2000–01 European Challenge Cup

The 2000–01 European Challenge Cup was the fifth year of the European Challenge Cup, the second tier rugby union cup competition below the Heineken Cup. The tournament was held between October 2000 and May 2001.

2000–01 European Challenge Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
 France
 Ireland
 Italy
 Wales
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and Knockout
Date6 October 1999 - 20 May 2001
Tournament statistics
Top point scorer(s)Barry Everitt (London Irish)
(119 points)
Top try scorer(s)Pépito Elhorga (Agen)
(8 tries)
Final
ChampionsEngland NEC Harlequins (1st title)
Runners-upFrance Narbonne
← 1999–2000 (Previous)
(Next) 2001–02 →

Pool stage edit

Pool 1 edit

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
  Newcastle Falcons 6 5 0 1 27 10 17 234 99 135 10
  Benetton Treviso 6 5 0 1 17 11 6 157 97 60 10
  Bordeaux-Begles 6 2 0 4 17 14 3 136 152 −16 4
  Cross Keys 6 0 0 6 7 33 −26 60 239 −179 0

Pool 2 edit

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
  Béziers 6 5 0 1 14 10 4 151 112 39 10
  Montferrand 6 4 0 2 23 9 14 201 107 94 8
  Neath 6 2 0 4 16 23 −7 151 192 −41 4
 Connacht 6 1 0 5 4 15 −11 60 152 −92 2

Pool 3 edit

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
  Perpignan 6 4 0 2 20 9 11 187 105 82 8
  Rotherham Titans 6 4 0 2 13 19 −6 122 136 −14 8
  Bridgend RFC 6 2 0 4 15 16 −1 144 166 −22 4
  Grenoble 6 2 0 4 12 16 −4 120 166 −46 4

Pool 4 edit

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
  Agen 6 5 0 1 37 5 32 259 91 168 10
  Sale Sharks 6 4 0 2 16 18 −2 178 155 23 8
  Auch 6 2 1 3 16 21 −5 134 185 −51 5
  Caerphilly 6 0 1 5 11 36 −25 128 268 −140 1

Pool 5 edit

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
  NEC Harlequins 6 5 0 1 22 8 14 188 80 108 10
  Dax 6 5 0 1 17 10 7 152 103 49 10
  Ebbw Vale 6 1 0 5 13 18 −5 120 151 −31 2
  Périgueux 6 1 0 5 9 25 −16 94 220 −126 2

Pool 6 edit

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
  London Irish 6 5 0 1 25 13 12 254 106 148 10
  Brive 6 5 0 1 23 11 12 184 143 41 10
  Aurillac 6 2 0 4 20 17 3 155 179 −24 4
  Piacenza 6 0 0 6 10 37 −27 90 255 −165 0

Pool 7 edit

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
  Mont de Marsan 6 5 0 1 22 8 14 177 113 64 10
  La Rochelle 6 3 1 2 21 11 10 167 113 54 7
  Bristol Shoguns 6 3 1 2 17 16 1 199 147 52 7
  Rugby Parma 6 0 0 6 12 37 −25 92 262 −170 0

Pool 8 edit

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
  Narbonne 4 3 1 0 13 9 4 124 76 48 7
  Bourgoin 4 2 1 1 13 6 7 104 83 21 5
  Rugby Viadana 4 0 0 4 8 19 −11 78 147 −69 0

Knockout stage edit

Quarter-finals edit

27 January 2001
Agen  31–0  Béziers
Stade Armandie
28 January 2001
Newcastle Falcons  61–23  Mont de Marsan
Kingston Park
Attendance: 2,500

Semi-finals edit

21 April 2001
Narbonne  22–15  Agen
Stade Ernest Wallon
Attendance: 12,000
22 April 2001
NEC Harlequins  17–12  Newcastle Falcons
Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 6,000

Final edit

20 May 2001
NEC Harlequins  42–33  Narbonne
Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 11,211


Harlequins: J. Williams, Gollings, Greenwood, Greenstock, O'Leary, Burke, M. Powell, Leonard, Wood, Dawson, Morgan, White-Cooper, Sanderson, Wilson, Winters.

Replacements: Friday, Chalmers, Jennings, Starr, Fuga, Codling, Jenkins.

Narbonne: Corletto, Joubert, Douy, A. Stoica, Rouch, Quesada, Sudre, Martinez, Ledesma, Pucciarello, Gaston, Merle, Furet, Raynaud, Reid.

Replacements: Racine, Poux, Plateret, Mathieu, Azema, Rosalen, Buada.

Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)

See also edit