European challenge of Rugby to XV

The Challenge European , also called " Parker PEN Cup" Challenge; , of the name of the sponsor of the test, interclubs of Rugby to XV in importance is the second European competition, behind the Coupe of Europe. It is opened with the clubs of England, of France, the Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Romania.

Organization of the competition

The criteria of entry differ from country to country. For the France, the England, the Ireland, the Wales and the Scotland, they are the teams not being qualified for the Cut of Europe which are retained.

For example for the France, all the teams of the SIGNAL 14 not qualified for the H Cup will go automatically in Challenge European , it goes from there in the same way for the England. Into Italy the 4 places are divided as follows: 3rd and 4th of the championship of Italy, as well as the winners of the playoffs between 5th and 8th, and 6th and 7th. Finally the Romania which does not have a place in Coupe of Europe sends its best team in Challenge European . For the Ireland, the Scotland and the Wales, are the teams of the Celtic League not qualified for the Coupe of Europe which are retained.

History of the competition

The European Challenge is a competition created in 1996, one year after his/her “big sister” the Coupe of Europe. They are then the two only competitions interclubs of Rugby in Europe. This competition is conceived like one second cut of Europe, to allow in particular the clubs of the first French and English division not qualified in Coupe of Europe, to dispute international meetings. European Conference with its creation, the competition is famous European Bouclier in 1999 before adopting its final name in 2002.

  • Its first edition in 1996-97 gathered 24 teams of England, of France, Italy, Romania, Scotland and the Wales divided into 4 groups of 6. For this first edition the final is French and sees Bourgoin beating Castres on the score from 18 to 9.

  • 1997-98 : the formula changes with 8 groups of 4 teams. A new exclusively French final proceeds between Colomiers and Agen. It is Colomiers which gains in a convincing way this 2nd edition over a score from 43 to 5, one year before finally inclining Coupe of Europe vis-a-vis the Ulster.

  • 1998-99 : the formula gathers 3 groups of 7 teams, with for the first time of the Spanish and Portuguese teams. Once more, the final is French and sees the ACE Montferrand beating Bourgoin 35 to 16.

  • 1999-2000 : there were 7 groups of 4. The final still sees being opposed two French clubs, and it is the Section paloise which gains the title by beating the Olympic Castres over a score of 34-21.

  • 2000-01 : it is the English club of the Harlequins which raises the trophy by beating at the end of a final with prolongation RC Narbonne on the score of 42-33. For the first time, time it does not have there change of formula compared to the previous year.

  • 2001-02 : a new formula gathers 32 teams in 8 groups of 4. For the first time two Spanish teams are in competition. This edition sees for the second time being essential an English club, the Sale Sharks vis-a-vis Welsh of Pontypridd on score from 25 to 22.

  • 2002-03 : is one pivotal year since she sees being born a new European competition. Thus the Bouclier European becomes the Challenge European , but guard the same mode of selection of the teams, and a new competition is born in which the teams eliminated with the first turn of the Challenge European are transferred. This new competition takes the name European Bouclier. This name change is accompanied by a change of formula, the competition always gathers 32 teams, but she does not exploit herself any more in the form of hens but a system of cut with direct elimination with each turn. In fact the London Wasps gain the competition under its new name by beating Bath 48-28 for the first anglo-English final of the history of the cut.

  • 2003-04 : The Harlequins gains for the second time the competition vis-a-vis the ACE Montferrand over a score skimped of 27-26.

  • 2004-05 : This edition is still marked by the English domination of the teams, since the Sale Sharks gains their second trophy vis-a-vis Pau over a score without call of 27-3.

  • 2005-06 : There is a new change of formula, with the abandonment of direct eliminations and a return to hens, is for this edition 20 teams divided into 5 hens of 4. Another change of importance, it has there no more Spanish and Portuguese clubs but only of the clubs French, English, Irish, Scottish, Rumanian and Italian (there are no Welsh clubs because after several fusions, they are all out of Cut of Europe). This return to hens results also in to make disappear the new whole Bouclier European, after only 3 editions. The English clubs have more than ever the hand put on the competition, since the four semi-finalists all are English. It is thus Gloucester which gains the trophy and this for its first final in the competition.

  • 2006-07 : Even formula. In preliminary round of the great cut of Europe, it is an Italian club which overrides a Welsh club. There is thus a Welsh club present this year. One counts seven French clubs, six English, three Italian, an Irish team, Scottish, a Welshwoman and Rumanian. For the first time since 2000, the final saw triumphing a French club, ASM Clermont Auvergne, already winner in 1999. It is as the first time as a French team beats a foreign team finally.

Prize list

Assessment

By club

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By nation

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Notes & References

See too

  • Cut of Europe

  • Shield European
  • SIGNAL 14
  • Celtic League
  • Guinness Premiership
  • ERC

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