New ranking system introduced for Heineken Cup pools draw

By Rex Gowar

LONDON (Reuters) - A new ranking system for the Heineken Cup, Europe's elite club tournament, was introduced by organisers European Rugby Cup (ERC) on Thursday.

The draw for next season's Heineken Cup, the first to be held under the ERC European Ranking, will take place in June, they said in a statement.

The replacement of the previous system based on domestic performance by the new rankings based on European results follows some lop-sided lineups in this season's pools that led to the early elimination of several top clubs.

Holders London Wasps, twice winners Leicester Tigers, 2005 runners-up Stade Francais and 2006 finalists Biarritz all missed out on quarter-final berths having played in tough pools.

"We believe this new ranking system to be a major and important step forward in the ongoing development and growth of European club rugby's premier tournaments," ERC chairman Jean-Pierre Lux said in the statement.

"European results have become the accepted yardstick by which clubs judge themselves and now those same results will have a direct bearing on their European rankings as we look forward to the initiative enhancing both tournaments in the seasons ahead."

Lux was also referring to the second tier Challenge Cup, which will also offer ranking points.

Teams, who can earn up to 11 points for winning the Heineken Cup, are tiered so the top six are not drawn in the same pool and likewise down the rankings in tiers of six, to make up the six pools.