Might be a silly Question but...

Keano_sli

Can anyone explain to me the difference between the European Challenge Cup, which Connaught is in and the European Shield. I thought they were teh same competition but apparently not.
Confused?
http://www.scrum.com/eurocups/0405/news_detail.asp?newsid=28334

Downtime

Without expanding a great deal, ERC run three competitions - the Heineken Cup, Parker Pen Challenge Cup and the Parker Pen Shield, for lower Europeans team.

Downtime

Should have said more info at http://www.ercrugby.co.uk/. Dunno how you get from the shield to the cahllenge cup.

Keano_sli

Thanks Guys, the ERC site doesn;t shed much light on the matter. Heres what it say in the Tournament history for the Challenge Cup.
" Challenge Cup History
Since its introduction in 1996, the European Shield has seen many changes in its format, with the addition of PARKER PEN as principal sponsor in 2001 heralding increased prestige for the tournament.
Follow the links below to view the results from all the previous European Shield and PARKER PEN SHIELD campaigns "

Whereas there is no history of the Sheild link.

Still confused! even more!! And just to make matters worse in England they have the Powergen Cup in Rugby union and the Powergen challenge cup in Rugby League.

Downtime

Well thats just sponsorship issue with Powergen

Its simple really, I think, (taking the sponsorhip out) - you have the European Cup - for the top team, the Challenge Cup for the next best - win that and you are moved up or do better in your country and you get into the cup, and then the shield is for the lower teams - win that and you get into the challenge cup - but all three are also based on your national performance.

Kind of like the premiership, coca cola league and coca cola division 1 in soccer.

Keano_sli

Cheers Downtime,

I'm just trying to figure out when the Extra tier appeared, ASAIK it used to be just the European Cup and the Shield but now the Challenge Cup has appeared.
Connaught used to play in the Shield but now are doing well in the Challenge cup. Is this just because they are the lowest ranking team in Ireland and are in the Challenge Cup be Default as all the teams above them (in Ireland) are in the European Cup or can they actually drop down to the Sheild if they were particularly bad.
I'm probably not making much sense but the ERC site is not very clear on the history of the 2 comps and they are according to their own slogan "Driving European Rugby forward", so I have emailed them for clarification. But my mail betraying my own confusion will most likely confuse whoever reads it too.
Ah well! its not really that important anyway.

Downtime

Just found this which explains it all

European Challenge Cup
The European Challenge Cup in rugby union, known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003, is the sister competition to the Heineken Cup.

It is competed for by teams from England, France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Spain and Portugal on a knock-out basis.

England, France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy set their own criteria for qualification for the Heineken Cup. Clubs that do not qualify for the Heineken Cup enter the European Challenge Cup. Wales have not always had a team in the competition due to complexities arising from club mergers. Spain and Portugal do not enter the Heineken Cup and their strongest teams go straight into the European Challenge Cup.

Teams from the same country cannot play each other in the first round and the unseeded team automatically has the advantage of playing at home. The fourteen winners plus 2 lucky losers go onto round two (now known as the Parker Pen Challenge Cup), the twelve other teams go on to play in a separate tournament, the European Shield (Parker Pen Shield; note, this was also an early name for the European Challenge Cup) with four additional teams.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Keano_sli

Downtime Fair play to ya, That is exactly the clarification I was looking for.
Suddenly it all makes sense.
Now I can explain it all to the German who asked me in the first place

Keano_sli

Downtime Fair play to ya, That is exactly the clarification I was looking for.
Suddenly it all makes sense.
Now I can explain it all to the German who asked me in the first place