1999–2000 European Challenge Cup

1999–2000 European Challenge Cup
Tournament details
Countries	England; France; Ireland; Italy; Romania; Spain; Wales
Tournament format(s)	Round-robin and Knockout
Date	19 November 1999 to 28 May 2000
Tournament statistics
Teams	28
Top point scorer(s)	David Aucagne (Pau); (130 points)
Top try scorer(s)	Philippe Bernat-Salles (Biarritz); Nicolas Brusque (Pau); Francois Plisson (Castres); (7 tries)
Final
Venue	Les Sept Deniers
Attendance	6,000
Champions	Pau (1st title)
Runners-up	Castres Olympique

The 1999–2000 European Challenge Cup was the fourth year of the European Challenge Cup, the second tier rugby union cup competition below the Heineken Cup. The tournament was held between November 1999 and May 2000.

Pool stage

Pool 1

Team	P	W	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts
Bristol Shoguns	6	5	1	18	8	10	165	96	69	10
Bordeaux-Begles	6	4	2	18	11	7	158	124	34	8
Dax	6	3	3	12	14	−2	129	146	−17	6
Calvisano	6	0	6	3	18	−15	69	155	−86	0

Pool 2

Team	P	W	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts
Castres Olympique	6	6	0	39	12	27	249	94	155	12
Newport	6	3	3	15	14	1	137	119	18	6
Bedford Blues	6	2	4	15	31	−16	121	223	−102	4
Rugby Rovigo	6	1	5	13	25	−12	107	178	−71	2

Pool 3

Team	P	W	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts
Pau	6	5	1	32	9	23	229	114	115	10
Perpignan	6	5	1	24	9	15	200	104	96	10
Sale Sharks	6	2	4	17	24	−7	168	181	−13	4
Caerphilly	6	0	6	8	39	−31	81	279	−198	0

Pool 4

Team	P	W	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts
Ebbw Vale	6	6	0	31	13	18	252	127	125	12
Toulon	6	3	3	17	8	9	178	148	30	6
Connacht	6	2	4	15	18	−3	131	165	−34	4
Steaua București	6	1	5	13	37	−24	120	241	−121	2

Pool 5

Team	P	W	D	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts
Biarritz Olympique	6	5	0	1	34	8	26	227	77	150	10
Gloucester	6	4	1	1	25	12	13	188	113	75	9
Bridgend RFC	6	2	1	3	13	20	−7	113	151	−38	5
Spain XV	6	0	0	6	7	39	−32	79	266	−187	0

Pool 6

Team	P	W	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts
Newcastle Falcons	6	5	1	24	8	16	200	90	110	10
Narbonne	6	3	3	19	7	12	153	96	57	6
Aurillac	6	3	3	13	20	−7	125	153	−28	6
Dunvant	6	1	5	11	32	−21	92	231	−139	2

Pool 7

Team	P	W	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts
London Irish	6	4	2	24	19	5	192	140	52	8
SU Agen	6	5	1	30	7	23	211	100	111	8*
Brive	6	3	3	25	18	7	199	162	37	6
Rugby Roma	6	0	6	9	44	−35	94	294	−200	0

* Agen deducted two points for fielding non-registered players in two matches.[1]

Knockout stage

Quarter finals

15 April 2000
16:00

Pau	36–20	Newcastle Falcons
	Report

Stade Municipal du Hameau, Pau
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Robert Davies

15 April 2000
17:30

Ebbw Vale	20–21	London Irish
	Report

Eugene Cross Park, Ebbw Vale
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Joel Jutge

15 April 2000
19:30

Castres Olympique	43–33	Perpignan
	Report

Stade Pierre Antoine, Castres
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Chris White

15 April 2000
20:00

Biarritz Olympique	29–32	Bristol
	Report

Parc des Sports Aguilera, Biarritz
Attendance: 3,300
Referee: Giovanni Morandin

Semi finals

5 May 2000
20:00

Castres Olympique	40–30	London Irish
	Report

Stade Selery, Colomiers
Attendance: 5,800
Referee: Antonio Lombardi

6 May 2000
19:30

Pau	51–27	Bristol
	Report

Stade Maurice Trelut, Tarbes
Attendance: 7,500
Referee: David Tyndall

Final

28 May 2000
15:00

Pau	34–21	Castres Olympique
	Report

Les Sept Deniers, Toulouse
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Chris White

References

BBC Sport

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[1] BBC Sport