# 2004–05 European Challenge Cup

The 2004–05 European Challenge Cup (known as the Parker Pen Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the ninth season of the European Challenge Cup, Europe's second-tier club rugby union competition below the Heineken Cup. A total of 28 teams participated, representing seven countries.
The competition began with a series of matches on 23 October 2004 and culminated in the final at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford on 21 May 2005.
As in the previous two seasons, the competition was organised in a knockout format. Teams played each other on a home and away basis, with the aggregate points winner proceeding to the next round. The final was a single leg. This was the final season with a pure knockout format; in subsequent seasons the competition reverted to a pool stage followed by a knockout.
For the third and final time, a third tier tournament was held - the European Shield. This was contested between the first round losers from the European Challenge Cup. As there were only 28 teams involved, the 2 "best" 1st Round losers were reprieved and proceeded to the 2nd Round.
The defending champions, England's NEC Harlequins, did not have a chance to defend their crown because they qualified to play in the Heineken Cup. Sale Sharks claimed a comfortable victory over Pau in the final and picked up their second piece of European Club silverware.

## Teams

The allocation of teams was as follows:
    England: 5 teams — all teams from the Zurich Premiership that did not qualify for the 2004–05 Heineken Cup
    France: 10 teams — all teams from the Top 16 that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup
    Ireland: 1 team — the Irish team from the Celtic League that did not play in the Heineken Cup
    Italy: 8 teams — all the teams from the Super 10 that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup
    Portugal: 1 team
    Scotland: 1 team — the Scottish team from the Celtic League that did not play in the Heineken Cup
    Spain: 2 teams — drawn from the División de Honor de Rugby
| England | France | Ireland | Italy | Portugal | Scotland | Spain |
| Leeds Tykes London Irish Sale Sharks Saracens Worcester Warriors | Agen Auch Bayonne Béziers Brive Clermont Auvergne Grenoble Montpellier Narbonne Pau | Connacht | Catania Gran Parma L'Aquila Leonessa Overmach Parma Petrarca Padova Rovigo Viadana | AA Coimbra | Borders | El Salvador Valladolid RAC |

## Matches

All kickoff times are local to the match location.

### Round 1
#### 1st leg

* 23 October 2004 14:00
| AA Coimbra | 3 – 98 | Borders |
| | Report | |
* Estádio Municipal Sérgio Conceição Attendance: 400
* 23 October 2004 14:00
| Worcester Warriors | 29 – 15 | Brive |
| | Report | |
* Sixways Stadium Attendance: 4,036
* 23 October 2004 15:00
| Gran Parma | 15 – 35 | Pau |
| | Report | |
* Stadio Nando Capra Attendance: 700
* 23 October 2004 15:00
| L'Aquila | 27 – 50 | Agen |
| | Report | |
* Stadio Tommaso Fattori Attendance: 1,500
* 23 October 2004 15:30
| Rovigo | 7 – 51 | Montpellier |
| | Report | |
* Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini Attendance: 500
* 23 October 2004 16:00
| Petrarca Padova | 24 – 57 | Béziers |
| | Report | |
* Stadio Plebiscito Attendance: 200
* 23 October 2004 16:30
| Valladolid RAC | 3 – 88 | Viadana |
| | Report | |
* Estadio Pepe Rojo Attendance: 2,000
* 23 October 2004 18:00
| Auch | 18 – 20 | London Irish |
| | Report | |
* Stade Patrice Brocas Attendance: 1,500
* 23 October 2004 19:00
| Bayonne | 21 – 24 | Saracens |
| | Report | |
* Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 3,800
* 23 October 2004 19:30
| Grenoble | 9 – 9 | Leeds Tykes |
| | Report | |
* Stade Lesdiguières Attendance: 3,000
* 23 October 2004 19:30
| Narbonne | 25 – 11 | Connacht |
| | Report | |
* Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié Attendance: 3,000
* 23 October 2004 20:00
| Leonessa | 0 – 65 | Clermont Auvergne |
| | Report | |
* Campo Comunale di Rugby Attendance: 400
* 24 October 2004 12:30
| El Salvador | 36 – 12 | Overmach Parma |
| | Report | |
* Estadio Pepe Rojo Attendance: 1,500
* 24 October 2004 15:00
| Catania | 22 – 31 | Sale Sharks |
| | Report | |
* Stadio Santa Maria Goretti Attendance: 2,000

