Flyhalf Finn Russell kicked 17 points as Johann van Graan coached Bath to victory over Lyon in the 2024-25 EPCR Challenge Cup final at the Principality Stadium on Friday night.
The Scottish playmaker converted all four of Bath’s tries and added three penalties as the English Premiership club bounced back from a slow start, and two yellow cards, to deliver a convincing 37-12 win against Lyon in Cardiff.
🤩 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄!! 🤩@BathRugby are crowned 2024/25 #ChallengeCupRugby winners in Cardiff beating LOU Rugby 37-12🏆 pic.twitter.com/2bv0ZPMvZb
— EPCR Challenge Cup (@ChallengeCup_) May 23, 2025
Van Graan became the second South African coach in as many seasons to clinch the Challenge Cup, taking over from John Plumtree’s 2023-24 champion Sharks. At the venue of their 2013-14 final defeat to Northampton, Bath won the Challenge Cup for the first time since 2008.
Bordeaux winger Ethan Dumortier gave the Top 14 club a 5-0 lead three minutes after kick-off, but Russell kicked into gear, slotting a penalty and converting two tries to put Bath into a 17-5 lead at the break, despite losing flanker Sam Underhill and wing Will Muir to yellow cards.
Russell added three more after the restart before former Bulls bruiser Arno Botha dotted down for Bordeaux to make it 20-12 with 35 minutes remaining.
Bath reverted to dominance and Man of the Match Ben Spencer scored one of two converted tries before Russell signed off with a penalty to win the title.
More to follow …
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
