1996–97 European Challenge Cup

1996–97 European Challenge Cup 100px Official logo EnglandFranceIreland rugby unionItalyRomaniaScotlandWales Round-robin and knockout 12 October 1996 – 26 January 1997 24 66 {{#expr: + 20 + 30 + 18 + 14 + 15 + 16 + 29 + 21 + 12 + 10 + 11 + 10 + 28 + 22 + 18 + 9 + 15 + 10 + 27 + 29 + 28 + 17 + 6 + 12 + 1 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 0 | top point scorer = Alexandre Péclier (Bourgoin)(113 points)http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/statistics/index.php?preset871=1995 https://archive.today/20130820235141/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/statistics/index.php?preset871=1995 dead August 20, 2013 Amlin Challenge Cup: Points Scorers European Rugby Cup 21 August 2013 | top try scorer = Laurent Leflamand (Bourgoin)(7 tries)http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/statistics/player_records_tries.php?preset882=1995 https://archive.today/20130820235159/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/statistics/player_records_tries.php?preset882=1995 dead August 20, 2013 Amlin Challenge Cup: Try Scorers European Rugby Cup 21 August 2013 | venue = Stade de la Méditerranée, Béziers | attendance2 = 10,000 | champions = FRA Bourgoin | count = 1 | runner-up = FRA Castres Olympique | website = https://web.archive.org/web/20080506141030/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/ | previous year = | previous tournament = | next year = 1997–98 | next tournament = 1997–98 European Challenge Cup }} The 1996–97 European Challenge Cup (also called the 1996–97 European Shield) was the inaugural year of the European Challenge Cup, the second tier rugby union cup competition below the Heineken Cup. The tournament was held between October 1996 and January 1997 and was won by Bourgoin with an 18–9 victory over Castres in the final at the Stade de la Méditerranée in Béziers, France.Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98 1997 Headline Book Publishing London 0 7472 7732 X Mick Cleary and John Griffiths Twenty-four teams took part from England, France, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Scotland and Wales, divided into four groups of six. Each team played the other teams in the group once, meaning each had five matches with either two or three on their home ground. The quarter–finals saw seven of the eight clubs coming from France, with the only non-French club being Northampton Saints. Teams The qualifying teams were drawn from seven countries. Generally, these were teams from the top division of domestic rugby that did not qualify to play in the Heineken Cup: England: 6 teams from the English Premiership France: 7 teams from the French Championship Ireland: one team representing one of the four Provinces of Ireland Italy: one team from the National Championship of Excellence Romania: one team from the National League Scotland: one team representing one of the four geographical districts Wales: 7 teams from the Welsh Premier Division EnglandFranceIrelandItalyRomaniaScotlandWalesBristol Gloucester London Irish Northampton Saints Orrell Sale SharksAgen Bordeaux-Bègles Bourgoin Castres Olympique Montferrand Narbonne ToulonConnachtPetrarcaDinamo-BucureștiGlasgowBridgend Dunvant Ebbw Vale Newbridge Newport Swansea Treorchy Pool stage 1996–97 European Challenge Cup pool stage Twenty four teams participated in the pool stage of the competition; they were divided into four pools of six teams each, with each team playing the other teams in their pool once only. Matches took place between 12 October and 2 November 1996 and teams were awarded two points for a win and one point for a draw. The winner and runner-up of each pool progressed to the knockout stage of the tournament. Pool 1 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts FRA Agen5500209+1115682+7410 FRA Montferrand5401308+2221174+1378 ENG Sale Sharks53021814+4166115+516 WAL Newport52031419−1598158−604 SCO Glasgow51041530−15113202−892 WAL Newbridge50051633−17106219−1130 Source : https://archive.today/20130820235208/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/amlinchallengecup/pools/index.php?includeref=478&season=1996-1997 www.ercrugby.com Pool 2 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts FRA Castres Olympique5500296+2320771+13610 FRA Narbonne5401216+1516190+718 ROM Dinamo-București52121232−20109213−1045 WAL Bridgend41121014−494120−263 ENG Bristol51041112−112899+292 WAL Treorchy40041023−1372178−1060 Source : www.ercrugby.com https://archive.today/20130820235208/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/amlinchallengecup/pools/index.php?includeref=478&season=1996-1997 2013-08-20 The Treorchy v Bridgend match was not played.https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/european/3623793.stm European Challenge Cup 1996/7 BBC 13 April 2004 21 August 2013 Pool 3 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts ENG Northampton Saints55002812+1620788+11910 FRA Toulon54012210+12164102+628 ENG Orrell52031822−4122173−514 Ireland rugby union Connacht5203917−894131−374 WAL Dunvant51041522−7106169−632 ITA Petrarca51041019−9118148−302 Source : www.ercrugby.com https://archive.today/20130820235208/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/amlinchallengecup/pools/index.php?includeref=478&season=1996-1997 2013-08-20 Pool 4 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts FRA Bourgoin5500274+2319666+13010 FRA Bordeaux-Bègles53112913+1619599+967 WAL Swansea53112819+9207138+697 ENG Gloucester520317170119123−44 WAL Ebbw Vale5104636−3048243−1952 ENG London Irish50051230−1890186−960 Source : www.ercrugby.com https://archive.today/20130820235208/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/amlinchallengecup/pools/index.php?includeref=478&season=1996-1997 2013-08-20 Qualifiers SeedPool WinnersPtsTF+/−1 FRA Castres Olympique1029+1362 ENG Northampton Saints1028+1193 FRA Bourgoin1027+1304 FRA Agen1020+74SeedRunners-upPtsTF+/−5 FRA Montferrand830+1376 FRA Toulon822+627 FRA Narbonne821+718 FRA Bordeaux-Bègles729+96 Knockout stage Quarter-finals 16 November 1996 Bourgoin FRA 17–15 Report FRA Montferrand Stade Pierre Rajon 7,000 Patrick Robin (France) 16 November 1996 Castres Olympique FRA 23–15 Report FRA Toulon Stade Pierre-Antoine 5,000 Daniel Gillet (France) 16 November 1996 Northampton Saints ENG 22–23 Report FRA Narbonne Franklin's Gardens 7,000 Andrew Watson (England) 16 November 1996 Agen FRA 20–15 yes Report FRA Bordeaux-Bègles Stade Armandie 8,000 Didier Méné (France) Semi-finals 5 January 1997 Bourgoin FRA 29–6 Report FRA Narbonne Stade Pierre Rajon 7,000 Bernard Perez (France) 5 January 1997 Castres Olympique FRA 23–6 Report FRA Agen Stade Pierre-Antoine 5,000 Joel Dumé (France) Final 26 January 1997 Bourgoin FRA 18–9 Report FRA Castres Olympique Stade de la Méditerranée 10,000 Patrick Robin (France) See also European Challenge Cup 1996–97 Heineken Cup References Category:1996–97 rugby union tournaments for clubs 1996-97 Category:1996–97 in European rugby union Category:1996–97 in English rugby union Category:1996–97 in French rugby union Category:1996–97 in Irish rugby union Category:1996–97 in Italian rugby union Category:1996–97 in Romanian rugby union Category:1996–97 in Scottish rugby union Category:1996–97 in Welsh rugby union