2000–01 European Challenge Cup

2000–01 European Challenge Cup
Tournament details
Countries	England; France; Ireland; Italy; Wales
Tournament format(s)	Round-robin and Knockout
Date	6 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
Champions	NEC Harlequins (1st title)
Runners-up	Narbonne

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.

Pool stage

Pool 1

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

Pool 2

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

Pool 3

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

Pool 4

Team	P	W	D	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts
SU 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

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

Pool 6

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

Pool 7

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

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

Quarter finals

27 January 2001

Narbonne	34 – 24	Perpignan

Parc des Sports et de l'Amitie

27 January 2001

SU Agen	31 – 0	Béziers

Stade Armandie

28 January 2001

Brive	13 – 20	NEC Harlequins

Parc Municipal des Sports

28 January 2001

Newcastle Falcons	61 – 23	Mont de Marsan

Kingston Park
Attendance: 2,500

Semi finals

21 April 2001

Narbonne	22 – 15	SU Agen

Stade Ernest Wallon
Attendance: 12,000

22 April 2001

NEC Harlequins	17 – 12	Newcastle Falcons

Headingley Stadium
Attendance: 6,000

Final

20 May 2001

NEC Harlequins	42 – 33	Narbonne

Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 11,211