By ComeOnYouSaints.com
June 2 2011

Leinster, the Heineken Cup champions, will be the first club allocated a pool for the 2011/2012 tournament when the draw for the composition of the six pools of four clubs each takes place at Twickenham on Tuesday, June 7.

Leinster are also top of the ERC european rankings, which determine the tiers of the clubs who have qualified for european club rugby's premier competition, and are joined in Tier 1 by three other Heineken Cup winners in Toulouse, Munster and Leicester Tigers.

Cardiff Blues and Biarritz Olympique, both former Heineken Cup finalists, complete the top group of six.

Once the tier 1 clubs have each been allocated a different pool no club from the same tier will be drawn in the same pool and no pool will have more than one club from the same country with the exception of England, as there are seven English teams.

The draw will launch the countdown to a tournament which will climax at Twickenham on the weekend of 19/20 May, 2012, with the 17th Heineken Cup final.

Clubs And Tiers

Tier 1 – Leinster, Toulouse, Munster, Cardiff Blues, Biarritz Olympique, Leicester Tigers
 

Tier 2 – Northampton Saints, Asm Clermont Auvergne, Ospreys, Bath, Harlequins, London Irish
 

Tier 3 – Ulster, Saracens, Gloucester, Glasgow Warriors, Scarlets, Edinburgh
 

Tier 4 – Connacht, Benetton Treviso, Castres Olympique, Montpellier, Racing Metro 92, Aironi

News: Heineken Cup Seedings Announced

Discussion started by ComeOnYouSaints.com , 02/06/2011 16:54

ComeOnYouSaints.com
02/06/2011 16:54

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.


Article title edited for clarity



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:06:02:17:21:55 by Phil..

Reply Quote Report

Shaddo
02/06/2011 17:18

Balancing attractive away trips with likelihood of progression I would go for BOPB, Ulster and Treviso or Aironi, please.

Reply Quote Report

BrianB
02/06/2011 17:24

It now dawns on me that we were lucky to get Cardiff as our top seeds!

Reply Quote Report

MoANjAm
02/06/2011 17:27

And Cardiff Blues are seen as a Tier 1 club because of what exactly?

"sup·port·er"

Noun:
1.A person who approves of and encourages someone or something (typically a public figure, a movement or party, or a policy).
2.A person who is actively interested in and wishes success for a particular sports team.

Reply Quote Report

St_Bart
02/06/2011 17:35

Did anyone ever answer Lock forward's observation from the First or Second Tier thread

If I am reading the points awarded correctly the winner of the ACC should be awarded 6 points as Quins were this year and Cardiff last year.For some reason we have only been given 5 points for our win.If it was put right we would have 19 points to Tiggs 18 anyway.

Seemed a sensible point, but I guess that must be the problem



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:06:02:17:36:52 by St_Bart.

Reply Quote Report

shendy
02/06/2011 17:41

You just know it's going to be Leinster, don't you?

Reply Quote Report

Wrench
02/06/2011 18:13

hi, I believe the 6 awarded to quins and cardiff is because they won the tournament after competing in the heineken cup - when we competed no heineken teams dropped in so the competition was easier.

that be the 'logic' behind it anyway

Reply Quote Report

BigRich - Ulster
02/06/2011 19:17

The extra point for ACC win was introduced at the same time as the mechanism to parachute HEC teams into the ACC qfs. Originally it was to give the WINNER 6 points regardless of whether they came in through the HEC or up through the ACC pools. Sometime in the middle of this season they shifted the goal posts and retrospectively awarded an extra point to any 'Amlin' team winning their quarter-final. Hence USAP were intending to sue ERC had you guys won the HEC - as SF would have been awarded what had originally been their HEC birth.

[www.stoutboys.co.uk]

Reply Quote Report

Paul Flatt
02/06/2011 19:59

"If....


"ifs" and "buts"
were candy and nuts,
wouldn't it be
a Merry Christmas?"

"Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it."

-- Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor 161-180 A.D.

Reply Quote Report

StBleach
02/06/2011 22:15

Could someone explain why London Irish are in Tier 2?

Reply Quote Report

peezee
02/06/2011 22:25

Quote:

StBleach
Could someone explain why London Irish are in Tier 2?

StBleach it's on points: ERC Rankings

Reply Quote Report

shendy
03/06/2011 08:31

Irish & Sarries rankings are due to their one-off semi-final appearances in 2007-08, which will drop off the rankings after next season - so the pressure will be on them to avoid a serious slump down the rankings.
Our ranking points can only go up next season as you get 1 point for coming 4th in your group, which is going to be better than the 0 we got for the season we spent in ND1.

Reply Quote Report

Saint Tim
03/06/2011 08:55

It would say something if the two finalists were drawn together in the same group the next year. Sounds daft doesn't it.



“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”

Benjamin Franklin

Tetleys Block F E143

Reply Quote Report

Stockers
03/06/2011 09:41

It is a times like this that I lie down in a dark room and wait until someone tells me what dates to book flights for the away matches.

Reply Quote Report

Jazzman
03/06/2011 10:04

Quote:

Stockers
It is a times like this that I lie down in a dark room and wait until someone tells me what dates to book flights for the away matches.

Also at times like this that one realises that there are those who appear to have nothing else in the lives and perhaps should get out more?

Reply Quote Report

ChrisG
03/06/2011 10:32

I await your email re travel the second they're announced Clive

Reply Quote Report

brancastersaint
03/06/2011 12:02

I'm with shaddo, on this wifey wants to go to Italy which means a boys weekend away in Beernchips, happy days - book the spare liver a seat please!!

Reply Quote Report

Towsaint
03/06/2011 12:23

One seat for Mrs Brancaster's liver please.

It can't be for yours as your bruv said it was tossed overboard in Toulon harbour a couple of years ago!

Reply Quote Report

DSAINT
04/06/2011 06:52

I am confused, before the H Cup final we were seeded 6 and Tiggers 7, so how has that changed?!?!?!?!

"Rugby is a game for big @#$%&. if you're not a big @#$%&, you get hurt. I wasn't a big @#$%& but i was a fast @#$%& and therefore I avoided the big @#$%&." - Spike Milligan

Reply Quote Report

shendy
04/06/2011 10:21

Because ERC "clarified" the rules.

Reply Quote Report

DSAINT
04/06/2011 16:14

Ah so we have been cheated again! Sorry that just spurted out....

Whoever we face they will not want to play us! Can't wait!!!

"Rugby is a game for big @#$%&. if you're not a big @#$%&, you get hurt. I wasn't a big @#$%& but i was a fast @#$%& and therefore I avoided the big @#$%&." - Spike Milligan

Reply Quote Report

BigRich - Ulster
05/06/2011 15:57

To be fair - the rules were pretty clear from the start - they just didn't bother applying them when they were publishing the rankings on their website. They've had iconsistencies on there, since the rankings started and they fix some every now and again. We (the anoraks of rugby) have pointed them out to them on several occasions, but this is the first time that that application of that rule has made a material difference to the tiers. So they had to fix it.

[www.stoutboys.co.uk]

Reply Quote Report

Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net