European Challenge Cup 2008/09

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European Challenge Cup 2008/09
master EnglandEngland Northampton Saints (1st title)
Teams 20th
countries EnglandEngland England France Ireland Italy Romania Spain
FranceFrance 
IrelandIreland 
ItalyItaly 
RomaniaRomania 
SpainSpain 
Games 67  (of which 67 played)
Most of the points EnglandEngland Stephen Myler , Northampton (133)
Most attempts EnglandEngland Chris Ashton , Northampton (7)
← European Challenge Cup 2007/08

The European Challenge Cup 2008/09 was the 13th edition of the European Challenge Cup , the second-tier European cup competition in rugby union . There were 20 teams involved. The competition began on October 9, 2008, and the final took place on May 22, 2009 at The Stoop in London . The English team Northampton Saints won the title .

mode

All teams from the English Guinness Premiership , the French Top 14 and the international Magners League that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup took part in the European Challenge Cup. There were also four teams from the Italian Super 10 as well as one representative each from Romania and Spain.

In the group stage, the 20 teams were divided into five groups of four teams each. The betting order was based on the placement in the pan-European club ranking. Each team played a home and an away game against the three group opponents. In the group stage, the teams received:

  • four points for a win
  • two points for a tie
  • a bonus point for four or more attempts
  • a bonus point for a loss of seven or less points

The five group winners and the three best runners-up qualified for the quarter-finals. The right to play at home in the quarter-finals were held by those four teams that were more successful in the group stage.

Group stage

  • Group winners, qualified for quarter-finals
  • Top three runners-up, qualified for quarter-finals

    • Group 1

    team Games Victories Unent. Ndlg. Game
    points     		Diff. Bonus
    points     		Table
    points
    1. EnglandEngland London Irish 6th 6th 0 0 300: 34 + 266 5 29
    2. Ireland Connacht rugby 6th 4th 0 2 159: 140 + 19 3 19th
    3. ItalyItaly Rugby Rovigo 6th 1 0 5 79: 199 - 120 1 5
    4th FranceFrance US Dax 6th 1 0 5 55: 220 - 165 0 4th
    October 10, 2008
    19:00 CEST     		US Dax 12:30 Connacht rugby Stade Maurice-Boyau , Dax
    audience: 4,510
    report
    October 11, 2008
    1:00 p.m. WEST     		London Irish 78: 3 Rugby Rovigo Madejski Stadium , Reading
    Spectators: 5,857
    report
    October 17, 2008
    7:00 p.m. WEST     		Connacht rugby 19:21 London Irish Galway Sportsgrounds , Galway
    Spectators: 4,186
    report
    October 18, 2008
    15:00 CEST     		Rugby Rovigo 24: 11 US Dax Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini , Rovigo
    Spectators: 1,100
    report
    December 5, 2008
    7:00 p.m. CET     		US Dax 0:38 London Irish Stade Maurice-Boyau, Dax
    audience: 4,335
    report
    December 6, 2008
    15:00 CET     		Rugby Rovigo 20:35 Connacht rugby Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini, Rovigo
    Spectators: 1,000
    report
    December 11, 2008
    7:45 PM GMT     		London Irish 59: 7 US Dax Madejski Stadium, Reading
    Spectators: 6,004
    report
    December 12, 2008
    6:30 pm GMT     		Connacht rugby 30: 3 Rugby Rovigo Galway Sportsgrounds, Galway
    spectators: 1,480
    report
    January 16, 2009
    7:00 p.m. CET     		US Dax 22:20 Rugby Rovigo Stade Maurice-Boyau, Dax
    audience: 4,000
    report
    January 17, 2009
    3:00 PM GMT     		London Irish 78: 5 Connacht rugby Madejski Stadium, Reading
    Spectators: 8,795
    report
    January 23, 2009
    6:30 PM GMT     		Connacht rugby 49: 3 US Dax Galway Sportsgrounds, Galway
    spectators: 1,890
    report
    January 24, 2009
    3:00 p.m. CET     		Rugby Rovigo 9:23 London Irish Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini, Rovigo
    Spectators: 1,200
    report

