European Challenge Cup 2002/03

European Challenge Cup 2002/03
master	London Wasps (1st title)
Teams	32
countries	England France Ireland Italy Romania Scotland Spain Wales
Games	61  (of which 61 played)
tries	384  (ø 6.3 per game)
spectator	225,733  (ø 3,701 per game)
Most of the points	Olly Barkley , Bath (118)
Most attempts	Tom Shanklin , Saracens (8)
← European Challenge Cup 2001/02 European Challenge Cup 2003/04 →

The European Challenge Cup 2002/03 was the seventh edition of the European Challenge Cup , the second-tier European cup competition in rugby union . 32 teams from seven countries took part. The competition began on October 11, 2002, the final took place on May 25, 2003 at the Madejski Stadium in Reading . The English team London Wasps won the title .

mode

All teams from the English Zurich Premiership , the French Top 14 , the international Celtic League and the Italian Super 10 that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup took part in the European Challenge Cup. There were also two teams from the Spanish División de Honor de Rugby and a representative from Romania.

In contrast to the earlier editions, the competition was held in the knockout format . The teams faced each other in a home and an away game, with the team with the better overall result going into the next round. The final consisted of a single playoff.

Games

1 round

• First legs: October 11-13, 2002
• Second legs: October 18-20, 2002
• Participants: 32

	total		First leg	Return leg
Gran Parma	22: 097	Bath rugby	03:40	19: 057
Ebbw Vale RFC	36: 045	US Montauban	20:16	16: 029
Caerphilly RFC	47: 104	Harlequins	20:73	27: 031
CS Dinamo Bucureşti	11: 238	Saracens	11:87	00: 151
Rugby Roma	26: 143	Pontypridd RFC	18:60	08: 083
Benetton Rugby Treviso	55: 026	Castres Olympique	22: 09	33: 017
L'Aquila Rugby	19: 133	US Colomiers	14:58	05: 075
Petrarch Padova rugby	36: 081	Leeds Tykes	23:29	13: 052
UC Madrid	37: 150	Border Reivers	22:73	15: 077
Moraleja Alcobendas RU	46: 070	CA Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde	31:37	15: 033
Rugby Parma	24: 082	London Wasps	24:40	00: 042
FC Grenoble	29: 052	Newcastle Falcons	12:19	17: 033
Stade Montois	41: 073	Connacht rugby	12:26	29: 047
Section Paloise	27: 033	Bridgend RFC	18: 06	09: 027
Rugby Rovigo	26: 145	Stade Français	06:64	20: 081
Rugby Silea	37: 075	RC Narbonne	23:34	14: 041

2nd round

• First leg: from December 6th to 8th, 2002
• Second legs: December 13-15, 2002
• Participants: 16

	total		First leg	Return leg
Bridgend RFC	38:64	Bath rugby	28:26	10:38
Benetton Rugby Treviso	32:43	Newcastle Falcons	27: 08	05:35
Harlequins	12:55	Stade Français	00:26	12:29
Pontypridd RFC	56:42	Leeds Tykes	37:23	19:19
US Montauban	31:22	Border Reivers	19:16	12: 06
RC Narbonne	49:50	Connacht rugby	42:27	07:23
London Wasps	72:29	CA Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde	43: 06	29:23
Saracens	46:25	US Colomiers	16: 06	30:19

Quarter finals

First legs

January 11, 2003 5:30 PM GMT	Connacht rugby	30:35	Pontypridd RFC	Dubarry Park , Athlone Spectators: 6,000

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January 11, 2003 7:30 p.m. CET	US Montauban	27:24	Bath rugby	Stade Sapiac , Montauban Spectators: 6,000

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January 12, 2003 1:45 PM GMT	London Wasps	35:22	Stade Français	Adams Park , High Wycombe Spectators: 5,269

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January 12, 2003 3:00 PM GMT	Saracens	31:10	Newcastle Falcons	Vicarage Road , Watford Spectators: 3,857

Return legs

January 18, 2003 2:15 pm GMT	Bath rugby	24:18	US Montauban	Recreation Ground , Bath Spectators: 6,200

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January 18, 2003 5:30 PM GMT	Pontypridd RFC	12: 9	Connacht rugby	Sardis Road , Pontypridd Spectators: 6,000

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January 18, 2003 18:00 CET	Stade Français	12: 27	London Wasps	Stade Jean-Bouin , Paris Spectators: 6,491

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January 19, 2003 2:30 PM GMT	Newcastle Falcons	31:29	Saracens	Kingston Park , Newcastle upon Tyne Spectators: 2,439

Semifinals

First legs

April 12, 2003 5:30 pm WEST	London Wasps	34: 19	Pontypridd RFC	Adams Park , High Wycombe Spectators: 7,776

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April 13, 2003 3:00 p.m. WEST	Saracens	38:30	Bath rugby	Vicarage Road , Watford Spectators: 6,482

Return legs

April 25, 2003 7:05 pm WEST	Pontypridd RFC	17:27	London Wasps	Sardis Road , Pontypridd Spectators: 6,500

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April 26, 2003 2:15 pm WEST	Bath rugby	27: 19	Saracens	Recreation Ground , Bath Spectators: 8,200

The two games between Bath and the Saracens ended with an overall result of 57:57; Due to the higher number of attempts (6: 5), Bath qualified for the final.

final

May 25, 2003 3:45 PM WEST	Bath rugby	26:27	London Wasps	Madejski Stadium , Reading Spectators: 18,074 Referee: Nigel Williams ( Wales )
	Tries : Balshaw Barkley Tindall Scaysbrook Elevations: Balshaw (1) Barkley (1) Penalty Kicks: Barkley (2)	(24:13) Report	Attempts: Lewsey Waters Wood Greening Logan Leota Elevations: King (6) Penalty Kicks: King (2)

Web links

• Official website
• Game results