The pool draw for the 2016/17 European Rugby Champions Cup will take place in Neuchâtel, Switzerland today (Wednesday) at approximately 1.20pm (UK and Irish time), following the draw for the Challenge Cup.
Ulster will be among the second or third seeds for the draw.
Both draws will be broadcast live on Sky Sports News and streamed live on www.epcrugby.com
The event comperes in Neuchâtel will be Alex Payne (Sky Sports) and Matthieu Lartot (France Télévisions) with Dimitri Yachvili (beIN Sports) and Ieuan Evans (Sky Sports) conducting the draws.
The key principles and key steps integral to the Pool Draw are explained below.
KEY PRINCIPLES
- The 20 clubs which have qualified on merit from the Aviva Premiership, Top 14 and PRO12 leagues will compete in the 2016/17 Champions Cup in five pools of four.
- The clubs are divided into four tiers based on their status as championship winners and/or on their qualification positions in their league tables. This will be done by a draw in advance of the main pool draw.
- Each pool will have at least one club from each of the three leagues.
- Each of the five pools will have one club from each of the four tiers.
- There will be no more than two clubs from the same league in a pool.
- No pool will contain two PRO12 clubs from the same country.
- Clubs from the same league will be kept apart until the allocation of the Tier 4 clubs.
QUALIFICATION
For the purposes of creating the tiers, the Aviva Premiership, TOP 14 and PRO12 clubs are ranked based on their performances in their respective competitions.
Aviva Premiership
1. Saracens
2. Exeter Chiefs
3. Wasps
4. Leicester Tigers
5. Northampton Saints
6. Sale Sharks
TOP 14
1. Racing 92
2. RC Toulon
3. ASM Clermont Auvergne
4. Montpellier
5. Toulouse
6. Castres Olympique
7. Bordeaux-Bègles
Guinness PRO12
1. Connacht Rugby
2. Leinster Rugby
3. Glasgow Warriors
4. Ulster Rugby
5. Scarlets
6. Munster Rugby
7. Zebre Rugby
HOW THE DRAW WORKS
Step 1
At this point, only the Tier 4 clubs are confirmed. A draw has to be made to establish the five Tier 1 clubs, and once Tier 1 is confirmed, Tiers 2 and 3 fall into place as per the key principles above.
The draw takes place to determine which two clubs from the three clubs ranked number two in the leagues will join the three championship winners in Tier 1.
The three championship runners-up balls are placed in the bowl, and two clubs are then drawn into Tier 1.
Tier 1 clubs
Saracens (Aviva Premiership champions)
Connacht Rugby (Guinness PRO12 champions)
Racing 92 (TOP 14 champions)
XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX
Step 2
Once the Tier 1 clubs are established, the five Tier 2 clubs can be confirmed as follows: the three third-ranked clubs in the leagues – Wasps, Glasgow Warriors and ASM Clermont Auvergne – will be joined by XXXXXXX who were not drawn into Tier 1, and by XXXXXXX who are the fourth-ranked club from the XXXXXXX league. This could include Ulster.
Tier 2 clubs
Wasps
Glasgow Warriors
ASM Clermont Auvergne
XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX (possibly Ulster)
Step 3
Once the Tier 2 clubs are established, the five Tier 3 clubs can be confirmed as follows: the two remaining fourth-ranked clubs, XXXXXXX and XXXXXXXX (one of which could be Ulster), and the three fifth-ranked clubs, Northampton Saints, Scarlets and Toulouse.
Tier 3 clubs
XXXXXXXX (possibly Ulster)
XXXXXXXX
Toulouse
Northampton Saints
Scarlets
The clubs in Tier 4 are already confirmed as follows:
Tier 4 clubs
Sale Sharks
Munster Rugby
Zebre Rugby
Castres Olympique
Bordeaux-Bègles
Step 4
Each of the five Tier 1 clubs are drawn, followed by a pool number for that club.
Step 5
Draw for the five Tier 2 clubs.
As each club ball is selected, a draw is then made to allocate the club a pool from the available pools based on the key principles above. Some clubs may have to be placed directly into a pool in order to ensure the key principles apply.
Step 6
Draw for the five Tier 3 clubs.
Again, as each club ball is selected, a draw is then made to allocate the club a pool from the available pools based on the key principles above. Some clubs may have to be placed directly into a pool in order to ensure the key principles apply.
Step 7
Draw for the five Tier 4 clubs.
Again, as each club ball is selected, a draw is then made to allocate the club a pool from the available pools based on the key principles above.
Munster Rugby from the PRO12 cannot be drawn into the same pool as Leinster, Connacht or Ulster.