    Group 2

    team Games Victories Unent. Ndlg. Game
    points     		Diff. Bonus
    points     		Table
    points
    1. EnglandEngland Northampton Saints 6th 6th 0 0 278: 69 + 209 5 29
    2. EnglandEngland Bristol rugby 6th 3 0 3 140: 168 - 28 2 14th
    3. FranceFrance Montpellier Hérault RC 6th 2 0 4th 101: 159 - 58 1 9
    4th FranceFrance RC Toulon 6th 1 0 5 84: 207 - 123 1 5
    October 9, 2008
    8:45 PM CEST     		RC Toulon 3:56 Northampton Saints Stade Mayol , Toulon
    Spectators: 9,000
    report
    October 10, 2008
    19:00 CEST     		Montpellier Hérault RC 33:15 Bristol rugby Stade Yves-du-Manoir , Montpellier
    Spectators: 9,040
    report
    October 17th, 2008
    7:45 pm WEST     		Bristol rugby 39: 11 RC Toulon Memorial Stadium , Bristol
    Spectators: 5,445
    report
    October 18, 2008
    7:45 pm WEST     		Northampton Saints 51: 7 Montpellier Hérault RC Franklin's Gardens , Northampton
    Spectators: 12,179
    report
    December 4, 2008
    8:45 pm CET     		Montpellier Hérault RC 57:24 RC Toulon Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Montpellier
    Spectators: 5,812
    report
    December 6, 2008
    3:00 PM GMT     		Northampton Saints 66: 3 Bristol rugby Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
    Spectators: 12,607
    report
    December 13, 2008
    8:45 pm CET     		RC Toulon 30: 9 Montpellier Hérault RC Stade Mayol, Toulon
    Spectators: 6,500
    report
    December 14, 2008
    3:00 PM GMT     		Bristol rugby 21:25 Northampton Saints Memorial Stadium, Bristol
    Spectators: 5,220
    report
    January 15, 2009
    8:45 PM CET     		Montpellier Hérault RC 24:28 Northampton Saints Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Montpellier
    Spectators: 6,952
    report
    January 16, 2009
    6:00 PM CET     		RC Toulon 19:37 Bristol rugby Stade Mayol, Toulon
    Spectators: 5,300
    report
    January 24, 2009
    3:00 PM GMT     		Northampton Saints 52: 11 RC Toulon Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
    Spectators: 12,059
    report
    January 25, 2009
    3:00 PM GMT     		Bristol rugby 25:14 Montpellier Hérault RC Memorial Stadium, Bristol
    Spectators: 4,503
    report

