2004–05 European Challenge Cup

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2004-05 European Challenge Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
 France
 Ireland
 Italy
 Portugal
 Scotland
 Spain
Tournament format(s)Knockout
Date23 October 2004 – 21 May 2005
Tournament statistics
Teams28
Matches played57
Attendance177,521 (3,114 per match)
Tries scored360 (6.32 per match)
Top point scorer(s)Paul Warwick (Connacht)
(97 points)
[1]
Top try scorer(s)Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks)
(9 tries)
[2]
Final
VenueKassam Stadium, Oxford
Attendance7,230
ChampionsEngland Sale Sharks (2nd title)
Runners-upFrance Pau
← 2003–04 (Previous)
(Next) 2005–06 →

The 2004–05 European Challenge Cup (known as the Parker Pen Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the ninth 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.

The competition began with a series of matches on 23 October 2004 and culminated in the final at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford on 21 May 2005.

As in the previous two seasons, 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. This was the final season with a pure knockout format; in subsequent seasons the competition reverted to a pool stage followed by a knockout.

For the third and final 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 NEC Harlequins, did not have a chance to defend their crown because they qualified to play in the Heineken Cup. Sale Sharks claimed a comfortable victory over Pau in the final and picked up their second piece of European Club silverware.

Teams[edit]

The allocation of teams was as follows:

England: 5 teams — all teams from the Zurich Premiership that did not qualify for the 2004–05 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
Portugal: 1 team
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 Portugal Portugal Scotland Scotland Spain Spain
Leeds Tykes
London Irish
Sale Sharks
Saracens
Worcester Warriors
Agen
Auch
Bayonne
Béziers
Brive
Clermont Auvergne
Grenoble
Montpellier
Narbonne
Pau
Connacht
Catania
Gran Parma
L'Aquila
Leonessa
Overmach Parma
Petrarca Padova
Rovigo
Viadana
AA Coimbra
Borders
El Salvador
Valladolid RAC

Matches[edit]

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

Round 1[edit]

1st leg[edit]

23 October 2004
14:00
AA Coimbra Portugal3 – 98Scotland Borders
Report
Estádio Municipal Sérgio Conceição
Attendance: 400
23 October 2004
14:00
Worcester Warriors England29 – 15France Brive
Report
Sixways Stadium
Attendance: 4,036
23 October 2004
15:00
Gran Parma Italy15 – 35France Pau
Report
Stadio Nando Capra
Attendance: 700
23 October 2004
15:00
L'Aquila Italy27 – 50France Agen
Report
Stadio Tommaso Fattori
Attendance: 1,500
23 October 2004
15:30
Rovigo Italy7 – 51France Montpellier
Report
Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini
Attendance: 500
23 October 2004
16:00
Petrarca Padova Italy24 – 57France Béziers
Report
Stadio Plebiscito
Attendance: 200
23 October 2004
16:30
Valladolid RAC Spain3 – 88Italy Viadana
Report
Estadio Pepe Rojo
Attendance: 2,000
23 October 2004
18:00
Auch France18 – 20England London Irish
Report
Stade Patrice Brocas
Attendance: 1,500
23 October 2004
19:00
Bayonne France21 – 24England Saracens
Report
Stade Jean Dauger
Attendance: 3,800
23 October 2004
19:30
Grenoble France9 – 9England Leeds Tykes
Report
Stade Lesdiguières
Attendance: 3,000
23 October 2004
19:30
Narbonne France25 – 11Ireland Connacht
Report
Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié
Attendance: 3,000
23 October 2004
20:00
Leonessa Italy0 – 65France Clermont Auvergne
Report
Campo Comunale di Rugby
Attendance: 400
24 October 2004
12:30
El Salvador Spain36 – 12Italy Overmach Parma
Report
Estadio Pepe Rojo
Attendance: 1,500
24 October 2004
15:00
Catania Italy22 – 31England Sale Sharks
Report
Stadio Santa Maria Goretti
Attendance: 2,000

2nd leg[edit]

