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.
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
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
Rugby Parma FC 23–28
Sergio Lanfranchi
Auch 6–28
Stade Patrice Brocas
Bath 28–0
Recreation Ground
Albi 30–31
La Maison des Sports
Albi 18–26
La Maison des Sports
Rugby Parma FC 25–20
Sergio Lanfranchi
Bath 59–15
Recreation Ground
Auch 24–20
Stade Patrice Brocas
Rugby Parma FC 13–31
Sergio Lanfranchi
Auch 15–13
Stade Patrice Brocas
Bath 31–13
Recreation Ground
Albi 26–23
La Maison des Sports
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
Montauban 65–6
Stade de Sapiac
București 8–18
Arcul de Triumf
Gran Parma 23–23
Sergio Lanfranchi
Worcester Warriors 41–18
Sixways Stadium
București 19–17
Bucharest
Worcester Warriors 50–0
Sixways Stadium
Montauban 34–6
Stade de Sapiac
Gran Parma 16–66
Sergio Lanfranchi
Montauban 7–24
Stade de Sapiac
București 21–20
Sergio Lanfranchi
Gran Parma 17–34
Sergio Lanfranchi
Worcester Warriors 46–0
Sixways Stadium
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
Brive 15–6
Stadium Municipal, Brive
El Salvador 10–71
Campo de Pepe Rojo
Newcastle Falcons 25–19
Kingston Park
Connacht 75–8
Sportsground
Connacht 16–13
Sportsground
Brive 71–0
Stadium Municipal, Brive
El Salvador 8–40
Campo de Pepe Rojo
Newcastle Falcons 39–0
Kingston Park
Brive 12–19
Stadium Municipal, Brive
El Salvador 0–60
Campo de Pepe Rojo
Connacht 15–22
Sportsground
Newcastle Falcons 97–0
Kingston Park
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
Sale Sharks 49–6
Edgeley Park
Bayonne 37–20
Stade Jean Dauger
Petrarca Padova 14–53
Stadio Plebiscito
Montpellier 18–12
Stade Yves du Manoir, Montpell
Petrarca Padova 13–19
Stadio Plebiscito
Bayonne 12–51
Stade Jean Dauger
Sale Sharks 32–10
Edgeley Park
Montpellier 31–3
Stade Yves du Manoir, Montpell
Sale Sharks 45–6
Edgeley Park
Bayonne 24–26
Stade Jean Dauger
Petrarca Padova 17–5
Stadio Plebiscito
Montpellier 14–14
Stade Yves du Manoir, Montpell
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
Leeds Carnegie 35–18
Headingley Stadium
Calvisano 54–19
Centro Sportivo San Michele
Dax 20–23
Stade Maurice Boyau
Castres 61–28
Stade Pierre Antoine
Castres 25–15
Stade Pierre Antoine
Leeds Carnegie 45–5
Headingley Stadium
Dax 15–16
Stade Maurice Boyau
Calvisano 27–26
Centro Sportivo San Michele
Leeds Carnegie 25–18
Headingley Stadium
Calvisano 9–27
Centro Sportivo San Michele
Castres 13–3
Stade Pierre Antoine
Dax 22–0
Stade Maurice Boyau
Seeding and runners-up
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See also
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References
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Worcester Warriors
Castres Olympique
Overmach Parma
București
Connacht
El Salvador