300
		report

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December 17, 2015 20:45 CET	Montpellier Hérault RC	23:22	Cardiff Blues	Altrad Stadium, Montpellier Spectators: 6,000
		report

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December 19, 2015 3:00 PM GMT	Harlequins	59: 7	Rugby Calvisano	The Stoop, London Spectators: 11,230
		report

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January 16, 2016 14:30 CET	Rugby Calvisano	7:47	Montpellier Hérault RC	Centro Sportivo San Michele, Calvisano spectators: 1,100
		report

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January 17, 2016 3:15 pm GMT	Harlequins	34: 26	Cardiff Blues	The Stoop, London Spectators: 12,912
		report

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January 22, 2016 7:45 PM GMT	Cardiff Blues	74: 6	Rugby Calvisano	Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff spectators: 5,490
		report

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January 22, 2016 8:45 PM CET	Montpellier Hérault RC	42: 9	Harlequins	Altrad Stadium, Montpellier Spectators: 7,500
		report

Group 4

	team	Games	Victories	Unent.	Ndlg.	Game points	Diff.	Bonus points	Table points
1.	Gloucester RFC	6th	6th	0	0	151: 86	+ 65	1	25th
2.	Zebra	6th	3	0	3	114: 92	+ 22	1	13
3.	Atlantique Stade Rochelais	6th	2	0	4th	100: 127	- 27	2	10
4th	Worcester Warriors	6th	1	0	5	88: 148	- 60	1	5

November 14, 2015 3:00 PM GMT	Worcester Warriors	19: 3	Atlantique Stade Rochelais	Sixways Stadium , Worcester Spectators: 5,124
		report

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November 14, 2015 3:15 pm GMT	Gloucester RFC	23:10	Zebra	Kingsholm Stadium , Gloucester Spectators: 9,973
		report

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November 19, 2015 20:45 CET	Atlantique Stade Rochelais	20:33	Gloucester RFC	Stade Marcel-Deflandre , La Rochelle Spectators: 12,763
		report

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November 21, 2015 15:00 CET	Zebra	27: 8	Worcester Warriors	Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi , Parma spectators: 1,784
		report

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December 10, 2015 7:45 PM GMT	Worcester Warriors	22:34	Gloucester RFC	Sixways Stadium, Worcester spectators: 6,774
		report

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December 11, 2015 8:00 p.m. CET	Atlantique Stade Rochelais	27: 19	Zebra	Stade Marcel-Deflandre, La Rochelle Spectators: 10,600
		report

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December 17, 2015 7:45 PM GMT	Gloucester RFC	27: 13	Worcester Warriors	Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester Spectators: 10,942
		report

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December 19, 2015 15:00 CET	Zebra	25: 5	Atlantique Stade Rochelais	Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma spectators: 1,657
		report

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January 16, 2016 3:00 PM GMT	Gloucester RFC	20:10	Atlantique Stade Rochelais	Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester Spectators: 9,209
		report

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January 16, 2016 3:00 PM GMT	Worcester Warriors	15:22	Zebra	Sixways Stadium, Worcester Spectators: 6,134
		report

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January 22, 2016 19:30 CET	Atlantique Stade Rochelais	35: 11	Worcester Warriors	Stade Marcel-Deflandre, La Rochelle Spectators: 8,500
		report

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January 23, 2016 15:00 CET	Zebra	11:14	Gloucester RFC	Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma spectators: 2,413
		report

Group 5

	team	Games	Victories	Unent.	Ndlg.	Game points	Diff.	Bonus points	Table points
1.	FC Grenoble	6th	5	0	1	187: 154	+ 33	2	22nd
2.	London Irish	6th	3	0	3	170: 106	+ 64	5	17th
3.	Edinburgh rugby	6th	4th	0	2	125: 103	+ 22	1	17th
4th	SU Agen	6th	0	0	6th	98: 217	- 119	2	2

November 13, 2015 7:45 PM GMT	Edinburgh rugby	28:10	FC Grenoble	Murrayfield Stadium , Edinburgh Spectators: 3,264
		report

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November 14, 2015 3:00 PM GMT	London Irish	48:10	SU Agen	Madejski Stadium , Reading Spectators: 4,216
		report

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November 20, 2015 19:30 CET	SU Agen	6:27	Edinburgh rugby	Stade Armandie , Agen Spectators: 4,532
		report

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November 21, 2015 20:45 CET	FC Grenoble	27:20	London Irish	Stade des Alpes , Grenoble Spectators: 8,500
		report

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December 10, 2015 8:45 PM CET	SU Agen	20:40	FC Grenoble	Stade Armandie, Agen spectators: 3,932
		report

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December 12, 2015 3:00 PM GMT	London Irish	38: 6	Edinburgh rugby	Madejski Stadium, Reading Spectators: 3,959
		report

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December 18, 2015 19:30 CET	FC Grenoble	48:45	SU Agen	Stade des Alpes, Grenoble Spectators: 9,370
		report

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December 18, 2015 7:30 PM GMT	Edinburgh rugby	18:15	London Irish	Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Spectators: 3,551
		report

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January 15, 2016 19:30 GMT	Edinburgh rugby	23: 0	SU Agen	Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Spectators: 3,100
		report

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January 16, 2016 3:00 PM GMT	London Irish	18:28	FC Grenoble	Madejski Stadium, Reading Spectators: 3,648
		report

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January 23, 2016 8:45 PM CET	SU Agen	17:31	London Irish	Stade Armandie, Agen Spectators: 3.712
		report

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January 23, 2016 8:45 PM CET	FC Grenoble	34:23	Edinburgh rugby	Stade des Alpes, Grenoble Spectators: 10,072
		report

Knockout round

Seeding list

After the group stage, the five group winners and the third-best runners-up will meet.