29 October 2004
19:30
Borders Scotland107 – 3Portugal AA Coimbra
Report
Netherdale
Attendance: 1,450
29 October 2004
19:30
Montpellier France59 – 3Italy Rovigo
Report
Stade Sabathé
Attendance: 1,500
29 October 2004
19:45
Saracens England36 – 10France Bayonne
Report
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 4,906
29 October 2004
20:00
Leeds Tykes England17 – 18France Grenoble
Report
Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 2,805
30 October 2004
14:30
Connacht Ireland40 – 21France Narbonne
Report
Galway Sportsgrounds
Attendance: 2,000
30 October 2004
14:30
Overmach Parma Italy36 – 10Spain El Salvador
Report
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Attendance: 300
30 October 2004
15:00
Béziers France69 – 18Italy Petrarca Padova
Report
Stade de la Méditerranée
Attendance: 800
30 October 2004
19:00
Pau France31 – 22Italy Gran Parma
Report
Stade du Hameau
Attendance: 3,000
30 October 2004
19:30
Agen France59 – 21Italy L'Aquila
Report
Stade Armandie
Attendance: 4,128
30 October 2004
19:30
Brive France40 – 10England Worcester Warriors
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 5,100
30 October 2004
19:30
Clermont Auvergne France51 – 6Italy Leonessa
Report
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 6,000
30 October 2004
19:30
Viadana Italy59 – 7Spain Valladolid RAC
Report
Stadio Luigi Zaffanella
Attendance: 500
31 October 2004
15:00
London Irish England42 – 18France Auch
Report
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 5,638
31 October 2004
15:00
Sale Sharks England50 – 3Italy Catania
Report
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 5,126

Aggregate Results[edit]

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
Borders Scotland 4 – 0 205 – 6 199 Portugal AA Coimbra
Viadana Italy 4 – 0 147 – 10 137 Spain Valladolid RAC
Clermont Auvergne France 4 – 0 116 – 6 110 Italy Leonessa
Montpellier France 4 – 0 110 – 10 100 Italy Rovigo
Béziers France 4 – 0 126 – 42 84 Italy Petrarca Padova
Agen France 4 – 0 109 – 48 61 Italy L'Aquila
Sale Sharks England 4 – 0 81 – 25 56 Italy Catania
Pau France 4 – 0 66 – 37 29 France Bayonne
Saracens England 4 – 0 60 – 31 29 Italy Gran Parma
London Irish England 4 – 0 62 – 36 26 France Auch
Grenoble France 3 – 1 27 – 26 1 England Leeds Tykes
Brive France 2 – 2 55 – 39 16 England Worcester Warriors
Connacht Ireland 2 – 2 51 – 46 5 France Narbonne
Overmach Parma Italy 2 – 2 48 – 46 2 Spain El Salvador

Round 2[edit]

1st leg[edit]

3 December 2004
19:30
Béziers France12 – 27France Grenoble
Report
Stade de la Méditerranée
Attendance: 2,100
4 December 2004
14:30
Connacht Ireland56 – 3France Montpellier
Report
Galway Sportsgrounds
Attendance: 2,200
4 December 2004
15:00
Overmach Parma Italy19 – 18England Saracens
Report
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Attendance: 800
4 December 2004
18:30
Narbonne France15 – 33England Sale Sharks
Report
Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié
Attendance: 2,600
4 December 2004
19:00
Pau France25 – 19England London Irish
Report
Stade du Hameau
Attendance: 3,000
4 December 2004
19:30
Agen France23 – 15Italy Viadana
Report
Stade Armandie
Attendance: 3,000
4 December 2004
19:30
Brive France57 – 6Spain El Salvador
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 6,329
5 December 2004
15:00
Clermont Auvergne France44 – 14Scotland Borders
Report
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 6,892

2nd leg[edit]

10 December 2004
19:30
Grenoble France38 – 26France Béziers
Report
Stade Lesdiguières
Attendance: 2,000
10 December 2004
19:30
Montpellier France19 – 14Ireland Connacht
Report
Stade Sabathé
Attendance: 1,000
10 December 2004
19:45
Sale Sharks England25 – 10France Narbonne
Report
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 5,854
11 December 2004
14:30
Viadana Italy22 – 17France Agen
Report
Stadio Luigi Zaffanella
Attendance: 2,000
11 December 2004
16:30
El Salvador Spain23 – 45France Brive
Report
Estadio Pepe Rojo
Attendance: 1,300
12 December 2004
14:00
Borders Scotland23 – 34France Clermont Auvergne
Report
Netherdale
Attendance: 1,400
12 December 2004
14:30
London Irish England19 – 16France Pau
Report
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 5,391
12 December 2004
15:00
Saracens England52 – 6Italy Overmach Parma
Report
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 5,391

