2003–04 European Challenge Cup

The 2003–04 European Challenge Cup (known as the Parker Pen Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 8th season of the European Challenge Cup, Europe's second tier club rugby union competition below the Heineken Cup. A total of 28 teams participated, representing seven countries. This was the first year of the competition following the introduction of regional rugby union teams in Wales. With the reduction of Welsh teams from nine to five, and with all teams participating in the 2003-04 Heineken Cup, there were no Welsh teams in the 2003–04 Parker Pen Challenge Cup.

2003-04 Parker Pen Challenge Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
 France
 Ireland
 Italy
 Romania
 Scotland
 Spain
Tournament format(s)Knockout
Date5 December 2003 – 22 May 2004
Tournament statistics
Teams28
Matches played57
Attendance225,213 (3,951 per match)
Tries scored323 (5.67 per match)
Top point scorer(s)Olly Barkley (Bath)
(120 points)[1]
Top try scorer(s)Simon Danielli (Bath)
(6 tries)[2]
Final
VenueMadejski Stadium, Reading, Berkshire
Attendance13,123
ChampionsEngland NEC Harlequins (2nd title)
Runners-upFrance Montferrand

The competition began when Rotherham hosted Narbonne and Leonessa hosted Montferrand on 5 December 2003 and culminated in the final at the Madejski Stadium in Reading on 22 May 2004.

As in the previous season, the competition was organised in a 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 the second time, a third tier tournament was held - the European Shield. This was contested between the first round losers from the European Challenge Cup.[3] As there were only 28 teams involved, the 2 "best" 1st Round losers were reprieved and proceeded to the 2nd Round.

The defending champions, England's London Wasps, did not have a chance to defend their crown because they qualified to play in the Heineken Cup. NEC Harlequins claimed the narrowest of victories over Montferrand in the final and picked up their second 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 2003–04 Heineken Cup
France: 10 teams — all teams from the Top 16 that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup
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
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
England England France France Ireland Ireland Italy Italy Scotland Scotland Spain Spain
Bath
NEC Harlequins
London Irish
Newcastle Falcons
Rotherham
Saracens
Béziers
Brive
Castres Olympique
Colomiers
Grenoble
Montauban
Montferrand
Montpellier
Narbonne
Pau
Connacht
Gran Parma
L'Aquila
Leonessa
Overmach Parma
Petrarca Padova
Rugby Roma
Rovigo
Viadana
Glasgow
El Salvador
Valladolid RAC

Matches

All kickoff times are local to the match location.[4]

1st leg

5 December 2003
19:45
Rotherham England10 17France Narbonne
Report
Millmoor
Attendance: 1,327
5 December 2003
20:00
Leonessa Italy0 55France Montferrand
Report
Campo Comunale di Rugby
Attendance: 500
6 December 2003
12:30
Valladolid RAC Spain10 71England Newcastle Falcons
Report
Estadio Pepe Rojo
Attendance: 3,000
6 December 2003
14:30
Rugby Roma Italy13 45England Saracens
Report
Stadio Tre Fontane
Attendance: 512
6 December 2003
15:00
Gran Parma Italy10 35France Grenoble
Report
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Attendance: 800
6 December 2003
15:00
L'Aquila Italy11 75England Bath
Report
Stade Tommaso Fattori
Attendance: 2,000
6 December 2003
15:00
Rovigo Italy14 53France Castres Olympique
Report
Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini
Attendance: 300
6 December 2003
18:00
Colomiers France37 12Italy Petrarca Padova
Report
Stade Selery
Attendance: 2,500
6 December 2003
18:00
Montpellier France11 30Scotland Glasgow
Report
Stade Sabathé
Attendance: 500
6 December 2003
19:30
Brive France39 3Italy Viadana
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 3,000
7 December 2003
12:30
El Salvador Spain18 31England NEC Harlequins
Report
Estadio Pepe Rojo
Attendance: 2,800
7 December 2003
13:30
Montauban France30 26England London Irish
Report
North Power Stadium[5]
Attendance: 1,600
7 December 2003
14:30
Overmach Parma Italy28 33France Pau
Report
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Attendance: 350
7 December 2003
15:00
Béziers France10 18Ireland Connacht
Report
Stade de la Méditerranée
Attendance: 4,543

