Congratulations to London Wasps, NEC Harlequins and Montpellier - all winners of ERC tournaments this season and now all European champions.
And well done and thank you to the other 53 clubs that took part in the Heineken Cup, Parker Pen Challenge Cup and Parker Pen Shield competitions. Each and every one of you helped to make this, the ninth season of pan-European rugby, arguably the best yet.
This season we welcomed club sides from Portugal and Spain into the ERC family, alongside teams from England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.
While recognising the efforts of the clubs, everyone at ERC understands the huge commitment given to the three tournaments by the fans. Your support for your clubs, and for the competitions, is growing every season and you have played a major role in the development of professional rugby across Europe. Thank you for demonstrating such huge pride in your team, great passion for the game and support for our tournaments.
In total over one million people have attended ERC matches this year, making it the most supported season of European rugby, and certainly the most entertaining, with all three finals going down to the wire.
In June watch out on the site for next season's Heineken Cup Pool line-ups when players, coaches and fans will once again start to again size each other up before the race for a place in the 10th anniversary Heineken Cup Final in Edinburgh begins in earnest.
ERC Rugby will return in October when the Heineken Cup and Parker Pen Challenge Cup competitions kick-off again, it will be the 10th season of ERC tournaments, and we are sure you are looking forward to it as much as we are here!
Have a great summer. Derek McGrath, ERC Chief Executive.
