European Ranking Points at stake this weekend

Even teams who are out of the running for last eight qualification have plenty to play for in an effort to improve their four season roll-over points tally.

The ERC European Ranking system, which was introduced for the draw for the current tournament, aims to reward and incentivise teams who consistently perform at the highest level in European competition over four seasons by separating the leading teams in the Pool stages.

The 24 competing teams who qualify through their domestic tournaments are, for the purposes of the Pool draw, awarded different points for their finishing positions in the two ERC organised competitions, the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup, over the previous four seasons.

Teams can earn between one to 11 points each season in the Heineken Cup and up to five points in the European Challenge Cup to go towards their four season roll-over ERC European Ranking.

The rankings establish four tiers of six teams each with the reigning Heineken Cup champions automatically going into top spot of Tier 1 along with Europe's other, currently, most successful teams.

The draw for the 2009/10 tournament will again distribute one team from each of the four Tier levels into each of the six Pools. As before, no teams from the same country will be drawn in the same Pool with the exception of when there are seven teams qualified from either England or France.

Under the system, irrespective of qualification for the knock-out stages, all teams are incentivised to finish in the highest possible position in the Heineken Cup. And progress through to the knock-out stages of the European Challenge Cup will also carry extra value and could be of major importance for those emerging clubs as they attempt to climb the European ladder.

HEINEKEN CUP
(Points per stage - 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 third - 2
Pool fourth - 1

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP
(Points per stage - Total points)

Winner - 2 - 5
Finalist - 1 - 3
Semi-finalist - 1 - 2
Quarter-finalist - 1 - 1

Visit www.ercrugby.com/europeanranking to view ERC European Ranking Points used for the draw for the 2008/09 season

The Rankings for next season's tournament will be compiled from points earned in the 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2008/09 seasons.