# 1997–98 European Challenge Cup pool stage

The pool stage of the 1997–98 European Challenge Cup.

## Pool 1

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
| Agen | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 12 | +15 | 219 | 105 | +114 | 12 |
| Bristol | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 22 | −6 | 115 | 180 | −65 | 4 |
| Ebbw Vale | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 17 | −5 | 117 | 155 | −38 | 4 |
| La Rochelle | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 15 | −4 | 128 | 139 | −11 | 4 |
* 7 September 1997 15:00
| Bristol Shoguns | 33 – 14 | La Rochelle |
* Memorial Ground
* 7 September 1997 18:00
| Ebbw Vale | 16 – 27 | Agen |
* Eugene Cross Park
* 13 September 1997 14:30
| Ebbw Vale | 28 – 15 | Bristol Shoguns |
* Eugene Cross Park
* 14 September 1997 17:00
| La Rochelle | 20 – 33 | Agen |
* Stade Marcel Deflandre
* 20 September 1997 14:15
| Agen | 45 – 18 | Bristol Shoguns |
* Stade Armandie
* 20 September 1997 17:00
| La Rochelle | 25 – 24 | Ebbw Vale |
* Stade Marcel Deflandre
* 27 September 1997 14:00
| Agen | 21 – 15 | La Rochelle |
* Stade Armandie
* 27 September 1997 14:00
| Bristol Shoguns | 18 – 16 | Ebbw Vale |
* Memorial Ground
* 3 October 1997 19:30
| Bristol Shoguns | 24 – 42 | Agen |
* Memorial Ground
* 4 October 1997 14:00
| Ebbw Vale | 21 – 19 | La Rochelle |
* Eugene Cross Park
* 11 October 1997 20:00
| Agen | 51 – 12 | Ebbw Vale |
* Stade Armandie
* 12 October 1997 15:00
| La Rochelle | 35 – 7 | Bristol Shoguns |
* Stade Marcel Deflandre

## Pool 2

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
| Montferrand | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 11 | +17 | 203 | 120 | +83 | 10 |
| Newport | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 27 | −7 | 172 | 192 | −20 | 6 |
| Sale Sharks | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 163 | 117 | +46 | 6 |
| Montpellier | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 27 | −15 | 90 | 199 | −109 | 2 |
* 7 September 1997 14:00
| Newport | 42 – 17 | Montpellier |
* Rodney Parade
* 7 September 1997 15:00
| Montferrand | 25 – 16 | Sale Sharks |
* Stade Marcel Michelin
* 13 September 1997 14:05
| Montferrand | 58 – 32 | Newport |
* Stade Marcel Michelin
* 14 September 1997 15:00
| Montpellier | 30 – 12 | Sale Sharks |
* Stade Sabathe
* 21 September 1997 15:00
| Montpellier | 16 – 18 | Montferrand |
* Stade Sabathe
* 21 September 1997 15:00
| Sale Sharks | 61 – 27 | Newport |
* Heywood Road
* 27 September 1997 14:00
| Newport | 26 – 31 | Montferrand |
* Rodney Parade
* 28 September 1997 15:00
| Sale Sharks | 43 – 3 | Montpellier |
* Heywood Road
* 4 October 1997 14:00
| Newport | 17 – 11 | Sale Sharks |
* Rodney Parade
* 4 October 1997 19:00
| Montferrand | 56 – 10 | Montpellier |
* Stade Marcel Michelin
* 12 October 1997 15:00
| Montpellier | 14 – 28 | Newport |
* Stade Sabathe
* 12 October 1997 15:00
| Sale Sharks | 20 – 15 | Montferrand |
* Heywood Road

## Pool 3

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
| Stade Français | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 18 | +30 | 337 | 131 | +206 | 10 |
| London Irish | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 169 | 133 | +36 | 8 |
| Dax | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 20 | −6 | 139 | 180 | −41 | 6 |
| Farul Constanţa | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 38 | −28 | 94 | 295 | −201 | 0 |
* 6 September 1997 20:00
| Dax | 32 – 20 | Farul Constanţa |
* Stade Maurice Boyau
* 7 September 1997 14:30
| London Irish | 25 – 41 | Stade Français |
* The Avenue
* 12 September 1997 20:00
| Dax | 34 – 19 | London Irish |
* Stade Maurice Boyau
* 13 September 1997 17:00
| Stade Français | 83 – 10 | Farul Constanţa |
* Stade Jean Bouin
* 20 September 1997 16:00
| Stade Français | 65 – 19 | Dax |
* Stade Jean Bouin
* 20 September 1997 16:30
| Farul Constanţa | 9 – 26 | London Irish |
* Stadionul de Rugby Farul
* 27 September 1997 15:00
| London Irish | 24 – 11 | Dax |
* The Avenue
* 27 September 1997 16:30
| Farul Constanţa | 28 – 85 | Stade Français |
* Stadionul de Rugby Farul
* 4 October 1997 15:00
| London Irish | 46 – 10 | Farul Constanţa |
* The Avenue
* 4 October 1997 20:00
| Dax | 20 – 35 | Stade Français |
* Stade Maurice Boyau
* 11 October 1997 15:00
| Stade Français | 28 – 29 | London Irish |
* Stade Jean Bouin
* 11 October 1997 16:30
| Farul Constanţa | 17 – 23 | Dax |
* Stadionul de Rugby Farul

