Editing European Shield (section)

{{Short description|Rugby competition}}
{{for multi|the competition in the sport of [[Rugby league|rugby league football]]|Rugby League European Shield|the qualification competition from 2016 for the [[European Rugby Challenge Cup]]|European Rugby Continental Shield}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby league football competition
| name           = European Shield
| current_season = 
| logo           = ERC Logo (2003-2011).svg
| pixels         = 140px
| alt            =
| caption        = Competition logo
| sport          = [[Rugby union]]
| founded        = 2002
| inaugural      = [[2002–03 European Shield|2002–03]]
| ceotag         = Chairman
| ceo            = 
| teams          = 16
| countrytag     = Nations
| country        = {{flag|England}}<br>{{flag|France}}<br>{{flag|Italy}}<br>{{flag|Portugal}}<br>{{flag|Romania}}<br>{{flag|Spain}}<br>{{flag|Wales}}
| champion       = [[FC Auch Gers|Auch]]
| season         = [[2004–05 European Shield|2004–05]]
| most_champs    = {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Castres Olympique]]<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Montpellier Hérault Rugby|Montpellier]]<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[FC Auch Gers|Auch]]
| count          = 1
| website        = [https://web.archive.org/web/20060423131712/http://www.ercrugby.com/ Official site]
| TV             =
| qualification  =
| related_comps  = [[Heineken Cup]]<br>[[European Challenge Cup]]
}}
The '''European Shield''' (known as the '''Parker Pen Shield''' for [[sponsorship]] reasons)<ref name="History">{{cite web|url=http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/amlinchallengecup/history/shield.php|title=European Shield History|publisher=[[European Rugby Cup|ERC]]|access-date=31 January 2013}}</ref> was a repechage tournament for teams knocked out in the first round of the [[European Challenge Cup]].  As such, it formed Europe's third-tier club [[rugby union]] competition below the [[Heineken Cup]] and [[European Challenge Cup]]. The name "European Shield" had previously been used for the now renamed European Challenge Cup.

A total of 16 teams participated in each season.  The competition was contested between the first round losers from the [[European Challenge Cup]] with teams being added directly to make up the full 16 team complement.<ref name="Champions">{{cite web|url=http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/amlinchallengecup/champions.php|title=Challenge Cup European Champions|publisher=[[European Rugby Cup|ERC]]|access-date=26 January 2013|archive-date=6 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506141030/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/amlinchallengecup/champions.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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 had a brief existence, running for just three seasons in [[2002–03 European Challenge Cup|2002–03]], [[2003–04 European Challenge Cup|2003–04]] and [[2004–05 European Challenge Cup|2004–05]].  Three clubs won the competition in each year that it was run and there were three different runners up.  Thereafter, the [[European Challenge Cup]] reverted to its previous "pool and knockout" format and the European Shield was discontinued.<ref name="History"/>