Aggregate Results[edit]

Proceed to Quarter-final Match points Aggregate score Points margin Eliminated from competition
Brive France 4 – 0 102 – 29 73 Spain El Salvador
Clermont Auvergne France 4 – 0 78 – 37 41 Scotland Borders
Sale Sharks England 4 – 0 58 – 25 33 France Narbonne
Grenoble France 4 – 0 65 – 38 27 France Béziers
Connacht Ireland 2 – 2 70 – 22 48 France Montpellier
Saracens England 2 – 2 70 – 25 45 Italy Overmach Parma
Pau France 2 – 2 41 – 38 3 England London Irish
Agen France 2 – 2 40 – 37 3 Italy Viadana

Quarter-finals[edit]

1st leg[edit]

7 January 2005
19:30
Grenoble France21 – 26Ireland Connacht
Report
Stade Lesdiguières
Attendance: 2,700
7 January 2005
19:45
Sale Sharks England34 – 18France Agen
Report
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 4,866
8 January 2005
19:30
Pau France25 – 21France Clermont Auvergne
Report
Stade du Hameau
Attendance: 3,000
9 January 2005
15:00
Saracens England19 – 6France Brive
Report
Vicarage Road
Attendance: 4,201

2nd leg[edit]

14 January 2005
19:30
Clermont Auvergne France26 – 25France Pau
Report
Stade Marcel-Michelin
Attendance: 5,222
15 January 2005
14:00
Connacht Ireland19 – 3France Grenoble
Report
Galway Sportsgrounds
Attendance: 2,500
15 January 2005
19:30
Agen France17 – 15England Sale Sharks
Report
Stade Armandie
Attendance: 3,500
16 January 2005
15:00
Brive France31 – 16England Saracens
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 6,000

Aggregate Results[edit]

Proceed to Semi-final Match points Aggregate score Points margin Eliminated from competition
Connacht Ireland 4 – 0 45 – 24 21 France Grenoble
Sale Sharks England 2 – 2 49 – 35 14 France Agen
Pau France 2 – 2 50 – 47 3 France Clermont Auvergne
Brive France 2 – 2 37 – 35 2 England Saracens

Semi-finals[edit]

1st leg[edit]

2 April 2005
13:00
Connacht Ireland18 – 25England Sale Sharks
Report
Galway Sportsgrounds
Attendance: 5,800
3 April 2005
14:00
Pau France37 – 16France Brive
Report
Stade du Hameau
Attendance: 2,000

2nd leg[edit]

23 April 2005
19:15
Brive France27 – 13France Pau
Report
Stade Amédée-Domenech
Attendance: 5,000
24 April 2005
13:00
Sale Sharks England59 – 9Ireland Connacht
Report
Edgeley Park
Attendance: 6,456

Aggregate Results[edit]

Proceed to Final Match points Aggregate score Points margin Eliminated from competition
Sale Sharks England 4 – 0 84 – 27 57 Ireland Connacht
Pau France 2 – 2 50 – 43 7 France Brive

Final[edit]

21 May 2005
12:45
Sale Sharks England27 – 3France Pau
Try: Hodgson (2) 24' c, 68' m
Titterrell 36' c
Cueto 56' m
Con: Hodgson (2/4)
Pen: Hodgson (1) 3'
ReportPen: Beauxis (1) 30'
Kassam Stadium, Oxford
Attendance: 7,230
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Amlin Challenge Cup: Points Scorers". Retrieved 29 January 2013.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Amlin Challenge Cup: Try Scorers". Retrieved 29 January 2013.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Challenge Cup European Champions". ERC. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  4. ^ "Challenge Cup Fixtures". ERC. Retrieved 30 January 2013.[permanent dead link]