# 2007–08 European Challenge Cup pool stage

The 2007–08 European Challenge Cup pool stage was the opening stage of the 12th season of the European Challenge Cup, the second-tier competition for European rugby union clubs. It began on 8 November 2007 when Sale Sharks hosted Montpellier and ended with the Newcastle Falcons / El Salvador game on 20 January 2008.
Twenty teams participated in this phase of the competition; they were divided into five pools of four teams each, with each team playing the others home and away. Competition points were earned using the standard bonus point system. The five pool winners and the best three runners-up advanced to the knockout stage. These teams then competed in a single-elimination tournament that ended with the final at Kingsholm Stadium in Gloucester on 25 May 2008.

## Results

All times are local to the game location.
    Key to colours   Winner of each pool, advance to quarterfinals. Seed # in parentheses   Three highest-scoring second-place teams advance to quarterfinals. Seed # in parentheses

### Pool 1

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Bath Rugby (2) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 6 | +22 | 203 | 65 | +138 | 5 | 0 | 29 |
| Auch | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 19 | −8 | 109 | 147 | −38 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| Albi | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 21 | −6 | 130 | 177 | −47 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| Overmach Parma | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 18 | −8 | 104 | 157 | −53 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
* 10 November 2007 15:00
| Rugby Parma FC | 23–28 | Albi |
* Sergio Lanfranchi Attendance: 4,000
* 10 November 2007 20:45
| Auch | 6–28 | Bath |
* Stade Patrice Brocas Attendance: 3,562
* 17 November 2007 14:15
| Bath | 28–0 | Rugby Parma FC |
* Recreation Ground Attendance: 10,025
* 17 November 2007 19:30
| Albi | 30–31 | Auch |
* La Maison des Sports Attendance: 4,767
* 7 December 2007 19:00
| Albi | 18–26 | Bath |
* La Maison des Sports Attendance: 4,000
* 8 December 2007 15:00
| Rugby Parma FC | 25–20 | Auch |
* Sergio Lanfranchi Attendance: 530
* 15 December 2007 14:15
| Bath | 59–15 | Albi |
* Recreation Ground Attendance: 9,282
* 15 December 2007 18:30
| Auch | 24–20 | Rugby Parma FC |
* Stade Patrice Brocas Attendance: 1,500
* 12 January 2008 15:00
| Rugby Parma FC | 13–31 | Bath |
* Sergio Lanfranchi Attendance: 1,000
* 12 January 2008 17:30
| Auch | 15–13 | Albi |
* Stade Patrice Brocas Attendance: 3,000
* 19 January 2008 14:15
| Bath | 31–13 | Auch |
* Recreation Ground Attendance: 9,484
* 19 January 2008 19:30
| Albi | 26–23 | Rugby Parma FC |
* La Maison des Sports Attendance: 4,200

### Pool 2

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Worcester Warriors (1) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 6 | +30 | 245 | 49 | +196 | 5 | 0 | 29 |
| Montauban | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 28 | 12 | +16 | 175 | 113 | +62 | 3 | 1 | 16 |
| București | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 22 | −15 | 77 | 158 | −81 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Gran Parma | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 38 | −31 | 82 | 259 | −177 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
* 9 November 2007 18:30
| Montauban | 65–6 | Gran Parma |
* Stade de Sapiac Attendance: 3,000
* 10 November 2007 14:00
| București | 8–18 | Worcester Warriors |
* Arcul de Triumf Attendance: 800
* 17 November 2007 15:00
| Gran Parma | 23–23 | București |
* Sergio Lanfranchi Attendance: 220
* 17 November 2007 15:00
| Worcester Warriors | 41–18 | Montauban |
* Sixways Stadium Attendance: 6,876
* 8 December 2007 13:00
| București | 19–17 | Montauban |
* Bucharest Attendance: 1,000
* 8 December 2007 15:00
| Worcester Warriors | 50–0 | Gran Parma |
* Sixways Stadium Attendance: 7,169
* 14 December 2007 18:30
| Montauban | 34–6 | București |
* Stade de Sapiac Attendance: 2,500
* 15 December 2007 15:00
| Gran Parma | 16–66 | Worcester Warriors |
* Sergio Lanfranchi Attendance: 520
* 11 January 2008 18:30
| Montauban | 7–24 | Worcester Warriors |
* Stade de Sapiac Attendance: 2,000
* 13 January 2008 14:30
| București | 21–20 | Gran Parma |
* Sergio Lanfranchi Attendance: 250
* 19 January 2008 15:00
| Gran Parma | 17–34 | Montauban |
* Sergio Lanfranchi Attendance: 300
* 19 January 2008 15:00
| Worcester Warriors | 46–0 | București |
* Sixways Stadium Attendance: 6,380

