World Cup stars set to shine in Europe

As many as 271 players selected for World Cup duty in New Zealand are on the books of the 44 clubs who will take part in ERC's tournaments this season.
And 19 of the 20 nations competing at the 2011 World Cup have at least one player involved in the two elite European club tournaments.
Brian O'Driscoll of reigning Heineken Cup champions Leinster, Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Chris Paterson (Edinburgh), and the Argentina duo of Felipe Contepomi (Stade Francais) and Mario Ledesma will be playing in their fourth World Cup.
The entire Irish, French, Scottish and Welsh squads also come from clubs who will compete in ERC's tournaments with James Haskell (Ricoh Black Rams) and Simon Shaw (unattached), as well as Pablo Canavosio (Calvisano), the odd men out in the England and Italy squads.

Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup clubs' player representation at RWC 2011

Ireland (30)
Leinster 14
Munster 8
Ulster Rugby 5
Leicester Tigers 1
Ospreys 1
Sale Sharks 1

France (30)
Toulouse 7
ASM Clermont Auvergne 5
Biarritz Olympique 5
Perpignan 4
Racing Metro 2
Montpellier 2
Stade Français Paris 2
Bayonne 1
Toulon 1
Castres Olympique 1

Scotland (30)
Glasgow 8
Edinburgh 7
Gloucester Rugby 4
Sale Sharks 2
Newcastle Falcons 1
Toulon 1
Castres Olympique 1
London Irish 1
Cardiff Blues 1
Saracens 1
Scarlets 1
ASM Clermont Auvergne 1
Ulster Rugby 1

Wales (30)
Ospreys 7
Scarlets 7
Cardiff Blues 6
NG Dragons 5
Exeter Chiefs 1
ASM Clermont Auvergne 1
Perpignan 1
Bayonne 1
Sale Sharks 1

Italy (29)
Benetton Treviso 12
Aironi Rugby 11
Racing Metro 2
Leicester Tigers 1
ASM Clermont Auvergne 1
Stade Français Paris 1
Brive 1

England (28)
Leicester Tigers 6
Northampton Saints 5
Bath Rugby 4
London Irish 3
Sale Sharks 2
London Wasps 1
Stade Français Paris 2
Saracens 2
Harlequins 1
Gloucester Rugby 1
Toulon 1

Argentina (22)
Montpellier 5
Stade Français Paris 4
Leicester Tigers 2
Biarritz Olympique 2
Toulouse 2
Exeter Chiefs 1
Harlequins 1
Agen 1
Bordeaux-Begles 1
Lyon Rugby 1
Toulon 1
Racing Metro 1

Samoa (19)
Sale Sharks 3
Ospreys 2
London Irish 2
Bordeaux-Begles 2
Exeter Chiefs 1
Gloucester Rugby 1
Northampton Saints 1
Newcastle Falcons 1
Harlequins 1
Toulouse 1
Bath Rugby 1
London Wasps 1
Castres Olympique 1
ASM Clermont Auvergne 1

Fiji (12)
Scarlets 1
Sale Sharks 1
Gloucester Rugby 1
Edinburgh 1
Lyon Rugby 1
Montpellier 1
Castres Olympique 1
Worcester Warriors 1
Toulon 1
Racing Metro 1
Saracens 1
ASM Clermont Auvergne 1

Tonga (10)
Lyon Rugby 2
Bordeaux-Begles 2
Worcester Warriors 1
Cardiff Blues 1
Perpignan 1
Northampton Saints 1
Scarlets 1
Connacht Rugby 1

Georgia (9)
Montpellier 3
Brive 2
ASM Clermont Auvergne 2
Castres Olympique 1
Toulon 1

Romania (4)
Perpignan 2
London Irish 1
Bordeaux-Begles 1

Canada (4)
ASM Clermont Auvergne 1
Ospreys 1
London Irish 1
Glasgow Warriors 1

South Africa (4)
Ulster Rugby 2
Bath Rugby 1
Racing Metro 92 1

USA (4)
Biarritz Olympique 1

Stade Francais Paris 1

Agen 1

Saracens 1

Russia (2)
Sale Sharks 1
Northampton Saints 1

Namibia (2)
Saracens 1
Montpellier 1

New Zealand (1)
Ulster Rugby 1

Australia (1)
Toulouse 1