Traveling to the Matmut Stadium in Gerland as part of the semi-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup (Saturday, 1:30 p.m.), the Wasps will have to put an end to Lyon’s series of six consecutive victories this season in the competition.
–
Lyon are the only team in the competition to have won all their games this season. At the same time, the Wasps, winners of the 2003 edition, were donated from the Champions Cup.
This meeting, which will kick off at 1:30 p.m. Matmut Stadium in Gerland, will be broadcast live on beIN SPORTS.
Classification in the group stage
Lyon: 1st, Pool B
Wasps: donated from the Champions Cup
Quarter-finals
Lyon 35 Glasgow Warriors 27
Edinburgh Rugby 30 Wasps 34
Top scorers 2021/2022
Lyon: Leo Berdeu (46)
Wasps : Jimmy Gopperth (33)
The #ChallengeCupRugby Semi-Finals are around the corner 🔥
Which game are you watching? 🍿
Watch all the drama unfold on @francetvsport, @btsportrugby and @beinsports_FR 📺 pic.twitter.com/EEdT8puCKd
— EPCR Challenge Cup (@ChallengeCup_) May 12, 2022
They said :
Patrick Sodela, captain of Lyon: “When we set up our game, when we show solidarity, I think we are not afraid of any team. When we all play together, the team is really confident”.
Wasps Head Coach Lee Blakett: “It’s probably our biggest game for a few seasons, as we were in the Premiership finals two seasons ago”.
Key points :
- Lyon will be the 17th opponent different from the TOP 14 that Wasps will face in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.
- Lyon have reached the semi-final stage for the first time on the European stage. Meanwhile, Wasps will play their seventh semi-final, having reached this stage of the competition three times in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup in the past.
- Wasps won the Challenge Cup in 2002/2003. However, they lost their next two semi-finals of the competition: against Cardiff Rugby in 2009/2010 and against Bath Rugby in 2013/2014.
- Wasps have won five of their last seven European matches against TOP 14 opponents, including victories against Toulouse (Champions Cup) and Biarritz (Challenge Cup) already this season.
- Lyon have a 100% win rate against Premiership opponents at home in the Challenge Cup.
- Wasps have won 29/30 throws from the sidelines this season in the Challenge Cup, giving them the second-best success rate (97%) of any team that has played more than one game.
- Clément Laporte and Ethan Dumortier have each achieved six Challenge Cup crossings this season, the best total in the competition.
- LOU winger Davit Niniashvili (11) tops the scoring in assists after contact, ahead of Laporte (7) and Lyon prop Demba Bamba (6).
- Wasps number 8 Alfie Barbeary has scored four tries in just two Challenge Cup games this season. Only Santiago Socino (5) of Gloucester has done more. Barbeary also beat seven defenders in the quarter-finals last weekend.
–
