2002–03 European Challenge Cup

The 2002–03 European Challenge Cup (known as the Parker Pen Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 7th season of the European Challenge Cup, Europe's second tier club rugby union competition below the Heineken Cup. A total of 32 teams participated, representing eight countries.

2002-03 European Challenge Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
 France
 Ireland
 Italy
 Romania
 Scotland
 Spain
 Wales
Tournament format(s)Knockout
Date11 October 2002 - 25 May 2003
Tournament statistics
Teams32
Matches played61
Attendance225,733 (3,701 per match)
Tries scored384 (6.3 per match)
Top point scorer(s)Olly Barkley (Bath)
(118 points)[1]
Top try scorer(s)Tom Shanklin (Saracens)
(8 tries)[2]
Final
VenueMadejski Stadium, Reading
Attendance18,074
ChampionsEngland London Wasps (1st title)
Runners-upEngland Bath Rugby

The competition began when Gran Parma hosted Bath and Ebbw Vale hosted Montauban on 11 October 2002 and culminated in the final at the Madejski Stadium in Reading on 25 May 2003.

Unlike previous seasons, the structure of the competition was changed to a purely knockout format. Teams played each other on a home and away basis, with the aggregate points winner proceeding to the next round. The final was a single leg. For that first time, a third tier tournament was created - the European Shield. This was contested between the first-round losers from the European Challenge Cup.[3]

The defending champions, England's Sale Sharks, did not have a chance to defend their crown because they qualified to play in the Heineken Cup. London Wasps claimed a victory over Bath in the final and picked up their first piece of European Club silverware.

Teams

The allocation of teams was as follows:

England: 6 teams – all teams from the Zurich Premiership that did not qualify for the 2002–03 Heineken Cup
France: 9 teams – all teams from the Top 16 that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup, and Agen who were banned by ERC [4]
Ireland: 1 team – the Irish team from the Celtic League that did not play in the Heineken Cup
Italy: 8 teams – all the teams from the Super 10 that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup
Romania: 1 team specially created for the competition
Scotland: 1 team – the Scottish team from the Celtic League that did not play in the Heineken Cup
Spain: 2 teams – drawn from the División de Honor de Rugby
Wales: 4 teams – all the teams from the Celtic League that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup
England England France France Ireland Ireland Italy Italy Romania Romania Scotland Scotland Spain Spain Wales Wales
Bath
Harlequins
Leeds Tykes
London Wasps
Newcastle Falcons
Saracens
Bordeaux-Bègles
Castres Olympique
Colomiers
Grenoble
Montauban
Mont de Marsan
Narbonne
Pau
Stade Français
Connacht
Gran Parma
L'Aquila
Overmach Parma
Petrarca Padova
Rugby Roma
Rovigo
Rugby Silea
Benetton Treviso
Dinamo București
Borders
La Moraleja
UC Madrid
Bridgend
Caerphilly
Ebbw Vale
Pontypridd

Matches

All kickoff times are local to the match location.[5]

Round 1

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Saracens England 238–11 Romania Dinamo București 87–11 151–0
Stade Français France 145–26 Italy Rovigo
Pontypridd Wales 143–26 Italy Rugby Roma
Colomiers France 133–19 Italy L'Aquila
Borders Scotland 150–37 Spain UC Madrid
Bath England 97–22 Italy Gran Parma
London Wasps England 82–24 Italy Overmach Parma
Harlequins England 104–47 Wales Caerphilly
Leeds Tykes England 81–36 Italy Petrarca Padova
Narbonne France 75–37 Italy Rugby Silea
Connacht Ireland 73–41 France Mont de Marsan
Benetton Treviso Italy 55–26 France Castres
Bordeaux-Bègles France 70–46 Spain La Moraleja
Newcastle Falcons England 52–29 France Grenoble
Montauban France 45–36 Wales Ebbw Vale
Bridgend Wales 33–27 France Pau

