2012–13 European Challenge Cup pool stage explained

See main article: 2012–13 European Challenge Cup. The 2012–13 Amlin Challenge Cup pool stage was the opening stage of the 17th season of the European Challenge Cup, the second-tier competition for European rugby union clubs. It began with a match between Mont-de-Marsan and Gloucester on Thursday 11 October 2012 and ended on 19 January 2013 when Stade Français hosted competition newcomers London Welsh.^[1]

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 are earned using the standard bonus point system. The pool winners advanced to the knockout stage, where they were joined by three entrants from the Heineken Cup pool stage. These teams then competed in a single-elimination tournament that ended with the final at the RDS Arena in Dublin on 17 May 2012.^[2]

Results

All times are local to the game location.

Key to colours

Winner of each pool advances to quarterfinals. Seed # in parentheses.

Pool 1

Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	Diff	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts
Gloucester (2)	6	6	0	0	179	86	+93	19	7	3	0	27
London Irish	6	4	0	2	174	139	+35	24	14	2	1	19
Mont-de-Marsan	6	2	0	4	100	156	−56	9	21	0	2	10
Bordeaux-Bègles	6	0	0	6	82	154	−72	7	17	0	2	2
	Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown: *4 points for a win *2 points for a draw *1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less *1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

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Pool 2

Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	Diff	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts
Perpignan (3)	6	5	0	1	293	89	+204	42	5	4	1	25
Worcester Warriors	6	5	0	1	354	78	+276	51	7	4	1	25
Gernika	6	2	0	4	80	309	−229	6	47	0	0	8
Rovigo	6	0	0	6	67	318	−251	6	46	0	1	1
	Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown: *4 points for a win *2 points for a draw *1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less *1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

• Per the Competition Rules,^[3] Perpignan and Worcester were level on the first tiebreaker of head-to-head competition points (5–5); Perpignan topped the pool on the second tiebreaker of head-to-head try count (3–1).

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Pool 3

Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	Diff	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts
London Wasps (4)	6	5	1	0	231	92	+139	30	9	3	0	25
Bayonne	6	4	1	1	201	91	+110	25	7	2	0	20
Newport Gwent Dragons	6	2	0	4	171	108	+63	19	10	2	3	13
Mogliano	6	0	0	6	29	341	−312	4	52	0	0	0
	Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown: *4 points for a win *2 points for a draw *1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less *1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

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Pool 4

Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	Diff	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts
Bath (1)	6	6	0	0	245	79	+166	36	7	5	0	29
Agen	6	3	0	3	154	120	+34	18	12	2	3	17
București Wolves	6	2	0	4	121	215	−94	14	29	1	0	9
Calvisano	6	1	0	5	117	223	−106	13	33	2	1	7
	Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown: *4 points for a win *2 points for a draw *1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less *1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

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Pool 5

Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	Diff	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts
Stade Français (8)	6	5	0	1	210	105	+105	25	7	4	1	25
Grenoble	6	4	0	2	173	81	+92	21	6	3	1	20
London Welsh	6	2	0	3	171	170	+1	20	24	2	0	14
Cavalieri Prato	6	0	0	6	68	266	−198	8	37	1	1	2
	Source : www.ercrugby.com Points breakdown: *4 points for a win *2 points for a draw *1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less *1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

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• Grenoble won the game 20–9, but London Welsh were retroactively awarded a 28–0 victory and five match points,^[4] after Grenoble admitted fielding an ineligible player, Lotu Taukeiaho,^[5] during the match.

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See also

• European Challenge Cup
• 2012–13 Heineken Cup

Notes and References

1. Web site: London Welsh begin campaign with glamour tie. 31 July 2012. 31 July 2012. European Rugby Cup. https://web.archive.org/web/20130527164452/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/news/18520.php. 27 May 2013. dead.
2. 2012/13 Heineken Cup Pool Draw . European Rugby Cup . 12 June 2012 . 12 June 2012 . 15 June 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120615200901/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/news/18386.php . dead .
3. Web site: Rules . . 19 January 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130123065630/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/amlinchallengecup/rules/index.php . 23 January 2013 .
4. Web site: Amlin Challenge Cup Fixtures. European Rugby Cup. 15 December 2012. 15 December 2012.
5. Web site: London Welsh get Amlin Challenge Cup points boost. BBC. 14 December 2012. 15 December 2012.