#### 2nd leg

* 29 October 2004 19:30
| Borders | 107 – 3 | AA Coimbra |
| | Report | |
* Netherdale Attendance: 1,450
* 29 October 2004 19:30
| Montpellier | 59 – 3 | Rovigo |
| | Report | |
* Stade Sabathé Attendance: 1,500
* 29 October 2004 19:45
| Saracens | 36 – 10 | Bayonne |
| | Report | |
* Vicarage Road Attendance: 4,906
* 29 October 2004 20:00
| Leeds Tykes | 17 – 18 | Grenoble |
| | Report | |
* Headingley Stadium Attendance: 2,805
* 30 October 2004 14:30
| Connacht | 40 – 21 | Narbonne |
| | Report | |
* Galway Sportsgrounds Attendance: 2,000
* 30 October 2004 14:30
| Overmach Parma | 36 – 10 | El Salvador |
| | Report | |
* Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi Attendance: 300
* 30 October 2004 15:00
| Béziers | 69 – 18 | Petrarca Padova |
| | Report | |
* Stade de la Méditerranée Attendance: 800
* 30 October 2004 19:00
| Pau | 31 – 22 | Gran Parma |
| | Report | |
* Stade du Hameau Attendance: 3,000
* 30 October 2004 19:30
| Agen | 59 – 21 | L'Aquila |
| | Report | |
* Stade Armandie Attendance: 4,128
* 30 October 2004 19:30
| Brive | 40 – 10 | Worcester Warriors |
| | Report | |
* Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 5,100
* 30 October 2004 19:30
| Clermont Auvergne | 51 – 6 | Leonessa |
| | Report | |
* Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 6,000
* 30 October 2004 19:30
| Viadana | 59 – 7 | Valladolid RAC |
| | Report | |
* Stadio Luigi Zaffanella Attendance: 500
* 31 October 2004 15:00
| London Irish | 42 – 18 | Auch |
| | Report | |
* Madejski Stadium Attendance: 5,638
* 31 October 2004 15:00
| Sale Sharks | 50 – 3 | Catania |
| | Report | |
* Edgeley Park Attendance: 5,126

#### Aggregate Results

    Key to colours   14 winners and 2 best losers advance to 2nd Round.   12 other teams to Shield.
| Winners | Match points | Aggregate score | Points margin | Losers |
| Borders | 4 – 0 | 205 – 6 | 199 | AA Coimbra |
| Viadana | 4 – 0 | 147 – 10 | 137 | Valladolid RAC |
| Clermont Auvergne | 4 – 0 | 116 – 6 | 110 | Leonessa |
| Montpellier | 4 – 0 | 110 – 10 | 100 | Rovigo |
| Béziers | 4 – 0 | 126 – 42 | 84 | Petrarca Padova |
| Agen | 4 – 0 | 109 – 48 | 61 | L'Aquila |
| Sale Sharks | 4 – 0 | 81 – 25 | 56 | Catania |
| Pau | 4 – 0 | 66 – 37 | 29 | Bayonne |
| Saracens | 4 – 0 | 60 – 31 | 29 | Gran Parma |
| London Irish | 4 – 0 | 62 – 36 | 26 | Auch |
| Grenoble | 3 – 1 | 27 – 26 | 1 | Leeds Tykes |
| Brive | 2 – 2 | 55 – 39 | 16 | Worcester Warriors |
| Connacht | 2 – 2 | 51 – 46 | 5 | Narbonne |
| Overmach Parma | 2 – 2 | 48 – 46 | 2 | El Salvador |

### Round 2
#### 1st leg

* 3 December 2004 19:30
| Béziers | 12 – 27 | Grenoble |
| | Report | |
* Stade de la Méditerranée Attendance: 2,100
* 4 December 2004 14:30
| Connacht | 56 – 3 | Montpellier |
| | Report | |
* Galway Sportsgrounds Attendance: 2,200
* 4 December 2004 15:00
| Overmach Parma | 19 – 18 | Saracens |
| | Report | |
* Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi Attendance: 800
* 4 December 2004 18:30
| Narbonne | 15 – 33 | Sale Sharks |
| | Report | |
* Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié Attendance: 2,600
* 4 December 2004 19:00
| Pau | 25 – 19 | London Irish |
| | Report | |
* Stade du Hameau Attendance: 3,000
* 4 December 2004 19:30
| Agen | 23 – 15 | Viadana |
| | Report | |
* Stade Armandie Attendance: 3,000
* 4 December 2004 19:30
| Brive | 57 – 6 | El Salvador |
| | Report | |
* Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 6,329
* 5 December 2004 15:00
| Clermont Auvergne | 44 – 14 | Borders |
| | Report | |
* Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 6,892