2nd leg

12 December 2003
19:30
Glasgow Scotland38 13France Montpellier
Report
Hughenden Stadium
Attendance: 1,622
12 December 2003
19:45
Narbonne France35 13England Rotherham
Report
Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié
Attendance: 1,500
13 December 2003
14:00
Connacht Ireland11 13France Béziers
Report
Galway Sportsgrounds
Attendance: 2,500
13 December 2003
14:15
Bath England50 0Italy L'Aquila
Report
The Recreation Ground
Attendance: 8,707
13 December 2003
15:00
NEC Harlequins England63 3Spain El Salvador
Report
The Stoop
Attendance: 6,341
13 December 2003
15:00
Petrarca Padova Italy20 38France Colomiers
Report
Stadio Plebiscito
Attendance: 1,200
13 December 2003
17:00
Montferrand France58 3Italy Leonessa
Report
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 7,941
13 December 2003
18:00
Castres Olympique France75 10Italy Rovigo
Report
Stade Pierre-Antoine
Attendance: 2,500
13 December 2003
19:00
Pau France25 6Italy Overmach Parma
Report
Stade du Hameau
Attendance: 3,500
13 December 2003
19:30
Grenoble France41 6Italy Gran Parma
Report
Stade Lesdiguières
Attendance: 4,087
14 December 2003
13:00
Newcastle Falcons England66 27Spain Valladolid RAC
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 6,012
14 December 2003
14:30
Viadana Italy38 22France Brive
Report
Stradey Park[6]
Attendance: 1,000
14 December 2003
15:00
London Irish England36 24France Montauban
Report
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 5,265
14 December 2003
15:00
Saracens England82 5Italy Rugby Roma
Report
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 4,181

Aggregate Results

Key to colours
     14 winners and 2 best losers advance to 2nd Round.
     12 other teams to Shield.
Winners Match points Aggregate score Points margin Losers
Bath England4 0125 11114Italy L'Aquila
Montferrand France4 0113 3110Italy Leonessa
Saracens England4 0127 18109Italy Rugby Roma
Castres Olympique France4 0128 24104Italy Rovigo
Newcastle Falcons England4 0137 37100Spain Valladolid RAC
NEC Harlequins England4 094 2173Spain El Salvador
Grenoble France4 076 1660Italy Gran Parma
Glasgow Scotland4 068 2444France Montpellier
Colomiers France4 075 3243Italy Petrarca Padova
Narbonne France4 052 2329England Rotherham
Pau France4 058 3424Italy Overmach Parma
Brive France2 261 4120Italy Viadana
London Irish England2 262 548France Montauban
Connacht Ireland2 229 236France Béziers

1st leg

10 January 2004
14:00
Connacht Ireland29 7France Pau
Report
Galway Sportsgrounds
Attendance: 2,000
10 January 2004
19:30
Montauban France8 43England NEC Harlequins
Report
Stadio Luigi Zaffanella
Attendance: 3,000
11 January 2004
14:30
Newcastle Falcons England10 3France Montferrand
Report
Kingston Park
Attendance: 4,950
11 January 2004
15:00
Brive France30 17France Castres Olympique
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 4,000
11 January 2004
15:00
Colomiers France25 32England Bath
Report
Stade Selery
Attendance: 4,500
11 January 2004
15:00
Grenoble France15 19France Béziers
Report
Stade Lesdiguières
Attendance: 4,500
11 January 2004
15:00
London Irish England20 13France Narbonne
Report
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 4,525
11 January 2004
15:00
Saracens England37 6Scotland Glasgow
Report
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 3,653

