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The 2002–03 European Challenge Cup (known as the Parker Pen Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 7th season of the European Challenge Cup, Europe's second tier club rugby union competition below the Heineken Cup. A total of 32 teams participated, representing eight different countries. The competition began when Gran Parma hosted Bath and Ebbw Vale hosted Montauban on 11 October 2002 and culminated in the final at the Madejski Stadium in Reading on 25 May 2003. Unlike previous seasons, the structure of the competition was changed to a purely knockout format. Teams played each other on a home and away basis, with the aggregate points winner proceeding to the next round. The final was a single leg. For that first time, a third tier tournament was created - the European Shield. This was contested between the first round losers from the European Challenge Cup.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Challenge Cup European Champions )〕 The defending champions, England's Sale Sharks, did not have a chance to defend their crown because they qualified to play in the Heineken Cup. London Wasps claimed a victory over Bath in the final and picked up their first piece of European Club silverware. ==Teams== The allocation of teams was as follows: :England: 6 teams — all teams from the Zurich Premiership that did not qualify for the 2002–03 Heineken Cup :France: 9 teams — all teams from the Top 16 that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup :Ireland: 1 team — the Irish team from the Celtic League that did not play in the Heineken Cup :Italy: 8 teams — all the teams from the Super 10 that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup :Romania: 1 team specially created for the competition :Scotland: 1 team — the Scottish team from the Celtic League that did not play in the Heineken Cup :Spain: 2 teams — drawn from the División de Honor de Rugby :Wales: 4 teams — all the teams from the Celtic League that did not qualify for the Heineken Cup 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「2002–03 European Challenge Cup」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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