    Group 3

    team Games Victories Unent. Ndlg. Game
    points     		Diff. Bonus
    points     		Table
    points
    1. EnglandEngland Worcester Warriors 6th 5 0 1 255: 94 + 161 4th 24
    2. FranceFrance CS Bourgoin-Jallieu 6th 3 0 3 158: 115 + 43 3 15th
    3. ItalyItaly Petrarch Padova rugby 6th 3 0 3 112: 206 - 94 1 13
    4th RomaniaRomania Bucureşti rugby 6th 1 0 5 87: 197 - 110 1 5
    October 11, 2008
    15:00 CEST     		Petrarch Padova rugby 6:55 Worcester Warriors Stadio Plebiscito , Padua
    Spectators: 2,200
    report
    October 12, 2008
    4:30 PM ET     		Bucureşti rugby 10:21 CS Bourgoin-Jallieu Stadionul Arcul de Triumf , Bucharest
    Spectators: 1,800
    report
    October 17th, 2008
    8:30 PM CEST     		CS Bourgoin-Jallieu 28:29 Petrarch Padova rugby Stade Pierre-Rajon , Bourgoin-Jallieu
    Spectators: 4,000
    report
    October 19, 2008
    4:30 PM ET     		Bucureşti rugby 17:53 Worcester Warriors Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
    Spectators: 1,300
    report
    December 5, 2008 at
    8:30 p.m. CET     		CS Bourgoin-Jallieu 29: 14 Worcester Warriors Stade Pierre-Rajon, Bourgoin-Jallieu
    Spectators: 4,000
    report
    December 7, 2008
    1:00 p.m. EET     		Bucureşti rugby 14: 20 Petrarch Padova rugby Stadionul Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
    Spectators: 1,800
    report
    December 13, 2008
    13:00 CET     		Petrarch Padova rugby 15: 17 Bucureşti rugby Stadio Plebiscito, Padua
    Spectators: 470
    report
    December 13, 2008
    3:00 PM GMT     		Worcester Warriors 27: 6 CS Bourgoin-Jallieu Sixways Stadium , Worcester
    Spectators: 7,791
    report
    January 17, 2009
    15:00 CET     		Petrarch Padova rugby 25:24 CS Bourgoin-Jallieu Stadio Plebiscito, Padua
    Spectators: 500
    report
    January 17, 2009
    3:00 PM GMT     		Worcester Warriors 38: 19 Bucureşti rugby Sixways Stadium, Worcester
    Spectators: 7,323
    report
    January 23, 2009 at
    8:30 p.m. CET     		CS Bourgoin-Jallieu 50:10 Bucureşti rugby Stade Pierre-Rajon, Bourgoin-Jallieu
    Spectators: 4,801
    report
    January 24, 2009
    3:00 PM GMT     		Worcester Warriors 68: 17 Petrarch Padova rugby Sixways Stadium, Worcester
    Spectators: 7,523
    report

    Group 4

    team Games Victories Unent. Ndlg. Game
    points     		Diff. Bonus
    points     		Table
    points
    1. FranceFrance CA Brive 6th 5 0 1 243: 89 + 154 4th 24
    2. EnglandEngland Newcastle Falcons 6th 4th 0 2 178: 90 + 88 3 19th
    3. ItalyItaly Rugby Parma 6th 3 0 3 165: 120 + 45 4th 16
    4th SpainSpain CR El Salvador 6th 0 0 6th 46: 333 - 287 0 0
    October 11, 2008
    6:30 pm WEST     		Newcastle Falcons 63: 0 CR El Salvador Kingston Park , Newcastle upon Tyne
    Spectators: 3,789
    report
    October 12, 2008
    14:30 CEST     		Rugby Parma 34:29 CA Brive Stadio XXV Aprile , Parma
    spectators: 1,100
    report
    October 16, 2008
    8:45 PM CEST     		CA Brive 36:22 Newcastle Falcons Stade Amédée-Domenech , Brive-la-Gaillarde
    spectators: 2,000
    report
    October 19, 2008
    12:30 PM CEST     		CR El Salvador 21:59 Rugby Parma Campos de Pepe Rojo , Valladolid
    Spectators: 4,000
    report
    December 5, 2008
    19:30 CET     		CA Brive 84: 6 CR El Salvador Stade Amédée-Domenech, Brive-la-Gaillarde
    spectators: 4,200
    report
    December 6, 2008
    2:30 pm GMT     		Rugby Parma 14: 20 Newcastle Falcons Stadio XXV Aprile, Parma
    spectators: 1,400
    report
    December 14, 2008
    12:30 pm CET     		CR El Salvador 5:55 CA Brive Campos de Pepe Rojo, Valladolid
    Spectators: 3,000
    report
    December 14, 2008
    3:00 PM GMT     		Newcastle Falcons 21:16 Rugby Parma Kingston Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
    Spectators: 3,902
    report
    January 17, 2009
    2:30 p.m. CET     		Rugby Parma 29: 0 CR El Salvador Stadio XXV Aprile, Parma
    Spectators: 800
    report
    January 17th, 2009
    7:40 pm GMT     		Newcastle Falcons 9:10 CA Brive Kingston Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
    Spectators: 4,514
    report
    January 22, 2009
    8:45 pm CET     		CA Brive 29: 13 Rugby Parma Stade Amédée-Domenech, Brive-la-Gaillarde
    spectators: 4,000
    report
    January 25, 2009
    12:00 PM CET     		CR El Salvador 14:43 Newcastle Falcons Campos de Pepe Rojo, Valladolid
    Spectators: 2,200
    report

