2003–04 Heineken Cup
Tournament details
Countries England
 France
 Ireland
 Italy
 Scotland
 Wales
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and Knockout
Date22 October 2003 – 23 May 2004
Tournament statistics
Teams24
Matches played79
Attendance817,833 (10,352 per match)
Top point scorer(s)Henry Paul (Gloucester)
(100 points)
Top try scorer(s)Nicolas Brusque (Biarritz)
James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester)
(6 tries)
Final
VenueTwickenham Stadium, London
Attendance73,057
ChampionsEngland London Wasps (1st title)
Runners-upFrance Toulouse

The 2003–04 Heineken Cup was the ninth season for which European teams competed for the Heineken Cup. Competing teams, from England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales, were divided into six pools of four, in which teams played home and away matches against each other. The winners of the pools, together with the two best runners-up, qualified for the knock-out stage.

This was the first competition in the series to employ the bonus point system for classifying teams. In prior competitions, teams earned two points for a win and one for a draw. Starting with the 2003–04 competition, teams earned points in the pool matches under the following scenarios:

  • Four points for a win
  • Two points for a draw
  • One bonus point for scoring four or more tries, regardless of the final score
  • One bonus point for losing by seven points or less

Teams

France England Wales Ireland Scotland Italy
  • France Stade Français
  • France Toulouse
  • France Biarritz Olympique
  • France Agen
  • France Bourgoin
  • France Perpignan
  • England Leicester Tigers
  • England Leeds Carnegie
  • England Sale Sharks
  • England Northampton Saints
  • England Gloucester
  • England London Wasps
  • Wales Newport Gwent Dragons
  • Wales Neath-Swansea Ospreys
  • Wales Cardiff Blues
  • Wales Llanelli Scarlets
  • Wales Celtic Warriors
  • Ireland Ulster
  • Ireland Munster
  • Ireland Leinster
  • Scotland Border Reivers
  • Scotland Edinburgh
  • Italy Benetton Treviso
  • Italy Calvisano

Pool stage

Pool 1

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
France Stade Français 6402118313480541118
England Leicester Tigers 630317107137115223015
Ireland Ulster 6303109110910631114
Wales Newport Gwent Dragons 6204516−1167146−79019

Pool 2

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
France Toulouse 65011871115765924125
Scotland Edinburgh 6501147713089412022
England Leeds Tykes 6105511−666122−56015
Wales Neath-Swansea Ospreys 6105618−1278155−77004

Pool 3

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
France Biarritz Olympique 64021812613997423120
Ireland Leinster 640213112142113291118
Wales Cardiff Blues 620413130123132−90311
England Sale Sharks 6204614−875137−62019

Pool 4

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
Wales Llanelli Scarlets 65011751216072882123
England Northampton Saints 6402134912154671118
France Agen 62048718394−111211
Scotland The Borders 6105426−2239183−144004

Pool 5

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
Ireland Munster Rugby 65012251717276964024
England Gloucester 6501221111197100974024
France Bourgoin 61051322−9119191−72217
Italy Benetton Treviso 61051332−19104225−121105

Pool 6

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
England London Wasps 650122814186851013124
Wales Celtic Warriors 64021110112311852220
France Perpignan 63031311211911542115
Italy Ghial Rugby Calvisano 60061330−17115225−110123

Seeding and runners-up

Seed Pool Winners Pts TF +/-
1 France Toulouse 2518+92
2 England London Wasps 2422+101
3 Ireland Munster 2422+97
4 Wales Llanelli Scarlets 2317+88
5 France Biarritz Olympique 2018+42
6 France Stade Français 1811+54
Seed Pool Runners-up Pts TF +/-
7 England Gloucester 2422+96
8 Scotland Edinburgh 2214+41
Wales Celtic Warriors 2011+5
England Northampton Saints 1813+67
Ireland Leinster 1813+29
England Leicester Tigers 1517+22

Knockout stage

Quarter-finals

4 April 2004
19:45
Llanelli Scarlets Wales10–27France Biarritz
Stradey Park, Llanelli
Attendance: 10,800

10 April 2004
16:00
Toulouse France36–10Scotland Edinburgh
Stadium de Toulouse
Attendance: 36,500

10 April 2004
17:00
Munster Ireland37–32France Stade Français
Thomond Park, Limerick
Attendance: 13,000

11 April 2004
15:00
London Wasps England34–3England Gloucester
Adams Park, High Wycombe
Attendance: 10,000

Semi-finals

24 April 2004
16:00
Toulouse France19–11France Biarritz
Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
Attendance: 34,000

25 April 2004
15:00
Munster Ireland32–37England London Wasps
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 49,000

Final

23 May 2004
15:00
London Wasps England27–20France Toulouse
Try: Abbott 19' c
Van Gisbergen 43' c
Howley 79' c
Con: Van Gisbergen (3)
Pen: Van Gisbergen (2) 15', 31'
ReportTry: Delaigue 38' m
Pen: Delaigue (2) 6', 12'
Élissalde (3) 57', 72', 77'
Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 73,057
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
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