1. Harlequins
2. Gloucester RFC
3. Sale Sharks
4. FC Grenoble
5. Connacht rugby
6. Montpellier Hérault RC
7. Newport Gwent Dragons
8. London Irish

Quarter finals

April 8, 2016 7:45 pm WEST	Sale Sharks	19:25	Montpellier Hérault RC	AJ Bell Stadium , Salford Spectators: 4,557 Referee: John Lacey ( Ireland )
	Attempts: Brady 21. n.erh. James 76th ed. Penalty kicks: Cipriani (3/3) 11., 32., 61.	(11:10) Report	Attempts: Willemse 14. Increased increases: Paillaugue (1/1) Penalty kicks : Paillaugue (6/8) 17., 45., 55., 64., 67., 71.

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April 9, 2016 12:45 PM WEST	Gloucester RFC	21:23	Newport Gwent Dragons	Kingsholm Stadium , Gloucester Spectators: 10,501 Referee: Pascal Gaüzère ( France )
	Attempts: Morgan 14th n.erh. McColl 43rd increments: Hook (1/1) Penalty kicks: Laidlaw (3/3) 20th, 27th, 72nd	(11:12) report	Attempts: Davies 78th n.erh. Penalty kicks: Jones (5/7) 10th, 17th, 33rd, 40th, 45th Meyer (1/1) 55.

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April 9, 2016 8:05 pm WEST	Harlequins	38:30	London Irish	The Stoop , London Spectators: 9,851 Referee: Marius Mitrea ( Italy )
	Attempts: Wallace 6th n.erh., 61st n.erh. Care 20th increased, 52nd increased, 74th increased increases: Botica (2/5) Penalty kicks : Botica (3/4) 26th, 36th, 71st	(18:16) Report	Attempts: Mulchrone 27th McKibbin 44th Maitland 50th Elevation: Geraghty (3/3) Penalty kicks: Geraghty (3/3) 13th, 24th, 33rd

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April 9, 2016 9:05 pm CEST	FC Grenoble	33:32	Connacht rugby	Stade des Alpes , Grenoble Spectators: 14,077 Referee: Matthew Carley ( England )
	Attempts: Wisniewski 33rd received Dupont 62nd received Diaby 69th increased increases: Wisniewski (3/3) Penalty kicks: Wisniewski (3/3) 21st, 37th, 40th Dropgoals: Wisniewski (1/1) 75 .	(16:19) Report	Attempts: Adeolokun 11th received, 28th received Henshaw 23rd received Healy 42nd raises: O'Leary (3/4) Penalty kicks: O'Leary (1/1) 53. Cooney (1/1) 72.

Semifinals

April 22, 2016 7:45 pm WEST	Harlequins	30: 6	FC Grenoble	The Stoop , London Spectators: 10,563 Referee: John Lacey ( Ireland )
	Attempts: Roberts 11th, Evans 53rd, Lowe 68th, Graduated : Botica (1/1) Evans (2/2) Penalty kicks : Botica (2/2) 6th, 17th Evans (1/2) 66.	(13: 6) Report	Penalty kicks: Wisniewski (2/2) 15., 26.

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April 23, 2016 6:30 PM CEST	Montpellier Hérault RC	22:12	Newport Gwent Dragons	Altrad Stadium , Montpellier Spectators: 7,692 Referee: Wayne Barnes ( England )
	Attempts: B. du Plessis 59th increments: Catrakilis (1/1) Penalty kicks : Catrakilis (5/5) 20th, 28th, 32nd, 35th, 54th.	(12: 0) report	Attempts: Amos 61. n.erh. Meyer 77. increased increases: O'Brien (1/1)

final

May 13, 2016 9:00 p.m. CEST	Harlequins	19:26	Montpellier Hérault RC	Stade des Lumières , Lyon Spectators: 28,556 Referee: John Lacey ( Ireland )
	Attempts: Yard 71. Increments : Botica (1/1) Penalty kicks : Evans (3/3) 4th, 31st, 34th Botica (1/1) 77.	(9:13) Report	Attempts: Mogg 22nd increased , 47th increased increases: Catrakilis (2/2) Penalty kicks : Catrakilis (4/4) 7th, 28th, 54th, 67th

15th Mike Brown 14th Marland Yarde 13 George Lowe 12 Jamie Roberts 11 Tim Visser 10 Nick Evans 68. 09 Danny Care 08th Nick Easter 07th Luke Wallace 56. 06th Chris Robshaw 05 Sam Twomey 04th James Horwill 03 Adam Jones 50. 02 Joe Gray 57. 01 Joe Marler Substitute: 16 Dave Ward 57. 17th Mark Lambert 18th Kyle Sinckler 50. 19th Mat Luamanu 20th Jack Clifford 56. 21st Karl Dickson 22nd Ben Botica 68. 23 Ross Chisholm Trainer: John Kingston

15th Benjamin case 18th 14th Timoci Nagusa 13 Anthony Tuitavke 74. 12 François Steyn 11 Marvin O'Connor 10 Demetri Catrakilis 09 Nic White 44. 08th Pierre Spies 61. 07th Akapusi Qera 06th Fulgence Ouedraogo 05 Paul Willemse 04th Jacques Du Plessis 68. 03 Jannie Du Plessis 59. 02 Bismarck Du Plessis 68. 01 Mikheil Nariashvili 74. Substitute: 16 Mickaël Ivaldi 74. 17th Yvan Watremez 68. 18th Davit Kubriashvili 59. 19th Sitaleki Timani 74. 20th Kélian Galletier 61. 21st Benoît Paillaugue 44. 22nd Robert Ebersohn 68. 23 Jesse Mogg 18th Trainer:  Jake White

Web links

• Official website