2004–05 European Challenge Cup
2004-05 European Challenge Cup | |
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Tournament details | |
Countries | 2003–04 (Previous) → |
The 2004–05 European Challenge Cup (known as the Parker Pen Challenge Cup for
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,
Teams
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 10that 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 | France | Ireland | Italy | Portugal | Scotland | Spain |
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Matches
All kickoff times are local to the match location.[4]
Round 1
1st leg
23 October 2004 15:30 |
Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini Attendance: 500 |
23 October 2004 19:00 |
Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 3,800 |
2nd leg
30 October 2004 14:30 |
Galway Sportsgrounds Attendance: 2,000 |
30 October 2004 15:00 |
Stade de la Méditerranée Attendance: 800 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
4 – 0 | 205 – 6 | 199 | AA Coimbra
| |
Viadana | 4 – 0 | 147 – 10 | 137 | Valladolid RAC |
Clermont Auvergne | 4 – 0 | 116 – 6 | 110 | Leonessa |
Montpellier | 4 – 0 | 110 – 10 | 100 | Rovigo
|
Béziers | 4 – 0 | 126 – 42 | 84 | Petrarca Padova
|
Agen | 4 – 0 | 109 – 48 | 61 | L'Aquila |
Sale Sharks | 4 – 0 | 81 – 25 | 56 | Catania |
Pau | 4 – 0 | 66 – 37 | 29 | Bayonne |
Saracens | 4 – 0 | 60 – 31 | 29 | Gran Parma
|
London Irish | 4 – 0 | 62 – 36 | 26 | Auch |
3 – 1 | 27 – 26 | 1 | Leeds Tykes | |
Brive | 2 – 2 | 55 – 39 | 16 | Worcester Warriors |
Connacht | 2 – 2 | 51 – 46 | 5 | Narbonne |
2 – 2 | 48 – 46 | 2 | El Salvador |
Round 2
1st leg
3 December 2004 19:30 |
Stade de la Méditerranée Attendance: 2,100 |
4 December 2004 14:30 |
Galway Sportsgrounds Attendance: 2,200 |
4 December 2004 18:30 |
Narbonne | 15 – 33 | Sale Sharks |
Report |
Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié Attendance: 2,600 |
2nd leg
Aggregate Results
Proceed to Quarter-final | Match points | Aggregate score | Points margin | Eliminated from competition |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brive | 4 – 0 | 102 – 29 | 73 | El Salvador |
Clermont Auvergne | 4 – 0 | 78 – 37 | 41 | Borders
|
Sale Sharks | 4 – 0 | 58 – 25 | 33 | Narbonne |
4 – 0 | 65 – 38 | 27 | Béziers | |
Connacht | 2 – 2 | 70 – 22 | 48 | Montpellier |
Saracens | 2 – 2 | 70 – 25 | 45 | Overmach Parma
|
Pau | 2 – 2 | 41 – 38 | 3 | London Irish |
Agen | 2 – 2 | 40 – 37 | 3 | Viadana |
Quarter-finals
1st leg
2nd leg
15 January 2005 14:00 |
Galway Sportsgrounds Attendance: 2,500 |
Aggregate Results
Proceed to Semi-final | Match points | Aggregate score | Points margin | Eliminated from competition |
---|---|---|---|---|
Connacht | 4 – 0 | 45 – 24 | 21 | Grenoble
|
Sale Sharks | 2 – 2 | 49 – 35 | 14 | Agen |
Pau | 2 – 2 | 50 – 47 | 3 | Clermont Auvergne |
Brive | 2 – 2 | 37 – 35 | 2 | Saracens |
Semi-finals
1st leg
2 April 2005 13:00 |
Galway Sportsgrounds Attendance: 5,800 |
2nd leg
Aggregate Results
Proceed to Final | Match points | Aggregate score | Points margin | Eliminated from competition |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sale Sharks | 4 – 0 | 84 – 27 | 57 | Connacht |
Pau | 2 – 2 | 50 – 43 | 7 | Brive |
Final
21 May 2005 12:45 |
Sale Sharks | 27 – 3 | Pau |
Try: Hodgson (2) 24' c, 68' m Titterrell 36' c Cueto 56' m Con: Hodgson (2/4) Pen: Hodgson (1) 3' | Report | Pen: Beauxis (1) 30' |
Kassam Stadium, Oxford Attendance: 7,230 Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland) |
See also
- 2004-05 Heineken Cup
- European Challenge Cup
- 2004–05 European Shield
References
- ^ "Amlin Challenge Cup: Points Scorers". Retrieved 29 January 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Amlin Challenge Cup: Try Scorers". Retrieved 29 January 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Challenge Cup European Champions". ERC. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
- ^ "Challenge Cup Fixtures". ERC. Retrieved 30 January 2013.[permanent dead link]