2012–13 European Challenge Cup
The European Challenge Cup 2012/13 was the 17th edition of the European Challenge Cup, the second tier European Cup competition in rugby union. For sponsorship reasons, he was known as the Amlin Challenge Cup. There were 23 teams involved - 20 in the group stage and another three in the knockout round, which were eliminated in the Heineken Cup 2012/13 ahead of time. The competition began on 11 October 2012, the final was held on 17 May 2013 to the RDS Arena in Dublin instead. The title was won the Irish team Leinster Rugby.
- 4.1 seedings
- 4.2 quarterfinals
- 4.3 Semi-finals
- 4.4 final
Mode
All teams in the Aviva Premiership English, French Top 14 and the International Pro12 who had not qualified for the Heineken Cup, took part in the European Challenge Cup. There were four teams from the Italian Campionato di Excellency as well as representatives of Romania and Spain.
The 20 participants in the group stage were divided into five groups of four teams. The seeding order based on the placement in the pan-European club ranking. Each team played one home and one away match against the three group opponents. In the group stage the teams were:
- Four points for a win
- Two points for a draw
- A bonus point with four or more experiments
- A bonus point for a loss by seven points or less difference
For the quarter final, qualified the five group winners, added the third - to fifth- best runners came from the knockout round of the Heineken Cup 2012/13. The home game right in the quarter and semi-finals had those four teams that were most successful in the group stage. Case of a tie is decided ( in this order) the number of attempts, the points difference from all games, the reduced number of red and yellow cards and finally a coin toss. The losers from the Heineken Cup places will be allocated 5-7 automatically.
Draw
The non-qualified for the Heineken Cup teams were divided with four teams according to the European club ranking in four pots (in brackets the placement end of the previous season):
Group stage
- Group winners qualified for the quarterfinals
Group 1
Group 2
Perpignan and Worcester had the same number of table points total ( 25 each ) and the same number of table points from the group matches ( 5 each ). Finally, Perpignan prevailed due to the case made higher number of attempts (3:1).
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
The FC Grenoble had originally won the match with 20:9. However, the victory was awarded with 28:0 after the FC Grenoble had admitted to having a player used without proper license subsequently London Welsh.
Knockout round
Seedings
After the group stage came together, the five group winners and the third - to fifth- best runners of the Heineken Cup 2012/13.