First leg

11 October 2002
19:00
Gran Parma Italy3–40England Bath
Report
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Attendance: 1,200
11 October 2002
19:15
Ebbw Vale Wales20–16France Montauban
Report
Eugene Cross Park
Attendance: 1,500
12 October 2002
14:30
Caerphilly Wales20–73England Harlequins
Report
Virginia Park
Attendance: 1,500
12 October 2002
14:30
Dinamo București Romania11–87England Saracens
Report
Complexul Cultural Sportiv
Attendance: 400
12 October 2002
14:30
Rugby Roma Italy18–60Wales Pontypridd
Report
Stadio Tre Fontane
Attendance: 400
12 October 2002
15:00
Benetton Treviso Italy22–9France Castres Olympique
Report
Stadio Comunale di Monigo
Attendance: 3,000
12 October 2002
15:00
L'Aquila Italy14–58France Colomiers
Report
Stadio Tommaso Fattori
Attendance: 500
12 October 2002
15:00
Petrarca Padova Italy23–29England Leeds Tykes
Report
Stadio Plebiscito
Attendance: 2,000
12 October 2002
16:00
UC Madrid Spain22–73Scotland Borders
Report
Ciudad Universitaria
Attendance: 1,000
12 October 2002
18:00
La Moraleja Spain31–37France Bordeaux-Bègles
Report
Pol. Municipal de Alcobendas
Attendance: 550
12 October 2002
19:00
Overmach Parma Italy24–40England London Wasps
Report
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Attendance: 1,500
12 October 2002
19:30
Grenoble France12–19England Newcastle Falcons
Report
Stade Lesdiguières
Attendance: 4,500
12 October 2002
19:30
Mont de Marsan France12–26Ireland Connacht
Report
Stade Guy Boniface
Attendance: 1,204
12 October 2002
19:30
Pau France18–6Wales Bridgend
Report
Stade du Hameau
Attendance: 5,000
13 October 2002
15:00
Rovigo Italy6–64France Stade Français
Report
Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini
Attendance: 1,500
13 October 2002
15:00
Rugby Silea Italy23–34France Narbonne
Report
Stadio Comunale di Monigo
Attendance: 400

Second leg

18 October 2002
19:30
Borders Scotland77–15Spain UC Madrid
Report
Netherdale
Attendance: 7,840
19 October 2002
14:15
Bath England57–19Italy Gran Parma
Report
The Recreation Ground
Attendance: 7,840
19 October 2002
14:30
Pontypridd Wales83–8Italy Rugby Roma
Report
Sardis Road
Attendance: 2,000
19 October 2002
15:00
Connacht Ireland47–29France Mont de Marsan
Report
The Sportsground
Attendance: 1,000
19 October 2002
15:00
Harlequins England31–27Wales Caerphilly
Report
The Stoop
Attendance: 4,250
19 October 2002
17:30
Bridgend Wales27–9France Pau
Report
Brewery Field
Attendance: 2,500
19 October 2002
18:00
Bordeaux-Bègles France33–15Spain La Moraleja
Report
Stade André Moga
Attendance: 2,000
19 October 2002
18:00
Stade Français France81–20Italy Rovigo
Report
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 3,000
19 October 2002
19:30
Colomiers France75–5Italy L'Aquila
Report
Stade Selery
Attendance: 2,500
19 October 2002
19:30
Montauban France29–16Wales Ebbw Vale
Report
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 2,800
19 October 2002
19:30
Narbonne France41–14Italy Rugby Silea
Report
Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié
Attendance: 2,300
20 October 2002
14:30
Leeds Tykes England52–13Italy Petrarca Padova
Report
Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 2,665
20 October 2002
14:30
Newcastle Falcons England33–17France Grenoble
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 3,599
20 October 2002
15:00
London Wasps England42–0Italy Overmach Parma
Report
Adams Park
Attendance: 3,980
20 October 2002
15:00
Saracens England151–0Romania Dinamo București
Report
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 2,052

Round 2

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
London Wasps England 72–29 France Bordeaux-Bègles
Stade Français France 55–12 England Harlequins
Saracens England 46–25 France Colomiers
Montauban France 31–22 Scotland Borders
Pontypridd Wales 56–42 England Leeds Tykes
Bath England 64–38 Wales Bridgend
Newcastle Falcons England 43–32 Italy Benetton Treviso
Connacht Ireland 50–49 France Narbonne

First leg

6 December 2002
19:30
Bridgend Wales28–26England Bath
Report
Brewery Field
Attendance: 3,500
7 December 2002
14:30
Benetton Treviso Italy27–8England Newcastle Falcons
Report
Stadio Comunale di Monigo
Attendance: 3,500
7 December 2002
15:00
Harlequins England0–26France Stade Français
Report
The Stoop
Attendance: 5,323
7 December 2002
17:30
Pontypridd Wales37–23England Leeds Tykes
Report
Sardis Road
Attendance: 4,500
7 December 2002
19:30
Montauban France19–16Scotland Borders
Report
Stade Sapiac
Attendance: 3,000
7 December 2002
19:30
Narbonne France42–27Ireland Connacht
Report
Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié
Attendance: 2,000
8 December 2002
15:00
London Wasps England43–6France Bordeaux-Bègles
Report
Adams Park
Attendance: 3,217
8 December 2002
15:00
Saracens England16–6France Colomiers
Report
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 3,561