Some clubs may have to be placed directly into a pool in order to ensure the key principles apply.
Ulster will be among the second or third seeds for the draw.
Both draws will be broadcast live on Sky Sports News and streamed live on www.epcrugby.com
The event comperes in Neuchâtel will be Alex Payne (Sky Sports) and Matthieu Lartot (France Télévisions) with Dimitri Yachvili (beIN Sports) and Ieuan Evans (Sky Sports) conducting the draws.
The key principles and key steps integral to the Pool Draw are explained below.
KEY PRINCIPLES
- The 20 clubs which have qualified on merit from the Aviva Premiership, Top 14 and PRO12 leagues will compete in the 2016/17 Champions Cup in five pools of four.
- The clubs are divided into four tiers based on their status as championship winners and/or on their qualification positions in their league tables. This will be done by a draw in advance of the main pool draw.
- Each pool will have at least one club from each of the three leagues.
- Each of the five pools will have one club from each of the four tiers.
- There will be no more than two clubs from the same league in a pool.
- No pool will contain two PRO12 clubs from the same country.
- Clubs from the same league will be kept apart until the allocation of the Tier 4 clubs.
QUALIFICATION
For the purposes of creating the tiers, the Aviva Premiership, TOP 14 and PRO12 clubs are ranked based on their performances in their respective competitions.
Aviva Premiership
1. Saracens
2. Exeter Chiefs
3. Wasps
4. Leicester Tigers
5. Northampton Saints
6. Sale Sharks
TOP 14
1. Racing 92
2. RC Toulon
3. ASM Clermont Auvergne
4. Montpellier
5. Toulouse
6. Castres Olympique
7. Bordeaux-Bègles
Guinness PRO12
1. Connacht Rugby
2. Leinster Rugby
3. Glasgow Warriors
4. Ulster Rugby
5. Scarlets
6. Munster Rugby
7. Zebre Rugby
HOW THE DRAW WORKS
Step 1
At this point, only the Tier 4 clubs are confirmed. A draw has to be made to establish the five Tier 1 clubs, and once Tier 1 is confirmed, Tiers 2 and 3 fall into place as per the key principles above.
The draw takes place to determine which two clubs from the three clubs ranked number two in the leagues will join the three championship winners in Tier 1.
The three championship runners-up balls are placed in the bowl, and two clubs are then drawn into Tier 1.
Tier 1 clubs
Saracens (Aviva Premiership champions)
Connacht Rugby (Guinness PRO12 champions)
Racing 92 (TOP 14 champions)
XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX
Step 2
Once the Tier 1 clubs are established, the five Tier 2 clubs can be confirmed as follows: the three third-ranked clubs in the leagues – Wasps, Glasgow Warriors and ASM Clermont Auvergne – will be joined by XXXXXXX who were not drawn into Tier 1, and by XXXXXXX who are the fourth-ranked club from the XXXXXXX league. This could include Ulster.
Tier 2 clubs
Wasps
Glasgow Warriors
ASM Clermont Auvergne
XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX (possibly Ulster)
Step 3
Once the Tier 2 clubs are established, the five Tier 3 clubs can be confirmed as follows: the two remaining fourth-ranked clubs, XXXXXXX and XXXXXXXX (one of which could be Ulster), and the three fifth-ranked clubs, Northampton Saints, Scarlets and Toulouse.
Tier 3 clubs
XXXXXXXX (possibly Ulster)
XXXXXXXX
Toulouse
Northampton Saints
Scarlets
The clubs in Tier 4 are already confirmed as follows:
Tier 4 clubs
Sale Sharks
Munster Rugby
Zebre Rugby
Castres Olympique
Bordeaux-Bègles
Step 4
Each of the five Tier 1 clubs are drawn, followed by a pool number for that club.
Step 5
Draw for the five Tier 2 clubs.
As each club ball is selected, a draw is then made to allocate the club a pool from the available pools based on the key principles above. Some clubs may have to be placed directly into a pool in order to ensure the key principles apply.
Step 6
Draw for the five Tier 3 clubs.
Again, as each club ball is selected, a draw is then made to allocate the club a pool from the available pools based on the key principles above. Some clubs may have to be placed directly into a pool in order to ensure the key principles apply.
Step 7
Draw for the five Tier 4 clubs.
Again, as each club ball is selected, a draw is then made to allocate the club a pool from the available pools based on the key principles above.
Munster Rugby from the PRO12 cannot be drawn into the same pool as Leinster, Connacht or Ulster.
Some clubs may have to be placed directly into a pool in order to ensure the key principles apply.