2004–05 European Shield

The 2004–05 European Shield (known as the Parker Pen Shield for sponsorship reasons)^[1] was the 3rd, and final, season of the European Shield, Europe's third-tier club rugby union competition below the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup. A total of 15 teams participated, representing six countries.

2004–05 European Shield
Tournament details
Countries	England France Italy Portugal Romania Spain
Tournament format(s)	Knockout
Date	4 December 2004 – 21 May 2005
Tournament statistics
Teams	16
Matches played	27
Attendance	38,717 (1,434 per match)
Tries scored	199 (7.37 per match)
Final
Venue	Kassam Stadium, Oxford
Attendance	2,823
Champions	Auch (1st title)
Runners-up	Worcester Warriors
← 2003–04 (Previous)

This competition was intended to be contested between 12 first round losers from the 2004–05 European Challenge Cup^[2] plus 4 other Clubs entering directly into the 1st Round. The structure of the competition was 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.

The competition began on 4 December 2004 and culminated in the final at Kassam Stadium in Oxford on 21 May 2005. Auch secured a victory over Worcester Warriors in the final and picked up their first piece of European Club silverware.

After this season, the European Challenge Cup reverted to its previous "pool and knockout" format and the European Shield was discontinued.^[1]

Teams

This competition was intended to be contested between 12 first round losers from the 2004–05 European Challenge Cup, plus 4 other Clubs that joined directly at the 1st Round of the Shield.^[3] AA Coimbra subsequently declined to play in the competition.^[4]

England	France	Italy	Portugal	Romania	Spain
Leeds Tykes Worcester Warriors	Auch Bayonne	Catania Gran Parma L'Aquila Leonessa Petrarca Padova Rovigo	AA Coimbra		Valladolid RAC
			Clube Rugby Lisboa	București	Bera Bera UC Madrid

Matches

Round 1

1st leg

4 December 2004 13:00

Rovigo	3–48	Worcester Warriors
	Report

Stadio Comunale Mario Battaglini Attendance: 500 Referee: Jean-Luc Rebollal

4 December 2004 14:30

Petrarca Padova	35–7	Bera Bera
	Report

Stadio Plebiscito Attendance: 200 Referee: Tim Hayes

4 December 2004 15:00

Catania	12–39	Bayonne
	Report

Stadio Santa Maria Goretti Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Phil Fear

4 December 2004 15:00

Clube Rugby Lisboa	17–12	UC Madrid
	Report

Tapada da Ajuda Attendance: 474

4 December 2004 18:00

Auch	48–6	L'Aquila
	Report

Stade du Moulias Attendance: 1,300

5 December 2004 13:00

București	18–15	Leonessa
	Report

Steaua Stadium Attendance: 500

5 December 2004 14:30

Leeds Tykes	121–0	Valladolid RAC
	Report

Headingley Stadium Attendance: 1,601 Referee: David Rosich

2nd leg

10 December 2004 19:30

Leonessa	32–21	București
	Report

Campo Comunale di Rovato Attendance: 850 Referee: Romain Poite

11 December 2004 14:00

Worcester Warriors	67–14	Rovigo
	Report

Sixways Stadium Attendance: 3,076 Referee: Neil Ballard

11 December 2004 15:00

Bayonne	41–0	Catania
	Report

Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 2,000 Referee: George Clancy

11 December 2004 15:00

L'Aquila	23–31	Auch
	Report

Stadio Tommaso Fattori Attendance: 600 Referee: Rob Debney

11 December 2004 16:30

Bera Bera	17–36	Petrarca Padova
	Report

Miniestadio de Anoeta Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Colin Stanley

11 December 2004 17:00

UC Madrid	40–26	Clube Rugby Lisboa
	Report

Campo Central Madrid Attendance: 250 Referee: Mauro Dordolo

12 December 2004 12:30

Valladolid RAC	11–53	Leeds Tykes
	Report

Estadio Pepe Rojo Attendance: 850 Referee: Maurizio Vancini

Aggregate Results

Proceed to Quarter-final	Match points	Aggregate score	Points margin	Eliminated from competition
Gran Parma	walkover			AA Coimbra
Leeds Tykes	4–0	174–11	163	Valladolid RAC
Worcester Warriors	4–0	115–17	98	Rovigo
Bayonne	4–0	80–12	68	Catania
Auch	4–0	79–29	50	L'Aquila
Petrarca Padova	4–0	71–24	47	Bera Bera
UC Madrid	2–2	52–43	9	Clube Rugby Lisboa
Leonessa	2–2	47–39	8	București

Quarter-finals

1st leg

7 January 2005 19:00

Bayonne	99–0	UC Madrid
	Report

Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 1,500 Referee: George Clancy

7 January 2005 20:00

Worcester Warriors	32–6	Leonessa
	Report

Sixways Stadium Attendance: 3,062 Referee: Romain Poite

8 January 2005 15:00

Auch	50–12	Gran Parma
	Report

Stade du Moulias Attendance: 1,060 Referee: Phil Fear

9 January 2005 14:30

Leeds Tykes	29–13	Petrarca Padova
	Report

Headingley Stadium Attendance: 1,067 Referee: Jean-Pierre Matheu

2nd leg

14 January 2005 19:30

Leonessa	12 – 28[5]	Worcester Warriors
	Report

Campo Comunale di Rovato Attendance: 600 Referee: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)

15 January 2005 14:00

Petrarca Padova	9–57	Leeds Tykes
	Report

Stadio Plebiscito Attendance: 1,000 Referee: David Keane

15 January 2005 14:30

Gran Parma	14–5	Auch
	Report

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi Attendance: 200 Referee: Sean Davey

15 January 2005 16:00

UC Madrid	3–108	Bayonne
	Report

Campo Central Madrid Attendance: 250 Referee: Stefano Mancini

Aggregate Results

Proceed to Semifinal	Match points	Aggregate score	Points margin	Eliminated from competition
Bayonne	4–0	207–3	204	UC Madrid
Leeds Tykes	4–0	86–22	64	Petrarca Padova
Worcester Warriors	4–0	60–18	42	Leonessa
Auch	2–2	55–26	29	Gran Parma

Semifinals

All kick off times are local.^[6]

1st leg

1 April 2005 19:30

Bayonne	23–21	Auch
	Report

Stade Jean Dauger Attendance: 600 Referee: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)

2 April 2005 14:00

Worcester Warriors	43–34	Leeds Tykes
	Report

Sixways Stadium Attendance: 4,204 Referee: Nigel Owens

2nd leg

22 April 2005 20:00

Leeds Tykes	30–30	Worcester Warriors
	Report

Headingley Stadium Attendance: 1,300 Referee: David Rosich

23 April 2005 18:00

Auch	16–13	Bayonne
	Report

Stade du Moulias Attendance: 5,800 Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Aggregate Results

Proceed to Final	Match points	Aggregate score	Points margin	Eliminated from competition
Worcester Warriors	3–1	73–64	9	Leeds Tykes
Auch	2–2	37–36	1	Bayonne

Final

21 May 2005 17:00

Worcester Warriors	10–23	Auch
Try: O'Leary (1) Con: Hayes (1) Pen: Hayes (1)	Stats Report	Try: Bastide (1) Patat (1) Con: Dambielle (2) Pen: Dambielle (3)

Kassam Stadium, Oxford Attendance: 2,823 Referee: Carlo Damasco (Italy)

See also

• 2004-05 Heineken Cup
• 2004-05 European Challenge Cup
• European Shield

External links

• BBC European Challenge Cup & Shield 2004/5 results summary