Second leg

13 December 2002
19:30
Borders Scotland6–12France Montauban
Report
Netherdale
Attendance: 1,700
14 December 2002
14:15
Bath England38–10Wales Bridgend
Report
The Recreation Ground
Attendance: 7,063
14 December 2002
14:30
Leeds Tykes England19–19Wales Pontypridd
Report
Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 2,062
14 December 2002
18:00
Bordeaux-Bègles France23–29England London Wasps
Report
Stade André Moga
Attendance: 1,500
14 December 2002
18:00
Stade Français France29–12England Harlequins
Report
Stade Jean-Bouin
Attendance: 7,500
14 December 2002
19:30
Colomiers France19–30England Saracens
Report
Stade Selery
Attendance: 7,000
15 December 2002
14:30
Newcastle Falcons England35–5Italy Benetton Treviso
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 2,539
15 December 2002
15:00
Connacht Ireland23–7France Narbonne
Report
Galway Sportsgrounds
Attendance: 2,000

Quarter-finals

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
London Wasps England 62–34 France Stade Français 35–22 27–12
Pontypridd Wales 47–39 Ireland Connacht 35–30 12–9
Saracens England 60–41 England Newcastle Falcons 31–10 29–31
Bath England 48–45 France Montauban 24–27 24–18

First leg

11 January 2003
17:30
Connacht Ireland30–35Wales Pontypridd
Report
Dubarry Park, Athlone
Attendance: 6,000
11 January 2003
19:30
Montauban France27–24England Bath
Report
Stade Sapiac, Montauban
Attendance: 6,000
12 January 2003
13:45
London Wasps England35–22France Stade Français
Report
Adams Park, High Wycombe
Attendance: 5,269
12 January 2003
15:00
Saracens England31–10England Newcastle Falcons
Report
Vicarage Road, Watford
Attendance: 3,857

Second leg

18 January 2003
14:15
Bath England24–18France Montauban
Report
Recreation Ground, Bath
Attendance: 6,200
18 January 2003
17:30
Pontypridd Wales12–9Ireland Connacht
Report
Sardis Road, Pontypridd
Attendance: 6,000
18 January 2003
18:00
Stade Français France12–27England London Wasps
Report
Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris
Attendance: 6,491
19 January 2003
14:30
Newcastle Falcons England31–29England Saracens
Report
Kingston Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
Attendance: 2,439

Semi-finals

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
London Wasps England 61–36 Wales Pontypridd 34–19 27–17
Bath England 57–57[n 1] England Saracens 30–38 27–19
  1. Bath went through on superior try count (6–5).[6]

First leg

12 April 2003
17:30
London Wasps England34–19Wales Pontypridd
Report
Adams Park, High Wycombe
Attendance: 7,776
13 April 2003
15:00
Saracens England38–30England Bath
Report
Vicarage Road, Watford
Attendance: 6,482

Second leg

25 April 2003
19:05
Pontypridd Wales17–27England London Wasps
Report
Sardis Road, Pontypridd
Attendance: 6,500
26 April 2003
14:15
Bath England27–19England Saracens
Report
Recreation Ground, Bath
Attendance: 8,200

Final

25 May 2003
15:45
Bath England30–48England London Wasps
Try: Balshaw
Barkley
Tindall
Scaysbrook
Con: Balshaw (1)
Barkley (1)
Pen: Barkley (2)
ReportTry: Lewsey
Waters
Wood
Greening
Logan
Leota
Con: King (6)
Pen: King (2)
Madejski Stadium, Reading
Attendance: 18,074
Referee: Nigel Williams (Wales)

See also

References

  1. "Amlin Challenge Cup: Points Scorers". Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  2. "Amlin Challenge Cup: Try Scorers". Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  3. "Challenge Cup European Champions". ERC. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  4. "Agen banned from Euro comps for two years". ESPN. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  5. "Challenge Cup Fixtures". ERC. Archived from the original on February 15, 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  6. "Bath late show stuns Sarries". BBC. 26 April 2003. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
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