### Pool 3

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Newcastle Falcons (4) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 3 | +31 | 264 | 57 | +207 | 3 | 1 | 24 |
| Brive (6) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 5 | +16 | 179 | 73 | +106 | 3 | 2 | 20 |
| Connacht | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 10 | +15 | 172 | 97 | +75 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| El Salvador | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 65 | −62 | 26 | 414 | −388 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* 9 November 2007 19:30
| Brive | 15–6 | Connacht |
* Stadium Municipal, Brive Attendance: 4,850
* 10 November 2007 16:30
| El Salvador | 10–71 | Newcastle Falcons |
* Campo de Pepe Rojo Attendance: 4,000
* 15 November 2007 19:45
| Newcastle Falcons | 25–19 | Brive |
* Kingston Park Attendance: 5,140
* 16 November 2007 18:30
| Connacht | 75–8 | El Salvador |
* Sportsground Attendance: 1,943
* 7 December 2007 18:30
| Connacht | 16–13 | Newcastle Falcons |
* Sportsground Attendance: 2,856
* 9 December 2007 15:00
| Brive | 71–0 | El Salvador |
* Stadium Municipal, Brive Attendance: 2,000
* 16 December 2007 12:30
| El Salvador | 8–40 | Brive |
* Campo de Pepe Rojo Attendance: 3,000
* 16 December 2007 15:00
| Newcastle Falcons | 39–0 | Connacht |
* Kingston Park Attendance: 7,426
* 11 January 2008 19:00
| Brive | 12–19 | Newcastle Falcons |
* Stadium Municipal, Brive Attendance: 7,500
* 13 January 2008 12:30
| El Salvador | 0–60 | Connacht |
* Campo de Pepe Rojo Attendance: 3,500
* 18 January 2008 18:30
| Connacht | 15–22 | Brive |
* Sportsground Attendance: 3,544
* 20 January 2008 15:00
| Newcastle Falcons | 97–0 | El Salvador |
* Kingston Park Attendance: 4,872

### Pool 4

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Sale Sharks (3) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 8 | +26 | 244 | 62 | +182 | 5 | 0 | 27 |
| Montpellier (8) | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 14 | −2 | 114 | 115 | −1 | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| Bayonne | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 20 | −4 | 100 | 164 | −64 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Petrarca Padova | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 27 | −20 | 73 | 190 | −117 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
* 8 November 2007 19:45
| Sale Sharks | 49–6 | Montpellier |
* Edgeley Park Attendance: 6,606
* 9 November 2007 19:30
| Bayonne | 37–20 | Petrarca Padova |
* Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 6,000
* 17 November 2007 15:00
| Petrarca Padova | 14–53 | Sale Sharks |
* Stadio Plebiscito Attendance: 2,850
* 17 November 2007 20:45
| Montpellier | 18–12 | Bayonne |
* Stade Yves du Manoir, Montpell Attendance: 5,000
* 8 December 2007 15:00
| Petrarca Padova | 13–19 | Montpellier |
* Stadio Plebiscito Attendance: 1,000
* 8 December 2007 20:45
| Bayonne | 12–51 | Sale Sharks |
* Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 8,000
* 13 December 2007 19:45
| Sale Sharks | 32–10 | Bayonne |
* Edgeley Park Attendance: 7,285
* 14 December 2007 19:30
| Montpellier | 31–3 | Petrarca Padova |
* Stade Yves du Manoir, Montpell Attendance: 4,200
* 11 January 2008 19:45
| Sale Sharks | 45–6 | Petrarca Padova |
* Edgeley Park Attendance: 6,708
* 12 January 2008 20:45
| Bayonne | 24–26 | Montpellier |
* Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 4,000
* 19 January 2008 15:00
| Petrarca Padova | 17–5 | Bayonne |
* Stadio Plebiscito Attendance: 900
* 19 January 2008 20:45
| Montpellier | 14–14 | Sale Sharks |
* Stade Yves du Manoir, Montpell Attendance: 12,250

### Pool 5

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Castres Olympique (5) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 12 | +7 | 160 | 105 | +55 | 1 | 0 | 21 |
| Leeds Carnegie (7) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 10 | +8 | 157 | 101 | +56 | 2 | 1 | 19 |
| Calvisano | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 29 | −16 | 123 | 200 | −77 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Dax | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 14 | +1 | 109 | 143 | −34 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
* 9 November 2007 20:00
| Leeds Carnegie | 35–18 | Castres |
* Headingley Stadium Attendance: 2,138
* 11 November 2007 15:00
| Calvisano | 54–19 | Dax |
* Centro Sportivo San Michele Attendance: 1,600
* 16 November 2007 20:00
| Dax | 20–23 | Leeds Carnegie |
* Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 4,000
* 17 November 2007 18:00
| Castres | 61–28 | Calvisano |
* Stade Pierre Antoine Attendance: 6,000
* 8 December 2007 16:00
| Castres | 25–15 | Dax |
* Stade Pierre Antoine Attendance: 5,400
* 9 December 2007 15:00
| Leeds Carnegie | 45–5 | Calvisano |
* Headingley Stadium Attendance: 2,107
* 15 December 2007 20:45
| Dax | 15–16 | Castres |
* Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 3,500
* 16 December 2007 15:00
| Calvisano | 27–26 | Leeds Carnegie |
* Centro Sportivo San Michele Attendance: 1,500
* 11 January 2008 20:00
| Leeds Carnegie | 25–18 | Dax |
* Headingley Stadium Attendance: 2,011
* 12 January 2008 15:00
| Calvisano | 9–27 | Castres |
* Centro Sportivo San Michele Attendance: 1,500
* 17 January 2008 20:45
| Castres | 13–3 | Leeds Carnegie |
* Stade Pierre Antoine Attendance: 6,800
* 18 January 2008 19:00
| Dax | 22–0 | Calvisano |
* Stade Maurice Boyau Attendance: 2,000

## Seeding and runners-up

| Seed | Pool Winners | Pts | TF | +/- |
| 1 | Worcester Warriors | 29 | 36 | +196 |
| 2 | Bath | 29 | 28 | +138 |
| 3 | Sale Sharks | 27 | 34 | +182 |
| 4 | Newcastle Falcons | 24 | 34 | +207 |
| 5 | Castres Olympique | 21 | 19 | +55 |
| Seed | Pool Runners-up | Pts | TF | +/- |
| 6 | Brive | 20 | 21 | +106 |
| 7 | Leeds Carnegie | 19 | 18 | +56 |
| 8 | Montpellier | 19 | 12 | −1 |
| – | Montauban | 16 | 28 | +62 |
| – | Auch | 14 | 11 | −38 |