The
European Rugby Club Rankings were introduced for the 2008-09 European season. They are based on the points earned by teams in the
Heineken CupThe Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
and the
European Challenge CupThe European Challenge Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Amlin Challenge Cup, is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup. The cup was known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003 to 2005. The European...
over the past four years. They are used to aid in the seeding process for the
Heineken CupThe Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
and the
European Challenge CupThe European Challenge Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Amlin Challenge Cup, is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup. The cup was known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003 to 2005. The European...
. 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.)
Current rankings
Per ERC rule, ties between clubs are broken as follows:
- Most recent participation in the Heineken Cup, counting back season-by-season until the teams are separated. As an example, Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints are level on points with 18, but Leicester are ranked above Northampton. Both teams were involved in the 2010–11 and 2009–10 Heineken Cups, but in 2008–09, Leicester were in the Heineken Cup whilst Northampton were in (and won) the Challenge Cup.
- Points earned in the most recent season, counting back season-by-season until the teams are separated. As an example, Leinster are ahead of Toulouse on the second tiebreaker, specifically Leinster's 2011 championship
The 2011 Heineken Cup Final was the final match of the 2010–11 Heineken Cup, the 16th season of Europe's top club rugby union competition. The match was played on 21 May 2011 at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. The match was contested by Northampton Saints of England and Leinster of Ireland,...
. Since both teams have played in the Heineken Cup in each of the preceding four seasons, they cannot be separated in the first step.
Key to colours
| |
Denotes teams that have qualified for the 2011–12 Heineken Cup The 2011–12 Heineken Cup is the 17th season of the Heineken Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top six nations in European rugby...
|
| |
Denotes teams that have qualified for the 2011-12 Amlin Challenge Cup |
EWLINE
| Rank |
Team |
Total Points |
2010-11 Points |
2009-10 Points |
2008-09 Points |
2007-08 Points |
| 1 |
LeinsterLeinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
|
31 |
11 |
7 |
11 |
2 |
| 2 |
 ToulouseStade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps...
|
31 |
7 |
11 |
4 |
9 |
| 3 |
MunsterMunster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
|
29 |
4 |
7 |
7 |
11 |
| 4 |
 Cardiff BluesCardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
|
21 |
3 |
6 |
7 |
5 |
| 5 |
BiarritzBiarritz Olympique Pays Basque is a French professional rugby union team based in the Basque city of Biarritz, Aquitaine which competes in the Top 14 and the Heineken Cup...
|
20 |
5 |
9 |
3 |
3 |
| 6 |
 Leicester TigersLeicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
|
18 |
4 |
2 |
9 |
3 |
| 7 |
Northampton SaintsNorthampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
|
18 |
9 |
4 |
5 |
– |
| 8 |
Stade Français |
16 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
| 9 |
Perpignan Union Sportive des Arlequins Perpignanais or Unió eSportiva Arlequins de Perpinyà , generally abbreviated as USAP in both languages, is a French rugby union club that plays in the city of Perpignan in Pyrénées-Orientales. The club currently competes in the Top 14, the top level of the French...
|
15 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
| 10 |
Clermont AuvergneAssociation Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne are a French rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system, ASMCA are the were the 2010 France Top 14 Champions. It is the rugby section of the multi-sport club...
|
14 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
| 11 |
Ospreys |
14 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
| 12 |
BathBath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
|
13 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
| 13 |
Harlequins |
13 |
6 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
| 14 |
London WaspsLondon Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
|
12 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
| 15 |
London IrishLondon Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top...
|
11 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
7 |
| 16 |
UlsterUlster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
|
10 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 17 |
SaracensSaracens are a professional rugby union team based in St. Albans, England – although they play their home games at Vicarage Road, in Watford. They are currently members of the Aviva Premiership, the top level of domestic rugby union in England...
|
10 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
| 18 |
Gloucester |
10 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
| 19 |
Toulon RC Toulonnais is a French professional rugby union club based in Toulon in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
|
10 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
– |
| 20 |
 Glasgow WarriorsThe Glasgow Warriors, formerly Glasgow Rugby, are one of two professional rugby union teams in Scotland, Edinburgh being the other. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12 and their home ground is Firhill Stadium, also the home of Partick Thistle Football Club.-History:Glasgow Rugby were created to...
