Challenge Cup Final: Teams and Prediction

FINAL PREVIEW: Bath and Lyon Olympique Universitaire (LOU) are bidding for their second Challenge Cup titles at the Millennium Stadium on Friday.

While Lyon won the title as recently as 2022, Bath will be hoping this season’s Premiership Cup win, together with their first-class Premiership campaign, will serve them well as they look for a historic treble.

Lyon won the Challenge Cup in 2022, but the last of their two Top 14 victories was in 1933.

Bath, currently the Premiership pace-setters, have won six English titles (1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96), a Champions Cup (1998) and Challenge Cup (2008).

There is already a significant South African partiality towards Bath, because of former Springbok assistant coach Johann van Graan, now head coach at The Recreation Ground.

And of course prop Thomas du Toit, who has had a stellar season with Bath and is in contention to become only the second prop to be named Premiership Men’s Player of the Season after being shortlisted for the award alongside Bath teammate Finn Russell, Sale Sharks’ George Ford, Gloucester’s Tomos Williams and Saracens’ Tom Willis.

And on Lyon’s side, there is the imposing figure of No. 8 Arno Botha.

The experienced loose forward moved to France from the Bulls in 2022.

The two-Test-cap Botha understands how big the European competition is, while South Africans are still in their infancy in the competition.

“It was good for the Sharks to win it last year, and what it means after the World Cup,” Botha told Rugby365.

“Most of those boys were in the World Cup, and to see what it means even for them to win this competition.

“So I think it will definitely catch on.

“But it won’t be the same as for the European teams, as they have been here for so long.”

Fijian star centre Semi Radradra, who played last weekend in their 30-31 defeat to Stade Francais in the Top 14, is not in the squad for Friday’s game.

While at Bristol, he delivered on his reputation as one of the deadliest backs in the game, but has proved less potent in France, scoring just one try this season.

New Zealander Josiah Maraku comes into the 13 shirt in his place.

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For Bath, one man who has been key to the English side this season is centre Max Ojomoh. Having more than played his part in a competitive Bath squad, Ojomoh hopes to get the call-up this weekend for what would be his maiden EPCR Final.

Speaking after his side’s impressive win over Leicester Tigers in the Premiership, Ojomoh was full of anticipation for the prospect of a Final at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

“No, I’ve never played there”, he said.

“I was there last week against Bristol Bears and it was mega. It’s a serious occasion, a great stadium”.

“The fans are huge – the 16th man. There’s nothing better than when they really get behind you, it pays dividends.”

Van Graan has made four changes to the starting lineup from his side’s 43-15 Premiership victory over Leicester Tigers last weekend.

Prop Will Stuart comes into the front row alongside Beno Obano and hooker Tom Dunn, who last week set a new club record for the most Premiership appearances (184) in a Bath jersey.

Partnering up at lock are Charlie Ewels and Quinn Roux.

Miles Reid returns to the back row as No.8 with flankers Ted Hill and Sam Underhill on either side of the scrum wearing the No. 6 and No. 7 jerseys, respectively.

Captain Ben Spencer and Finn Russell are the half-backs with Ojomoh coming into the starting XV as outside centre alongside Will Butt.

Will Muir and Joe Cokanasiga will occupy the wings with Tom de Glanville in at fullback.

The impact front row feature hooker Niall Annett and props Francois van Wyk and Thomas du Toit.

Ross Molony, Guy Pepper, and Alfie Barbeary are the other forwards ready to go as impact from the bench. Tom Carr-Smith and Ciaran Donoghue are the replacement backs.

The coach’s message to his players has been straightforward.

“Keep it simple, stick to your process, keep doing the things that got you in the final,” he said.

“Credit to the players, this week has all been about what did we learn about Leicester, what can we do better this week and how do we adapt the plan for what’s coming on Friday night.”

T-2 days until the #ChallengeCupRugby Final 🏆@BathRugby’s Max Ojomoh chats about the preparation for their title clash with Lyon OU Rugby on Friday night ⬇️

— EPCR Challenge Cup (@ChallengeCup_) May 21, 2025

Even though the English giants may be top in the domestic league, coming up against French opposition may pose different challenges.

While Bath went away to Section Paloise and won in the Round of 16, the physicality of a French side is something Ojomoh is aware of heading into Friday.

“Lyon is a solid team”, he said.

“They’ve got a good back three… French sides are big and fast, so we’ll see what we can do.”

When asked whether Bath would be up for the challenge and if the surrounding pressure over a potential treble was affecting the squad, the English star was unfazed by the outside noise:

“We put the pressure on ourselves; we don’t feel it from the outside. We don’t listen to the external stuff. One thing we might work on – penalty shoot-outs!”

Bath v Lyon Olympique Universitaire (LOU)
(Millennium Stadium, Cardiff – Kick-off: 21.00; 20.00 England time; 19.00 GMT)

Prediction: 

@rugby365: Bath by nine points

Teams

Bath: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Max Ojomoh, 12 Will Butt, 11 Will Muir, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben Spencer (captain), 8 Miles Reid, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Ted Hill, 5 Charlie Ewels, 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Will Stuart, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Beno Obano
Replacements: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Guy Pepper, 21 Tom Carr-Smith, 22 Ciaran Donoghue, 23 Alfie Barbeary

Lyon: 15 Davit Niniashvili, 14 Vincent Rattez, 13 Josiah Maraku, 12 Theo Millet, 11 Ethan Dumortier, 10 Léo Berdeu, 9 Baptiste Couilloud, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Beka Saginadze, 6 Dylan Cretin, 5 Mickael Guillard, 4 Theo William, 3 Jermaine Ainsley, 2 Camille Chat, 1 Jérôme Rey
Replacements: 16 Guillaume Marchand, 17 Hamza Kaabeche, 18 Irakli Aptsiauri, 19 Félix Lambey, 20 Liam Allen, 21 Maxime Gouzou, 22 Martin Page-Relo, 23 Martin Meliande

Referee: Hollie Davidson
Assistant Referees: Gianluca Gnecchi, Eoghan Cross
TMO: Mike Adamson

Additional source @ChallengeCup