1996–97 European Challenge Cup pool stage

The 1996–97 European Challenge Cup pool stage was the opening stage of the first season of the European Challenge Cup, the second-tier competition for European rugby union clubs. Matches took place between 12 October and 2 November 1996.

1996–97 European Challenge Cup pool stage
Season1996–97 European Challenge Cup
Date12 October 1996 – 2 November 1996
Qualifiers
Seed 1 Castres Olympique
Seed 2 Northampton Saints
Seed 3 Bourgoin
Seed 4 Agen
Seed 5 Montferrand
Seed 6 Toulon
Seed 7 Narbonne
Seed 8 Bordeaux-Bègles
1997–98
(Next)

Twenty four teams participated in this phase 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. 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. These teams then competed in a single-elimination tournament that ended with the final at the Stade de la Méditerranée in Béziers, France on 26 January 1997.

Results

Pool 1

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
Agen 5500209+1115682+7410
Montferrand 5401308+2221174+1378
Sale Sharks 53021814+4166115+516
Newport 520314191598158604
Glasgow 5104153015113202892
Newbridge 50051633171062191130
Source : www.ercrugby.com
Points breakdown:
*2 points for a win
*1 point for a draw
12 October 1996
Agen 32–13 Newport
Report
12 October 1996
Newbridge 38–62 Glasgow
Report
Welfare Ground
12 October 1996
Sale Sharks 12–17 Montferrand
Report

16 October 1996
Agen 27–17 Montferrand
Report
16 October 1996
Glasgow 9–29 Sale Sharks
Report
16 October 1996
Newport 24–9 Newbridge
Report

19 October 1996
Newbridge 13–30 Agen
Report
Welfare Ground
19 October 1996
Sale Sharks 52–22 Newport
Report

26 October 1996
Agen 33–16 Sale Sharks
Report
26 October 1996
Newbridge 12–46 Montferrand
Report
Welfare Ground
26 October 1996
Newport 25–10 Glasgow
Report

30 October 1996
Glasgow 23–34 Agen
Report
2 November 1996
Sale Sharks 57–34 Newbridge
Report

Pool 2

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
Castres Olympique 5500296+2320771+13610
Narbonne 5401216+1516190+718
Dinamo-București 52121232201092131045
Bridgend 41121014494120263
Bristol 51041112112899+292
Treorchy 4004102313721781060
Source : www.ercrugby.com
Points breakdown:
*2 points for a win
*1 point for a draw
12 October 1996
Bristol 53–5 Treorchy
Report

16 October 1996
Bridgend 30–27 Bristol
Report
16 October 1996
Treorchy 19–26 Narbonne
Report
The Oval, Treorchy

19 October 1996
Bristol 16–18 Narbonne
Report


2 November 1996
Treorchy Bridgend
Report
The Oval, Treorchy
  • The Treorchy v Bridgend match was not played.[1]

Pool 3

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
Northampton Saints 55002812+1620788+11910
Toulon 54012210+12164102+628
Orrell 520318224122173514
Connacht 5203917894131374
Dunvant 510415227106169632
Petrarca 510410199118148302
Source : www.ercrugby.com
Points breakdown:
*2 points for a win
*1 point for a draw
12 October 1996
Connacht 34–12 Petrarca
Report
12 October 1996
Orrell 32–29 Dunvant
Report
12 October 1996
Toulon 29–38 Northampton Saints
Report

16 October 1996
Dunvant 26–9 Connacht
Report
Broadacre, Dunvant
16 October 1996
Toulon 32–23 Petrarca
Report

19 October 1996
Orrell 23–28 Toulon
Report
19 October 1996
Petrarca 49–11 Dunvant
Report

26 October 1996
Orrell 42–25 Petrarca
Report
27 October 1996
Toulon 44–10 Connacht
Report

2 November 1996
Connacht 30–18 Orrell
Report
2 November 1996
Dunvant 8–31 Toulon
Report
Broadacre, Dunvant

Pool 4

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
Bourgoin 5500274+2319666+13010
Bordeaux-Bègles 53112913+1619599+967
Swansea 53112819+9207138+697
Gloucester 52031717011912344
Ebbw Vale 510463630482431952
London Irish 500512301890186960
Source : www.ercrugby.com
Points breakdown:
*2 points for a win
*1 point for a draw
12 October 1996
Gloucester 59–7 Ebbw Vale
Report
12 October 1996
Swansea 63–38 London Irish
Report

16 October 1996
Ebbw Vale 3–32 Swansea
Report
16 October 1996
Gloucester 10–17 Bordeaux-Bègles
Report
16 October 1996
London Irish 13–34 Bourgoin
Report

19 October 1996
Bourgoin 39–3 Ebbw Vale
Report
19 October 1996
Swansea 62–12 Gloucester
Report

26 October 1996
Swansea 31–31 Bordeaux-Bègles
Report
27 October 1996
Gloucester 9–24 Bourgoin
Report

2 November 1996
Bourgoin 54–19 Swansea
Report
2 November 1996
London Irish 13–29 Gloucester
Report

Qualifiers

Seed Pool Winners Pts TF +/
1 Castres Olympique 1029+136
2 Northampton Saints 1028+119
3 Bourgoin 1027+130
4 Agen 1020+74
Seed Runners-up Pts TF +/
5 Montferrand 830+137
6 Toulon 822+62
7 Narbonne 821+71
8 Bordeaux-Bègles 729+96

See also

References

  1. "European Challenge Cup 1996/7". BBC. 13 April 2004. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
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