2002–03 European Nations Cup Third Division

International rugby union competition August 2026 The 2002–2004 European Nations Cup was the fourth edition of the newly reformed European Championship for tier 2 & 3 Rugby Union Nations. This was the second two-year cycled championship, the first to be planned from the start. The Third division had a controversy development. The team were divided into three groups according to the ranking of previous edition to play, but there were several problems: In pool "A" Andorra withdrew and only four teams remained. In pool "C" Monaco were banned after the match with Finland, because of the presence of a French player that was not eligible to play for Monaco. Again in pool "C" the match between Bulgaria and Norway was annulled because the designed referee wasn't able to arrive in Sofia and was substituted by another referee, called by the Bulgarian federation. So the European federation decided to change from a two-years formula to a one-year formula again, considering the two matches played in Pool "C" as friendlies and turning the Pool into a short knock-out tournament held in Ibiza, Spain. Furthermore, the winners of Pools B and C were promoted, respectively, to Pools A and B for the 2003–04 edition. No promotions from Pool A to Second division were awarded, nor relegations to lower Pools. Pool A The highest level was the Pool "A", with five teams: LAT relegated from second division MDA SCG HUN promoted from Group B AND (retired from competition) Table Place Nation Games Points Tablepoints played won drawn lost for against difference1LAT 3 3 0 0 98 23+75 92MDA 3 1 1 1 64 71 −7 63HUN 3 1 0 2 63 96 −33 54SCG 3 0 1 2 58 93 −35 4 Results 5 October 2002 LAT 26–5 HUN Riga 26 April 2003 HUN 47–23 SCG Esztergom 26 April 2003 LAT 43–0 MDA Riga 3 May 2003 SCG 18–29 LAT Beograd 10 May 2003 MDA 47–11 HUN Chişinău 24 May 2003 MDA 17–17 SCG Chişinău Pool B The middle level was the Pool "B", with five teams: AUT relegated from pool "A" BIH LTU LUX MLT promoted from pool "C" Table Place Nation Games Points Tablepoints played won drawn lost for against difference1MLT 4400101 54 +47122LTU 4301147 53 +94103LUX 4202 58113 −5584AUT 4103 65 88 −2365BIH 4004 40103 −634 MLT promoted to Pool A Results 27 October 2002 LUX 21–5 BIH Cessange 23 November 2002 MLT 22–18 LTU Marsa 26 November 2002 LTU 32–10 AUT Vilnius 30 November 2002 AUT 16–25 MLT Wien 29 March 2003 MLT 34–6 LUX Marsa 5 April 2003 BIH 14–20 MLT Sarajevo 10 May 2003 LUX 25–14 AUT Cessange 24 May 2003 LTU 60–6 LUX Klaipėda 7 June 2003 BIH 15–37 LTU Zenica 14 June 2003 AUT 25–6 BIH Wien Pool C "No official" match : 19 October 2002 MCO 90–0 FIN Monte Carlo 26 October 2002 BGR 21–12 NOR Sofia Semifinals 5 June 2003 ISR 30–13 NOR Ibiza 5 June 2003 BGR 42–3 FIN Ibiza Third place final 7 June 2003 FIN 20–55 NOR Ibiza First place final 7 June 2003 ISR 23–25 BGR Ibiza BGR promoted to Pool B See also 2003–2004 European Nations Cup First Division 2002–2004 European Nations Cup Second Division 2003–2004 European Nations Cup Third Division Sources www.irb.com 2002–03 Category:2002–03 in European rugby union