    Group 5

    team Games Victories Unent. Ndlg. Game
    points     		Diff. Bonus
    points     		Table
    points
    1. EnglandEngland Saracens 6th 6th 0 0 200: 43 + 157 2 26th
    2. ItalyItaly Rugby Viadana 6th 3 0 3 120: 126 - 6 1 13
    3. FranceFrance Aviron Bayonnais 6th 3 0 3 99: 122 - 23 0 12
    4th FranceFrance Stade Montois 6th 0 0 6th 54: 182 - 128 1 1
    October 10, 2008
    19:30 CEST     		Aviron Bayonnais 10:21 Rugby Viadana Stade Jean-Dauger , Bayonne
    Spectators: 5,000
    report
    October 12, 2008
    15:00 WEST     		Saracens 53: 3 Stade Montois Vicarage Road , Watford
    Spectators: 5,893
    report
    October 17th, 2008
    19:00 CEST     		Stade Montois 8:26 Aviron Bayonnais Stade Guy-Boniface , Mont-de-Marsan
    Spectators: 4,680
    report
    October 18, 2008
    19:00 CEST     		Rugby Viadana 12:35 Saracens Stadio Luigi Zaffanella , Viadana
    Spectators: 4,175
    report
    December 6, 2008
    3:30 p.m. CET     		Stade Montois 15:21 Rugby Viadana Stade Guy-Boniface, Mont-de-Marsan
    Spectators: 1,600
    report
    December 6, 2008
    8:45 pm CET     		Aviron Bayonnais 6:16 Saracens Stade Jean-Dauger, Bayonne
    Spectators: 6,000
    report
    December 13, 2008
    7:00 p.m. CET     		Rugby Viadana 25: 6 Stade Montois Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana
    Spectators: 1,500
    report
    December 14, 2008
    3:00 PM GMT     		Saracens 36: 0 Aviron Bayonnais Vicarage Road, Watford
    Spectators: 5,365
    report
    January 16, 2009
    7:30 p.m. CET     		Aviron Bayonnais 33: 19 Stade Montois Stade Jean-Dauger, Bayonne
    Spectators: 4,000
    report
    January 18, 2009
    3:00 PM GMT     		Saracens 36:19 Rugby Viadana Vicarage Road, Watford
    Spectators: 6,146
    report
    January 23, 2009
    7:00 p.m. CET     		Stade Montois 3:24 Saracens Stade Guy-Boniface, Mont-de-Marsan
    Spectators: 1,800
    report
    January 24, 2009
    7:00 p.m. CET     		Rugby Viadana 22:24 Aviron Bayonnais Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana
    Spectators: 2,000
    report

    Knockout round

    Seeding list

    After the group stage, the five group winners and the three best runners-up met each other.

    1. London Irish
    2. Northampton Saints
    3. Saracens
    4. Worcester Warriors
    5. CA Brive
    6. Newcastle Falcons
    7. Connacht rugby
    8. CS Bourgoin-Jallieu

