The European Rugby Club Rankings were introduced for the 2008–09 European season. They were based on the points earned by teams in the now defunct Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup over the past four years.[1] They were used to aid in the seeding process for the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup. For the Heineken Cup the first four tiers are defined by these rankings. In addition, the Cup holder is automatically added to the top tier.

Starting with the 2009–10 season, the rankings have the potential to determine one entrant in the following season's Heineken Cup. If England or France produces winners of both European cups in a season, a Heineken Cup berth will be awarded to the highest-ranked team not from that nation and not already qualified to the Heineken Cup. (The winners of both cups receive automatic berths in the next season's Heineken Cup, separately from the allocations of their countries; however, England and France are capped at seven Heineken Cup places apiece.) This scenario will also apply if either of Scotland's two professional teams wins either European cup, since those teams are automatically entered in the Heineken Cup at the start of each season.

Current rankings

Per ERC rule, ties between clubs are broken as follows:

  1. Points earned in the most recent participation in the Heineken Cup, counting back season-by-season until the teams are separated.
  2. Points earned in the most recent season, counting back season-by-season until the teams are separated.

For example, Harlequins and Cardiff Blues are tied on 15 points. Both participated in the 2012–13 Heineken Cup where Harlequins earned 5 points (reached the quarter final) whereas Cardiff only earned 2 points (finished 3rd in their pool). Therefore, Harlequins are ranked higher than Cardiff. Another example: Edinburgh and London Wasps are tied on 11 points. Edinburgh participated in the 2012–13 Heineken Cup (and earned 1 point for finishing 4th in their pool) whereas Wasps played in the 2012–13 European Challenge Cup (and earned 2 points for reaching the quarter finals). Wasps are ranked below Edinburgh even though they earned more points in the 2012–13 season.

Key to colours
     Denotes teams that will compete for the 2013–14 Heineken Cup
     Denotes teams that will compete for the 2013–14 Amlin Challenge Cup
Rank Team Total Points 2013–14 Points 2012–13 Points 2011–12 Points 2010–11 Points 2009–10 Points
1 Ireland Leinster 88 5611117
2 France Toulon
 54 1111555
3 England Wasps
 32 79745
4 France Stade Toulousain
 31 535711
5 Ireland Munster 29 76547
6 Ireland Ulster 25 55843
7 France Biarritz 24 04659
8 England Northampton Saints 24 63294
9 EnglandExeter Chiefs 21 87510
10 France Stade Français 21 25455
11 England Harlequins 19 45361
12 Wales Cardiff Blues 18 32436
13 England Leicester Tigers 17 45242
14 England London Wasps 15 42234
15 France Perpignan 14 14072
16 Scotland Edinburgh 13 21712
17 England Bath 12 52221
18 Wales Ospreys 11 12224
19 Wales Scarlets 11 21323
20 England Gloucester 10 32203
21 Scotland Glasgow Warriors 9 11322
22 France Montpellier 9 24120
23 Ireland Connacht 9 22104
24 France Brive[lower-alpha 1] 9 2–421
25 France Castres Olympique 7 22120
26 France Racing Métro 6 12120
27 England London Irish 5 00212
28 England Exeter Chiefs 6 2220–
29 Italy Benetton 5 11111
30 England Sale Sharks 5 21002
31 Wales Newport Gwent Dragons 2 00011
32 England Newcastle Falcons[lower-alpha 2] 2 0–002
33 France La Rochelle 2 –––2–
34 France Bourgoin 2 –––02
35 Italy Zebre[lower-alpha 3] 2 11–––
36 Italy Viadana 1 0–––1
37 France Bayonne[lower-alpha 4] 0 00000
38 Romania București Wolves 0 00000
39 Italy Prato 0 0000–
40 England Worcester Warriors 0 000–0
41 France Bordeaux-Bègles 0 000––
42 Italy Mogliano[lower-alpha 5] 0 00–––
43 Italy Calvisano 0 00–––
44 France Grenoble 0 00–––
45 Spain Olympus Madrid[lower-alpha 6] 0 ––––0
46 France Oyonnax[lower-alpha 7] 0 0––––
47 England Saracens 0 0––––

Note that a ranking is not necessary for a club to participate in European competition. For example, among the 20 clubs that began the 2011–12 Challenge Cup, only nine had a ranking at the start of that season. In order for a club to be ranked, it must have, in the previous four seasons, either (1) participated in the Heineken Cup or (2) advanced from the pool stage of the Challenge Cup.

Points are earned using the following criteria

Heineken Cup

Place Points Total Points
Winner +2 10/11
Finalist +2 8/9
Semi-finalist +2 6/7
Quarter-finalist +1 4/5
Pool winner 4
Pool runner-up 3
Pool 3rd place 2
Pool 4th place 1

Pool winners earn the higher of the two figures given for the knock out stages, while pool runners-up receive the lower figure.

European Challenge Cup

Place ECC Team Points Total Heineken Cup
Team Points		 Total
Winner +1 6 +1 6
Finalist +1 5 +1 5
Semi-finalist +2 4 +1 4
Quarter-finalist 2 2 0* 3

*Heineken Cup Teams will have picked up 3 points by finishing runner-up in their Heineken Cup Pool

Notes

  1. ↑ Brive won the 2012–13 Rugby Pro D2 promotion playoff final, thereby earning promotion to the 2013–14 Top 14 and a place in that season's Challenge Cup.
  2. ↑ As 2012–13 RFU Championship champions, Newcastle Falcons have been promoted to the Aviva Premiership for 2013–14 and they will compete in the 2013–14 Challenge Cup.
  3. ↑ Zebre took the place of Aironi in both Pro12 and the Heineken Cup, following the latter side's demise at the end of the 2011–12 season. Zebre did not inherit Aironi's European ranking.[2][3]
  4. ↑ Bayonne and București have equivalent records over the past four seasons, but this is the order given on the official web site.[1]
  5. ↑ Calvisano, Grenoble and Mogliano have equivalent records over the past four seasons, but this is the order given on the official web site.[1]
  6. ↑ Olympus Rugby XV were forced to withdraw from the 2013–14 European Challenge Cup due to financial problems. They were replaced with Lusitanos XV.[4]
  7. ↑ As 2012–13 Rugby Pro D2 champions, Oyonnax have been automatically promoted to the Top 14 for 2013–14. As new Top 14 members, they will compete in the 2013–14 Challenge Cup.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "ERC European Rankings". European Rugby Cup. May 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  2. ↑ "Italian side Aironi to pull out of Pro12 after their licence is revoked". BBC Sport. 6 April 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "Zebre will replace Aironi for Italy". RTÉ.ie. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  4. ↑ "Portuguese club to compete in Amlin Challenge Cup". European Rugby Cup. 2 September 2013. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
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