## Pool 4

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
| Connacht | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 13 | −2 | 144 | 97 | +47 | 10 |
| Northampton Saints | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 161 | 116 | +45 | 6 |
| Bordeaux-Begles | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 112 | 110 | +2 | 6 |
| Nice | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 20 | −6 | 94 | 188 | −94 | 2 |
* 6 September 1997 20:00
| Nice | 24 – 25 | Bordeaux-Begles |
* Stade du Ray
* 9 September 1997 15:00
| Connacht | 43 – 13 | Northampton Saints |
* The Sports Ground
* 13 September 1997 15:00
| Northampton Saints | 25 – 13 | Bordeaux-Begles |
* Franklin's Gardens
* 14 September 1997 15:00
| Nice | 20 – 16 | Connacht |
* Stade du Ray
* 20 September 1997 17:00
| Northampton Saints | 66 – 7 | Nice |
* Franklin's Gardens
* 20 September 1997 20:00
| Bordeaux-Begles | 9 – 15 | Connacht |
* Stade Andre Moga
* 27 September 1997 15:00
| Connacht | 28 – 25 | Nice |
* The Sports Ground
* 27 September 1997 20:00
| Bordeaux-Begles | 23 – 16 | Northampton Saints |
* Stade Andre Moga
* 4 October 1997 15:00
| Connacht | 22 – 15 | Bordeaux-Begles |
* The Sports Ground
* 4 October 1997 20:00
| Nice | 10 – 26 | Northampton Saints |
* Stade du Ray
* 11 October 1997 15:00
| Northampton Saints | 15 – 20 | Connacht |
* Franklin's Gardens
* 11 October 1997 20:00
| Bordeaux-Begles | 27 – 8 | Nice |
* Stade Andre Moga

## Pool 5

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
| Colomiers | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 13 | +27 | 290 | 121 | +169 | 12 |
| Richmond | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 15 | +13 | 196 | 133 | +63 | 8 |
| Bridgend RFC | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 37 | −25 | 130 | 259 | −129 | 4 |
| Grenoble | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 24 | −15 | 112 | 215 | −103 | 0 |
* 7 September 1997 14:30
| Grenoble | 33 – 35 | Bridgend |
* Stade Lesdiguieres
* 7 September 1997 15:00
| Colomiers | 34 – 18 | Richmond |
* Stade Selery
* 13 September 1997 15:00
| Richmond | 43 – 14 | Bridgend |
* The Athletic Ground
* 14 September 1997 15:00
| Colomiers | 60 – 10 | Grenoble |
* Stade Selery
* 20 September 1997 14:00
| Bridgend | 24 – 49 | Colomiers |
* Brewery Field
* 20 September 1997 15:00
| Richmond | 37 – 8 | Grenoble |
* The Athletic Ground
* 27 September 1997 18:00
| Bridgend | 12 – 44 | Richmond |
* Brewery Field
* 27 September 1997 20:00
| Grenoble | 24 – 29 | Colomiers |
* Stade Lesdiguieres
* 4 October 1997 16:00
| Colomiers | 69 – 20 | Bridgend |
* Stade Selery
* 4 October 1997 20:00
| Grenoble | 16 – 29 | Richmond |
* Stade Lesdiguieres
* 11 October 1997 14:30
| Bridgend | 25 – 21 | Grenoble |
* Brewery Field
* 12 October 1997 14:15
| Richmond | 25 – 49 | Colomiers |
* The Athletic Ground

## Pool 6

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
| Gloucester | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 12 | +7 | 170 | 101 | +69 | 10 |
| Toulon | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 136 | 104 | +32 | 7 |
| Béziers | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 14 | +4 | 150 | 147 | +3 | 5 |
| Petrarca Rugby | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 29 | −16 | 108 | 212 | −104 | 2 |
* 6 September 1997 20:00
| Toulon | 19 – 14 | Béziers |
* Stade Félix Mayol
* 7 September 1997 15:00
| Gloucester | 43 – 10 | Petrarca Rugby |
* Kingsholm
* 13 September 1997 15:00
| Gloucester | 18 – 15 | Toulon |
* Kingsholm
* 13 September 1997 20:30
| Béziers | 40 – 23 | Petrarca Rugby |
* Stade de la Méditerranée
* 20 September 1997 14:15
| Béziers | 27 – 29 | Gloucester |
* Stade de la Méditerranée
* 21 September 1997 15:30
| Petrarca Rugby | 13 – 54 | Toulon |
* Stadio Plebiscito
* 27 September 1997 20:30
| Petrarca Rugby | 26 – 26 | Béziers |
* Stadio Plebiscito
* 28 September 1997 19:00
| Toulon | 16 – 13 | Gloucester |
* Stade Félix Mayol
* 4 October 1997 15:00
| Gloucester | 38 – 17 | Béziers |
* Kingsholm
* 4 October 1997 20:00
| Toulon | 20 – 20 | Petrarca Rugby |
* Stade Félix Mayol
* 11 October 1997 20:30
| Béziers | 26 – 12 | Toulon |
* Stade de la Méditerranée
* 12 October 1997 15:30
| Petrarca Rugby | 16 – 29 | Gloucester |
* Stadio Plebiscito

