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1996–97 European Challenge Cup
The 1996–97 European Challenge Cup (also called the 1996–97 European Shield) was the inaugural year of the European Challenge Cup, the second tier rugby union cup competition below the Heineken Cup. The tournament was held between October 1996 and January 1997 and was won by Bourgoin with an 18–9 victory over Castres in the final at the Stade de la Méditerranée in Béziers, France. Twenty-four teams took part from England, France, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Scotland and Wales, divided into four groups of six. Each team played the other teams in the group once, meaning each had five matches with either two or three on their home ground. The quarter–finals saw seven of the eight clubs coming from France, with the only non-French club being Northampton Saints. Teams The qualifying teams were drawn from seven countries. Generally, these were teams from the top division of domestic rugby that did not qualify to play in the Heineken Cup: * England: 6 teams from the English Prem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Round-robin Tournament
A round-robin tournament or all-play-all tournament is a competition format in which each contestant meets every other participant, usually in turn.''Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged'' (1971, G. & C. Merriam Co), p.1980. A round-robin contrasts with an elimination tournament, wherein participants are eliminated after a certain number of wins or losses. Terminology The term ''round-robin'' is derived from the French term ('ribbon'). Over time, the term became idiomized to ''robin''. In a ''single round-robin'' schedule, each participant plays every other participant once. If each participant plays all others twice, this is frequently called a ''double round-robin''. The term is rarely used when all participants play one another more than twice, and is never used when one participant plays others an unequal number of times, as is the case in almost all of the major North American professional sports leagues. In the United Kingdom, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Top12
The Top10, known as the Peroni Top10 for sponsorship reasons, and formerly Top 12, is Italy's top level professional men's rugby union competition. The Top 10 is run by Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR) and is contested by 10 teams as of the 2019–2020 season, following the Italian federation's decision to name Peroni as the official partner of the Top10 competition. The leading teams qualify to play against teams from the other leading rugby union nations in Europe in the European Challenge Cup. Aironi and Benetton Treviso began competing in the league now known as Pro14 in the 2010–11 season, and took both Italian places in the Heineken Cup. Owing to financial problems, the FIR revoked Aironi's professional licence after the 2011–12 season; that team was replaced in Pro12 by the FIR-operated Zebre. From 2014 to 2015, one of the two Italian Pro12 sides competes in the Heineken Cup's replacement, the European Rugby Champions Cup; the other plays in the European Rugby ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RC Toulonnais
Rugby Club Toulonnais (), also referred to as Rugby Club Toulon or simply Toulon, is a French professional rugby union club based in Toulon and competing in the Top 14. Located on the French Riviera, in the Provence region, the club plays its home games at the 17,500-capacity Stade Mayol. Founded in 1908, Toulon is one of the most important and widely supported rugby clubs in France. Domestically, the club has won a total of four league titles, two Pro D2 titles and two Challenge Yves du Manoir. In international competitions, Toulon is the only one to have won the Heineken Cup/ European Rugby Champions Cup three times in a row, and succeeded in winning the league/European cup double in 2014 too. Toulon has also won the EPCR Challenge Cup in 2023 after reaching the final on four occasions. The club established itself as a major force in domestic and European rugby in the 2010s when Jonny Wilkinson, Mathieu Bastareaud, Bakkies Botha, Matt Giteau and other rugby stars played ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RC Narbonne
Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée (also known as RCNM) is a French rugby union club that play in the third-level Nationale. They are based in Narbonne in the Aude '' département'' of Occitania. They were founded in 1907. They play at Parc des Sports Et de l'Amitié (capacity 12,000). They wear orange and black. History RC Narbonne were established in 1907. The club's first appearance in the domestic championship final came in May 1932, where they faced Lyon in Bordeaux. However, Narbonne were not able to capture their first title, as Lyon would go on to win the final 9 points to three. The following season Narbonne again made it to the final of the league, and once again, Lyon were their opponents. Again played in Bordeaux, Lyon were victorious once again, defeating Narbonne 10 points to three. However, by 1936 Narbonne were once again finalists of the French championship, and on May 10 in Toulouse they defeated Montferrand 6 points to three, claiming their first ever ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ASM Clermont Auvergne
Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne () is a French professional rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system. Clermont are two times French champions in 2010 and 2017. The rugby section is a part of a multi-sport club called AS Montferrand (also known as ASM Omnisports), which was founded in 1911 and adopted that name in 1919. Although the rugby section changed its name to the current ASM Clermont Auvergne in 2004, it is still frequently referred to as Montferrand both within and outside France. The team play at the 19,022-seat Stade Marcel-Michelin, also known by its nickname, The Bib Park. Clermont wear yellow and blue, the colours of the French tyre manufacturer Michelin, taken from the colours of Montferrand when the firm was created there in 1889. The city is where Marcel Michelin, the son of the founder of the French tyre manufacturer, decided to implement ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
CA Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde
