18 May, 15:44
It's down to the wire now for the five contenders who have been shortlisted for the ultimate individual accolade in northern hemisphere rugby, ERC European Player of the Year 2013.
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14 May, 15:49
With the build-up to the Dublin 2013 European club rugby finals intensifying by the day, the four elite clubs of ASM Clermont Auvergne, Toulon, Leinster Rugby and Stade Francais Paris, who are focused on their quest for Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup silverware respectively, won't be the only clubs with Europe on their mind over the weekend of 17 and 18 May.
2 May, 18:59
Benoit August of Biarritz Olympique and Perpignan's Daniel Leo have been suspended for four weeks and two weeks respectively following citing complaints arising from last weekend's Amlin Challenge Cup semi-finals.
Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
Latest Heineken Cup News
18 May, 15:18
The 18th season of European club rugby has reached its climax and Derek McGrath, Chief Executive of ERC, looks back at the development of both the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup tournaments and ahead at the challenges faced.
18 May, 13:34
ASM Clermont Auvergne are all set to make Heineken Cup history if they lift the trophy for the first time at the Aviva Stadium tonight.
18 May, 11:58
Ronan O'Gara - the Heineken Cup record points scorer - has called time on his glittering playing and is to join Racing Metro 92 as the French club's half backs coach.
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Amlin Challenge Cup
Amlin Challenge Cup
Latest Amlin Challenge Cup News
18 May, 10:54
This one is for Joe and Isa - that was the tribute Amlin Man of the Match Jonny Sexton paid to his coach and team-mate in the wake of their 34-13 Amlin Challenge Cup final triumph over Stade Francais Paris at the RDS.
17 May, 23:37
There was another dose of European disappointment for Sergio Parisse and his team but the Stade Francais Paris captain paid handsome tribute to Leinster following their 34-13 victory at the RDS.
17 May, 23:15
Now for the elusive double - that was the defiant message from Joe Schmidt after they had lifted the third European title of his reign.
Amlin Challenge Cup Teams
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News
Super Nine Qualify For 2004 / 2005
19 April 2004 23:03pm
By
The Newcastle Falcons will compete in the Heineken Cup next season
Clive Mason
© Getty Images
Castres Olympique, Bath Rugby, London Wasps, Newcastle Falcons, Edinburgh Rugby, Munster, Leinster Lions, Llanelli Scarlets and The Dragons have all booked their 2004 / 2005 Heineken Cup places.
Castres Olympique and Newcastle Falcons will be there as domestic cup winners - triumphing in the Challenge Sud Radio and Powergen tournaments respectively - with Edinburgh Rugby, Llanelli Scarlets and The Dragons all in unassailable national qualifying positions in the Celtic League and Bath Rugby and London Wasps assured of top three finishes in the Zurich Premiership.
However, while Wales were permitted to field all five of their regional sides in the current tournament following the introduction of a regional structure last summer, from next season they, like all six of the stakeholder nations, will enter a team in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup competition.
That means that with Wales joining Ireland and Scotland in being able to provide just one side for the Parker Pen Challenge Cup tournament, and Italy failing to earn a meritocracy Heineken Cup place, there is a Heineken Cup vacancy to fill and it will be left to a straight battle between England and France to have a seventh team in next season's Heineken Cup.
And it could go down to the wire - the Heineken Cup final at Twickenham on Sunday, 23 May - to determine which of the two nations has advanced the furthest and had the most successful campaign in the ninth season of European club rugby's premier tournament.
Ireland are nominating their teams based on performances in the 2003 / 2004 ERC tournaments, with Munster and Leinster Lions confirmed qualifiers. Therefore that would allow Connacht to qualify as Ireland 3 if they win the Parker Pen Challenge Cup.
The allocation of the initial 23 places for the 10th season of the tournament are:
England and France - six (6) teams each (including one meritocracy place each)
Wales - four (4) teams
Ireland - three (3) teams (including one meritocracy place)
Italy and Scotland - two (2) teams each
THE 2004 / 2005 QUALIFIERS ... SO FAR
(Alphabetical order ONLY and not seedings)
ENGLAND - Bath Rugby, London Wasps, Newcastle Falcons
FRANCE - Castres Olympique
IRELAND - Leinster Lions, Munster
SCOTLAND - Edinburgh Rugby
WALES - Llanelli Scarlets, The DragonsLatest ERC TV
Latest ERC TV
18 May 13
Get the final words pf both coaches and captains ahead of the biggest club game of their careers. Press Confernce with Toulon and ASM
16 May 13
Finals Edition: Listen to the best guide to the European Rugby Cup Finals weekend in Dublin, which sees Leinster Rugby take on Stade Francais Paris at the RDS on Friday night in the Amlin Challenge Cup Final and then ASM Clermont Auvergne tackle Toulon in an all-French affair at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
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