2nd leg

16 January 2004
19:30
Glasgow Scotland33 5England Saracens
Report
Hughenden Stadium
Attendance: 2,645
17 January 2004
14:15
Bath England26 17France Colomiers
Report
The Recreation Ground
Attendance: 9,980
17 January 2004
15:00
NEC Harlequins England36 17France Montauban
Report
The Stoop
Attendance: 5,011
17 January 2004
19:00
Pau France10 6Ireland Connacht
Report
Stade du Hameau
Attendance: 3,000
17 January 2004
19:30
Béziers France24 8France Grenoble
Report
Stade de la Méditerranée
Attendance: 4,389
17 January 2004
19:30
Narbonne France29 10England London Irish
Report
Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié
Attendance: 4,000
18 January 2004
15:00
Montferrand France25 13England Newcastle Falcons
Report
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 7,500
18 January 2004
15:00
Castres Olympique France31 28France Brive
Report
Stade Pierre-Antoine
Attendance: 2,500

Aggregate Results

Proceed to Quarter-final Match points Aggregate score Points margin Eliminated from competition
NEC Harlequins England4 079 2554France Montauban
Béziers France4 043 2320France Grenoble
Bath England4 058 4216France Colomiers
Connacht Ireland2 235 1718France Pau
Narbonne France2 242 3012England London Irish
Brive France2 258 4810France Castres Olympique
Montferrand France2 228 235England Newcastle Falcons
Saracens England2 242 393Scotland Glasgow

1st leg

24 January 2004
15:00
NEC Harlequins England41 8France Brive
Report
The Stoop
Attendance: 4,950
24 January 2004
19:30
Béziers France24 19England Bath
Report
Stade de la Méditerranée
Attendance: 2,553
24 January 2004
19:30
Narbonne France18 27Ireland Connacht
Report
Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié
Attendance: 4,000
25 January 2004
15:00
Montferrand France26 10England Saracens
Report
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 9,444

2nd leg

31 January 2004
14:00
Connacht Ireland16 10France Narbonne
Report
Galway Sportsgrounds
Attendance: 2,000
31 January 2004
14:15
Bath England26 7France Béziers
Report
The Recreation Ground
Attendance: 5,571
1 February 2004
15:00
Brive France36 20England NEC Harlequins
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 5,000
1 February 2004
15:00
Saracens England18 14France Montferrand
Report
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 4,058

Aggregate Results

Proceed to Semifinal Match points Aggregate score Points margin Eliminated from competition
Connacht Ireland4 043 2815France Narbonne
NEC Harlequins England2 261 4417France Brive
Bath England2 245 3114France Béziers
Montferrand France2 240 2812England Saracens

1st leg

10 April 2004
13:00
Bath England29 15France Montferrand
Report
The Recreation Ground
Attendance: 7,700
11 April 2004
13:00
NEC Harlequins England31 22Ireland Connacht
Report
The Stoop
Attendance: 6,573

2nd leg

24 April 2004
14:00
Montferrand France38 22England Bath
Report
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 4,000
25 April 2004
13:00
Connacht Ireland23 18England NEC Harlequins
Report
Galway Sportsgrounds
Attendance: 6,000

Aggregate Results

Proceed to Final Match points Aggregate score Points margin Eliminated from competition
NEC Harlequins England2 249 454Ireland Connacht
Montferrand France2 253 512England Bath

Final

22 May 2004
12:00
Montferrand France26 27England NEC Harlequins
Try: Azam
Mignoni
Con: Floch (2)
Pen: Floch (3)
Drop: Merceron (1)
ReportTry: Duffy
Keogh
Con: Dunne (1)
Pen: Burke (4)
Dunne (1)
Madejski Stadium, Reading, Berkshire
Attendance: 13,123
Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)

See also

References

  1. "Amlin Challenge Cup: Points Scorers". Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  2. "Amlin Challenge Cup: Try Scorers". Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  3. "Challenge Cup European Champions". ERC. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  4. "Challenge Cup Fixtures". ERC. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  5. According to the ERC web site. Montauban usually play at Stade Sapiac.
  6. According to the ERC web site. Viadana usually play at Stadio Luigi Zaffanella.
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