#### 2nd leg

* 10 December 2004 19:30
| Grenoble | 38 – 26 | Béziers |
| | Report | |
* Stade Lesdiguières Attendance: 2,000
* 10 December 2004 19:30
| Montpellier | 19 – 14 | Connacht |
| | Report | |
* Stade Sabathé Attendance: 1,000
* 10 December 2004 19:45
| Sale Sharks | 25 – 10 | Narbonne |
| | Report | |
* Edgeley Park Attendance: 5,854
* 11 December 2004 14:30
| Viadana | 22 – 17 | Agen |
| | Report | |
* Stadio Luigi Zaffanella Attendance: 2,000
* 11 December 2004 16:30
| El Salvador | 23 – 45 | Brive |
| | Report | |
* Estadio Pepe Rojo Attendance: 1,300
* 12 December 2004 14:00
| Borders | 23 – 34 | Clermont Auvergne |
| | Report | |
* Netherdale Attendance: 1,400
* 12 December 2004 14:30
| London Irish | 19 – 16 | Pau |
| | Report | |
* Madejski Stadium Attendance: 5,391
* 12 December 2004 15:00
| Saracens | 52 – 6 | Overmach Parma |
| | Report | |
* Vicarage Road Attendance: 5,391

#### Aggregate Results

| Proceed to Quarter-final | Match points | Aggregate score | Points margin | Eliminated from competition |
| Brive | 4 – 0 | 102 – 29 | 73 | El Salvador |
| Clermont Auvergne | 4 – 0 | 78 – 37 | 41 | Borders |
| Sale Sharks | 4 – 0 | 58 – 25 | 33 | Narbonne |
| Grenoble | 4 – 0 | 65 – 38 | 27 | Béziers |
| Connacht | 2 – 2 | 70 – 22 | 48 | Montpellier |
| Saracens | 2 – 2 | 70 – 25 | 45 | Overmach Parma |
| Pau | 2 – 2 | 41 – 38 | 3 | London Irish |
| Agen | 2 – 2 | 40 – 37 | 3 | Viadana |

### Quarter-finals
#### 1st leg

* 7 January 2005 19:30
| Grenoble | 21 – 26 | Connacht |
| | Report | |
* Stade Lesdiguières Attendance: 2,700
* 7 January 2005 19:45
| Sale Sharks | 34 – 18 | Agen |
| | Report | |
* Edgeley Park Attendance: 4,866
* 8 January 2005 19:30
| Pau | 25 – 21 | Clermont Auvergne |
| | Report | |
* Stade du Hameau Attendance: 3,000
* 9 January 2005 15:00
| Saracens | 19 – 6 | Brive |
| | Report | |
* Vicarage Road Attendance: 4,201

#### 2nd leg

* 14 January 2005 19:30
| Clermont Auvergne | 26 – 25 | Pau |
| | Report | |
* Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 5,222
* 15 January 2005 14:00
| Connacht | 19 – 3 | Grenoble |
| | Report | |
* Galway Sportsgrounds Attendance: 2,500
* 15 January 2005 19:30
| Agen | 17 – 15 | Sale Sharks |
| | Report | |
* Stade Armandie Attendance: 3,500
* 16 January 2005 15:00
| Brive | 31 – 16 | Saracens |
| | Report | |
* Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 6,000

#### Aggregate Results

| Proceed to Semi-final | Match points | Aggregate score | Points margin | Eliminated from competition |
| Connacht | 4 – 0 | 45 – 24 | 21 | Grenoble |
| Sale Sharks | 2 – 2 | 49 – 35 | 14 | Agen |
| Pau | 2 – 2 | 50 – 47 | 3 | Clermont Auvergne |
| Brive | 2 – 2 | 37 – 35 | 2 | Saracens |

### Semi-finals
#### 1st leg

* 2 April 2005 13:00
| Connacht | 18 – 25 | Sale Sharks |
| | Report | |
* Galway Sportsgrounds Attendance: 5,800
* 3 April 2005 14:00
| Pau | 37 – 16 | Brive |
| | Report | |
* Stade du Hameau Attendance: 2,000

#### 2nd leg

* 23 April 2005 19:15
| Brive | 27 – 13 | Pau |
| | Report | |
* Stade Amédée-Domenech Attendance: 5,000
* 24 April 2005 13:00
| Sale Sharks | 59 – 9 | Connacht |
| | Report | |
* Edgeley Park Attendance: 6,456

#### Aggregate Results

| Proceed to Final | Match points | Aggregate score | Points margin | Eliminated from competition |
| Sale Sharks | 4 – 0 | 84 – 27 | 57 | Connacht |
| Pau | 2 – 2 | 50 – 43 | 7 | Brive |

### Final

* 21 May 2005 12:45
| Sale Sharks | 27 – 3 | Pau |
| Try: Hodgson (2) 24' c, 68' m Titterrell 36' c Cueto 56' m Con: Hodgson (2/4) Pen: Hodgson (1) 3' | Report | Pen: Beauxis (1) 30' |
* Kassam Stadium, Oxford Attendance: 7,230 Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)