The European Challenge Cup, also known as the Amlin Challenge Cup, is considered the second largest European Rugby Union Club competition behind the Heineken Cup.

The competition was launched at the same time as the Heineken Cup and contains teams from England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Italy and Romania with teams from Portugal and Spain occasionally taking part. The format is identical to that of the Heineken Cup with twenty teams organised into five pools of four with the five pool winners advancing to the quarter-finals and joined by the third, fourth and fifth best runners-up from the Heineken Cup pool stages.

The tournament has been dominated by French sides since it began fifteen years ago, with just four of the fourteen finals not containing a French side, but the country from across the channel has produced just five winners, with England producing eight and Wales one.

The 2009-10 season was won by the Cardiff Blues who saw off Toulon 28-21 in the final at the Stade Velodrome. Of the sides who will begin the 2010-11 pool stage Stade Francais are favourites to lift the trophy with one of the Heineken Cup best runners-up just ahead of them.

Past Winners

1997 – Bourgoin

1998 – Colomiers

1999 – Montferrand

2000 – Pau

2001 – Harlequins

2002 – Sale

2003 – London Wasps

2004 – Harlequins

2005 – Sale

2006 – Gloucester

2007 – Clermont Auvergne