    Quarter finals

    April 9, 2009
    7:30 pm WEST     		EnglandEngland London Irish 30:32 FranceFrance CS Bourgoin-Jallieu Madejski Stadium , Reading
    Spectators: 6,455
    Referee: Peter Allan ( Scotland )
    Attempts: Mapusua 56. increased
    S. Armitage 80. +
    increased increases: D. Armitage (1/2)
    Penalty kicks: D. Armitage (5/6) 11th, 16th, 31st, 40th, 71st
    Dropgoals : Kennedy (1/1) 79.     		(12: 9)
    Report     		Attempts: Forest 42nd increased
    Nicolas 77th
    increased increases: Parra (2/2)
    Penalty kicks: Parra (4/5) 6th, 37th, 59th, 63rd Dropgoals
    : Boyet (2/4) 28th, 72.
    April 11, 2009
    1:00 p.m. WEST     		EnglandEngland Worcester Warriors 29:18 FranceFrance CA Brive Sixways Stadium , Worcester
    Spectators: 4,323
    Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon ( Ireland )
    Attempts: Garvey 11th received, 72nd received
    Sanderson 22nd received
    Grove 52nd received.
    Elevations: Jones (3/4)
    Penalty Kicks: Jones (1/1) 9.
    		 (17: 8)
    Report     		Attempts: Cooke 35th increment, 44th
    increment: Palisson (1/2)
    Penalty kicks : Goode (1/1) 17th
    Palisson (1/1) 66.
    April 11, 2009
    3:00 p.m. WEST     		EnglandEngland Northampton Saints 42: 13 Ireland Connacht rugby Franklin's Gardens , Northampton
    Spectators: 9,119
    Referee: Romain Poite ( France )
    Attempts: Best 71st received
    Ansbro 74th received
    Reihana 79th
    Mayor 80th
    Raise: Myler (1/2)
    Everitt (1/2)
    Penalty: Myler (6/6) 16th, 24th, 37th, 45th, 55th, 65th
    		 (9: 6)
    Report     		Attempts: Ofisa 52nd
    raises: Keatley (1/1)
    Penalty kicks: Keatley (1/1)
    Dropgoals: Keatley (1/1) 29.
    April 12, 2009
    3:00 p.m. WEST     		EnglandEngland Saracens 32: 13 EnglandEngland Newcastle Falcons Vicarage Road , Watford
    Spectators: 7,711
    Referee: Carlo Damasco ( Italy )
    Attempts: Johnston 26th incremental
    bar 30
    increments: Jackson (2/2)
    Penalty kicks: Jackson (5/5) 15th, 23rd, 53rd, 65th, 68th
    Dropgoals: Jackson (1/1) 38.     		(23: 3)
    Report     		Attempts: Williams 58th n.erh.
    Dowson 79th ad.
    Penalty kicks: May (1/1) 9.

    Semifinals

    May 1st, 2009
    7:45 pm WEST     		EnglandEngland Northampton Saints 16: 13 EnglandEngland Saracens Franklin's Gardens , Northampton
    Spectators: 11,073
    Referee: Romain Poite ( France )
    Attempts: Reihana 30.
    Increases: Myler (1/1)
    Penalty kicks: Myler (2/2) 7., 13.
    Dropgoals: Myler (1/1) 74.     		(13: 3)
    Report     		Attempts: Penney 73rd
    increments: Jackson (1/1)
    Penalty kicks: Jackson (2/2) 5th, 52nd
    May 2nd, 2009
    13:30 CEST     		FranceFrance CS Bourgoin-Jallieu 22: 11 EnglandEngland Worcester Warriors Stade Pierre-Rajon , Bourgoin-Jallieu
    Spectators: 8,200
    Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon ( Ireland )
    Attempts: Levast 62nd
    increases: Parra (1/1)
    Penalty kicks: Parra (4/4) 10th, 43rd, 52nd, 58th Dropgoals
    : Boyet (1/1) 60.     		(3: 6)
    Report     		Attempts: Benjamin 78th n.erh.
    Penalty kicks: Carlisle (2/2) 28., 35.

    final

    May 22, 2009
    7:45 pm WEST     		EnglandEngland Northampton Saints 15: 3 FranceFrance CS Bourgoin-Jallieu The Stoop , London
    Spectators: 9,260
    Referee: George Clancy ( Ireland )
    Penalty kicks: Myler (5/5) 9th, 20th, 38th, 48th, 69th
    		 (9: 3)
    Report     		Penalty kicks: Parra (1/1) 33.

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