| 1999–2000 European Challenge Cup | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Countries | England France Ireland Italy Romania Spain Wales |
| Tournament format(s) | Round-robin and Knockout |
| Date | 19 November 1999 to 28 May 2000 |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Teams | 28 |
| Top point scorer(s) | David Aucagne (Pau) (130 points) |
| Top try scorer(s) | Philippe Bernat-Salles (Biarritz) Nicolas Brusque (Pau) Francois Plisson (Castres) (7 tries) |
| Final | |
| Venue | Les Sept Deniers |
| Attendance | 6,000 |
| Champions | Pau (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Castres Olympique |
The 1999–2000 European Challenge Cup was the fourth year of the European Challenge Cup, the second tier rugby union cup competition below the Heineken Cup. The tournament was held between November 1999 and May 2000.
Pool stage
Pool 1
| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Shoguns | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 8 | 10 | 165 | 96 | 69 | 10 |
| Bordeaux-Begles | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 158 | 124 | 34 | 8 |
| Dax | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 14 | −2 | 129 | 146 | −17 | 6 |
| Calvisano | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 18 | −15 | 69 | 155 | −86 | 0 |
Pool 2
| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castres Olympique | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 12 | 27 | 249 | 94 | 155 | 12 |
| Newport | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 137 | 119 | 18 | 6 |
| Bedford Blues | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 31 | −16 | 121 | 223 | −102 | 4 |
| Rugby Rovigo | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 25 | −12 | 107 | 178 | −71 | 2 |
Pool 3
| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pau | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 32 | 9 | 23 | 229 | 114 | 115 | 10 |
| Perpignan | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 9 | 15 | 200 | 104 | 96 | 10 |
| Sale Sharks | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 24 | −7 | 168 | 181 | −13 | 4 |
| Caerphilly | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 39 | −31 | 81 | 279 | −198 | 0 |
Pool 4
| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ebbw Vale | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 13 | 18 | 252 | 127 | 125 | 12 |
| Toulon | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 178 | 148 | 30 | 6 |
| Connacht | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 18 | −3 | 131 | 165 | −34 | 4 |
| Steaua București | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 37 | −24 | 120 | 241 | −121 | 2 |
Pool 5
| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biarritz Olympique | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 8 | 26 | 227 | 77 | 150 | 10 |
| Gloucester | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 12 | 13 | 188 | 113 | 75 | 9 |
| Bridgend RFC | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 20 | −7 | 113 | 151 | −38 | 5 |
| Spain XV | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 39 | −32 | 79 | 266 | −187 | 0 |
Pool 6
| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle Falcons | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 8 | 16 | 200 | 90 | 110 | 10 |
| Narbonne | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 153 | 96 | 57 | 6 |
| Aurillac | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 20 | −7 | 125 | 153 | −28 | 6 |
| Dunvant | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 32 | −21 | 92 | 231 | −139 | 2 |
Pool 7
| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Irish | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 24 | 19 | 5 | 192 | 140 | 52 | 8 |
| SU Agen | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 7 | 23 | 211 | 100 | 111 | 8* |
| Brive | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 18 | 7 | 199 | 162 | 37 | 6 |
| Rugby Roma | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 44 | −35 | 94 | 294 | −200 | 0 |
* Agen deducted two points for fielding non-registered players in two matches.
Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
| 15 April 2000 16:00 |
| Pau | 36–20 | Newcastle Falcons |
| Report |
| Stade Municipal du Hameau, Pau Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Robert Davies |
| 15 April 2000 17:30 |
| Ebbw Vale | 20–21 | London Irish |
| Report |
| Eugene Cross Park, Ebbw Vale Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Joel Jutge |
| 15 April 2000 19:30 |
| Castres Olympique | 43–33 | Perpignan |
| Report |
| Stade Pierre Antoine, Castres Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Chris White |
| 15 April 2000 20:00 |
| Biarritz Olympique | 29–32 | Bristol |
| Report |
| Parc des Sports Aguilera, Biarritz Attendance: 3,300 Referee: Giovanni Morandin |
Semi-finals
| 5 May 2000 20:00 |
| Castres Olympique | 40–30 | London Irish |
| Report |
| Stade Selery, Colomiers Attendance: 5,800 Referee: Antonio Lombardi |
| 6 May 2000 19:30 |
| Pau | 51–27 | Bristol |
| Report |
| Stade Maurice Trelut, Tarbes Attendance: 7,500 Referee: David Tyndall |
Final
| 28 May 2000 15:00 |
| Pau | 34–21 | Castres Olympique |
| Report |
| Les Sept Deniers, Toulouse Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Chris White |