Club Athlétique Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde is a French multisports club, established in 1907, based in Bègles, in the southern suburbs of Bordeaux. Their rugby union section, Union Bordeaux Bègles is their flagship. They play in blue and white chequered shirts, hence their nickname ''Les Damiers'' (''the draught-boards''). The club now only has youth teams, although the club's website documents the result of the new team thoroughly. The club has always played at Stade André-Moga, which holds 10,000. History CABBG were the main team of the Bordeaux area for most of the 20th century. They remained in the first division from 1913 to 2003 and won two French championships (1969, 1991) along the way. Along the years, the club's name changed. It started as Club Athlétique Bègles, then became CA Bègles-Bordeaux Gironde in 1983, then CA Bordeaux-Bègles Gironde in 1988. CABBG were relegated from the First Division for the first time in 2003, after the professional league's financ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne
Sporting Union Agen Lot-et-Garonne (), commonly referred to as SU Agen, Agen () or SUALG, is a French professional rugby union club based in Agen, Lot-et-Garonne that competes in the Pro D2, France's second division of rugby. Founded in 1908, Agen is one of the historic clubs in French rugby, having won the French Championship eight times. Its home ground is the Stade Armandie and traditional club colours are navy blue and white. The club is renowned for its youth system and its academy structure. History The club was established in 1900. They made their first championship final in the 1930 season, where they met US Quillan, and defeated them 4 points to nil in Bordeaux, thus capturing their first championship title. The club experienced some success in the following years in the Challenge Yves du Manoir competition as well; winning it in the 1932 season and being runners-up to Lyon OU in the 1933 season. Agen would have another successful run in the 1940s, beginning with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club from Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom. Its team play in Premiership Rugby, and have been in England's top division of rugby union continuously since 1995. Originally founded in 1861 as Sale Football Club (which is now a Sale FC Rugby Club, distinct amateur club), it is one of the Oldest football clubs, oldest existing football clubs. It adopted the nickname ''Sharks'' in 1999. Since 2012 Sale have played their home games at the Salford Community Stadium in Barton-upon-Irwell, Eccles, Greater Manchester, Salford which they share with Salford Red Devils rugby league club. Between 1905 and 2003 they played at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, Sale, before moving to Edgeley Park in Stockport where they stayed until 2012. Historically one of the leading teams in the Northern England, north of England, their traditional colours are blue and white. Domestically, Sale were Premiership champions in 2005-06 Premiership R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Orrell R
Orrell may refer to: *Orrell, Greater Manchester Orrell is a suburb of Wigan in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The population of the ward had fallen at the 2011 Census to 11,513. The area lies to the west of Wigan town centre. The area is contiguous with Pe ..., a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan ** Orrell (ward), an electoral ward of the Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council * Orrell, Merseyside, an urban area east of Bootle, in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton * Orrell Urban District, Lancashire * Orrell R.U.F.C., a rugby union team from Wigan * Orrell (surname) {{disambig, geo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
London Irish
London Irish RFC is a professional rugby union club that most recently competed in the Premiership Rugby, Premiership, the top division of rugby union in England. The club also participated in the European Rugby Champions Cup, European Champions Cup, and the European Challenge Cup. While competing in the RFU Championship, the second tier of English rugby, during the 2016–17 and 2018–19 seasons, London Irish also took part in the British and Irish Cup and the RFU Championship Cup. For twenty years, the club played its home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading, Berkshire, before relocating to the Brentford Community Stadium in Brentford, West London, for the 2020–21 season. The club was founded in 1898 following the creation of London Scottish F.C., London Scottish, London Cornish RFC, London Cornish and London Welsh RFC, London Welsh for the same reason, allowing Irishmen the chance to play rugby with fellow countrymen in the English capital. They won their only major t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gloucester Rugby
Gloucester Rugby are a professional rugby union club based in the West Country city of Gloucester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was formed in 1873 and since 1891 has played its home matches at Kingsholm Stadium in the north of the city. In the 2024–25 Premiership Rugby season, Gloucester finished 5th which earned them a space in the 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup. The current director of rugby (DOR) is George Skivington who took the role of head coach in the summer of 2020 before being promoted to DOR in the Autumn of 2023. Gloucester have won 8 major titles; four RFU Knockout Cup's in 1971–72, 1977–78, 1981–82 and 2002–03, one Anglo-Welsh Cup win in 2010–11, and one Premiership Rugby Cup win in 2023–24. The Premiership Rugby Cup win in 2024 meant they became the first club to win all three iterations of the English domestic cup competition. Outside of England, Gloucester has also seen succes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bristol Bears
Bristol Bears (officially Bristol Rugby Club or Bristol Rugby) are a professional rugby union club based in Bristol, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded as Bristol Football Club in 1888; between 1921 and 2014, home matches were played at the Memorial Stadium (Bristol), Memorial Ground, and have since been played at Ashton Gate Stadium in the south-west of the city. The current head coach Pat Lam was appointed in 2017. In the 2024-25 Premiership Rugby, 2024–25 season Bristol finished 4th, losing in the play off semi-finals, entitling them to compete in the 2025-26 European Rugby Champions Cup. In 2018, the club rebranded as Bristol Bears; between 2001 and 2005 the club were known as Bristol Shoguns due to a sponsorship deal with Mitsubishi. Bristol won the 1982–83 John Player Cup, 1983 John Player Cup and have also won England's second division four times, most recently in 2017–18 RFU Championship, 2017–18. I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
