The 2001–02 European Challenge Cup pool stage (known as the Parker Pen Shield for sponsorship reasons) was the opening stage of the sixth season of the European Challenge Cup, the second-tier competition for European rugby union clubs. It began when Connacht hosted Narbonne on 28 September 2001 and ended with four matches on 13 January 2002.
Thirty two teams participated in this phase of the competition; they were divided into eight pools of four teams each, with each team playing the others home and away. Competition points were award for games won (2 points) and drawn (1 point). There were no points for losing, nor were there bonus points as in the more modern bonus point system. The eight pool winners advanced to the knockout stage. These teams then competed in a single-elimination tournament that ended with the final at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford on 26 May 2002.
Results All kickoff times are local to the match location.
{| class="wikitable" |+ Key to colours |- | style="background: #ccffcc;" | | Winner of each pool, advance to quarterfinals. Seed # in parentheses
Pool 1 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts Ebbw Vale (7)64021510515390638 Agen6402251312199119808 Montauban64021697146123238 Rovigo6006832−2478244−1660 Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown:*2 points for a win*1 point for a draw Ebbw Vale, Agen and Montauban finished on the same Competition Points. In head-to-head matchesEbbw Vale beat Agen 68–30 on aggregate, having won one game and lost the otherEbbw Vale beat Montauban 31–24 on aggregate, having won one game and lost the otherAgen beat Montauban 60–41 on aggregate, having won one game and lost the otherhence Ebbw Vale top the table
Pool 2 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts Pau (4)6600273242176315412 Colomiers6402329232591051548 Petrarca Padova62041426−12114223−1094 UC Madrid6006843−3590289−1990 Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown:*2 points for a win*1 point for a draw
Pool 3 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts Pontypridd (8)6402127513987528 Leeds Tykes640221156188154348 Béziers62041519−4136187−514 Overmach Parma62041118−7127162−354 Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown:*2 points for a win*1 point for a draw Pontypridd and Leeds finished on the same Competition Points.In head-to-head matches, Pontypridd beat Leeds 55–46 on aggregate,having won one game and lost the other. Béziers and Overmach Parma finished on the same Competition Points.In head-to-head matches, Béziers beat Overmach Parma 63–60 on aggregate,having won one game and lost the other.
Parma refused to travel. Pontypridd were awarded the match points.
Pool 4 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts Sale Sharks (3)6600407332867920712 Connacht63031517−2157140176 Narbonne63031394128111176 Rugby Roma6006742−3557298−2410 Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown:*2 points for a win*1 point for a draw
Pool 5 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts Bristol Shoguns (6)6501211291891157410 Neath640216133160131298 Viadana62041325−12120210−904 Bourgoin610519190160173−132 Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown:*2 points for a win*1 point for a draw
Pool 6 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts London Irish (5)6510378292848519911 Dax6411429333061191879 L'Aquila62041134−23107239−1324 Valladolid RAC6006746−3953307−2540 Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown:*2 points for a win*1 point for a draw
Pool 7 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts Gloucester (2)6600479383626230012 La Rochelle640221147161177−168 Caerphilly62041838−20170281−1114 Gran Parma60061136−25104277−1730 Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown:*2 points for a win*1 point for a draw
Pool 8 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts Saracens (1)6600647574356636912 Bordeaux-Bègles64025315383541172378 Dinamo București61051558−43102403−3012 Bologna6105961−5293398−3052 Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown:*2 points for a win*1 point for a draw
See also European Challenge Cup 2001–02 Heineken Cup
References