|
8 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| 21 |
Scarlets |
7 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
| 22 |
Sale Sharks Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
|
7 |
– |
2 |
3 |
2 |
| 23 |
BourgoinCS Bourgoin-Jallieu is a French rugby union club currently competing in the second level of the French league system in the Pro D2. The club have been runners-up in the French championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir competitions, and have won the Challenge Cup.Founded in 1906 as "Club...
|
7 |
– |
2 |
3 |
2 |
| 24 |
Edinburgh |
6 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
| 25 |
ConnachtConnacht Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Connacht that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 comprising teams from the Celtic nations plus Italy. Normally, it also competes in the second-tier pan-European club competition, the European Challenge Cup...
|
5 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
| 26 |
Newport Gwent DragonsNewport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...
|
5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| 27 |
BriveClub Athlétique Brive Corrèze Limousin is a French rugby union team founded in 1910 and based in Brive-la-Gaillarde in the département of Corrèze of the Limousin région . They wear black and white and play in the Stade Amédée-Domenech .- History :The club was created on 15 March 1910 established on...
|
5 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| 28 |
Newcastle Falcons The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
|
5 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
| 29 |
Worcester Warriors |
5 |
– |
0 |
2 |
3 |
| 30 |
 TrevisoBenetton Rugby Treviso are an Italian professional rugby union club currently competing in the RaboDirect Pro12 and the Heineken Cup.They are based in Treviso in Veneto, and owned by the Benetton clothing company....
|
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| 31 |
Castres Olympique Castres Olympique is a French rugby union club located in the Midi-Pyrénées city of Castres and currently competing in the top level of the French league system.Founded in 1898, the club took its current name in 1906...
|
4 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| 32 |
Montpellier Montpellier Hérault Rugby Club is a professional French rugby union, based in Montpellier the capital of Languedoc-Roussillon. The club competes in the top level of the French league system, in the Top 14. They originally played at Stade Sabathé but moved to the Stade Yves-du-Manoir in 2007...
|
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| 33 |
Racing Métro 92 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
– |
– |
| 34 |
Viadana Viadana may refer to:* Lodovico Grossi da Viadana , an Italian composer, teacher, and Franciscan friar* Viadana, Lombardy, a town in the province of Mantua, Lombardy, northern Italy* Viadana Rugby, a rugby union club based in the town...
|
2 |
– |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| 35 |
Bristol Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
|
2 |
– |
– |
0 |
2 |
| 36 |
La Rochelle Stade Rochelais is a French rugby union club who compete in the Pro D2. They are often known simply as La Rochelle.They were founded in 1898 and play at Stade Marcel-Deflandre . They wear yellow and black...
|
2 |
2 |
– |
– |
– |
| 37 |
Aironi Aironi Rugby are an Italian professional rugby club competing in the RaboDirect Pro12 and the Heineken Cup. They represent the Italian regions of Lombardy and Emilia Romagna.- Home ground :...
|
1 |
1 |
– |
– |
– |
| 38 |
Montauban US Montauban were a French rugby union club, which competed in the Top 14 competition between 2007 and 2010, after being promoted from Rugby Pro D2 for the 2006-07 season...
|
1 |
– |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 39 |
Calvisano Rugby Calvisano are an Italian rugby union club currently competing in National Championship of Excellence.They are based in Calvisano , in Lombardy....
|
1 |
– |
– |
1 |
0 |
| 40 |
Leeds |
1 |
0 |
0 |
– |
1 |
|
Note that a ranking is not necessary for a club to participate in European competition. Of the 20 clubs involved in the
2011–12 Challenge CupThe 2011–12 Amlin Challenge Cup is the 16th season of the European Challenge Cup, Europe's second tier club rugby union competition. The tournament began with two matches on 10 November 2011 and is scheduled to end with the final in May 2012...
, only nine have a ranking. 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
EWLINE
| Place |
Points |
| Winner |
+2 |
| Finalist |
+2 |
| Semi-finalist |
+2 |
| Quarter-finalist |
+1 |
| Pool winner |
4 |
| Pool runner-up |
3 |
| Pool 3rd place |
2 |
| Pool 4th place |
1 |
|
European Challenge Cup
EWLINE
| Place |
ECC Team Points |
Heineken Cup Team Points |
| Winner |
+2 |
+1 |
| Finalist |
+1 |
+1 |
| Semi-finalist |
+1 |
+1 |
| Quarter-finalist |
2 |
3 |
|
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GFDL.