## Pool 7

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
| Newcastle Falcons | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 8 | +28 | 264 | 98 | +166 | 10 |
| Biarritz | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 17 | −7 | 123 | 153 | −30 | 6 |
| Perpignan | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 13 | −1 | 98 | 138 | −40 | 4 |
| Edinburgh | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 29 | −20 | 109 | 205 | −96 | 4 |
* 7 September 1997 16:00
| Newcastle Falcons | 37 – 10 | Biarritz |
* Kingston Park Stadium
* 7 September 1997 19:00
| Perpignan | 21 – 9 | Edinburgh |
* Stade Aimé Giral
* 14 September 1997 15:00
| Edinburgh | 15 – 32 | Biarritz |
* Goldenacre
* 14 September 1997 15:00
| Newcastle Falcons | 60 – 3 | Perpignan |
* Kingston Park Stadium
* 20 September 1997 20:00
| Biarritz | 18 – 6 | Perpignan |
* Parc des Sports Aguilera
* 21 September 1997 15:00
| Edinburgh | 16 – 40 | Newcastle Falcons |
* Goldenacre
* 27 September 1997 20:00
| Biarritz | 25 – 27 | Edinburgh |
* Parc des Sports Aguilera
* 27 September 1997 20:30
| Perpignan | 13 – 27 | Newcastle Falcons |
* Stade Aimé Giral
* 4 October 1997 20:30
| Perpignan | 40 – 6 | Biarritz |
* Stade Aimé Giral
* 5 October 1997 15:00
| Newcastle Falcons | 72 – 24 | Edinburgh |
* Kingston Park Stadium
* 11 October 1997 14:15
| Biarritz | 32 – 28 | Newcastle Falcons |
* Parc des Sports Aguilera
* 12 October 1997 15:00
| Edinburgh | 18 – 15 | Perpignan |
* Goldenacre

## Pool 8

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
| Castres | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 10 | +16 | 206 | 97 | +109 | 10 |
| Saracens | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 197 | 128 | +69 | 10 |
| Narbonne | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 14 | +5 | 168 | 138 | +30 | 4 |
| Neath | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 41 | −31 | 93 | 301 | −208 | 0 |
* 7 September 1997 15:00
| Neath | 12 – 36 | Castres |
* The Gnoll
* 7 September 1997 18:00
| Narbonne | 16 – 18 | Saracens |
* Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié
* 13 September 1997 18:00
| Neath | 10 – 50 | Narbonne |
* The Gnoll
* 14 September 1997 15:00
| Saracens | 26 – 21 | Castres |
* Vicarage Road
* 20 September 1997 20:00
| Castres | 24 – 19 | Narbonne |
* Stade Pierre Antoine
* 21 September 1997 15:00
| Saracens | 69 – 30 | Neath |
* Vicarage Road
* 27 September 1997 14:15
| Castres | 32 – 18 | Saracens |
* Stade Pierre Antoine
* 27 September 1997 19:30
| Narbonne | 52 – 21 | Neath |
* Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié
* 4 October 1997 18:00
| Neath | 12 – 26 | Saracens |
* The Gnoll
* 4 October 1997 19:30
| Narbonne | 14 – 25 | Castres |
* Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié
* 11 October 1997 20:00
| Castres | 68 – 8 | Neath |
* Stade Pierre Antoine
* 12 October 1997 15:00
| Saracens | 40 – 17 | Narbonne |
* Vicarage Road

## Qualifiers

| Seed | Pool Winners | Pts | TF | +/− |
| 1 | Colomiers | 12 | 40 | +169 |
| 2 | Agen | 12 | 27 | +114 |
| 3 | Stade Français | 10 | 48 | +206 |
| 4 | Newcastle Falcons | 10 | 36 | +166 |
| 5 | Montferrand | 10 | 28 | +83 |
| 6 | Castres Olympique | 10 | 26 | +109 |
| 7 | Gloucester | 10 | 19 | +69 |
| 8 | Connacht | 10 | 11 | +47 |